"I did not change it at all," Danielle said, her voice turning slightly defensive before she softened it back into a purr. "In fact, you told me several times last night that you admired it. You said I smelled like heaven."
Conrad frowned. His memory was a hazy, fragmented mess, but he did remember those words. He remembered whispering them as the fragrance had made his inner wolf roar. He looked at Danielle now, trying to reconcile that memory with the scent currently assaulting his senses.
He was confused. His instincts were telling him the scents were different, but he waved the thought off. Perhaps the wine had distorted his perception, he thought. He did not want to hurt her feelings by telling her that her current scent was offensive to him.
"Sure I did," he said quietly, offering a smile. "Last night was... special."
Danielle's eyes lit up. "It was the same for me. Thank you, Conrad. Thank you for making me feel like a proper woman."
Conrad nodded, pulling her into his arms like a king acknowledging his consort. Danielle sneaked further into his embrace, her head resting on his chest as she traced the lines with her fingers.
"Now that you have known me," Danielle whispered, her voice trembling with a keen vulnerability, "when will I be getting the wedding ring and going for our special date?"
The question hung in the air for seconds.
Conrad stared at the far wall. "Are you available for dinner tonight?"
Danielle tilted her head back to look at him, her smile widening. "All you have to do is command, and I will do your bidding. I am always ready for Your Highness."
They remained silent for a while, Danielle bit her lip, her impatience bubbling to the surface. "When can we start preparations for the wedding, Conrad? My father and mother are already asking about the gala."
Conrad remained silent, his gaze distant.
Danielle felt a spike of panic. Had she pushed too far? She took his silence as a cue to reflect on how desperate she must have sounded. She quickly adjusted her tone, pulling back slightly. "I am sorry. I do not mean to sound like I am rushing you. I am only curious and excited to know what our future looks like. I want to be the Luna you deserve."
Conrad finally looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "You can start preparations right away if you want. I have no objection to the planning beginning now."
Danielle let out a breath she had been holding. "Really?"
"However," Conrad added, his voice firm, "we will have to wait until winter for the actual ceremony. That is when the extended family and the overseas elders will be in the country. A union of this magnitude requires the full council to be present. I hope that gives you enough time to prepare everything to your liking."
Danielle's heart sank slightly. Winter was months away. But she maintained her soft, grateful appearance. "Winter," she muttered, nodding slowly. "Yes, that is perfect. It will be a beautiful winter wedding. I will make sure it is the event of the century."
She leaned in to kiss him. Conrad accepted the kiss, then he broke away, his hands moving toward his trousers, which were draped over a nearby chair. He reached into the pocket and pulled out a black debit card with the Bradley crest embossed in gold.
"Take this," he said, handing it to her.
Danielle took the card, her fingers brushing his. "What is this?"
"The card has a one hundred and fifty million dollar limit," Conrad stated calmly. "The PIN is your date of birth. Consider it your budget for the engagement. You can get any ring of your choice. Go to the best jewelers in the city. Spare no cost.."
Danielle was shocked to her core. One hundred and fifty million. It was a staggering amount of money, a fortune that members of the Edwards Pack would never see in ten lifetimes. Her pulse skyrocketed, but she fought the urge to scream with joy. She forced herself to remain poised.
"Alpha," she breathed, her eyes wide. "This is... thank you. I do not even know what to say."
"Do not mention it," he said, his voice trailing off as he leaned back into the pillows. The headache returned with a sting. "I need another hour of sleep before my meetings."
Danielle kissed him again, clutching the card to her chest. "Rest well, my Alpha."
She watched him close his eyes, his breathing evening out almost instantly.
Shortly after Alpha Conrad left the suit, the door had barely faded when Danielle's phone began to vibrate on the bedside table. She snatched it up, seeing her mother's name flash across the screen.
"Speak of the devil," Danielle whispered to herself. She swiped to answer and let out an undignified shriek of joy. "Mummy! Oh my god, Mummy! You are a literal genius!"
"I take it the night was a success?" Katerina's voice came through, sounding expectant.
"Everything you said worked out exactly as planned! Every single detail!" Danielle threw herself back onto the pillows, kicking her legs in the air.
"This calls for a massive celebration," Katerina said, a smug tone creeping into her voice. "But tell me, did the Alpha suspect anything? Did he sense the switch?"
Danielle's face clouded over for a second. "No, he didn't. But ugh, Mummy, that stupid girl almost ruined everything. She actually overslept! Can you believe the audacity? After moaning and screaming all night. So much for a 'pure' virgin."
Katerina burst into laughter. "So, our little Omega enjoyed herself, did she?"
"She is a fucking pretender, Mom! I am telling you, She moaned way too much." Danielle rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with jealousy. "I almost died in that bathroom, I'm serious. Hearing the intense pounding and those moans through the door? Gosh, I was so jealous. My Alpha is such a sexgod. That should have been me in that bed, not that wretched scum."
"It doesn't matter who was in the bed, Danielle," Katerina reminded her. "Now, did he mention the wedding?"
"Better!" Danielle sat up abruptly, clutching the black debit card to her chest. "Guess what I am holding right now?"
"Danielle, I am in no mood for games. Just spill it."
"Alpha Conrad gave me his black card!" Danielle squealed, her voice reaching a high pitch. "He told me to go shopping and get my own engagement ring. His exact words were to 'spare no cost.'"
There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end, followed by Katerina's loud, triumphant squeal. "We are fucking rich! Danielle, do you understand what this means? This alignment will increase our rank in society overnight! Imagine being directly attached to the Alpha King. We are going to be untouchable."
"I am going to change everything," Danielle declared, her eyes gleaming with greed. "My wardrobe, my car, my entire circle of friends. I am finally going to get the latest iPhone and host a massive spa date for the girls just so I can rub it in. I cannot wait to see Jasmine's face."
"Jasmine? Alpha Kingstone's insufferable daughter?"
"Yes!" Danielle began mimicking a high pitched, whiny voice. "Oh, Jasmine always says, My boyfriend got me this designer bag, my boyfriend took me to Paris.' Well, my fiancée happens to be the Alpha of the strongest pack in the entire country, and he just gave me a black card to go shopping! I am going to show her that she is nowhere near my level anymore."
"You truly are your mother's daughter," Katerina said proudly. "You played him perfectly."
"I did, didn't I? He even told me I could start wedding preparations immediately. We have to wait until winter for the actual ceremony because of his family, but the money is available now."
"Winter is a long time to keep a secret, Danielle. You need to stay on your toes."
"I know, I know," Danielle said, looking at her reflection and smoothing her hair. "But with this card in my hand, I feel like I can handle anything. I'm going to go buy the biggest diamond they have."
"Come home soon so we can pop the champagne," Katerina said. "We have a lot of spending to plan."
"I'm on my way, Mom! I just need to make a quick stop at the jeweler first. Bye!"
Danielle hung up and kissed the black card, a wicked smile on her face. The Alpha was exactly where he belonged: under her thumb.
