I froze as my eyes scanned the contract in my hands, disbelief twisting my gut. My father had gone ahead and bought me a house without so much as a word to me first. The scent of the deed, crisp and official, hit me like the warning growl of an intruding wolf: this was mine, and mine alone.
Erica's voice sliced through the room like a snapping fang. "Don't pretend you don't know, Anastasia! The contract's right here you can't deny it!" Her tone was sharp, demanding, as though she could mark this territory by shouting.
I raised an eyebrow, steadying myself. "I'm not pretending. Yes, Dad bought it for me. So what? You have a problem with that?" My voice was calm but carried the weight of my pack instincts. Every syllable radiated dominance I wasn't about to back down.
