The Pup He Never Wanted Chapter 07
Three days later, one million dollars arrived.
It wasn’t a bank transfer—that would have left a trail. Caden sent a courier with a waterproof briefcase containing ten cashier’s checks, each for one hundred thousand dollars, each issued by a different shell corporation.
The courier was a young Beta who smelled of pine and motor oil. He stood at my apartment door and cautiously handed me the case.
“Mr. Graymark says the ceremony is set for next Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Blackwood Pack council hall.”
“Dress code?” I asked, taking the briefcase, my tone as flat as if I were asking about the weather.
“Formal evening gown,” he said, then paused. “And… Mr. Graymark said he hopes you will act… like a proper Luna.”
I smiled. “Tell him one million dollars buys my attendance, not my acting skills. If he wants the perfect wife, that’s going to cost extra.”
The courier blinked, clearly not expecting that response. But he nodded and left.
I watched him disappear down the hall before closing the door and opening the briefcase.
Ten checks were nestled in foam. Beside them was a velvet box. Inside was a platinum necklace with a diamond pendant shaped like a moon.
How ironic. They remembered to get jewelry for their “Luna.”
I tossed the necklace in the trash and took photos of the checks, uploading them to an encrypted cloud server.
This evidence, along with the recordings, photos, and medical records I’d already collected, was more than enough to ruin all three of them in front of the Werewolf Council.
But I wasn’t ready to do that.
Not yet.
The next week, I went to a high-end department store downtown. I cashed one of the checks and bought a black evening gown—not a sweet, soft style, but a sharp, aggressively tailored dress that was more like armor.
A plunging V-neck, an open back, and a slit that went all the way up my thigh.
If they wanted a “proper Luna,” I was going to show them what a betrayed Luna looked like.
On Saturday afternoon, I flew back to the Blackwood Pack’s territory.
No one was there to pick me up. I took a cab to the back entrance of the council hall, avoiding anyone I might know.
In the dressing room, I applied dark red lipstick—a color considered a provocation in werewolf society. It meant, “I don’t need your approval.”
At 7:55 p.m., I walked into the great hall.
All conversation stopped.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to me—the pack elders, representatives from vassal families, and all the so-called friends who had given me “kind smiles” over the years.
Caden stood on the main stage, dressed in a custom three-piece suit, the Blackwood Pack crest pinned to his chest. The moment he saw me, his pupils contracted.
Not from awe, but from shock. He had never seen me dressed like this.
Vivian and Marcus were in the front row, their faces pale. Vivian started to stand up, but Marcus pulled her back down.
I smiled and walked onto the stage, standing beside Caden.
Whispers erupted through the hall. “The Luna is back?” “She looks… different.”
Caden leaned in, his voice low. “Moon, this is not the dress you should be wearing.”
“Oh?” I tilted my head. “What should I be wearing? That white lace dress Chloe picked out and you bought for me? Sorry, I burned it.”
His jaw tightened, but he maintained his Alpha composure. “After the ceremony, we need to talk.”
“Of course,” I smiled wider. “I have a lot to say, too.”
At 8 p.m. sharp, the council master of ceremonies announced the beginning of the ritual.
By tradition, the Alpha’s succession ceremony required his mate to renew her “vow of loyalty” in front of the entire pack—a ritual symbolizing the Luna’s absolute submission to the Alpha and the pack.
The master of ceremonies read the first part of the vow: “Moon Graymark, do you, in the presence of the Moon Goddess, reaffirm your eternal loyalty to Caden Graymark and to the Blackwood Pack?”
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was waiting for me to say, “I do.”
I took a deep breath and looked at Caden.
His eyes held a warning, a threat, and a deeply hidden sliver of panic.
Then, I opened my mouth.
“No.”