Chapter62
“Vanessa thought I was just some ex-mate of Alpha Adrian’s,” Lydia went on.
“She had no idea we were already bound in secret. If anyone’s at fault, it’s Alpha Adrian for hiding his bond. This whole mess has torn my daughter apart, and the Quinn pack can barely show its face out there. He
owes her an explanation.”
After the gala, the Quinns had wanted to cut ties between Vanessa and Alpha Adrian. In their elite circle, the spectacle had been humiliating enough-any bond between the packs would come with that dark history attached. But then the posts exploded, and overnight, the entire Cloud Pack-hell, the whole world-knew Vanessa was the “other she-wolf.” She’d been spiraling, threatening to end it all without Alpha Adrian, leaving the Quinns with no choice but to double down.
Alistair was still mulling over a response when Alpha Adrian’s voice cut through. “I won’t break my bond with Vivian, and I’m not binding with your daughter.”
Vanessa’s face went pale as ash.
Lydia’s expression turned to stone.
The dining room froze.
Everyone’s faces were rigid.
The whole pack had agreed to this bond-everyone except the main wolf himself. It made their earlier laughter feel like a cruel joke.
Damien stood, pulling Alpha Adrian aside, his voice low but urgent.
“You’re too late to play the loyal mate now. Vivian’s got to hate you, hate the whole Blackwood pack. You can’t go back to her! Vanessa’s head over heels for you-she’d die before binding with anyone else. Taking her as your mate? It’s a win for you, no downsides.”
Alpha Adrian’s tone was unyielding, sharp as steel.
“I’ll say it again: I’m not binding with your sister.”
Damien sputtered, “You-!”
“You led her on, and now you’re tossing her aside? Have you no shame? She didn’t force you into her bed! You’re not some redeemed rogue-you’re just dodging responsibility for both she-wolves!”
Alpha Adrian didn’t flinch.
“I never said I was blameless. But I love my mate.”
Damien was speechless, fuming.
Their voices were hushed, but snippets carried to the others in the room.
Alpha Adrian turned back to the table, his face a mask of ice.
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“There’s no bond to discuss. I won’t agree to it. As for the joint project-keep it going if you want. If you’d
rather pull the plug, I don’t care.”
He glanced at his mother. “Let’s go. We’ve got things to settle.”
He meant the blood-soaked scandal currently tearing through the pack.
The Quinns were livid.
Except for Vanessa, who stood there stunned, and Damien, who was still on decent terms with Alpha Adrian,
the rest looked ready to rip him apart.
“Alpha Adrian, you think the Quinn pack is some punching bag you can toy with?” one of them snarled.
“You think you can just say ‘no bond’ and walk away? Dream on! You owe my sister an answer, or this project’s dead. And from now on, our packs are enemies!”
“If the Blackwoods dare back out of their promises, we’ll make sure Vivian’s entire line vanishes from the
Cloud Pack!”
“If anything happens to my daughter, we’re not done with you! I’ll make sure the whole Cloud Pack knows you’re a heartless cur who breaks bonds and betrays trust!”
The accusations came fast and furious, each one louder than the last, pounding against Alistair’s skull like a
drum.
Evelyn just sat there, looking half-dead, her face blank.
Alpha Adrian let out a cold laugh.
“Do whatever you want.”
He didn’t argue. He didn’t bother explaining how Vanessa had spiked his drink that first night, how she’d lured him with every trick in the book, how she’d dragged him into bed.
It was a loveless, sordid fling-her playing wild, him too weak to resist her relentless pursuit.
The Quinns, seeing Alpha Adrian’s icy resolve, found themselves stuck.
Ending the project would hurt them too.
The room hit a stalemate.
Then, Damien’s secretary burst in, her face grim.
Ignoring the tense standoff, she hurried to his side and whispered urgently, “Hartley ‘s bank just froze the second phase of our loan for the Helixon project. They’re demanding a re-audit.”
Damien’s brow furrowed.
“What kind of joke is this? Did you call Julian’s secretary? What’s their excuse?”
The secretary hesitated, glancing at the charged room, her lips trembling as she recited,
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“They say it’s because… the project’s pack has been caught in ongoing public scandals, which could impact the project and pose a risk of default. So, a re-evaluation is required.”
Damien’s pulse jumped.
A chill ran down his spine.
Everyone in the room froze, stunned.
Damien steadied himself, his mind racing.
Damien shot a glance at Alpha Adrian across the room.
If the project stalled, Helixon and Quinnvale Capital would both take a brutal hit.
“Hmph.”
A sharp, cold laugh cut through the tension.
All eyes turned to Vanessa, who was glaring at Alpha Adrian’s back as she stalked toward him.
“What good is loving Vivian? She’s already moved on, climbed into Alpha Gideon’s bed. Why else would he be fighting her battles?”
Alpha Adrian’s face was a frozen tundra.
“There’s nothing improper between them,” he said, his voice low and icy.
He’d had his doubts before.
But after seeing my chats with Cassie last night and hearing Alpha Gideon’s words, he believed it.
Still, with Alpha Gideon so blatantly shielding Vivian time and again, could Alpha Adrian really be sure she wouldn’t fall for him someday?
The thought gnawed at him, bitter and heavy. He didn’t dare dwell on the future.
“You think she’s some pure, untouchable saint who’d never stray?” Vanessa snapped, catching the flicker of
doubt in his eyes.
Her fists clenched, teeth grinding as she saw him drift back to thoughts of Vivian.
Every time Alpha Adrian defended her, it made Vanessa’s blood boil.
He turned to her, his gaze dripping with scorn.
“I’m the one who strayed, aren’t I? I own my mistakes, but Vivian? She’s always been a good she-wolf. I’m the one who let her down.”
She was that good, and he’d somehow found her boring. He’d had it all and still chased trouble.
Vanessa’s face twisted, ugly with rage.
“So she’s the good one, and I’m the villain? What about all the time we spent together? What was that?”
