Chapter 25
Chapter 25:
I looked down at the massive pink diamond on my finger. I had sold my soul to a Lycan King, trading one cage for a much grander, more terrifying one. But as I looked at the man who had just offered me an empire, I realized I had also gained the most lethal ally in the world.
Kain POV
The private elevator doors slid open, spilling us from the underground garage into the cavernous expanse of my penthouse den. The air up here was saturated with my scent—ancient cedar and heavy leather—but beneath it I could smell the sharp, frantic spikes of Adelina’s fear. She smelled of wild roses caught in a brutal storm.
My Lycan was still pacing violently beneath my skin, its claws scraping against my ribs. She tried to Reject us. Lock her down. Claim her. I forced the beast into submission. If I pushed her now, she would shatter completely.
I guided her into my study. The walls were lined with screens displaying global financial data, but the center of the room was dominated by a massive obsidian desk. I walked behind it and picked up the heavy, embossed document my legal team had just finalized.
“Sit,” I said quietly.
𝘚𝘁𝗈𝗋𝗂е𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘶 𝘄оո’t р𝗎t 𝗱𝘰wn 𝗼n
She remained standing, her posture rigid in that blood-red dress, her eyes tracking my every movement like a cornered animal.
I slid the document across the dark glass. “This is the new Mating Contract. It replaces the lie you signed this morning p>
She stared at the paper but didn’t reach for it. “What are the terms p>
“I provide you with unlimited financial backing and the full, lethal force of the Blackstone Warriors to reclaim the Silvermoon Pack,” I stated, keeping my voice devoid of the desperate obsession clawing at my throat. “In exchange, you live here. You stand by my side and play the role of my Luna in public p>
Her jaw tightened. “And in this penthouse p>
“You will take the Master Den,” I told her. “It has a reinforced panic room and bulletproof glass. No one can touch you there. I will take the guest suite p>
A vicious, guttural growl echoed in my mind. My Inner Wolf was enraged by the mere thought of sleeping in a separate room from our Mate. I ignored it, maintaining my glacial facade.
Adelina’s eyes narrowed, searching for the trap. “You’re giving me your den? Why p>
Instead of answering, I opened the top drawer and pulled out the small silver hard drive I had retrieved from the club. I set it gently on top of the contract.
Her breath hitched.
“This is your future,” I said, my voice dropping to a low rumble. “Your architectural designs. Your mind. I am investing in this, Adelina. Not a breeder p>
The impenetrable wall of her suspicion finally cracked. A profound, exhausted relief washed over her features. She picked up the Montblanc pen. Her hand trembled slightly, but her stroke was decisive as she signed her name next to mine.
She took the hard drive, clutching it to her chest like a lifeline, and turned away. I watched her walk down the dimly lit hallway until the heavy door of the Master Den clicked shut, sealing her safely inside my territory.
The second the latch engaged, the cold, calculating Alpha King vanished.