Chapter 304
Chapter 304:
“Because if I had told you then, you would have felt indebted,” he said, his voice low and rough with emotion. “You would have thought I was doing it to earn your favor — to bind you to me. The way he tried to.” He looked deep into my eyes, and the raw honesty there was unmistakable. “That land is your birthright, little wolf. It holds the scent of your ancestors. It was never mine to give — only to return. I didn’t want you to ever feel like you owed me for something that is already yours by blood p>
Tears pricked my eyes, but they weren’t from sadness. For the first time, I understood the difference. Braydon had wanted to build a cage and call it a home. Dallas had given me wings and asked for nothing in return but to fly beside him.
“Thank you,” I whispered, leaning into his touch.
“Don’t thank me,” he murmured, lowering his lips to mine. “Just rule it p>
As he kissed me — slow and deep — I knew the ghosts of the past had no power here.
I was home.
𝘚hа𝗋𝖾 у𝗈u𝘳 𝘁𝗵ough𝘁𝘴 𝗼n ѕ.со𝗺
The morning sun did nothing to warm the office of the former Alpha of the Hyde Pack. It only highlighted the dust motes dancing in the stagnant air, settling on the cracked leather chair where Braydon’s father used to sit — and where Braydon had briefly, disastrously, tried to rule. The room smelled of stale cigar smoke and old, sour ambition.
“From a strategic standpoint, Adella,” Duncan Whitaker said, his voice cutting through the silence. He stood on the other side of the mahogany desk, a file open in his hands. “Keeping the Hyde Pack designation as a subsidiary territory makes sense. It simplifies the asset transfer and keeps the local trade routes open under a recognized banner p>
I ran my fingers along the edge of the desk. I could almost feel the phantom vibrations of the fear I used to carry in this room.
“No,” I said softly, but with a finality that made Duncan pause.
“Adella, the economics p>
“It’s not about economics, Duncan,” I interrupted, looking up at him. “That name is a stain. It represents a legacy of corruption, abuse, and the theft of my life. I will not have it exist as a ghost in my future p>
I reached for the pen. My hand didn’t tremble. For years, this room had been the source of my deepest fears. Now, standing here, I felt nothing but the quiet satisfaction of closing a door I should have been able to shut a decade ago. The shift in power was mine to claim, and I would claim it with clear eyes and a steady hand.
“Dissolve it,” I commanded. “Merge the territory into Blackwood. Erase the name Hyde from the maps. I want it gone p>
Duncan studied me for a moment, a flicker of respect crossing his stoic features. He slid the final dissolution papers toward me. “As you wish, future Luna p>
I signed my name. Adella Everett. With the stroke of a pen, the Hyde Pack ceased to exist. It felt like exhaling a breath I had been holding for ten years.
My phone buzzed on the desk. I glanced at the screen, and the small bubble of peace popped.
Braydon: One last time. The Pierre Hotel. Sunset. Please. I need closure.
“He wants to meet,” I said, picking up the phone.
“Absolutely not p>