Elsie Lancaster and Caroline Lancaster stood before a door in the West House.
"Go ahead," her mother urged her.
Elsie took a deep breath before she knocked on the door. She was nervous, evidenced by the way her heart was pounding as she waited for the recipient on the other end to answer.
"Come in," Henry’s voice came from inside.
Mother and daughter looked at each other, their minds made up, as they pushed the door open in unison and walked in.
Once they were inside, they were treated to the sight of a student urgently fastening the last button on her shirt. It wasn’t hard to guess what had transpired, and Elsie’s eyes narrowed at once when she recognized one of her elite girls.
Kelly.
That nasty bitch! Even planning to climb the social ladder in her absence.
However, Elsie controlled herself. Once she was done here, she would deal with the girl.
To think the girl dared to try to put her claws on her father-in-law? Did she think Henry was the type to be controlled? Ha, the bitch was in for the shock of her life.
This was why girls like Violet should never have been allowed into Lunaris in the first place. She was beginning to corrupt the other girls in this institution. After all, where would Kelly have learned such whore behavior?
As for Alpha Henry, he looked relaxed in his seat, not even bothered that he was caught having relations with a girl nearly the same age as his son. Was this why he had left his wife back at the West House? To have fun with the younger ones? Not that the wife wasn’t young herself.
But from the rumors Elsie had heard, Asher’s new mother was simply a trophy wife. Henry hardly took her out to important events — such as this — unless he was in the mood to show her off. Otherwise, the woman remained at home to serve his needs.
Elsie would have felt sorry for the woman, but then, that was what you get when you’re a "nobody" married to men in power. You get exactly what you deserve. Nothing.
She still didn’t understand why Alpha Henry had married a woman like that. She must have seduced him, just like Violet was doing to Asher. Perhaps Alpha Henry deserved the right to cheat after all.
Kelly vanished almost immediately, and Henry said to them, "You can have a seat."
Elsie and her mother sat down, looking around. It seemed Asher had exclusively designed the room for Alpha Henry to relax and receive his visitors whenever he visited Lunaris.
"You look more beautiful than the last time I saw you, Elsie. No doubt you would make a pretty wife for my son when he becomes Alpha King," Henry said with pride.
"You flatter me, Alpha Henry," Elsie said, blushing.
She didn’t get to finish, because the door was suddenly pushed open at that moment.
Everyone turned as Asher Nightshade appeared at the entrance. Caroline and Elsie froze on the spot. They had come here to tattle on Asher to his father, and here he was. Talk about bad timing.
But Asher wasn’t alone. Beside him stood a taller, older man, one Alpha Henry immediately recognized.
"Alpha Ezra? Is that you? What are you doing here?"
Yes, Alpha Ezra was Nancy’s mate and leader of the Midnight Pack. While Ezra held the title of alpha, Henry outranked him in the hierarchy, just as Elijah was the Supreme Alpha, aka the Alpha King. The West Pack was the capital, overseeing all packs under Henry’s rule, including sub-packs like the Midnight Pack. The same structure existed across the East, South, and North Packs.
"My apologies that we’re meeting under these circumstances, Alpha Henry. I’ve only just settled with my mate, and now I have no choice but to stand up for her daughter."
"Wait a minute, you have a mate? And your mate has a daughter?" Alpha Henry was visibly taken aback.
Before Ezra could respond, Asher smoothly cut in. "Oh, you know Ezra’s new stepdaughter. You’ve pretty much met her already, and I’m sure they’ve helped introduce her to you as well." His words carried a pointed undertone, his gaze fixed on Caroline and Elsie, who now looked just as confused as Henry.
"Violet Purple is Ezra’s new stepdaughter, and by extension, part of the West Pack. Our family just keeps getting bigger, don’t you think?"
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