Chapter 179

Chapter 179
He shook his head, incredulous. “You really don’t hold back, do you?”
“I find honesty saves time,” she said. “Besides, if we’re going to be paraded around as the next great alliance, we might as well be honest about how ridiculous it is.”
Lance couldn’t help it he laughed again, something loosening in his chest. “You realize most people in your position would be fawning right now. Flattery. Feigned interest. You’re… refreshingly different.”
“I get that a lot,” Isla said. “Usually right before someone decides I’m ‘too much.””
“Too much for who?”
“Everyone,” she said, smiling without apology. “Except maybe you.”
Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the noise of the party faded – replaced by the soft crash of waves against the hull and the faint hum of the city lights in the distance.
He looked away first, taking a slow breath. “You really came to this party just to tell me we’re betrothed?”
“I came to this party because I was curious,” Isla said. “My father says you’re impossible to pin down. That you avoid commitment the way most people avoid poison.”
“Your father sounds like an optimist.”
“I think he’s just never met a man who can run quite so fast.”
He smiled, a little rueful. “You don’t pull your punches, do you?”
“No point in pretending,” she said, shrugging one elegant shoulder. “I figured if we’re supposed to build a future together, I might as well see what kind of man I’m dealing with.”
“And?”
Isla’s gaze softened just slightly. “You’re not what I expected.”
He raised a brow. “Meaning?”
“I expected a spoiled heir. A man who hides behind his family’s power.”
“Harsh,” Lance said.
“Accurate?” she countered, amused.
He sighed. “Maybe once. But not anymore.”
Something flickered across her expression – a trace of empathy, sharp and brief. “You’ve been through something recently.”
“Something like that,” he said quietly. “A conversation I should’ve had years ago.”
“With your brother?”
Lance froze. “How-”
“I pay attention,” Isla said simply. “And people talk. The Silver Fang brothers are practically a legend in half the packs.”
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Chapter 179
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He gave a short laugh. “Legends rarely get the story right.”
“Then maybe it’s time you start telling your own,” she said.
The words landed deeper than she probably meant them to.
For a while, they stood in silence, the wind lifting her hair, the sea shimmering under the lights.
“You don’t seem thrilled about this arrangement,” Lance said finally. “You’re witty and charming, don’t get me wrong, but the emotion isn’t there.”
She smiled faintly. “I’m not opposed to it either. You’re interesting, Lance Silver
Fang. That’s more than I can say for most of the men who have tried to win me over. But I won’t be a pawn. If this alliance happens, it’ll be on our
not theirs.”
terms
He studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “You’re not what l’expected either.”
“Good,” she said, her grin returning. “I’d hate to be predictable.”
The wind shifted, carrying the faint sound of laughter from the deck. Isla’s eyes sparkled in the fading light.
“Walk with me?” she asked.
He hesitated, then nodded.
They moved along the deck, the soft thud of their steps mingling with the rhythm of the waves. The conversation slipped into easier territory — stories of old pack feuds, mutual friends, the politics of hosting too many parties.
By the time they reached the bow, Lance found himself laughing again, not because
he was trying to, but because she made it easy.
It was the lightest he’d felt in a long time and it was so easy with her that it made him want to suspect it.
When he looked at her, really looked at her, he saw something unexpected -not just confidence, but resilience. A woman who knew exactly who she was and refused to be less.
She caught him watching and smiled knowingly. “Careful, Silver Fang. You’ll make me think you like me.”
He smirked. “I have a soft spot for pretty things,” he teased. “Besides, would that be so bad?”
“Depends,” she said. “Are you flirting, or are you starting to believe this might actually work?”
He thought about that for a moment, then said quietly, “Maybe both.’
Isla laughed softly, tilting her head toward the horizon. “Well then,” she said, her voice low and teasing. “Here’s to maybe.”
She clinked her glass against his. The sound was soft, bright, and strangely hopeful.
For the first time in years, Lance thought about the future and didn’t think about running.
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