Author’s POV

Inside the auction bhall/b, the atmosphere was electric.

+8 Pearls

A massive screen projected the blueprint and development n of the East Ridge territorynd that had be the centerpiece of tonight’s bidding war. The crowd leaned in, eyes zing with ambition.

The auctioneer’s voice rang out clearly, “Up next, we present the most anticipated item of the evening–the East Ridge territory. Located near Moonshade Bay, thisnd boasts exceptional spiritual energy and strategic significance. Starting price 10 billion lunar stones. Each raise must be no less than 100 million.”

Whispers turned into murmurs, and murmurs into tension–soaked silence.

Everyone knew: securing thisnd meant controlling the beating heart of East Haven’s future.

Kael Vale, heir to the Ebonw Pack, was the first bto /braise his paddle. “Ten point five billion,b” /bbhe /bannounced with calm authority.

Representing the Vale family. Kael had been sent with a clear directive from bAlpha /bric: win this auction, at all costs.

Before bhis /bvoice had even faded, Ronan Duskcliff, the brooding heir of another powerful ckw, raised the bstakes/b. “Eleven

billionb./bb” /b

With two Alphas–in–waiting taking the lead, the crowd’s blood heated. Paddles flew up like war banners, each bid more aggressive than thest.

But as the numbers climbed past 20 billion, smaller families and corporations began bowing out, resigned to watching the

titans sh.

Then, just as the bidding showed signs of slowing, ba /bvoice rang out from the front.

Thirty billion,” said a man with calm detachmentb, /bholding up his paddle.

Gasps rippled through the room.

It was Lucien Duskgrave’s assistant–Stormridge Pack’s right hand beta, speaking on behalf of the enigmatic and feared Northern Alpha heir.

bLucien /bhimself sat rxed in the front row, draped in a tailored steel–grey suit that clung to his broad shoulders like it had been bwoven /bfor a god. His silver eyes were unreadable, his presence a cold andmanding as the northern snows he

hailed from.

The Ebonw Pack looked stricken.

They’d expected the Stormridge Pack to show strength–but this bwas /bannihtion.

Everyone else had braised /btheir bids in cautious millions or single billions. Stormridge raised bit /bby ten.

Karl’s face darkened. He leaned toward bRonan/b, voice blow/b. “We’ll need tobine resources.

Ronan gave a short, reluctant nod.

Karl stood and braised /bhis paddle again. “bThirty/bb–/bfive billion.”

He shot Lucioara defiant nce.

Lucien didn’t even spare him a look.

His asistant raised the paddle. “Forty–five bbillion/bb.” /b

The room fell into stunned silence.

Karl’s knuckles whitened around the bidding paddle. “Fifty billion”

Assistant: “Sixty”

Kael: “Sixty–five.”

Assistant: “Eighty”

Gasps erupted.

Ronan and bKael /bboth stood up. Their stunned expressions were mirrored across the entire auction hall.

Eighty billionb? /b

Kael growled, “Lucien Duskgrave, are you insane?”

Atst, Lucien turned his head slightly, his gaze as cial as ever.

“Bid bagain/b,” he said calmly.

It wasn’t a challenge. It wasn’t a threat. It was a fact.

bBid /bif you dare–but I won’t stop.

The sheer confidence in his btone /bbsent /bba /bchill down bKael’s /bspine.

+8 Pearls

Even bunited/b, Ebonw and ckw’s war chests wouldn’t stretch beyond a hundred billion–not without crippling their packs financially.

Alpha ric sat like a stone statue in the back, lips pressed into a tight line. His fury was palpable, but his hands were tied.

Ronan, too, looked pale beneath his steady exterior. His pack had liquidated assets just to fund this one shot at expansion.

Kael gritted bhis /bteeth. “Eighty–five billion.”

The assistant didn’t even blink. “One hundred billion.”

Sience fell, absolute band /bfinal..

Kael and bRonan /bexchanged a long look–defeat written clearly on both their faces.

They had lost.

“One hundred billion once. One hundred billion twice. One hundred billion–sold!” the auctioneer called out, dropping the hammer with a thunderous p.

Stormridge bPack /bhad imed the East Ridge.

Lucien Duskgrave sat hack, still as a mountain, not a flicker of emotion on his face.

Ebonw and ckw could only simmer in btheir /brage and humiliation.

The night belonged to the North.

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