Nina:

We had made the plan and sorted out everything.

We were going to be strategic.

The only reason I had let Baxter run the presidency for a while was because there were too many of them.

I could have used the stamp, the keys, and the weapons to make myself president, but I was afraid of Madeline.

I knew she still had her wolf, so challenging her would have been dangerous. They could literally attack me at any time.

Now that I had an alpha on my side, I didn’t need to be afraid.

A man far more powerful than Baxter was going to become president. Someone whose wolf was still awake.

Baxter might have been an alpha in his bloodline, but his wolf was gone, so he probably wasn’t the strongest anymore.

He only looked the part.

And now my father, and I were no longer alone.

We had Byron with us now.

We gathered the files, the stamp, the keys, and the codes to every locker where the human wealth was stored. Then we made our way back to the guest house.

Meanwhile, I had called a conference at the presidential mansion.

I’d heard that the werewolf guests had already left, so it seemed Baxter and Madeline had no idea new guests were arriving.

By the time we reached the main mansion, the meeting was already underway.

My father and I stepped out of the car, while Byron stayed inside for the moment.

“I’ll come in once you give me the signal,” Byron said with a smile.

I stood beside the open car door and smiled back at him.

“Just keep your eyes on the entrance. I’ll come to the door and clap my hands. That’s when you show up,” I instructed dramatically.

I truly loved how romantic and dramatic our lives had become, like something straight out of a movie, where a superhero swooped in to rescue his favorite woman.

I leaned in and kissed Byron on the cheek, then shyly hurried away and slammed the car door shut behind me.

I didn’t even know why I’d done that.

I bet it excited him.

With my father beside me, I rushed back into the mansion.

The moment I stepped inside, I realized Madeline was the only one there.

She stood with her arms folded across her chest, looking around at the crowd in confusion.

“What is going on here?” Madeline demanded.

Being the president’s wife had always worked in her favor. It had been one president after another.

This time, I was going to be the president’s wife.

“Well, your husband is being overthrown,” I said confidently, sweeping my gaze across the room.

The emergency conference had

drawn cabinet members, senior

military officers, security officials, legal advisers, and several influential legaladvisers, members of the governing council.

“What do you mean?” one of the council members asked.

“There’s a new president, and he has the official stamps, the keys, and the access codes.”

The moment I said that, Madeline’s eyes widened.

It was such a satisfying look on her face. Pure shock, mixed with the realization that maybe she couldn’t always have everything she wanted.

“And who exactly is this person?” another official questioned. “Perhaps you should bring him in. More importantly, how do we know he actually has the stamps, the keys, and the access codes weve been trying to recover? The human territory has been suffering serious losses under Baxter’s presidency.”

Of course it had.

Baxter had been struggling because I had deliberately kept the keys to the armories, the financial vaults, and everything else out of his hands.

I had held onto them because I’d been waiting for the perfect moment to make my

move.

“Well, fear no more, because President Byron will give you access to everything,” I declared confidently.

I turned toward the entrance, ready to clap my hands just as I’d instructed Byron.

But before I could take another step, I froze.

Someone was already walking in.

Dressed entirely in black, President Baxter, strode into the room with his

hands fucked into his trouser

Kets and a smug smile playing on his lips.

“Well, I see our little friend has decided to make an appearance,” he remarked, chuckling as he rubbed his chin.

“She claims she has a new president-elect, and that he possesses the keys, stamps, and access codes,” one of the council members informed him.

Baxter pursed his lips and nodded thoughtfully.

“Well, that’s great news. In the meantime, my friend and I would be delighted to welcome this new president,” he replied.

I frowned.

Why was he so calm about this?

And who the hell was this friend he kept talking about?

Then Baxter turned toward the entrance and, with an unsettling amount of

confidence, clapped his hands.

My heart skipped a beat.

He clapped three times.