Chapter 4

He was looking straight at me.

There was no disgust or shock in his dark eyes—only sheer admiration and amuse­ment.

He raised his glass toward me in a subtle toast, mouthing three words:

*Well done, badass.*

After the ball, things between my parents and me reached an all-time low.

I didn't waste time sulking. Instead, I demanded to join the pack’s border patrols and defense meetings.

Dad practically exploded.

"You? On defense patrol? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?"

"With your reckless mouth, you'll start a war with another pack! I won't let you gamble with Silver Creek’s survival!"

I didn't back down an inch.

"I carry Alpha blood. Pack security is my birthright."

"If you refuse, call an Elders' Council right now and let them vote on it."

Dad’s face turned purple, but knowing I was crazy enough to actually demand a council vote, he gritted his teeth and caved.

"Fine! You can observe. But you will not open your mouth or touch a single defense order!"

I sat in on the pack defense council meeting.

The Beta in charge of the northern border reported suspicious footprints near the hunting grounds, suspecting rogue activity.

Within five minutes of listening to him speak, Stella whispered: *He took a bribe. He planted those traps himself for an outside pack.*

I stood up, walked to the head of the conference table, and slapped my palm down.

"Those northern traps weren't set by outsiders. It's an inside job."

"Search Beta Grey’s house. See what you find."

Dad looked skeptical, but with the elders staring, he sent guards to raid the house immediately.

They returned with crates of silver-laced traps and coded letters between Beta Grey and our rival, the Gray Claw Pack.

If I hadn’t spoken up, our patrol team would have walked into an ambush within forty-eight hours, resulting in a massacre.

Looking at the evidence, Dad stared at me with an entirely new expression in his eyes.

A few days later, word of the Moonlight Ball spread like wildfire across the territories.

The Alphas and socialites I publicly roasted lost their credibility, their reputations in tatters.

Ironically, because of my "ruthless bluntness," neighboring packs began viewing the Silver Creek Pack as honest, fearless, and untainted by petty politics.

Our pack’s standing skyrocketed. Neutral packs even reached out asking for formal alliances.

Seeing the influx of respectful emissaries, Mom and Dad finally showed genuine smiles.

Their gaze toward me softened into pride.

They officially granted me a seat at the inner council.

Meanwhile, Chloe locked herself in her bedroom, smashing every porcelain doll in her collection.

Taking advantage of my parents' good mood, I formally brought it up again.

"Victor Blake is crooked and rotten to the core. I will never complete the mate bond with him."

When the news reached Victor, he panicked.

He and Chloe scrambled to hatch an ugly plot: they’d secretly place lethal trap fields in our northern hunting territory to butcher a patrol squad, while planting fake evidence to frame me for colluding with rogues. They wanted to ruin me permanently.

As the conspirators came to report routine duties, Stella caught them red-handed: *Victor ordered this guard to plant Rose’s scent markers near the silver traps.*

I kept my cool, secretly gathering hard evidence of every move they made.

A few days later came Chloe’s and my shared birthday.

The Anderson family threw a massive banquet.

I had originally planned to publicly sever the mate contract when cutting the cake.

Unexpectedly, Victor beat me to the punch.

Right at the peak of the celebration, under the blinding spotlights, Victor walked up, dropped to one knee, and pulled out a massive diamond ring.

"Rose! I know I'm not perfect, but I'll spend the rest of my life proving my love to you!"

"Accept our bond! Let me make you the happiest woman alive!"

The entire hall erupted into cheers, claps, and whistles.

Mom and Dad smiled approvingly.

I looked at Victor, then caught Chloe standing nearby, forcing a smile while her eyes burned with jealous rage.

Stella growled coldly: *The second he secures the pack, he plans to poison you and Chloe together.*

I let out a cold laugh.

"Alpha Victor, did you really think I don't know what you're thinking?"

"Even a stray dog has more dignity than you."

"A piece of trash like you wants to be my mate? Keep dreaming."

"Get lost."

*Boom.*

The entire ballroom felt as if an artillery shell had detonated.