Chapter 13
Chapter 13:
“Do it,” I interrupted, my voice dead calm. I stepped to the edge of the porch and looked down at him. “Sue me, Jase. And the moment your lawyers file the paperwork, I will hold a press conference. I will invite the Davenport Tech board of directors and every Alpha investor backing your company. I will detail exactly how their CEO illegally trespassed on an independent Pack’s territory and defiled the childhood den of its future Luna p>
Jase froze. The threat of public humiliation and the loss of his Alpha backers hit him like a physical blow. His Inner Wolf roared in trapped, impotent rage, but he knew I had him cornered.
“You’re dead to me,” Jase snarled, his voice vibrating with a pathetic attempt to salvage his pride. He grabbed Kira by the arm, ignoring her wails over the ruined leather bag, and dragged her back toward his SUV.
I watched them drive away, feeling a cold satisfaction settle in my chest.
“That was entirely uncalled for, Adelina p>
I turned. My stepfather, Bryan Parrish, stepped out through the heavy oak front doors. The scent of sour greed and cowardice rolled off him in waves.
“You just alienated a powerful ally,” Bryan scolded, adjusting his expensive tie. “Your mother is already drafting a petition to the Pack Elders to have you declared mentally unfit. But I can smooth this over. I can protect you p>
He pulled a crisp document from his jacket pocket and held it out. “Your little stunt with this Mating bond accidentally unlocked your grandmother’s fifteen percent proxy control of The Wolfe Hotel Group. Sign this waiver transferring the voting rights back to me. For the good of the Pack p>
I looked at the paper, then up at his desperate, calculating eyes. He wasn’t here to protect me; he was terrified of losing his grip on the Pack’s core assets.
“I’m not signing anything, Bryan,” I said smoothly.
His face darkened. “Don’t be stupid, Adelina. You have no idea how to run p>
𝗡е𝗐 𝘸𝗲е𝗸𝗅𝘆 с𝗁𝖺р𝘵e𝗋𝘀 𝗈ո
“My Mate’s legal team handled the trust transfer this morning,” I cut him off, my tone dropping to a lethal whisper. “While reviewing the accounts, Blackstone’s financial auditors flagged multiple suspicious transfers from the Pack trust directly into Parrish Holdings over the last five years p>
All the color drained instantly from Bryan’s face.
“Embezzlement is a crime punishable by exile,” I reminded him, twisting the knife. “If I order a full forensic audit, you and your entire family will be stripped of your titles and cast out as Rogues p>
He swallowed hard, his Alpha aura completely collapsing. “What do you want?” he choked out.
“Carolyn keeps her mouth shut about my sanity,” I dictated. “Kira is sent to your distant relatives in Boston for a month to reflect on her behavior. And you stop harassing me. Do we have a truce p>
Bryan nodded frantically, his hands trembling. “Yes. Yes, of course. But we must keep up appearances for the Pack. Join us for dinner tonight in the main dining room. We will celebrate our reconciliation p>
“Fine,” I agreed, knowing he simply needed to save face.
Bryan scurried back inside, leaving me alone on the porch. As the heavy doors clicked shut, the adrenaline that had fueled my morning evaporated. A crushing wave of exhaustion and profound loneliness washed over me.