Elias leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "By making the whole world see that he lost something he can never get back. By standing by my side instead."
I let out a breathless laugh. "You want me to be your pawn in some power play?
He shrugged. "Call it what you want. But if you think for a second that Benedict won’t come crawling back the moment, he realizes what he’s lost, you don’t know him as well as you think."
His words sent a sharp pang through my chest. I clenched my fists. "And if I say no?"
Elias stepped back; his expression unreadable. "Then you walk out that door and disappear. Live in exile while Benedict moves on without a second thought. But if you want a real chance at making him suffer the way he made you suffer... You know where to find me."
Silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken emotions. My wolf stirred, sensing the weight of the choice before me.
For years, I lived for Benedict, believing we were meant to rule together. But now, that future has been shattered.
Maybe it was time to write a new one. I took a deep breath and looked Elias in the eye. "Fine. I’ll hear you out."
A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips. "Good girl."
And just like that, my fate took a new turn.
The night was over and I was on the way home, and I hesitated for a long time before finally sending a message to Alpha Elias, the man I had been bound to for years but had never truly reached.
[Alpha... Can we pretend last night never happened? I was drunk and confused.]
Silence. The message sat there, unanswered.
I frowned and sent another one.
A red exclamation mark appeared in front of it.
[Felicia, we had a deal. Don't forget that.]
My chest tightened. Oh no, I almost forgot—I made a deal with my husband's stepbrother. This can't be happening. I was so drunk last night that I couldn't think straight. Damn, this is a mess.
By the time I reached my small home at the outskirts of the pack territory, the sun was already creeping over the horizon.
The moment I stepped inside, I froze. Benedict was sitting in the shadows, his golden eyes burning into mine.
He had not slept. His body was tense, jaw locked, fingers curled into fists against his knees.
"Felicia." His voice was low, strained. "Where were you last night? I called you over a dozen times!"
I moved past him, barely sparing him a glance.