Hailey's POV:
Keaton's thumb lingered on my cheek, the rough pad of his skin a stark contrast to the gentleness of his touch. The warmth spread through me, a fragile shield against the cold stares of the room.
His voice dropped lower, a rumbling growl meant only for me. "Answer me, Hailey. What about Freddy Holman?"
I didn't look away. I met his searching gaze, my own eyes clear and, for the first time, completely honest. "I'm not here to meet him," I said, my voice steady and hard. "I'm here to make sure he dies."
Keaton's pupils contracted. His hand froze. Of all the answers he might have expected, that wasn't one of them.
The word "die," coming from me—the girl everyone dismissed as a weak, wolfless Omega—was a dissonant shock.
I pressed on, the words tasting of vengeance and promise. "He's a traitor to this pack. He has hurt our people. I was a fool to ever listen to him, but my eyes are open now. My only vow is to see him pay for his crimes."
A cold, sharp killing intent laced my voice. Keaton didn't pull away. If anything, he seemed drawn to this new, dangerous edge in me.
He studied my face, head tilted. He was seeing me, truly seeing me, for the first time. Not the petulant girl who argued over a rogue, but someone with a purpose he didn't understand.
I gently took his hand from my face, lacing my smaller fingers through his. The contact sent a jolt through me, a spark of connection I had denied for so long. I looked up at him, my expression softening. "Keaton, our mating ceremony—have the Elders set a date?"
The abrupt change threw him completely off balance. One moment we were discussing death, the next, the sacred bond that would tie us together for eternity.
He blinked. "No... not yet. Because of your attitude..."
"My past attitude was a mistake," I cut in, tightening my grip on his hand. "I want to be your Luna. As soon as possible. I need you to arrange it."
His heart hammered against his ribs. I could feel the frantic rhythm through our joined hands. This was everything he had ever wanted to hear from me—the one thing he believed he never would.
Just as his lips parted to respond, a saccharine voice sliced through the air.
"Keaton, Hailey, what are you two doing over here? Everyone's been looking for you."
Allegra Moreno. She glided towards us, a perfect picture of innocent concern, using his first name with a casual intimacy that made my skin crawl.
In my past life, I never noticed—I thought she was just being friendly. Now, I saw it for what it was: a subtle claim, a way of showing everyone how close she was to the Alpha. I saw the possessiveness in her eyes, the jealousy simmering just beneath the surface.
A frown creased Keaton's brow. He was annoyed by the interruption.
Before he could speak, I did. My voice was polite, but cool. "Miss Moreno, you will address him as Alpha Sexton. Using his given name is disrespectful to our pack's leader."
Allegra's smile froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. I had never, ever spoken to her like that.
Keaton's surprise was evident, but I saw something else in his eyes, too—a flash of intense pleasure. I was defending his honor, declaring my side.
Allegra's mask of innocence quickly morphed into one of hurt. Her eyes welled up with crocodile tears. "Hailey, we're sisters. I didn't mean any harm..."
"It's because we are family that I'm correcting you," I said, my tone unwavering. "In public, the rules of the pack come before everything else."
My words left her speechless. She looked to Keaton for support, expecting him to chastise me for rudeness. He ignored her completely, his attention solely on me, a fascinated wonder on his face. This new Hailey was a puzzle he was desperate to solve.
Seeing his reaction, alarm bells went off in Allegra's head. She had to act now. She took a shaky breath, voice filled with feigned reluctance. "Hailey, I know you might be confused right now, but you shouldn't lie to Alpha Sexton."
That got Keaton's attention. His gaze shifted.
I watched her, a cold smile playing on my lips. Go on, Allegra. Dig your own grave.
She turned to Keaton, her expression one of profound sorrow. "Alpha Sexton, I... I heard her with my own ears. She made plans with someone. She was supposed to meet Mr. Holman tonight, under the wisteria arbor."
Her accusation landed like a boulder in a calm pond. The fragile truce between me and Keaton shattered. The air turned frigid again. Keaton's eyes, which had just started to soften, hardened back into chips of obsidian. He looked at me, his gaze sharp, demanding an explanation.
Allegra lowered her head, shoulders trembling as if it pained her to reveal this terrible truth.
I looked at her pathetic performance, and instead of fear I felt a thrill. She had no idea what she had just done. She hadn't just set a trap for me. She had handed me the knife.
