Chapter 219

Chapter 219:

Azalea’s voice was entirely too loud. She was perched on a barstool at the marble island, swinging her legs, a manic grin plastered across her face. Her expensive leather backpack was dumped carelessly on the floor.

“Please,” I croaked, shielding my eyes. “Volume p>

“Sorry, not sorry!” She hopped off the stool and practically vibrated with energy. “Guess what? Daddy Dearest unblocked my trust fund. Full access, Tier 1 status restored. I’m rich again, Adella p>

I blinked, trying to process this while pouring black coffee into a mug. “That’s… great, Azalea. Really p>

“It is great, because now I can fix your little image problem.” She clapped her hands together. “That Aston Martin is gorgeous, but it screams ‘Alpha King’s possession.’ You need something with less… testosterone p>

𝗗іѕсо𝗏𝖾𝗿 𝗇𝗲𝘸 s𝘵o𝗿𝘪𝘦𝘀 o𝗇

I nearly choked on my coffee. “What are you talking about p>

“I’m talking about a makeover for your ride.” She pulled out her phone, scrolling through images. “There’s this customization shop in the territory — they do incredible work. We could tone down the aggression, make it look more like a classic restoration piece. Matte finish, vintage details, that sort of thing p>

I stared at her, processing. “You want to modify the car Dallas gave me p>

“Exactly! Keep the beast, change the costume.” She beamed. “It’s still yours, still safe, still faster than anything Braydon could afford. But it won’t scream ‘look at me, I’m the King’s pet’ every time you park it p>

My grip on the mug tightened until my knuckles turned white. The mention of Braydon, coupled with such an extravagant gesture, triggered a defensive reflex I had honed over ten years of being the Hyde Pack’s charity case.

“I am not a pet, Azalea,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “I don’t need to be kept, and I don’t need my things rebranded to make me feel better about myself. I’m saving from my restoration work. When I’m ready, I’ll buy my own car — something reliable — with my own money p>

“But p>

“No,” I cut her off, my tone final. “Besides, that Aston Martin is already too much. I barely drive it as it is. I took the subway yesterday, and it was fine. I need to do this myself. For my own sanity p>

Azalea stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed dramatically and slumped back onto the stool. “Fine. You’re so stubborn. Just like him p>

I turned away to refill my cup. When I glanced back, Azalea was staring blankly at the wall, her eyes glazed with a milky sheen. She was Mind-Linking.

I froze. As a wolfless, the silence in my own head was absolute. I could never hear the telepathic conversations happening right in front of me. It always made me feel like a ghost in the room.

A few seconds later, she blinked, the life returning to her eyes. A small, secretive smirk played at the corners of her lips.

“Okay,” she chirped, hopping down from the stool. “Have it your way. No modifications. I promise p>