Perry's POV

I turned around and headed straight back to the guest room. Francis was on the sofa, his legs bouncing like crazy. The moment he saw me, he sprang to his feet. "So? Did Alpha Richard agree?"

"No. He already has someone he loves, and I've got my own mate too. There's no way for us to be mates."

"What?" Francis stared at me, completely stunned. "Why not?"

He clutched his chest like he was in actual pain. I just stood there, watching him fall apart. He'd been running all over the place these past few days, even trying to butter me up-all because he thought I'd end up with Richard. But I turned it down.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be that easy to say no to Richard. Maybe he'd never planned to say yes either. Francis was just too sure of himself, and I misread everything.

"No! No way!" Francis took a few deep breaths before shouting. "You, come with me!"

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. I tried to pull away, but he dragged me back anyway. He shoved the door open and started pleading with Richard. "Alpha Richard, I'm so sorry! Perry's just stubborn like that. But she doesn't have a mate. Never has!"

The Ashen Pack had just gotten hit hard by a rogue attack not long ago. The damage was brutal. If Francis couldn't get help from another pack, the Ashen Pack would fall apart, and he'd lose his Alpha title.

Yeah, I knew all of that. Watching him put on this pitiful act, though? Made me feel nothing but bored.

What I didn't expect was that Richard actually didn't get pissed. He looked at Francis calmly and said, "I don't care about that. Miss Lake doesn't want to be my mate, and I've already found my mate. If the Ashen Pack needs help that badly, talk to Byron. Show what you're offering. I'll think it over."

I couldn't help but scoff inside. Francis didn't just want a favor-he was aiming for something way more, to basically tie the Ashen Pack to Bloodmoon and make them their biggest ally.

Too bad. That's not happening anymore. I already shut that door on Richard for good.

Francis looked totally crushed. He lowered his head like someone pulled the ground out from under him. He followed Byron outside and talked for a bit, then came back in and looked at me, disappointed. "Let's go home, Perry."

He had to keep up the act in front of Richard, playing the role of a decent dad-not someone scrambling for power.

My plan worked out, just not in the way I thought it would. But honestly? I didn't feel happy at all. I felt agitated. What happened last night was still playing on a loop in my head, and all I could think about was finding that Alpha again.

Now that Gina wasn't around to help, I'd just have to be patient-and keep looking.Francis didn't say a word as we left the Bloodmoon Pack. He looked tense and annoyed, which honestly worked in my favor-I didn't have to listen to him talk or pretend to care. When I told him to drop me off at the hotel, he just nodded absentmindedly.

I wasted no time getting out of his car and headed straight up to my room, spending the whole afternoon lying low, recharging.

That evening, my phone rang-Francis. This time, I picked up pretty quickly. His voice was scratchy but calm, almost like he was trying too hard to act normal. "Perry, come back to the Ashen Pack for dinner tonight. We're waiting on you."

Right. We all knew the Richard thing was history. But Francis was still trying to butter me up. That surprised me for a second, but then it clicked-he probably thought Richard had been in a decent mood today because of me. Like, maybe getting shot down didn't piss him off because he was crushing on me or something. Francis always was good at seeing what he wanted to see.

After chilling for most of the day, I was feeling way better, and his invite didn't instantly irritate me. I hesitated for a couple of seconds, then said, "Sure. I'll swing by."

It's been forever since I stepped foot in the Ashen Pack territory. Maybe now's the time. Time to revisit the place my mom and I once called home-the house that Francis and his new "queen" have taken over. I guess at some point, I've gotta face them.

So yeah, I dressed up. Picked out a soft, flowing dress. Nothing too flashy, but just enough. More importantly, it covered up the marks someone left on my skin-ones I really didn't want anyone here to see.

When I got to the Ashen Pack, people around didn't recognize me. No one figured out I was Francis's daughter. Not until I got to the front of the house, and he came out to greet me himself.

He gave me a once-over, half impressed, half regretful. "You look beautiful, Perry. Come on, Irene cooked dinner herself tonight."

I followed behind him silently. Lucky for him, he couldn't see my expression-my face was twisted in disgust. Irene Morgan... no, Irene Lake now. The same wolf who'd sunk her claws into Francis back then.

She used to be the sister of Silverfang's old Alpha. That gave her some major backup, so she didn't even try to hide her relationship with Francis. My mom? She didn't matter to Irene in the slightest. Irene flaunted that affair like a badge of honor-even in front of my mom.

After Francis kicked Helena out of her own house, Irene made it clear she didn't want me sticking around either. So Mom had to pack us both up and leave. I was ten when she died. After that, Irene was crowned Luna, and my grandpa took me out to the countryside to raise me.

Haven't heard from Francis since. Not until a few days ago, anyway.

I took a deep breath, trying to cool the emotions boiling in my chest. At the doorway, a girl with soft brown hair was standing there, giving me a once-over like I smelled bad. Her eyes were full of judgment.

Sarah Lake. Francis and Irene's daughter. She used to be called their mistake-now she was their pride and joy. Guess their relationship was so passionate they couldn't even wait till my mom was gone before popping out Sarah and Jonathan.

Jonathan Lake was still off traveling abroad, hadn't been home in ages. Sure, I only had to deal with Sarah, but that didn't make her some innocent little angel. The nasty glare she threw my way proved that much.

"So, you're Perry?" Sarah gave me this fake-smiley look, her eyes scanning my face with undisguised envy.

I didn't bother playing nice. Just gave a short nod, didn't even offer a handshake. "Yeah."

Honestly, I couldn't care less about anyone in the Ashen Pack-especially not Francis, his mate, or their precious kids.

Sarah curled her lip and gave the faintest eye roll, clearly not thrilled either. "Oh, Perry, come on in."

Francis acted oblivious to our icy vibes. He tugged me into the living room and I dropped onto the couch.

"Perry, you're a wolf of the Ashen Pack. It's time to come back home. I'll have a few wolves tidy up a room for you. From now on, you'll live here with us," Francis said in that gentle tone he liked to use when pretending we were a happy family.

Before I could respond, he turned and tossed a line at Sarah. "Sweetheart, show your sister some respect."

And then he was gone-pulled away by Irene calling him from the other room.

Sarah watched him leave, then shot me a smug little grin. "Living with us? Please. You've been out in the sticks for way too long. Think you can handle how we live here?"

"Yeah, no thanks," I shot back, mocking her with an eye roll of my own. "You guys enjoy your fancy lifestyle. I'm good with a room at the Crown Regent."

I said it just to get under her skin-and it worked. Sarah's eyes narrowed, and her whole expression curdled. "Crown Regent? What, did some money fairy pay for that? Do you even know what's happening with the Ashen Pack right now? Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty?"

"Where I live is none of your business," I said coolly, not even blinking. "I've never used your money. I don't now. And I never will."

I hated this pack, hated everything they stood for. I didn't want a single thing from them. What I had, I earned.

But somehow, that seemed to please Sarah. She perked up, chin tilted arrogantly. "Good. Hopefully you stick to that and don't get greedy for what's ours."

"Sarah, Perry." Irene strolled in, all fake warmth and sugary smiles like she hadn't just heard her daughter's insults. "Looks like you two are getting along just fine. Time for dinner, let's go."

I knew all too well there were plenty of wolves to handle such errands. Irene didn't need to come herself. But she always did this-put on the perfect act for Francis.

"Sure, Mom." Sarah puffed up, clearly feeling victorious as she moved to Irene's side.

Irene looked my way, clearly waiting to see if I'd react to what just happened. If I dared say anything, she'd probably guilt-trip me, painting Sarah as some innocent girl who I was picking on unfairly.

I trailed behind them with a gloomy face. As soon as we reached the dining room, I sped up and dropped into the seat right next to Francis. No doubt that was Sarah's usual spot. The look on her face when she saw me there totally made my day.

"You-" Sarah started, clearly about to snap, but Irene grabbed her arm and shot her a warning look. Sarah bit her tongue and, fuming, picked another seat. I casually picked up my fork, throwing her the same smug look she'd given me earlier.

She looked like she was going to explode, but with both Irene and Francis watching, she had no choice but to simmer down.

Irene didn't look thrilled either. She glared at me, her plastic smile barely hanging on. "Perry, did you upset Alpha Richard? Is that why the two of you didn't end up becoming mates? We could go back tomorrow and try again."

"No," I said lazily, picking at my food. "It wasn't just him. I didn't want it either."

"You didn't want to?" Sarah looked even more pissed, practically losing her cool. "That's hilarious. What makes you think you're too good for an alpha? Who do you think you are?"

I stared at her dumb, bitter face and let out a cold chuckle. "If you want him so bad, why don't you go for it?"

To my surprise, Sarah lit up like she just heard the greatest idea ever. She turned to Irene, excited. "Mom, she's actually right. The deal with Bloodmoon never said it had to be Perry. I could do it!"

"Exactly!" Irene looked thrilled. "Alpha Richard probably didn't like Perry because she's just some backwoods girl who doesn't have the aura of an alpha's mate. But my sweet Sarah? She's perfect luna material..."

The more they hyped themselves up, the harder it was for me not to roll my eyes so hard they got stuck. I was being sarcastic, and they actually took it as a plan?

Francis finally snapped. "Enough! Don't you have any shame?" he barked.

His alpha energy flared out without him even meaning to, instantly shutting Irene and Sarah up. I lowered my head, laughing quietly.

Francis slammed his utensils down and stormed off toward his study upstairs, still clearly seething.

Once he was gone, Sarah flipped her hair with an arrogant huff. She looked over at Irene and said with a sneer, "Whatever, Mom. As if I'd want someone Perry got rejected by. I'm going to find myself someone way better."

I couldn't believe she was for real-like she honestly thought she could find someone stronger than Richard Scott. The way she glared at me, full of scorn, it was like she hated my entire existence. Honestly, she was so delusional it was laughable.

I rushed through dinner. I'd had more than enough of this place. I stood up and left without a second thought. I didn't feel a shred of attachment to the Ashen Pack, and their wealth couldn't tempt me even a bit.

I'd never forget the pain Irene and Francis had put my mother through, and I was done pretending. One day, I'd make sure they paid for it.

Richard's POV

After wrapping up the negotiations, I headed back to the Crown Regent Hotel. Instead of going to my usual suite for Bloodmoon alphas, I came here.

As I was about to step into the elevator, I noticed Perry at the main entrance. She looked like she was having a rough day, head down, not really paying attention until she got close to the elevator-and then she finally saw me.

She stopped in her tracks, clearly startled, and hesitated like she wasn't sure if stepping in with me would be a mistake. Which, let's face it, was kind of amusing. Here was the same girl who'd once told me straight up she didn't want to be my mate, and now suddenly she's all tense and fidgety like she's scared to offend me.

I found it oddly entertaining. So I held the elevator door open and gave her a slight smile. "Come on in."

Perry's mouth parted like she was about to say something, her striking blue eyes flickering as she hesitated a beat. Eventually, she seemed to pull herself together, took a quiet breath, and stepped inside, slipping into a far corner like she wanted to be anywhere but near me.

She was wearing a beautiful dress-really suited her. Her hair was done neatly, totally unlike the last time I saw her. She looked polished, like white silk-made me wonder if she'd deliberately looked messy when she met me before.

The elevator was silent aside from our breathing and heartbeats. She leaned back against the wall, gaze fixed straight ahead, doing everything she could to avoid looking at me. I turned to her, curious. "So... do you actually have a mate?"

Perry flinched slightly, then slowly turned her head to meet my eyes. She frowned like she was trying to figure out what I was getting at, then forced an awkward smile. "Alpha Scott, I'm not sure what you mean. Is it so strange for me to have a mate?"

"No, not strange," I said, eyes locked on her. "But I think you said that just to stop cooperation between Ashen and us. Because that partnership would've made your clan stronger again. So, you lied."

I didn't need to think too hard to see through her. Her lies were that obvious. As expected, she froze up, staring at me as her face turned red-not out of embarrassment, though.

She took a deep breath, trying to act composed as she crossed her arms. But I could tell she was anxious. "Well, you said you were into another she-wolf-your fated mate. I just didn't want to get in your way."

"Heh." I let out a light chuckle. I didn't bother tearing apart her excuse any further. I just looked away, eyes flicking up to the elevator display. We were almost at the top. But I knew Perry wasn't staying on my floor. "You coming with me?"

"What?" she blurted, clearly flustered. She glanced at the numbers climbing above the door, her flush deepening. Then she looked down, visibly frustrated. "No-sorry. I forgot to press my floor. But I'm not going with you."

After that, she shrank back into the corner, keeping her eyes firmly away from mine.

I picked up on it immediately-her heartbeat had spiked, even more than when she first stepped in. I was about to keep talking, but something else caught my attention-a soft, sweet aroma. It was faint-barely there-but I'd been focusing on her, so I noticed.

She still looked jittery, probably lost in her thoughts. That scent, it was definitely from her. And weirdly, it reminded me of... that night. The one stuck in my head. Francis had told me she'd always been with the Ashen Pack. Maybe it was just her perfume.

But then came that rush of heat in my chest, the craving I'd buried. My mind instantly flashed to that steamy night-the way that girl's voice trembled under me, how sweet and creamy her scent was. And yeah... her voice, it did remind me of Perry's.

I frowned, but the elevator had already arrived. With a sigh, I glanced back at Perry and stepped out distractedly. Just before the doors closed, I caught a glimpse of her shoulders relaxing, like she was relieved I didn't try to stop her.

Gotta admit, she was... interesting.

Even after I left the Crown Regent Hotel the next day, I couldn't stop thinking about how tense and uneasy she'd looked.

After that awkward elevator ride, I ended up having a vivid dream - yeah, the steamy kind. It was that night I was drugged, only this time, the room lights were on and Perry's face appeared-soft, flushed, biting her lip. Way too tempting.

I had her straddling me, grinding into her most sensitive spot. Her moans hit my ears loud and clear while I bit her earlobe, then her neck. And just as she came, I released inside her.

Then I snapped awake, breathing heavy. Damn. That dream stirred something way too strong inside me. If Perry was really the she-wolf from that night... I'd never let her go. But it was just a dream.

That she-wolf is still missing - and Perry is not her.

That's when Francis called. I saw his name flash on the screen and remembered I'd asked him to talk with Byron. Byron later told me the Ashen Pack had put everything on the table.

He said I could take their offer, help them out, and they'd owe us big time. Long-term? It's a solid move.

"Alpha Richard," Francis sounded exhausted when I picked up. "The Ashen Pack can't fend off the rogues anymore. Will you help us?"

I cleared my throat, already knowing my answer. "No. Not happening."

"What?" Francis sounded stunned.

"I'll have Byron send you some tips. Bloodmoon's seen plenty of rogue fights. If you're serious, Byron can assign one of our deltas to give your people some training."

He went quiet for a bit, then said in a shaky voice, "Are you saying you won't help at all?"

"Exactly." I didn't hesitate - it was what I intended to say.

Silence lingered on his end. I just waited.

Then he blurted out, "Is this because of Perry? She didn't accept you as her mate! She must've offended you!"

I didn't feel like explaining anything. I've always let people figure me out on their own. And this idiot? Not worth my time. So I kept quiet - which he clearly misunderstood.

"Alpha Richard, Perry's just naïve, I'll make her apologize to you, alright?"

I wasn't going to entertain his begging. After meeting Perry, I'd had Byron look into their situation. Now I knew their father-daughter relationship was... strained.

So I responded coldly, "Mr. Lake, a bit late to start treating Perry like your daughter, don't you think?"

"Uh..." Francis stammered. "Alpha Richard, Perry's not as distant as you think. She's my firstborn, I love her, and you know what strength the Ashen Pack once had! We can offer-"

"My mind's made up." I cut him off calmly and ended the call.

I got up, threw on some clothes, and stared at myself in the mirror - a tall alpha with too much on his mind.

Perry.

Maybe Francis lied. Maybe she's not even with the Ashen Pack anymore. Honestly, I wouldn't blame her.

There's just something about her I can't shake. I keep getting pulled toward her, whether I want to or not.

Perry's POV

After getting up, I chilled in the hotel room for a while. Honestly, I just didn't want to run into Richard on the way down. Even the slightest chance of that happening made me feel all tense. Last night in the elevator? My legs were literally jelly.

That guy's build-solid like a wall-and that calm confidence he carries, it's hard not to stare. I had to look away, or I probably would've just kept ogling like an idiot. I don't even know why I'm so drawn to him. Guess it's just something primal. He's powerful, no doubt about it.

I kept replaying the image of his face in my head-handsome, cold, collected. Just thinking about standing there next to him, face-to-face, made me blush like crazy. I groaned under my breath. "Ugh, what is wrong with me?"

I'd told myself I wasn't interested. Obviously, I was lying.

Right then, my phone rang. It was Francis. I picked up, doing my best to keep my voice even. "Something wrong?"

"Perry, come have dinner with us tonight. Irene's already got a table booked." He sounded kind of desperate, like he expected me to say no. "I'll come get you, okay? Please, Perry, don't say no."

Honestly? I wanted to tell him to forget it. But the way he acted made me wonder what he was up to, so I agreed.

I stayed holed up in the hotel until evening. When I went downstairs dressed and ready, Francis was already waiting at the door in his car. Sarah was sitting inside, and just seeing her made me frown. I walked up, not bothering to hide it.

"Let's go," Sarah said through the open window, that smug look on her face putting me instantly on edge. She gave my outfit a once-over with a raised brow, like I should be flattered to even be included.

I didn't move. Her whole attitude was off-putting. I wasn't in the mood to play along.

She must've caught on, 'cause her expression shifted. She opened the door, got out, grabbed my hand, and basically dragged me toward the car. "Perry, I know you don't like me, but we're sisters. The Bloodmoon Pack agreed to send some deltas, and that's all thanks to you. So we just wanted to say thank you and take you out for dinner."

Wait-Bloodmoon actually said yes? That shocked me. I didn't think Richard would go for it.

She shoved me into the back seat and climbed back into the front. As Francis started driving, Sarah turned around, her tone sharp and a little mocking. "Alpha Richard seems to like you. He sent a bunch of deltas to merge with the Ashen Pack. Freaked those rogue scum out pretty fast."

Even though she didn't spell it out, I could piece it together. Those rogues were scared of the Bloodmoon Pack, too afraid to mess with the deltas and risk retaliation. In the end, Francis never got any real help.

I gave myself a mental fist bump. That little fact cheered me up fast, and I didn't even bother reacting to Sarah's snide tone.

Clearly, Francis had something else up his sleeve. I wanted to see what new scheme he'd cooked up this time.

He soon pulled the car up to the spot he picked for dinner. It was a fancy French place, real exclusive. No one really knew which pack, if any, ran it-but it catered strictly to the upper-class wolves.

I'd only heard about it from Gina. She said the food was amazing and the service super attentive. Whatever frustration I had started to fade-I was actually kind of excited to try it out.

Francis stepped out first, then led Sarah and me inside. We headed over to our reserved table, where Irene was already seated with her usual grace. Next to her sat Belen Morgan, along with an unfamiliar wolf I didn't recognize.

He immediately started eyeing me up, his gaze sliding from my chest down to my hips, unapologetically. The guy made my skin crawl, so I sat down quickly. He looked away, though not for long-he kept sneaking glances when he thought I wasn't noticing.

I had no idea who this creep was or why he was here. Sarah claimed dinner was a thank-you for me, but then they brought along this sleazy guy who clearly thought he was entitled to something. I frowned, staring down at the utensils, not in the mood to talk.

Irene seemed to catch on that my mood had tanked. She quickly jumped in and introduced the stranger. "This is Alpha Tom Pierce, leader of the Stonepeak Pack. He's offered to support the Ashen Pack, so we invited him along tonight. Alpha Tom, this is my daughter, Perry Lake."

She pointed at me, giving Tom this overly sweet smile that made me want to roll my eyes. It was pathetic.

Tom sat up a bit straighter and gave me a nod. "Nice to meet you, Miss Lake."

He toned down the creepy eyes after that and turned to Francis to chat about their supposed alliance. Sarah took that moment to stand and fetch some red wine for the table. She set a glass in front of me with practiced grace.

She lifted her own glass with a prim little smile. "To Alpha Tom, and to my sister Perry."

I didn't respond. I picked up my glass, swirling it slightly out of habit-and that's when I saw it. Tiny grains of powder clinging to the bottom.

I felt a flame of rage burn in my gut.

They drugged it. They freaking drugged my wine.

I forced myself to stay calm, acting like I hadn't noticed. Then I remembered the way Tom had looked at me when I walked in, and it clicked. Sarah and the others planned to get me to sleep with him-to seal some kind of deal for Ashen support.Nausea hit me hard, and I gripped the fabric of my dress, fingers tense, trying to stop the shaking.

I needed to switch the drinks-and fast. Scanning the table, a plan clicked into place. I dropped my head, schooling my face into something that looked freaked out, then reached up to touch my ear.

"Oh no, my earring's gone!"

"It must've fallen under the table," I said, biting my lip and pulling up the tablecloth like I was in full panic mode. My over-the-top reaction made everyone glance down, just as I'd hoped. That gave me the perfect window to swap my glass with Sarah's.

Of course, there was no earring. I'd made it up, and now that the switch was done, it didn't matter.

Sarah straightened up, frowning hard. She hadn't seen a thing. Her voice was sharp as she stared at me and asked, "Did you even wear earrings tonight?"

"I just found one by my foot. Sorry about the scene-let's keep going," I said, flashing an embarrassed grin.

She narrowed her eyes like she wanted to mock me, but instead gave a cold snort and stayed quiet.

Irene didn't seem upset, though. She let out a soft breath, her eyes flicking to my glass with a kind of eager satisfaction. "Good, you found it. Come on, Perry, let's have a drink. I've been waiting."

I raised the glass and took a small sip, acting like everything was fine. Sarah drained her glass like she was proving a point and shot me a look.

"Perry, we're finishing this. It's a toast to Tom-it's basic manners."

Her tone dripped with fake sincerity. I didn't care much, but I still finished my drink. It was clean, after all.

Sarah clearly wasn't happy. Her gaze lingered on my flushed cheeks, probably wondering why I wasn't passed out yet. She refilled my glass in a heartbeat.

"This one's for you. My sister. Perry, come on."

I narrowed my eyes, stayed silent. To keep the act going, to keep Sarah confident she'd fooled me, I emptied the second glass too.

The dizziness crept in, just barely. I glanced across the table and saw Tom looking at me again, eyes full of sleaze. He didn't even try to hide it, like he thought he already owned me. I turned away, swallowing the bile rising in my throat.

"As long as you need support, Stonepeak Pack's got your back," Tom said confidently to Francis. My father turned his eyes to me; I met his gaze, quiet but steady.

For a second, doubt flickered across his face. A moment of silence passed, drawn-out and heavy-

Then he smiled, all cheerful, and said, "Alright then, it's a deal."

I looked away, heart sinking. What a fool I'd been to think he might not go through with it.

He hesitated, sure. But in the end, he still said yes.