Chapter 144 The Price of Power
Leslie’s POV
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Next to Mch stood a woman with an imposing presence.
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She wasn’t very old, with delicate features and graceful manners. Every movement she made carried the unshakable authority of an Alpha.
I noticed her almost immediately. She looked somewhat familiar, yet I couldn’t quite ce her.
As she smiled, her eyesnded on me. The moment we made eye contact, neither of us looked
away.
I returned her smile, calm and poised. The woman stepped forward and extended her hand.
“Princess of Rogue Pack? I’m Lyana, Alpha of Smoke Pack. A pleasure.”
I froze for half a second, then extended my hand as well and gave her a light shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Lyana was dressed in an exquisite, battle–ready outfit that gave her a sharper, moremanding edge.
I, on the other hand, was used to wearing dresses.
“Leslie, what took you so long?”
An arm suddenly slung over my shoulder from behind, and azy voice followed. A fresh, high- grade Alpha scent wrapped around me.
It was Eric.
I turned to nce at him, startled, and casually brushed his hand off.
“Frost Pack’s interested in thisnd too?”
Eric grinned mischievously.
“I’m interested in you.”
I shot him a cool look. “Get lost.”
To a third person watching, our exchange probably looked very different.
The moment Lyanaid eyes on Eric, the fierce energy around her vanished.
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Chapter 144 The Price of Power
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She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and offered a wlesslyposed smile.
Even her voice softened, tinged with a subtle nervousness.
“Eric, it’s been a while.”
If she hadn’t spoken, Eric wouldn’t have even noticed a third person was there.
“You’re…<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Lyana’s expression stiffened.
I suddenly rememberedst night’s chat with Astrid and quickly stepped in. “Eric, this <b>is </b>Lyana, Alpha of Smoke Pack.”
And to think they were ssmates at the elite academy… Eric was seriously unreliable.
Recognition shed across Eric’s face, and he gave a polite smile.
“Lyana? I remember now. You suddenly got prettier–I didn’t recognize you.”
The stiffness in her expression rxed instantly.
I secretly let out a breath of relief.
A sweet mouth really doese in handy.
After a few more pleasantries, everyone took their seats.
The “Blood Contest” officially began.
The air was thick with the scent of money, swirling alongside the undercurrents between rival werewolf Packs.
<b>I </b>sat upright in the seat reserved for the Rogue Pack royal family, my gaze sweeping across the room. Neon lights refracted off the ss walls<b>, </b>casting a sharp glow,
This central city territory was worth an unfathomable fortune–but the price was just as astronomical.
The starting bid for the first round of sacrifices was 5 billion credits.
A murmur spread through the hall. Representatives of the smaller Packs were itching to act, raising their signs and shouting out bids in a frenzy.
But the Rogue Pack royalty and Crimson Moon Pack didn’t so much as flinch. Even Lyana <b>of </b>Smoke Pack <b>sat </b>silently, observing the chaos.
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Chapter 144 The Price of Power
Her totem staff rested on the table, as if ready to strike at any moment.
The numbers climbed like a runaway stallion, shooting up fast. Before long, it had hit 20 billion.
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The room began to quiet down. More than half the Packs had already been eliminated from the contest.
The small Packs slumped in disappointment and filed out, leaving behind only the real contenders.
Lyana finally moved.
She slowly lifted the Smoke Pack’s totem staff. Her voice was clear and firm.
“Twenty–five billion!”
The room fell into dead silence. Every eye turned to her.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to read something from her expression.
After a moment of silence, the second round of bidding began.
Crimson Moon Pack’s Mch still hadn’t moved.
That surprised me.
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