Chapter 249
Chapter 249
Third Person’s POV
Samantha let out a dry, angry laugh and stood up.
Finished
Her emotions were a mess, and it showed–her scent spiked with the sharp, acidic tang of a cornered rogue.
“Alaina, you were the one who invited me to this meeting,” Samantha snapped. Her pupils narrowed into predatory slits, a flash of feral rage behind them. “I might not have your status, but I’m not here to beg for handouts p>
Alaina didn’t even move. She let her aura flare just enough to shove Samantha’s messy pheromones right back down her throat.
She sat there, hands folded, her voice smooth and cold. “I have a way to make Cassian and Trista kill that mating bond for good. I’m basically clearing the runway for you to land. Now, it just depends on whether you can tuck your claws in and follow orders p>
Samantha’s eyes darted back and forth.
She looked at Alaina and saw a calculated old she–wolf in designer clothes, playing a very dangerous game.
“If I play along,” Samantha asked, her voice dropping as she looked for the payoff, “what’s in it for me? Crossing Cassian means risking a total ban from the city p>
Alaina brushed it off like it was nothing, her fingers tracing the edge of her comms stone. “Once Cassian is single and Trista is out of his head, you’re no longer a nameless rogue. At that point, if you’ve actually got the charm to make him bring you and that kid into the packhouse on his own? Well, then you’re the only winner in this bloodline gamble p>
Samantha hesitated. Her wolf was torn between a hunger for power and the fear of the
unknown.
She looked from the empty air to Alaina’s stone–cold face and finally bit her lip, sitting back down.
Making a deal with Alaina–the she–wolf who controlled the pack legacy–was a better bet than dealing with Trista.
It didn’t matter who the “ideal” Luna was; once that mating bond was gone, Samantha would be the only she–wolf left standing in a territory that desperately needed a Luna’s touch.
She couldn’t let this slip.
1/3
13:24 Thu, Jan 22
Chapter 249
Finished
“What exactly do you want me to do?” Samantha whispered.
A flicker of disdain crossed Alaina’s face.
She set her spoon down with practiced grace. “Trista is a top–tier healer now. She specializes in mental health and sleep disorders. And you? You’ve got a history of depression p>
Alaina raised an eyebrow. “A rogue mother, pushed to the brink until her mind finally snaps, leaving her in a state of permanent insomnia. It’s a perfect story, don’t you think p>
Samantha frowned, trying to keep up. “You want me to go to her for help p>
Alaina nodded. “First, quit your job. Torch your social life. You need to look like you’re on the verge of de–evolving–make Cassian believe you’re at death’s door. Cut off your friends, your contacts, everyone. You have to be a lone wolf, abandoned by the world. You need to look a hundred times more pathetic than the day you were first exiled p>
Samantha’s eyes went wide.
Alaina kept the pressure on. “This is a high–stakes bet. If you win, you’re the new Luna. But,” her voice turned sub–zero, “if you lose, you lose every bit of protection you have left p>
Samantha’s fingers shook as she scratched at her leather bag–a rogue’s instinct when cornered. “You’re using me as bait,” she stammered. “You want to see how much ‘loyalty‘ Cassian actually has left for Trista p>
Alaina didn’t deny it. “If Cassian is willing to risk the backlash of a broken mating bond just to force Trista to save you, you’ve won. If not, you’ll never set foot on our land again. Go home, think it over, and get back to me p>
Samantha sat there, frozen.
She was extremely anxious. Her fingertips unconsciously scratched at the leather–a stray wolf’s instinctive behavior when uneasy.
She knew that even if Cassian nuked his mating for her, she still smelled like a “rogue” to the rest of the pack.
Alaina’s plan was a walk on a razor’s edge. She needed a backup.
She lowered her head, pulling in her pheromones to look like a submissive, frightened she- wolf. “Whatever happens, Algernon is still Cassian’s son. He has Ironthorn blood. My neighborhood has been getting dangerous lately. The poor kid is terrified; his wolf is restless. Could you talk to Cassian? Tell him to
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.