Chapter 167
Chapter 166 Violent Retribution
“You still haven’t told me who even arranged this deal.” I cornered her against the wall. “Breanne, do you really expect me to believe you could land a hundred-million-dollar contract alone? I want the truth, and I
want it now p>
“It was-Matthew. The pack advisor of the Crown of Thornes pack.” Her lips trembled before the name finally escaped through clenched teeth.
The name struck me like a lightning bolt, jolting my entire body.
Why would a man like Matthew casually toss such a lucrative deal into Breanne’s lap and even propose deeper collaboration?
“How do you know him? What possible reason could he have for handing you this contract?” My gaze turned razor-sharp, carving into her.
“We met at a party,” Breanne stammered, “Mr. Scott was pleasant when we randomly met. We just hit it
off p>
“Hit it off?” I lunged forward, my fingers twisting in her collar to yank her nose-to-nose.
“You are lying! You and I both know that your damn eyelashes always twitch when you lie! Start talking or get out of my pack p>
This entire situation sparked a terrible suspicion that tore through my chest.
Matthew, the Crown of Thornes’ second-in-command and Lucien’s most trusted Advisor, was whispered to wield even darker intent than his Alpha.
But eclipsing that was the man’s notorious predatory reputation with women.
Matthew was infamous for his depraved appetites, having devoured countless women, each encounter leaving deeper scars than the last. His perverse cravings were the kind that would make seasoned escorts shudder. Most are too afraid to raise their voices and file complaints with the Council for Matthews’
abusive acts.
Had Breanne dared venture into Matthew’s den of s l torment of freewill?
Over a contract?
The white-hot agony crushed the air from my lungs and turned my vision crimson.
“No!!” Breanne screeched, thrashing wildly. “Liam, I swear it is not what you think p>
I ripped her collar in a brutal tug, and I saw a cluster of finger-shaped bruises in angry purples and sickly yellows around her throat.
My hands had moved before my mind could process the horror.
The shredded fabric exposed overlapping marks, some fresh and some fading, all unmistakably the work
“Lies!” The roar erupted from my gut, as I wrenched her like a ragdoll, veins bulging at my temples. My wolf wanted to seize control, but I couldn’t allow that. Not against Breanne. “What the hell are these, then p>
“I scratched myself!” she wailed, thrashing like a netted songbird.
“Fine! Just perfect!” My fury twisted into a mirthless laugh as the last shred of my restraint snapped and my wolf seized control over my body.
Whirling around, I snatched a clothes hanger from the closet with white-knuckled fury.
“Still lying to us, w***e? I will beat the truth out of you! What did I teach you all these years? No dating before you found your mate, and absolutely no sleeping around! Do you not care about our pack’s image? Did everything I said go in one ear and out the other p>
Before the echoes of my growls faded, the hanger came whistling down with brutal force.
“Liam! Stop! Please stop p>
Stumbling in through the door in sheer panic, my mother’s blood ran cold at the sound of Breanne’s
screams. She froze in horror at the sight.
“Dear Goddess! Liam! Have you lost your mind? She is family! Stop this instant!” My mother shrieked,
lunging forward to shield Breanne.
Only then, panting heavily at the sight of my mother acting as a human shield, did I finally gain control
again and stilled my hand mid-air.
The nearly shattered hanger was hurled to the floor with enough force to spear into the wall. My finger
stabbed toward Breanne’s trembling, tear-streaked face as my voice dropped to a deadly whisper.
“You had better pray I am wrong about this. Because if I am not, the Sterling Moon pack has no room for
an orphan who drags our reputation through the mud p>
With that, I turned on my heel and stormed out, the door slamming behind me with a violence that shook
the room.
The fury coiled in my chest did not dissipate.
I stormed through the living room, hellbent on drowning my fury in alcohol. Then my father’s voice cut
through the silence with ironclad authority.
This was the day he returned from the hospital; he was meant to be on strict bed rest. His wolf was
weakening, and they weren’t sure why; he couldn’t heal him the same way.
“That matter of your remating with Claire,” my father said, his tone gravelly, “I will allow it p>
My boots screeched to a halt. I whipped around, disbelief flashing across my face.
“If Claire is willing to come back, the Sterling Moon pack will give her the pack wedding befitting her
status as Luna, considering she is now the Reese Group heiress from Calgary. Get Breanne to step down, and replace her with Claire p>
“Father, do you mean it? You would actually host a ceremony?” My voice trembled like a drowning man clutching at driftwood.
“Was her rebellion not just bitterness over our lack of formalities last time?” My father rose slowly, drilling into me with a hawk-like gaze. “Indulge that fantasy. Let her return, devote her design genius to the pack’s benefit, and we will wipe the slate clean p>
The headlines had not escaped my father’s attention. Claire was sweeping gold medals in both fashion and furniture design.
My father chuckled coldly. “Who knew my cast-off daughter-in-law had such skill? Provided she remembers her place in this family and returns to serve the pack’s interests, everything is negotiable. Is
that clear p>
I couldn’t believe it, as I nodded enthusiastically.
“This changes everything, father! When Claire hears how you value her now, she will come back! Mates are
forever, after all p>
For three long years, how many times had Claire lingered before bridal shop windows, painting vivid fantasies of her dream mating ceremonies? Back then, I had only fobbed her off with weak excuses, as my parents outright refused to allow it.
But now my father was willing to approve her for a lavish ceremony and the proper title of Luna, like she
deserved. How could her heart not be swayed? What did it matter how perfect Lucien Thorne was? Their
stars would never align, and Claire would only ever be my Luna, not his.
My dark mood lifted like morning fog as I strode out the door.
I yanked my phone out and speed-dialled my Gamma. “Soren! Where is Claire right now p>
“Alpha…” Gamma Soren’s sleep-slurred voice dripped with hesitation over the line. “Ms. Reese is still in
Calgary, having midnight snacks with Alpha Thorne and Ms. Cruz p>
I could hear him texting to confirm with the warrior I assigned to watch over her while in Calgary.
“What? It is past midnight!” My voice shattered the quiet with ridiculous fury. “Has she given up on watching her figure? She doesn’t have a wolf to burn these extra calories and inches off her waistline if she keeps this rebellious lifestyle up! Get the car now! We are driving to Calgary p>
“Alpha, we just returned from Calgary this afternoon p>
“If she gains weight and cannot fit into her Luna gown, will you take responsibility for that?!” I snarled, slamming the phone down before Soren could protest.
I refused to have a heavy Luna. Claire knows how I feel about her figure; why would she risk me no longer finding her attractive?
Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.