Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter Seven

DEREK's POV

I had always pursued Eliza for two fundamental reasons: her substantial wealth and her undeniable beauty.

Not that her beauty meant much to me. It was nothing more than a superficial attribute.

She was merely a trophy, a means to an end. A means that I had no choice but to use.

The truth was, I despised everything about her role as a housewife.

What contribution did such women make to the Lycan Kingdom? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Luna's like her were decorative at best and a burden at worst.

Eliza was the epitome of everything I found frustrating about traditional pack dynamics-women who existed in the shadows of their husbands, contributing nothing to the pack's strength or survival but yet reaping the rewards of where they did not sow.

The only thing they were held on a pedestal for was siring heirs to the throne or just as the children of the Alpha of the pack.

That mentality had made Eliza unbearable.

We didn't spend a day together since we got married but I couldn't help but frown every time I heard of her work back at home while I was risking my life on the front lines to keep the pack safe.

I mean I even considered letting her stay as my mistress after the divorce, a generosity on my part.

Generosity that she turned down in a heartbeat due to her arrogance. It was her loss though.

Everything she had was because of my family.

If she couldn't see that then she was no better than the beggars that asked for money on the street. Not like she wasn't already money obsessed when she was under my roof.

My conversations with my military colleagues often circled back to this point.

"A Luna should be more than just a pretty face," I would argue, remembering the countless hours I spent on battlefields, protecting our territories, fighting our wars. "She should be strong and independent."

"A Luna should be able to stand up and fight for her pack no matter the circumstance. Not hide away in a mansion or castle until the danger passes by." The others normally agreed with me, not seeing the point to a woman whose power only came from the name she coveted.

Maya understood this completely.

From the moment we met, she represented everything Eliza was not-strong, strategic, noble and refined.

A true partner in every sense of the word.

Where Eliza would hesitate, Maya would act.

Where Eliza would complain, Maya would solve with her wiles and fists.

Meeting her had been my stroke of luck, and I wasn't about to waste that chance on someone like Eliza especially when I did not love her.

At one point, I also considered leaving her a portion of my fortune to appease her but after that little stunt she pulled and with the way she spoke not only to me but to Maya her future Luna, she was dead wrong if she thought that she was going to get a cent from me.

She bit the hand that fed her and now it was time for her to feel the repercussions.

After all, under Clause 7 of the Lycan Marriage Decree, Eliza's failure to bear me an heir was the perfect excuse to seize all my assets from under her nose. It was a legal loophole I intended to exploit completely.

My train of thought that night was stopped when I felt the touch my Maya beside me.

Her fingers traced my arm, her touch electric.

"What are you thinking about?" She questioned me, her voice dripping with honey as she nuzzled my neck.

"Eliza. The divorce. Everything." My words seemed to anger Maya because her finger paused for a moment on my chest but before I knew it she was back to normal, her fingers tracing nothing in particular.

"Come here," she whispered, pulling me closer.

"Forget about her and the divorce for now. Focus on me. Soon enough, I will become your Luna and then we can rule the pack together. Hand in hand my love." Her words were etched in my mind and she leaned over and kissed me on the lips.

Without any hesitation, I returned the kiss, feeling my wolf go feral, making something in me go primal with lust.

Soon enough the world around us dissolved and our night was filled with passion.

*

The next morning while I dressed up from my steamy night with Maya, a royal summon arrived.

From the Lycan King himself.

The summons was handed over to me by the messanger allowing me read the contents.

"In two moons, you shall appear before the Lycan King in regards to the annulment of marraige from the Luna of the Silver Moon Pack. Failure to adhere to this summons will result in penalty to not only you but the pack."

I scoffed and tossed the scroll aside, my blood beginning to boil. Maya caught on to my rising anger and frowned, walking towards me.

"What's wrong my love?" She asked me, her eyes soft with care.

"The king has called for me. Another of Eliza's pathetic attempts to save our marriage no doubt," I told Maya, rolling my eyes. "She's delusional if she thinks the King will intervene. He signed off on the annulment. He never goes back on his word."

Maya's laughter was like music to my ears.

"Poor thing doesn't know when to give up." She muttered under her breath, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"When does he want to see you?" Maya questioned me as she walked away to get dressed.

"In two moon. So we have to take the next flight to the Lycan kingdom today. I don't want anything delaying us."

"Oh, when we get there can we go shopping? The battlefield leaves no room for fashion and if we are going before the king I would like to look my best." She told me, batting her lashes at me, like she always did when she wanted something.

I smiled and took a step closer to her.

How could I say no to such a woman?

"Of course dear. We'll find you something fitting as soon as we land." I whispered into her ear.

Maya squealed and smiled at me before I returned the smile and left the room, needing to make reservations for out flight to the capital.

As I walked out into the scorching sun, I took out my phone from my pocket and called my agent at the travelling agency. The call rang three times before I heard the light female tone.

"Golden air. What can I do for you today sir?" She asked me in a chripy tone.

"Two first class tickets to the Lycan kingdom. A flight leaving in the next three hours preferrably. Are any available?"

"Hold on please." She said to me.

The line was silent as I heard the clicking and clacking of a keyboard in the background.

"Yes sir, a flight is available. It'll leave in the next four hours. How would you like to pay?"

"Take it out from my account with the airport. I'll get the tickets when I get there."

"Of course sir." She spoke before the line went dead.

I sighed and frowned.

Eliza was not making this easy for me but soon enough, I would show her that I was not one to be trifled with. I would put her in her place.

Soon enough, we boarded the plane to the capital.

A plane ride of two hours ended in the blink of an eye since Maya and I spoke through most of the journey.

Once the plane came to a stop at the airport, we got down and made our way into the city with a cab, not bothering to rent a car as we wouldn't be in the kingdom for long.

Before heading to the hotel suite, I paid for, Maya was already ecstatic to go shopping to which I obliged.

Her coquettish plea was impossible to resist.

Maya dragged me from store to store, trying on outfit after outfit, each of them more beautiful on her than the last. I won't lie.

I was enjoying myself but then it all came crashing down. Like fate's cruel joke, I saw her.

Eliza.

Standing just meters away, examining a designer handbag, her scent stuck out to me like a sore thumb.

Our eyes met.

And in that instant, I knew this encounter would change everything.

My mind raced with the implications of us meeting each other here of all places but it didn't matter.

I was ready. I had the winning hand.