Chapter 188: A Deceptive Offer (Celeste’s POV)
Chapter 188: A Deceptive Offer (Celeste’s POV)
Three days had passed since Lucas’s threat about Matthew. Three quiet, monotonous days of confinement in my quarters. I’d spent most of my time staring out the window, watching pack members go about their daily activities while I remained trapped within these walls.
A sharp knock interrupted my brooding. Nina opened the door to reveal a nervous–looking beta wolf wearing the distinctive silver–gray uniform of grandmother Eleanor’s personal staff.
“Miss Celeste,” he said with a formal bow. “Lady Eleanor requests your presence immediately.”
My heart lurched. “Is she alright?”
“She asked me to bring you right away,” he replied, his evasive answer only heightening my
concern.
I exchanged a worried glance with Nina. Grandmother’s health had been deteriorating rapidly in recent months. Each day seemed to drain more of her strength, her once–powerful wolf aura growing fainter.
“Let’s go,” I said, not bothering to change from my simple day dress.
We followed the beta across the pack house grounds at a brisk pace. With each step, my anxiety grew. The last time Grandmother had summoned me so urgently, she’d been
bedridden with silver fever for three days.
When we reached her quarters, I didn’t wait for proper announcement.
“Grandmother!” I called out, my voice edged with panic as I pushed the door open.
The scene that greeted me made me freeze in my tracks.
Grandmother Eleanor sat in her favorite chair by the window, frail but upright. Her
silver–streaked hair was neatly arranged, and though her frame was thin, her golden eyes
sparkled with unmistakable delight.
But it wasn’t her apparent good health that stopped me cold.
Seated on either side of her were Lucas and Scarlett, both wearing expressions of smug
satisfaction that immediately set my wolf on edge.
“Celeste, dear,” Grandmother called, extending her thin hand toward me. “Come in, come in!”
I approached cautiously, every instinct warning me that this was some kind of trap. Nina
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remained by the door, her silver gray eyes watchful
“You look well, Grandmother I said carefully, taking her offered hand and noting how cold her
fingers felt despite the warmth in her smile.
I’m having a wonderful day, she replied, squeezing my fingers with what little strength she could muster. “Lucas has done something that pleases me greatly?”
My eyes flickered to Lucas, whose self–satisfied smile widened under my gaze.
“Has he?” I asked, unable to keep the suspicion from my voice.
Grandmother nodded enthusiastically, her golden eyes bright with excitement. “Indeed! Show
her, Lucas,
Lucas reached for a leather–bound notebook on the small table beside him. He handed it to
me with an air of accomplishment I hadn’t seen directed at me in years.
“What is this?” I asked, opening the book reluctantly.
Inside was a meticulously written list of names, each accompanied by detailed notes. I
recognized many of them immediately:
Ethan Stone – Son of the Northern Territory Alpha – Expert warrior, strong bloodline Cameron
Silver – Heir to the Silver Creek Pack – Ancient lineage, exceptional wealth Liam Rivers –
Second son of Eastern Pack Alpha – Known for intelligence and diplomacy
The list continued, each name more prestigious than the last. All male wolves of high
standing from powerful packs.
Before I could voice my confusion, Scarlett leaned forward, her emerald eyes gleaming.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” she exclaimed with a sweetness that immediately raised my suspicions.
“Mother and Father have approved the entire list, and Grandmother has been absolutely
delighted with Lucas’s choices.”
“Choices for what?” I asked, though I was beginning to understand with sinking clarity.
“For your mate–matching gathering,” Scarlett replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the
world.
I stared at the notebook in my hands, then at Lucas, who was watching me expectantly.
“My what?”
Grandmother patted my arm excitedly. “Lucas has arranged a gathering for you to meet
potential mates! And such impressive bloodlines, too. The Northern Territory Alpha’s son! I
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Chapter 188: A Deceptive Offer (…
never would have thought we could secure his interest.”
O
+10 Porn!
My silver–scarred wolf bristled beneath my skin. A mate–matching gathering. Arranged by Lucas. After everything that had happened, after all his cruelty, he thought he could select my
mate?
I fixed Lucas with a cold stare. “And what made you decide to take such an interest in my
future?”
If he noticed the ice in my tone, he didn’t show it. Instead, he leaned forward with unusual
gentleness in his expression.
“I thought it would be good for you to have options,” he explained, his voice softer than I’d heard it in years. “The gathering won’t even be held at the pack house, but at the Moon Silver Restaurant. You’ll have a private room on the second floor where you can observe everyone
without pressure.”
“You’ll only need to interact with wolves who interest you,” he continued, clearly pleased with his planning. “There’s no obligation to choose anyone if none of them appeal to you.”
He seemed so earnest, so convinced that this gesture would somehow erase years of neglect and recent cruelty. His wolf radiated satisfaction beneath his skin, as if he’d finally found a
way to demonstrate his care for me as an older brother.
I noticed Scarlett shift slightly beside him. A subtle tightening around her eyes betrayed her
displeasure at Lucas’s attentiveness toward me. It was as if she couldn’t bear him showing
me even this small kindness, as if his attention were something that belonged exclusively to
her.
“I’ve already purchased some new clothes and moon–blessed jewelry for you to wear,” Scarlett
interjected quickly, her voice honey–sweet. “You’ll look absolutely stunning.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Scarlett,” Grandmother praised, while Lucas nodded
approvingly.
I remained silent, my face deliberately impassive as I closed the notebook. This sudden
generosity from both Lucas and Scarlett felt wrong – a wolf trap disguised as a gift.
“There’s no pressure, Celeste,” Grandmother said, mistaking my silence for hesitation. “It’s just
an opportunity to look. If you don’t find any wolf suitable, you can simply return home.”
I looked at her properly then
–
at the increased silver streaking her once–vibrant hair, at the translucent quality of her skin that spoke of her wolf’s fading strength. Her aura flickered like a candle in the wind, growing weaker with each passing moon.
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Chapter 188: A Deceptive Offer (….
And I understood then. This wasn’t about Lucas or his attempts to control my future. This was
about Grandmother’s peace of mind. She wanted to see me settled before her time came.
The realization softened the ice around my heart. For her, I could endure one night of pretense.
“Very well,” I said quietly. “I’ll attend this gathering.”
Grandmother’s golden eyes immediately welled with tears. She clutched my hands with
surprising strength.
“Thank you, dear,” she whispered. “It would ease my heart so much to see you settled with a
worthy mate before…” She didn’t finish the sentence, but she didn’t need to.
Before she died. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air between us.
I squeezed her fragile hands gently. “I’ll do this for you, Grandmother.”
Lucas immediately rose to his feet, his wolf practically preening with satisfaction.
“Excellent! I’ll finalize the arrangements for this weekend,” he declared. “You won’t regret this,
Celeste.”
I highly doubted that, but kept the thought to myself for Grandmother’s sake.
After seeing Grandmother back to her room for rest – the excitement had clearly drained what
little energy she had – I found myself alone in the hallway with Lucas. He was still beaming
with self–satisfaction.
“The gathering will start at seven,” he said, checking notes in his small planner. “I’ll arrange for
transportation at six–thirty. The private room has already been secured, and the restaurant will
provide refreshments.”
He looked at me expectantly, clearly waiting for gratitude or perhaps admiration for his thorough planning.
Instead, I fixed him with a cold stare. “How exactly did you convince the son of the Northern Territory Alpha to attend a gathering for a disgraced former daughter of the Winter Pack?”
His smile faltered slightly. “You’re still connected to our pack, Celeste.”
“Am I? That’s not what you said three days ago. What were your words again? ‘You’re nothing here, Celeste. A former prisoner with no true family ties.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I spoke in anger.”
“And yet it was the truth, wasn’t it?” I pressed, a bitter smile touching my lips. “So I wonder how you managed to secure the interest of such prestigious wolves in someone who, by your
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Chapter 188: A Deceptive Offer (…
own admission, has no standing.”
Lucas’s facade of kindness began to c***k. “You should be grateful I’m trying to help you.”
“Help me? Or control me?” I challenged. “You’ve always been obsessed with pack status,
Lucas. How ironic that now you’re arranging matches far above what our pack’s current
reputation could reasonably attract.”
His eyes narrowed. “What are you implying?”
“That after Marcus’s death, after the rumors surrounding your wolfsbane wine incident, the
Winter Pack’s standing isn’t what it once was,” I stated bluntly. “Yet you expect me to believe
that the heirs of major territories are lining up to meet me?”
Lucas’s golden eyes flashed with anger, his wolf surging forward.
“Instead of questioning my intentions, you should appreciate the effort I’m making,” he
snarled, all pretense of brotherly concern evaporating. “This gathering is happening whether
you like it or not. Grandmother expects it, and I won’t let you disappoint her.”
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