Chapter 270
Chapter 270:
He scurried away. Adelina let out a sharp breath, her brow furrowed. “That was entirely unnecessary, Kain. He was just being helpful p>
I didn’t argue. I simply placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her toward her Alpha Office. Once inside, I shut the heavy oak door and locked it, sealing us in a private, fiercely guarded space.
“You’re overreacting,” she said, setting the tea on her desk.
“I am protecting what is mine,” I replied smoothly. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a black velvet box.
Adelina’s breath hitched as I opened it. Resting on the dark fabric was The Collar of the Moon Queen — forged from heavy platinum and embedded with raw, uncut moonstones, a sacred artifact that had once belonged to Selene, the first White Wolf Queen.
I stepped behind her, brushing her dark hair over her shoulder. The metal was cool against her skin as I fastened the clasp at the nape of her neck. It settled perfectly against her collarbone, a heavy, undeniable claim.
I leaned down, my lips brushing the sensitive skin of her ear. “A beautiful collar for a wolf who is mine and mine alone p>
She stared at her reflection in the massive floor-length mirror, mesmerized by the weight and history of the piece. “You will wear this to the Continental Pack Council Gala tonight,” I commanded softly.
While she traced the moonstones with trembling fingers, I opened a secure, encrypted Mind-Link to my Beta.
р𝘰р𝗎𝗹а𝗋 𝘴𝗍𝗈𝗋𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝗈𝘯
Xavier, I want everything on the Parrishes. Financials, hidden alliances, every dirty secret. Especially Kira. I want the weapon that will end her.
Branden POV
I stood in the quiet hallway outside Adelina’s office, my fingernails digging into my palms until they nearly drew blood.
Even through the thick, locked door, the Lycan King’s scent was leaking into the corridor — a suffocating, almost liquid wave of pure, unadulterated possessiveness. He had humiliated me out there, treating me like dirt beneath his boots simply because I had handed his wolfless little pet a cup of tea.
But his arrogance was blinding him. He had just shown me his greatest weakness.
I pulled out my encrypted phone and quickly typed a message to Kira Parrish.
The Lycan King is insanely jealous. He sees me as a threat. We can use this. The Council Gala tonight is our stage.
I watched the typing bubble appear on the screen. A few seconds later, Kira’s reply popped up.
Perfect. Make him bleed.
I locked my phone, slipped it back into my pocket, and adjusted my tie as I walked away from the office door.
Adelina POV
The torrential rain turned the city into a blur of gray as I stepped out from beneath the awning of The Wolfe Hotel. I was already running late for my final dress fitting before the Continental Pack Council Gala, and the heavy platinum of The Collar of the Moon Queen felt cold against my collarbone — a constant reminder of Kain’s suffocating presence.
“Allow me, Ms. Wolfe,” Branden Cole’s smooth voice cut through the sound of the downpour.