Chanel’s POV
Hours earlier, Daniel had been flooding my phone with texts:
"Where are you?"
"I can’t wait to introduce you to the world."
I replied just enough to keep him from getting suspicious, playing along while secretly preparing for the storm I was about to unleash.
Now, sitting inside my family’s house, I smoothed my hands over the white gown I wore. My hair and makeup had been flawlessly done by an omega from the Deathfang Pack, making me look every bit the bride-to-be I was pretending to be.
My parents were already at the event, under the impression that Daniel was getting engaged to Miranda—which was true. But they had no idea of Daniel’s deeper scheme. He wasn’t just betraying me. He was setting my entire family up to fall.
What kind of Alpha did that?
I closed my eyes, steadying my breath.
And just like that, a memory from a few hours ago surfaced—warm and golden in contrast to the cold strategy of tonight.
---
Earlier that afternoon.
The Deathfang Pack’s great hall had been filled with thunderous howls and claps of joy. Warriors thumped their fists against their chests, omegas beamed with giddy smiles, and children danced barefoot across the polished floors.
Alpha Kios stood at the center of it all, his expression unreadable at first—until his eyes found mine.
Then he smiled. Not the usual smirk or the confident grin he wore like armor. This one was quieter, more reverent.
“My pack,” his voice echoed through the room, low and clear. “I have found my mate.”
The hall exploded in sound. Cheers shook the walls, and someone popped a bottle of sparkling wine in the corner.
“And soon,” Kios continued, his gaze never leaving mine, “you will have your Luna.”
My breath caught as his hand reached for mine across the space, ignoring protocol and stares. When I stepped forward, sliding my fingers into his, the world seemed to pause.
He brought my hand to his lips, pressing a slow kiss to the back of it.
“She’s fierce,” he said softly, speaking now only to me. “And smart. And I would tear the world apart before letting it hurt her again.”
The pack roared their approval, but it all faded into background noise.
For a few seconds, it was just him and me. His thumb brushed over my knuckles. His silver eyes flicked over my face—not devouring, but admiring. Committing every detail to memory.
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. Something about that moment felt sacred. Like it wasn’t meant to be broken by words.
The warmth in my chest battled the walls I’d carefully built. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. Not yet. Not when everything I cared about could still fall apart.
But Kios… he didn’t feel temporary.
And that terrified me.
Now…
A sudden commotion outside snapped me out of my thoughts. Snarls and growls filled the night air. The pack was under attack.
Before I could react, the door swung open, revealing Alpha Kios. My breath hitched. He looked devastatingly handsome in his tailored suit, exuding an effortless dominance that made the air feel heavier. His sharp silver eyes raked over me, and a smirk formed on his lips.
“How beautiful my bride is,” he murmured.
Heat crawled up my neck, but I shoved it down. There was no time for distractions. Revenge came first.
“Is everything ready?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.
Kios smirked, his confidence almost infuriating. “Just as we planned. Come on. Time is of great essence."
Without another word, we moved swiftly through the packhouse. Kios had ensured that Daniel was too busy fighting off the rogues to notice our intrusion. When we reached Daniel’s office, he stood guard by the door while I slipped inside.
The office was dark, and the scent of Daniel still lingered in the air. My heart pounded in my ears as I scanned the room, searching for his phone. Papers were scattered across his desk, and drawers were slightly open, as if he had been in a rush before leaving.
I moved quickly, shoving aside files and knocking over a half-empty glass of whiskey. My fingers skimmed the edge of the desk until they found the phone from beneath a stack of documents.
The screen lit up as I turned it on. No password. Typical. Daniel was arrogant enough to think no one would ever touch his things. My stomach churned as I navigated to his gallery and saw the images filling the screen. Then, without hesitation, I pressed delete. The phone prompted me with a confirmation message. I tapped ‘delete all’ and watched as they vanished. Then I went to the recently deleted folder and did it again.
There. Now he had nothing.
Behind me, Kios chuckled. “You are taking your time, little wolf. We need to go.”
I turned, gripping the phone tighter. “Wait a moment.”
Kios sighed but leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me with amusement and curiosity.
Flipping the camera on, I stared into the lens and hit record. My voice came out steady, sharp, and cold.
“Well, Daniel, everything’s over between us. This is the end of me being your freaking practice mate. I’m dumping you now. Good luck to you and to Miranda. You two deserve each other.”
I stopped the recording and sent it straight to his messages. A final goodbye. A nail in the coffin.
With that, I tossed the phone onto his desk, turned on my heel, and strode toward Kios. He raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.
“Finished?” he asked.
I pulled out my own phone, opened my contacts, and blocked Daniel. “Now I am.”
Kios let out a full, rich laugh. “I must say, Chanel, you are truly something else.”
I didn’t respond. I was already stepping past him, heading toward the exit with a sense of finality settling deep in my chest.
As we slipped back out, Kios placed a protective hand on my lower back, guiding me toward his car. His touch was steady, grounding. The moment we reached the vehicle, he mind-linked the rogues.
“Retreat, all of you!”
Suddenly, the snarls and growls vanished into the distance. The distraction had served its purpose.
“Did they hurt anyone?” I asked, worried.
“I’m not going to hurt my future pack.” Kios shook his head. “Now, time for the final act.”
