Karl’s POV

+8 Pearls

“Don’t worry, young Alpha,” Mia’s voice came gently through the phone. “I’ve already cleaned and dressed Miss Riley’s

wound.”

“Mm.” My voice came out t.

bI /bhesitated for a second, then added, “Clear out my bedroom. Riley’s not staying in that damn storage room anymore.” There was a pause on the line. Then her voice softened with brelief/b. “Yes, young Alpha. I’ll get started right away. Miss Riley has truly suffered these bdays/b….. it’s time she had a proper ce to rest.”

I hung bup/b.

My phone screen stayed bdark /bin my hand for a long time.

bShe’s /b

s my sister. My blood. No matter how difficult bshe’s /bbe, that bond still exists. Still matters.

She’ll understand this, won’t she? She’ll see I’m btrying/b.

Maybe she’ll even smile again. Maybe things will go back to the way they used to be–when she’d bring food to my office. without fail, no matter how tense things got between us.

Even when I snapped at her. Even when I defended Scarlett and hurt Riley in ways I didn’t realize at the time… she still came, lunch in hand, with that quiet little smile bthat /bdidn’t quite reach her eyes..

Luca would knock band /bsay, “Miss bRiley /bis here.”

I’d pretend not to care, keep typing like nothing happened.

But I always waited for her.

Always.

That memory sat heavy in

chest

now, warm and hollow at the same time.

Maybe tonightb, /bshe’ll do it again. Maybe she’ll see I’ve changed.

When the sun went down and the headquarters started to empty, I stayed. Staff filtered out one by one, footsteps fading into silence. I remained in my office, tapping at meaningless reports, checking the time every few minutes.

Any moment now.

Luca came in, knocking lightly. “Alpha Kael, everyone’s headed out. Aren’t you going to dinner?”

I leaned back in my chair. “My sister’s bringing food.”

He grinned. “Must be nice, having a sister who dotes on you, I wouldn’t know.”

I bdidn’t /brespond. bJust /boffered azy shrug band /ba bhalf/b–bsmile/b.

bBut /bas the minutes dragged on. then an hour… then two… my smile–faded..

The building started to refill with night shift staff. Still no Riley.

A cold weight began to settle in my gut.

Talled home.

After a few rings, bMia /bpicked up.

“Mia,” I said tightly. “When did Riley leave the houseb?” /b

She sounded confused. “She didn’t, byoung /bAlpha. bMiss /bRiley has been in her room ball /bday.”

My grip on the phone tightened.

She never left?

She didn’t bring me anything?

That bcan’t /bbe right.

+8 Pearls

She used to love doing that.

Even when I hurt her without realizing–taking Scarlett’s side, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time–she still showed up with food. Like nothing bhad /bhappened. Like some part of her still believed in me.

And now she didn’tb? /b

That stupid hope I’d been feeding all day suddenly turned bitter in my throat.

It bhad /ball been in bmy /bhead.

A delusion. A fantasy where she forgave me, where things could go back to normal.

She’s not bing /bback.

Not to me.

Not like before.

Mia’s voice broke through again, cautious. “Would you like me to fetch her?”

“No, I said quickly. Sharply. “Forget it.”

I ended the bcall/b.

A bminute /bter, Luca walked back in–damn good timing, as always.

“So?” he said, bhalf/bughing. “What did Miss Riley bring you today? Don’t tell me she made you wait again-

I shot him a look that could’ve frozen fire.

His bmouth /bsnapped shut.

b“/bbAlpha /bKael, this folder is the info you asked me topile a few days ago on the Eastwood sector. Reliable sources say thatnd will be auctioned off in two weeks.”

I muttered, “bLeave /bit.”

After Luca left, I staredinkly at the desk for a long while before starting to deal with the work at hand.

The new policy nned to develop Eastwood into amercial district. As long as the policy held, securing bthat /b/divnd would be ba /bbguaranteed /bbig win.

But we weren’t the only ones eyeing it.

The Stormridge Pack from Northhaven also showed bserious /binterest.

Scarlett was betrothed to Ronan, and a joint development between ckmaw and Ebonw on Eastwood would be a perfect

What I wasn’t sure about was Stormridge’s attitude.

Stormridge was one of the most powerful bPacks /bin the northern capital, with a heritage bfar /bexceeding bthat /bof Ebonw. If they decided to take Eastwood all for themselves, then Ebonw and the ckmaw would be out of luck.

Work was a

a mess. Family bwas /bba /bmess.

I felt like my head was about to explode.

+8 Pearls

I stared at the desk.

About the bandage soaked in my sister’s blood.

I’d seen it with my own eyes.

Who the hell did that to her?

Was it Ronan?

That smug bastard from the ckmaw Pack!

My fists curled until bmy /bbknuckles /bached.

Riley might’ve messed up. Might’ve made enemies. Might’ve torn this family apart.

But bshe’s /bstill my sister.

Still Ebonw blood.

And she didn’t deserve to be thrown around like some rogue trash because that bastard lost his precious little Tessa.

I barely made it through bthe /brest of the day.

Midnight came. I didn’t go home.

I drove straight to the Silverfang Den–one of those upscale dens where bored nobles drank away their honor and wolves. forgot who they were for a bnight/b.

It was dark inside. Loud music, Low lights. Shadows dancing on leather couches. The air thick with balcohol/b, perfume, and Pack musk..

I went straight to the bar and dropped onto a stool.

“Something strong,” I said.

The bartender gave me a look, then slid me a ss. I tossed it back without thinking. The burn hit my throat hard. It helped. Barely.

I downed another.

And another.

Riley had bchanged/b.

So much.

Too much

She used to look at me like I was her brother. Like I mattered. Like my approval meant something.

Now she barely looked at me at all.

bShe /bdidn’t even try anymore.

And it pissed me off more than I wanted to admit.

I mmed my bss /bdown and reached for another.

But someone beat me to it.

A pale, long–fingered bhand /bslid across the bbar /bband /bsnatched it bfirst/b.

I turned, pissed off. “The hell-

The guy didn’t respond.

+8 Pearls

Just threw the drink back like water.

a

It took my eyes a second to focus under the strobe lights.

bAnd /bthen I saw himb. /b

Ronati

The prince of the ckmaw Pack.

My blood boiled.

“You bastard,” I growled. “You split my sister’s head open. You call yourself a man?”

I swung

He didn’t flinch

Just moved. Effortless. Quick..

My

y punch missed, and I stumbled into the bar like a damn drunk.

1

Liquor flew, sses ttered.

I turned again, ready to go for round two–but he bcaught /bmy wrist and mmed it binto /bthe bbar/b, hard enough to rattle my

bonesb. /b

“If you want to act like a bferal /bbmutt/b,” he said coldly, b“/bgo do it on your

ir own t

turf. Not in my bden/b.”

“You think you’re binnocent/bb?/b” I spat. “Youid a hand on Riley. bThat’s /ba line you don’te back from.”

His eyes narrowed, cold as moonlight.

“I didn’t touch her,” he said. “But even if I did it would be what she owes. To Tessab./b”

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