Chapter 6: A Threat
Natalie’s Perspective:
Penelope lifted a delicate porcelain cup filled with steaming coffee, bringing it to her lips with practiced grace. She took a small sip, but her eyes never wavered from me—they were sharp, cold, and unforgiving, as if trying to pierce right through my very soul. “I know all about your background,” she said smoothly, her tone dripping with feigned sympathy. “Your mother was human. Her brief entanglement with Alexander was nothing more than a fleeting fling, or perhaps even a mistake. Who would have thought it would result in you? You were left at a human orphanage when you were just three years old. It must have been a difficult life.”
Her voice carried a patronizing pity that made my skin crawl. “This compensation I offer is far from insignificant. But understand this: the heir to the Moon-Shadowed Pack cannot be some illegitimate, half-blood child raised outside the pack’s embrace. Surely, you realize that.”
She paused, then leaned in slightly, as if bestowing a great favor. “Still, you are Alexander’s daughter. The family won’t cast you aside completely. Officially, you will remain a young lady of the Moon-Shadowed Pack. If you require anything, you need only ask me.”
Her words were calm, calculated, and delivered with an air of absolute certainty that I would accept this supposed “generosity.”
I set the contract down on the polished mahogany table without altering my expression. My eyes locked with Penelope’s, meeting her icy, calculating gaze. She was undeniably beautiful, meticulously groomed, but her eyes held nothing but cold strategy and ruthless ambition.
“Ms. Anderson, if there are no objections, please sign the contract,” Samuel said, sliding an antique pen toward me. The pen was adorned with a moonstone at its tip, gleaming faintly under the chandelier’s light.
“I refuse,” I replied evenly, my voice ringing clearly in the vast, ornate living room.
The power of the Moon-Shadow bloodline stirred within me, lending strength to my words as I continued in a low voice, “Mrs. Penelope Scott calls me ‘illegitimate,’ but the ancient werewolf codes recognize only blood ties.”
“My father, Alpha Alexander of the Moon-Shadowed Pack, named me his sole heir in his will. That will, along with the results of the Ancestral Tracking Spell, are undeniable proof of my legal right to inherit.”
The false smile on Penelope’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a shadow of dark fury. She scrutinized me anew, as if seeing me for the first time, clearly unprepared for my refusal.
Samuel’s surprise was equally evident. His eyes narrowed, and an imposing Alpha energy radiated from him. “Ms. Anderson, you don’t seem to understand the gravity of this situation. This is not a negotiation.”
“The Moon-Shadowed Pack is one of the oldest and most prestigious packs in the werewolf world. Its internal politics and traditions are far more complex than you can imagine. Your decision affects far more than just yourself—it impacts the entire family’s future. You cannot hope to stand against the whole pack.”
His words carried a veiled threat, heavy and unmistakable.
Samuel’s Perspective:
This so-called “sister” who appeared out of nowhere had the audacity to refuse us? The feeble, unstable scent of her bloodline was an insult to the Moon-Shadow name. My mother had been right all along. How dare a mixed-blood, illegitimate child think she deserved the Alpha’s title?
We needed to shatter her delusions before she could gain any influence. She simply didn’t grasp the reality of our world.
In the werewolf realm, bloodline purity and power were everything. She was utterly unworthy.
Natalie’s Perspective:
I could feel the hostility radiating from Samuel like a tangible force. Yet, oddly, instead of feeling overwhelmed or suffocated as I had with Landon, a fierce, cold anger ignited within me.
“Mr. Samuel Scott,” I said, my lips curling into a faint, mocking smile, “you said this isn’t a negotiation, but a declaration?”
“Unfortunately for you,” I added, “neither ancient codes nor modern laws allow inheritance rights to be revoked by mere words.”
I met his oppressive gaze without flinching. The latent power inside me surged, fueled by anger. “My price is something you cannot pay. My father left me the Alpha title, the territories, and the legacy. Not a single part of it can be missing. Not a single piece can be given away.”
Samuel’s face tightened, his eyes flashing with lethal intent. “Then we have no choice but to offend you.”
The guards outside took a step forward, their fangs glinting faintly in the dim light. The atmosphere thickened with menace.
I stood tall, my back straight, though my fingertips trembled slightly. My gaze remained steady and cold as I watched Samuel and the guards advance. I braced myself for the inevitable confrontation.
Suddenly, a series of rapid, disciplined footsteps echoed down the hallway. A powerful, ancient, metallic werewolf aura flooded the room, chilling the air.
A dozen men in tailored black suits entered, each bearing silver wolf-head crests on their chests. Their presence was controlled but undeniably dangerous. Samuel’s guards froze, cowed by the sudden arrival.
Everett hurried to Penelope’s side, whispering something urgently in her ear.
Her expression shifted dramatically. “What did you say? Are you certain?”
“I just received an encrypted call from Sir Scott. It’s confirmed—the Silver-Maned Pack has chosen Ms. Anderson,” Everett replied, his voice tinged with awe.
Meanwhile, the leader of the black-suited men fixed his gaze directly on me. Ignoring Samuel and Penelope completely, he strode forward with steady, measured steps—his presence as solid and unyielding as a mountain.
“Hello. You must be Ms. Anderson,” he said in a deep, magnetic voice, carrying the quiet confidence of one accustomed to power.

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