Chapter 2

The next morning, in the penthouse office of the Stonecrest Pack.

Leo placed a thick stack of classified files in front of me, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Ms. Miller... the Alpha wants you to handle this. These are the key allegations accusing us of starting illegal wars. We need a response strategy within three days."

I glanced at the cover.

"Ms. Miller?" I mocked, a cold smile touching my lips. "You changed your terms of address quickly."

Leo lowered his head, too afraid to answer.

Ten minutes later, I closed the file. My eyes were cold.

The data was real, but the allegation of starting illegal wars was complete garbage.

These accusations were full of holes. They weren't a real threat at all.

This was just a smoke screen Lucas created to cover up his embezzlement of pack funds.

He used a fake crisis to force me to sign a liability waiver before our rejection.

He had one goal: to make me step down willingly so Selene could take my place.

"Where is Lucas?"

"The Alpha is... throwing a victory press conference for Selene."

I stood up and walked toward the grand hall.

Lucas stood on the stage, looking incredibly proud.

The screen behind him showed the Utah territories—the very land I had spent three years bleeding for.

"Our expansion into Utah was made possible entirely because Selene mobilized the Whitfield Pack’s resources! That is how Stonecrest won this war!"

Lucas’s voice was loud and filled with pride.

Selene sat beside him, smiling like a saint.

I stood at the back of the hall, watching this pathetic circus.

Lucas spotted me. Panic flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by cold annoyance.

"Elara, why are you here? You should be resting."

He walked over to me quickly, keeping his voice low. "Selene is the lady of the pack now. Keep your head down. Don’t make things difficult for me."

Looking at him, the very last bit of warmth in my heart died.

"Don't worry, Alpha," my voice was dead quiet. "I'm only here for the paperwork."

When I signed the waiver, I had demanded one piece of seemingly worthless land in exchange.

Lucas sneered when he remembered.

It was a piece of wasteland the Whitfield Pack had mortgaged to Stonecrest. Because it was rugged and barren, Lucas always thought it was trash.

"Take that piece of dirt. Stonecrest doesn't care about a useless wasteland."

Selene walked over, trying to grab my hand with fake intimacy.

"Elara, don't be angry. Lucas is just trying to protect you. Utah is far too dangerous for a woman. Let me handle the public affairs from now on."

She leaned in, whispering in a voice only I could hear, "I took your Alpha, and I took your glory. Sorry about that, sweetie."

I grabbed her wrist, squeezing with brutal force.

Selene gasped, her face turning pale instantly.

"Ms. Whitfield," I whispered, staring straight into her eyes. "There are a lot of rogues in Utah. A weakling like you wouldn't survive three days there."

Lucas shoved me away, pulling Selene behind him.

"Elara! That is enough!"

I stepped back, smoothing out my jacket.

"Oh, we're not done."

I pulled out a debt contract and slammed it onto the table.

"Sign it, Alpha. From this moment on, the debts the Whitfield Pack owes to the Miller family are officially transferred to me."

Lucas signed it without even looking.

To him, I was just a bitter ex-mate trying to grab some useless land for retirement.

He had no idea that the Whitfield Pack wasn't a "wealthy powerhouse" at all.

Selene’s father had run up massive debts with the Miller family's underground business, mortgaging his entire pack. The financial support he promised Lucas was non-existent.

I walked out of the hall and called my people.

"Tell the boys we’ve taken over the Whitfield debt."

"Starting tomorrow, we collect."