+8 Pearls
Caelum had always believed it was sheer luck that Freya had been able to help himnd certain lucrative contracts for SilverTech Forgeworks.
But now–if it wasn’t luck at all?
If every victory, every step toward the pack’s rising power in the tech world… was tied to her alone?
A cold film of sweat prickled at the back of his neck, and an icy weight seemed to coil around his chest.
“What ‘tech prodigy“? What a load of dung,” Kade ckridge’s voice cut through the air, sharp with contempt. “Caelum Grafton, you should be thanking Freya for standing beside you for three years. Her taste in males is the only thing I’ll fault, her for–imagine giving so much to someone like you, and you strut around thinking it was all your own doing.”
Every word from Kade’s mouthnded like a deliberate sh at Caelum’s pride.
Worse he couldn’t muster a single retort.
Kade turned toward Vaughn, his amber gaze still glinting with the hunt. “Looks like this feast is over. I’m leaving.
Vaughn nodded hastily. “Of course.” The Bluemoon elder only prayed their pack hadn’t provoked this young warlord of the Capital.
But just before crossing the threshold, Kade paused and looked back at Caelum.
“Oh, one more thing–none of the Four Great Banks‘wyers will touch your mother’s and sister’s cases. That’s my doing.”
Caelum’s pupils constricted.
So the <b>walls </b>he’d been mming into for weeks… were Kade’s making?
Why?
(
<b>For </b>Freya’s sake? <b>Out </b>of pity–or something else entirely?
And how did this ruthiess Alpha know so much about Freya–down to ssified Iron Fang Recon Unit <b>research</b>, her being a top–tier unmanned aerial systems expert?
Information Caelum, her own mate, had never even heard.
<b>His </b>mind <b>shed </b>back to an argument with <b>a </b>former project manager who’d once said, “Alpha, <b>you </b>don’t know your mate at
all<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Now, that sentence burned with truth.
<b>Kade’s </b>departure <b>scattered </b>the <b>rest </b>of the gathering; one by one, they made <b>excuses </b>and slipped out.
Vaughn <b>gave </b>Aurora <b>a </b>meaningful look. “Kade once served in the Iron Fang <b>Recon </b>Unit for a time. From the way he spoke tonight, I suspect Freya did <b>as </b>well. They may <b>have</b>… history.”
Aurora’s eyes widened. “You mean–Kade and Freya might know each other well? Closer than they should<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“This
young Alpha of the ckridge line isn’t the sort to raise his hackles for just anyone,” Vaughn said grimly. “If <b>I </b>were you, Alpha Caelum, I’d keep my distance from him.”
Caelum’s jaw Lightened.
The once–lively chamber was now–hushed, with only Caelum, Aurora, and Ryker remaining
Ryker clutched his ribs, grimacing. “That Freya’s got some skill, I’ll give her that–got another male <b>stepping </b><b>in </b>to defend <b>her</b>. A male and a female that close… bet the real closeness is in bed, eh?<b>” </b>
“Ryker!” Caelum’s voice <b>cracked </b>like a whip. “She’s my mate–watch your tongue.”
+8 Pearls
Ryker blinked, startled, then scoffed. “Since when do you care? You’ve let me talk about her before. Don’t tell me you actually believe Kade’s tail–lifting nonsense–that yourpany’s rise is all her doing. She’s just an Omega from Iron Fang’s backline. Caelum. She patched supply manifests, not battle drones. She doesn’t even carry a proper wolf scent–weak as a human’s. Military expert? Please. If she were, I’ll go gnaw my own tail.”
Ryker’s <b>voice </b>dripped with derision, but Aurora said nothing–her silence telling enough. Both she and Caelum knew that an Alpha like Kade had no reason to spin a false tale.
“Enough. I’ll call you a transport. Get yourself to the healer and check those ribs,” Caelum told Ryker curtly.
Once the <b>Beta </b><b>was </b>on his way, Caelum turned to Aurora, bitterness shading his eyes. “I’ve let you down, haven’t I?”
“Of course not,” Aurora said softly. “But Freya’s strange, Caelum. Already mated to you, yet she hid any past achievements with Iron Fang. If she really is an expert in unmanned aerial systems, she should have patents–blueprints that could grow SilverTech Forgeworks to new heights. If it were me, I’d have given you everything for the sake of the pack.”
Caelum froze. Patents?
If she had those–and they could be fused into SilverTech’s production lines…
His gaze sharpened with a sudden gleam.
“As for your legal trouble,” Aurora went on, “I’ll keep looking. If the Four Great Banks‘wyers won’t touch it, there are still others. Don’t worry too much.”
Gratitude softened his voice. “Aurora… thank you.”
“I only want the best for you,” she murmured.
After all, she had chosen him. And if her chosen Alpha thrived… so would she.
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