I overheard Aliona's voice earlier in the day, sharp and coated in false sweetness as she spoke to Riley over the encrypted line. Even without seeing her face, I could feel the venom in her intent through the pack bond resonance that always grew unstable around her. She instructed him not to reveal she had recommended me, masking her involvement like a rogue hiding her scent after a kill. Our pack ties with her had already frayed, but this—this was deliberate sabotage dressed as opportunity.
Felicia came to me shortly after, her tone careful but business-focused, telling me a high-value client had requested a private design meeting outside the main pack headquarters. The offer carried weight—five million credits for a single contract—and in our world, even Alpha-level businesses couldn't ignore that kind of resource gain. I sensed hesitation in Felicia's aura, but she trusted my instincts more than anyone else's in the design division.
I agreed.
