Chapter 5 Chapter 5

I'd spent the morning moving books, so I hadn't bothered with makeup-just a loose white linen shirt, cropped jeans, and a messy ponytail secured with a fabric hair tie.

Even so, my skin glowed like fresh snow, my lips a vivid red from the cherry lip balm I'd swiped on.

In the lounge, Alpha Adrian's eyes widened briefly when he saw me, his breath hitching like a cub caught sneaking extra rations. "What are you-"

"Your mother called me," I cut in, my tone cool, eyes glinting with mockery.

"Huh, weren't you supposed to be at Halcyon? When'd you learn to skip pack business for a little fun?"

Alpha Adrian's gaze flickered with guilt, but he said nothing, just clamped his jaw shut.

Vanessa rose from the leather couch, sauntering over with a provocative smirk, extending a hand adorned with a delicate friendship bracelet.

"Hey there, I'm Vanessa."

I ignored her.

Evelyn swept into the room, her silk dress rustling like leaves in a storm.

She gave me a cursory glance before warmly taking Vanessa's hand.

"Vanessa, having fun? Make yourself at home."

Then, turning to me, she added, "This is Vivian, a supporting department head at pack Council. I needed to discuss some council matters with her."

Everyone in the room knew I was Alpha Adrian's mate, bound to him in a ceremony witnessed by the pack elders. But Evelyn's introduction-reducing me to a mere employee-was a deliberate jab, sending a clear message to Vanessa: Vivian was nothing, a placeholder.

There was no obstacle to a union between the Blackwood and Quinn packs.

Vanessa tilted her chin smugly, her ponytail swinging as she checked me up and down.

"Oh, just a council worker? I thought Alpha Adrian only kept the best around him."

I didn't bother looking at Vanessa or Evelyn.

My eyes stayed locked on Alpha Adrian, studying his face, waiting for his reaction.

But his expression remained cold, detached-as if watching strangers bicker.

Did he not see what was happening?

"Evelyn, didn't you want to talk business?" I said, turning to her.

"Let's do it here, in front of everyone. No secrets."

"We'll talk another day. Since you're here, stay for brunch," Evelyn replied.

"No thanks, I've got plans." I turned to leave.

Evelyn's voice snapped behind me.

"An elder tells you to stay for brunch, and this is your attitude? No respect for tradition-no wonder you're so out of place."

I turned back, my gaze calm but piercing.

"Fine, I'll stay. Hope you don't regret it when your little show blows up in your face."

I claimed a single chair at the dining table, sitting with a straight back.

Vanessa plopped down next to Alpha Adrian, clinging to his arm like a barnacle.

"Alpha Adrian, let's keep playing checkers. You were about to lose, remember?"

He pulled his arm free, his eyes flicking to me.

"Vivian, you play checkers?"

Vanessa asked, turning to me with a smug grin.

I glanced at the board-a wooden set with hand-painted pieces, but the game in progress was a sad excuse for checkers.

And Alpha Adrian had been letting her win?

The same wolf who'd once spent hours teaching me strategy, growling playfully when I'd finally beaten him?

He hadn't lost his knack for coddling. He just didn't bother with me anymore.

I met his gaze, a cold smile tugging at my lips.

"Sure do. Wanna play, Vanessa? Might teach you a thing or two about real strategy."

Alpha Adrian's eyes flashed with irritation.

Vanessa, brimming with confidence like a cub who thinks she's king of the hill, reset the board.

"Red or blue pieces?"

I picked up the blue pieces, turning one over in my fingers.

"Blue suits me. Calm, steady. Unlike some."

We traded moves, placing pieces back and forth.

Evelyn watched, clearly favoring Vanessa.

My moves seemed random, scattered, like I wasn't even trying.

Alpha Adrian stared at the board, unreacting.

The board filled up.

Every time Vanessa thought she was cornering my pieces, I slipped free.

Her confidence wavered, but she reasoned: if she couldn't win, a tie wouldn't be so bad, right?

Hmph. A tie with me? How embarrassing for her. I suppressed a laugh.

"Your move," I said, voice steady.

Vanessa had three pieces lined up, ready to jump.

One more move, and she'd clear half my side.

She placed her piece, feigning calm, eyes locked on me, praying I wouldn't notice the gaping hole in her defense. When I placed mine elsewhere, her face lit up.

"I won!" she crowed, pumping a fist like a cub who'd just caught her first rabbit.

Evelyn clapped enthusiastically, her pearls jangling.

But then my slender fingers began picking up pieces, one by one, revealing a hidden line of blue checkers-positioned three moves prior, all leading to Vanessa's king.

I swept the last two pieces off the board.

In checkers, one wrong move decides the game, but Vanessa refused to concede.

Desperate to save face, she doubled down with a shameless ploy.

"Sure, you took my king, but I've got more pieces left. That's a win for me!"

She brazenly moved a piece that had already been jumped, ignoring the rules.

I stared at her like she was a complete idiot.

"Oh, so I can bend the rules too, right?"

With that, I placed a blue piece directly on top of Vanessa's red one, grinning.

"Looks like I win again. By your logic, anyway."

In the next minute, I dismantled her entire defense, blocking her at every turn-my moves so precise, it was like I could read her mind.

The she-wolf's face flushed red, then , as she demanded another round, her voice rising to a whine.

Second game, third, fourth.

I toyed with her, dragging out the torment or ending it with swift, brutal precision-treating Vanessa like a clueless cub who'd wandered into a pack meeting.

Vanessa burst into tears, big, sloppy sobs.

"Enough!"

Alpha Adrian snapped, snatching my piece box, his expression icy enough to freeze the room-though whether it was directed at me or Vanessa, no one could tell.

Vanessa, seeing him take her side, threw herself into his arms, sobbing like I'd personally attacked her, her tears soaking through his shirt.

Alpha Adrian comforted her, rubbing her back like she was the wronged one.

Evelyn joined in, coddling Vanessa while shooting daggers at me.

"It's just a game of checkers! Why so ruthless? Typical lone wolf mentality-no regard for others, just out to win!"

Three weeks left until the bond was fully severed, until I could walk away and never look back.

Let him do what he wants.

With a careless flick, I tossed my remaining pieces onto the board and stood.

As I moved, a few drops of blood splattered onto the wood.

Glancing down, I noticed my fingers were cold-my nails had dug into my palms, drawing blood, a nervous habit from cubhood when I got too worked up.

"Vivian!"

Alpha Adrian's voice cracked with a hint of worry, his gaze lingering on the blood as he called after me.

He started to stand, but Vanessa clung to his waist.

I left the club, the glass doors sliding shut behind me with a soft thud.

My phone buzzed nonstop-Alpha Adrian's number flashing on the screen, over and over.

I blocked it without a second thought, deleting the contact for good measure.

Then I fired off a text to Evelyn: One billion.

One cent less, and the pack council gets an anonymous report about your son's little alliance.

Including the details about the night he skipped the moon ceremony to 'negotiate'.

Evelyn nearly choked on her champagne when she read it, her hand shaking as she texted back: You wouldn't dare.

I drove aimlessly.

Outside, the sky had turned gray and heavy with rain, my thoughts unraveling like the threads of the downpour.

Suddenly, a delivery scooter zipped in front of me, cutting me off.

My heart lurched, and I slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching.

A split second later-

Bang!

A jarring force slammed into me from behind, my head smacking the steering wheel with a sickening thud.

Pain seared through my forehead, and for a moment, all I could see was blackness.