I moved through the pack house like a ghost, my footsteps silent as I made my way to Tyson's office. The security panel recognized my Luna authority, granting me access with a soft click. Inside, the scent of his cologne lingered—the same cologne he'd worn to mask Annie's perfume.
"We need to be careful," I whispered to Aria, who prowled restlessly in my mind.
*We're not doing anything wrong,* she growled. *He's the traitor.*
Over the past week, I'd maintained a perfect facade of normalcy. I smiled at breakfast, kissed him goodbye, and played the devoted Luna while my heart cracked further with each passing day.
The pack financial records loaded onto the screen, and I navigated to the territorial holdings section. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed in the access codes—codes he'd never bothered to change after our mating ceremony.
"There," I breathed, pointing at the screen where a document showed the transfer of my mother's Alpha bloodline lands. "Two months ago."
Aria's rage surged through me as I examined the details. "Look at these signatures," I murmured, zooming in on the pack council approvals. "They're forgeries."
The territorial documents showed a systematic fraud—my inheritance gradually shifting into Annie Stone's name through manipulated legal processes. Each page felt like another knife in my back.
"He didn't just steal from me," I whispered, tears burning my eyes. "He stole from my mother's memory."
I printed the evidence, my hands shaking as each page emerged from the printer. Financial records, territorial transfers, forged signatures—a paper trail of betrayal that even he couldn't deny.
---
The encrypted communication line to my father's pack hissed with static before clearing.
"Lina?" My father's deep voice filled the secure line. "This is unexpected."
"Father," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. "I need your help."
I explained everything—the affair, the stolen heirlooms, the fraudulent territorial transfer. With each word, my father's breathing grew heavier.
"Marcus Hudson here," he finally interrupted, his Alpha tone vibrating through the connection. "I want to be absolutely clear about what you're telling me."
I forwarded the documents through the secure channel. "He's been systematically transferring my inheritance to his mistress for months."
Silence stretched across the line as he reviewed the evidence. When he spoke again, his voice was ice.
"I'm invoking the Ancient Alpha Bloodline Protection Laws," he declared. "These documents are frozen effective immediately under pack law."
Relief washed through me, but it was quickly followed by dread as my father continued.
"Lina, this betrayal goes beyond personal matters. Your mate has violated not just your bond but the alliance between our packs."
"I know," I whispered.
"I can send warriors," he offered, his protective instincts flaring. "We can confront him together."
"No," I said firmly. "I need to handle this myself."
Aria agreed, her presence strengthening my resolve. *We need to reclaim our power.*
---
I knocked on Tyson's office door, the folder of evidence clutched against my chest.
"Enter," he called, his voice distracted.
He looked up from his desk, surprise flickering across his features. "Lina? What are you doing here?"
I closed the door behind me and approached his desk. Without a word, I spread the printed evidence before him—security footage stills, financial records, territorial documents.
"What is this?" he asked, though I could see the moment he recognized what I'd discovered.
"You tell me," I said, my voice surprisingly calm despite the storm raging inside me. "Are you having an affair with Annie Stone?"
His expression shifted from shock to calculation in an instant. "Lina, you're being paranoid."
"Am I?" I tapped the security footage showing him embracing Annie in the storage room. "Then explain this."
He leaned back in his chair, his Alpha aura flaring defensively. "You don't understand pack politics, Lina. This is complex business."
"And this?" I pushed forward the territorial documents. "Is stealing my mother's inheritance also 'complex business'?"
His eyes narrowed. "You're going through my files? That's a violation of trust."
"A violation of trust?" My voice cracked slightly. "You gave away my mother's necklace to your mistress!"
"Hormonal," he muttered, shaking his head. "You're being hormonal and paranoid."
Through our weakening mate bond, I felt his lies like physical blows. Each denial, each manipulation cut deeper than any confession could have.
"The security footage is obviously doctored," he continued, his tone patronizing. "Enemies of the pack are trying to destabilize us."
I stared at him, this stranger wearing my mate's face, and felt something inside me harden into resolve.
"You really expect me to believe that?" I asked quietly.
His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I glimpsed fear behind his mask of confidence.
