Chapter 5

Aaliyah POV

The grand hall of the Dowager's Estate quickly filled with a suffocating cocktail of scents. Red rose, tuberose, and sour lemon clashed in the air as my three cousins arrived, hastily summoned from a Pack social gathering.

I sat quietly beside Elder Luna Evelyn, sipping my warm water, watching the scene unfold like a twisted theatrical play.

Alexandria, dressed in a striking crimson gown, gripped the fabric of her skirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her Inner Wolf radiated a fierce, ambitious pride. "A pureblood She-wolf of noble standing should never lower herself to entertain low-ranking males without territory or power," she muttered coldly, her eyes fixed on the intricate rug. It was a thinly veiled jab at the social gathering they had just been pulled from-and at the company her half-sister kept.

Emmaline, wearing a seductive lilac slip dress, merely smiled. She twirled a lock of hair, her intoxicating tuberose scent deliberately spiking. "Oh, Alexandria, you are always so terribly pragmatic," she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "If the Moon Goddess guides me to my Fated Mate, and it is true love, I would gladly accept him even if he were a penniless commoner. Love is far more precious than mere status."

A low, furious growl vibrated in Alexandria's chest. Her Inner Wolf despised Emmaline's hypocrisy. We all knew Emmaline's mother, Mistress Caren, had climbed into Beta Cloyd's bed through manipulation and a scandalous pregnancy. Emmaline's romantic drivel was nothing but a mask for her desperate craving for power. Yet, under the heavy presence of the Elder Luna, Alexandria swallowed her rage, settling for a sharp, disdainful scoff.

Evelyn watched the silent war between her granddaughters with cold, calculating eyes. Her Inner Wolf, an ancient and battle-hardened dire wolf, had zero patience for this petty squabbling.

*Boom.*

A fraction of Evelyn's sandalwood-scented Aura rolled over the room. It wasn't enough to force them to their knees, but it instantly silenced the bickering. The three girls stiffened, their heads bowing respectfully.

"Enough," Evelyn commanded, her voice echoing off the stone walls. "You were not summoned here to debate mating philosophies. You are here because the Hayes Pack is facing a crisis."

The girls exchanged confused, wary glances.

"Your cousin, Elaina, has fallen gravely ill," Evelyn lied smoothly, not a single muscle in her face twitching. "She is entirely unfit to fulfill her Mating ceremony with the Brewer Pack."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Even Brylee, who usually wore a permanent scowl of jealousy, looked stunned.

"To appease the Brewer Pack and prevent a devastating conflict," Evelyn continued, her sharp gaze sweeping over the three girls, "we must immediately offer a Substitute Mate of noble blood to Alpha Heir Kendall Brewer. The one chosen will become the Future Luna of one of the most powerful Packs in the kingdom."

The shift in the room was instantaneous. The shock vanished, replaced by a raw, feral hunger. The title of Future Luna was the ultimate prize.

I watched from my corner, hiding a dark smirk behind my glass. If only they knew the truth. Kendall Brewer's Inner Wolf was already violently obsessed with the runaway Elaina. Whoever took her place wouldn't be stepping onto a throne; she would be walking into a cage of psychological torture and cold abuse.

Alexandria opened her mouth, her eyes burning with the desperate need to secure a powerful Alpha to protect her weak mother and young brother. But she was too slow.

Emmaline stepped forward gracefully, dropping into a perfect, submissive curtsy. Her tuberose scent flared, cloying and eager. "If it pleases you, Grandmother, and if it will save our Pack from ruin, I am willing to bear this heavy burden. I will gladly take Elaina's place."

Brylee's eyes widened in panic at being outmaneuvered. "I-I am willing too!" she blurted out, her sour lemon scent spiking with envy. "I can do it!"

Alexandria gritted her teeth, her face flushing with anger at Emmaline's calculated move. "I am the eldest daughter of the Beta branch," she stated firmly, stepping up beside them. "It is my duty to step forward for the Hayes Pack."

Evelyn looked at the three girls, all practically begging to be thrown to the wolves. She gave a slow, measured nod.

"Go back to your quarters and prepare yourselves," Evelyn ordered, her tone final. "In two days, Luna Antonia Brewer will arrive at our estate. She is notoriously meticulous regarding pureblood lineage. She will personally inspect each of you to choose Kendall's bride."

The three girls curtsied, their eyes darting toward one another with undisguised hostility. The real war had just begun.

As they filed out of the grand hall, their minds already spinning with schemes, I leaned back against the plush velvet chair and let out a long, quiet breath. I had successfully dodged the executioner's block. Now, I just had to survive the fallout.