Brooke POV:
The penthouse felt suffocating. I stood by the door, heart pounding.
I wasn't leaving without leverage.
Krystal sauntered in, holding an Apex Pack folder. She adjusted the collar of my bathrobe, revealing a reddish mark on her neck.
I squinted. The edges were too neat. Makeup. Or a curling iron burn. A real Mark pulsed. This was a hickey.
"Still here?" Krystal sneered. "Caleb, baby, Apex sent the contract. They're impressed with the security infrastructure. They think we built a fortress."
"They think Silver Moon built it," Caleb corrected, pouring whiskey. He eyed me. "Which is why you need to hand over the master encryption keys, Brooke. Now."
"Or what?" I asked. "You'll growl at me again?"
"Don't test me. I am your Alpha."
"You're a tyrant. And that infrastructure? It runs on the Alpha Code. It's keyed to my biometrics. Without my daily authentication, the system assumes a hostile takeover."
Caleb froze. "What does that mean?"
"It means," I smiled coldly, "if I don't log in within twenty-four hours, the firewall turns inward. It locks the accounts. Encrypts the data. Shuts down the grid."
Krystal gasped. "She's lying! She's just a weak Omega!"
"Am I?" I looked at Caleb. "Remember the Rogue attack? Who rerouted the sensors? Krystal? Or the 'weak' IT girl?"
Caleb set the glass down. "Give me the keys."
"No."
"I Command you!"
The Alpha Command hit me like a physical blow. A giant hand pushing me down. Submit, the instinct screamed.
I gritted my teeth, sinking.
Then, a flutter in my abdomen.
The pup.
A fierce, protective heat surged from my womb. Not Omega submission, but motherly rage. It pushed back.
I groaned, bones creaking, but I straightened my legs. I stood up.
Caleb's eyes widened. An Omega resisting a direct Command? Unheard of.
"How..."
"I am leaving the Pack," I declared. "I want a buyout. Five million for the patent rights. And I take my personal belongings."
"You're insane," Krystal screeched.
"Then the system crashes at midnight tomorrow," I said. "And when Apex sees your security is a joke, they walk. Silver Moon goes bankrupt."
I walked past them into the bedroom. Krystal tried to block me; I shoved her aside.
I went to the vanity. My expensive herbal lotions-custom formulated to soothe my skin during the pregnancy-were half empty.
"You've been using my things," I said, disgusted.
"I'm improving them," Krystal spat. "You have no taste."
I grabbed my bag, throwing in my laptop, hard drive, and my mother's ring.
"Twenty-four hours, Caleb," I called out. "Wire the money. Or enjoy the stone age."
"Brooke, wait!" Caleb stepped forward, wearing that manipulative mask of concern. "Think about what you're doing. You're emotional. It's... the hormones, isn't it? We can work this out."
"The Pack?" I laughed. "You don't care about the Pack. You care about your ego."
"I care about our future!"
"There is no 'our' future. And you don't deserve to be a father."
His face went pale. "Father? What are you talking about?"
I didn't answer. I opened the door.
"Midnight, Caleb. Tick tock."
I walked out. The moment the door clicked shut, my legs gave out. Resisting the Command had drained me.
My phone buzzed.
Black SUV. North corner. Get in. - E
Easton.
I pushed off the wall. I could feel eyes on me. Not human. Wolf.
Shadows moved in the hallway corners. Blood River warriors. They'd infiltrated the building.
I wasn't safe yet. But I wasn't alone.
