Chapter 220: A Dangerous Deception
Chapter 220: A Dangerous Deception
(Celeste’s POV)
Something was wrong.
I turned and ran.
My heeled shoes clattered against the polished floor as I sprinted back the way we’d come. Behind me, I heard shouts and the sound of pursuing footsteps.
“Stop her!” a voice commanded.
I took a sharp left down a narrow corridor, hoping to find another exit. My silver–scarred wolf
surged beneath my skin, lending me speed despite my formal attire. I rounded another corner
and found myself facing a dead end.
Spinning around, I saw three beta wolves blocking my escape. Their wolves bristled beneath
their skin, radiating aggressive energy.
“There’s nowhere to run, Miss Winters,” one said, advancing slowly.
I backed up against the wall, eyes scanning desperately for any means of escape. There was
none.
“What is the meaning of this?” I demanded, forcing authority into my voice despite my racing
heart.
Slow, deliberate footsteps approached from behind the betas. They parted to reveal Jason
Moore, all pretense of politeness gone. His wolf surged beneath his skin, his eyes gleaming
with predatory intent.
“I’m disappointed, Celeste,” he said, his voice mockingly gentle. “I arranged this lovely private
reception just for you.”
“This is a*******n,” I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Your grandfather will—”
“My grandfather is attending an Alpha King’s council meeting in the northern territories,”
Jason interrupted, a smirk twisting his lips. “He won’t be back for days.”
Cold realization washed over me. “The invitation bore his seal.”
Jason’s smirk widened. “My mother is quite talented with forgeries.”
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Chapter 220: A Dangerous Dece…
“Your actions will have consequences,” I warned, my silver–scarred wolf growling beneath my
skin. “The Winter Pack-”
“Won’t do anything,” he finished for me, stepping closer. “Alpha James Winters gave his
blessing for this union.”
The words struck me like a physical blow. “You’re lying.”
Jason’s eyes glittered with malicious amusement. “Why do you think he insisted you come?
He recognized the forgery immediately. My grandfather always applies his seal in the top right
corner, not the bottom.”
I refused to believe it. “You expect me to think my father approved of this… this forced mate
marking?”
“Your father?” Jason laughed, the sound cold and harsh. “How touching that you still call him
that. The man who abandoned you to Moon Shadow Prison, who punished you for defending
yourself, who engineered your starvation… yes, he absolutely approved.”
Each word cut deeper than any silver blade could.
“Alpha James sees the advantage of connecting our families,” Jason continued. “I only want you for your Winter Pack connection. Nothing personal.”
Before I could respond, two betas grabbed my arms. I struggled against their grip, but they
were too strong.
“Take her to the prepared room,” Jason ordered. “And be careful with her. She’s more crafty than she appears.”
I fought as they dragged me away, but it was futile. The last thing I saw was Jason’s triumphant smile as the betas hauled me down a long corridor.
They threw me into a lavishly decorated bedroom, locking the heavy oak door behind them. I
immediately tested the windows, finding them sealed shut. No escape.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, reality crashing down around me. Alpha James had betrayed me. Again. Despite everything, some foolish part of me had still trusted him, still believed there was a fragment of fatherly affection left.
How wrong I had been.
The wooden pendant felt heavier against my skin now. I clutched it, thinking of Matthew. Would he realize something was wrong when I didn’t return? Would anyone come looking for
me?
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Chapter 220: A Dangerous Dece…
A strange, sweet scent caught my attention. Scanning the room, I noticed an ornate incense burner in the corner, tendrils of purplish smoke rising from it. Wolfsbane.
My heart raced as I recognized the herb used to weaken wolves. The smoke was already making me dizzy. I fought the effect, trying to clear my head as I searched for any potential
weapon.
Nothing obvious presented itself, but I remembered the silver dagger I kept strapped to my thigh–a habit I’d developed after returning from Moon Shadow Prison. I removed it carefully,
hiding it in the folds of my dress.
The wolfsbane was becoming stronger, making my movements sluggish. I needed to act quickly. After checking the room once more for any means of escape and finding none, I made
a decision.
I lay on the floor near the door, eyes closed, feigning unconsciousness. It was a desperate
gambit, but my only chance. The wolfsbane smoke continued to curl around me, but I focused
on breathing shallowly, minimizing its effects.
Time passed agonizingly slowly. Finally, I heard the click of the lock. The door opened, and footsteps entered the room.
“Is she out?” Jason’s voice.
“Appears so,” a female voice replied. “The wolfsbane works quickly on silver–scarred wolves.”
More footsteps–heavier this time. Beta wolves.
“Put her on the bed,” the woman ordered. “And address her as ‘Future Luna‘ from now on.”
I remained limp as strong hands lifted me, placing me carefully on the soft mattress. I fought
the urge to tense up, to fight back. Not yet.
“She doesn’t look like much,” one beta commented. “Hard to believe this is the wolf that had
Matthew Sterling eating out of her hand.”
“Sterling is weak,” Jason replied dismissively. “And she’s nothing but a means to an end. The
Winter Pack connection is all that matters.”
“She’ll make a suitable Luna,” the woman said. “With proper guidance.”
“Whatever you say, Mother, Jason replied, his tone bored. “Leave us now.”
So this was Sandra Moore, Jason’s mother. The woman who had forged the Senior Council
Member’s seal.
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Chapter 220: A Dangerous Dece…
I heard the others leave, the door closing behind them. Then the sound of the incense burner being extinguished. Jason must not want to be affected by the wolfsbane himself.
His footsteps approached the bed, slow and deliberate. My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to remain still, breathing evenly.
“Finally,” he murmured.
The mattress dipped as he sat beside me. His hand brushed a strand of hair from my face, his
touch making my skin crawl.
“You’ve been quite troublesome,” he continued, fingers trailing down my cheek. “But that ends
now. Once I claim you as my mate, Sterling will back off. And the Winter Pack will be forced to
acknowledge me.”
His wolf’s dominance radiated over me, attempting to subdue my own. Little did he know my
silver–scarred wolf had endured far worse in Moon Shadow Prison.
Jason leaned closer, his breath hot against my face. “This won’t take long.”
That was my cue.
In one swift movement, I pressed my hidden silver dagger against his throat, my eyes
snapping open to meet his startled gaze.
“Move and I’ll s***h your throat,” I snarled.
Jason froze, genuine fear flickering across his face. “How-?”
“Moon Shadow Prison teaches you to resist many things,” I said coldly. “Wolfsbane included.”
It wasn’t entirely true–I was feeling the herb’s effects–but my time in prison had given me a higher tolerance than most wolves. The endless silver exposure had created a strange kind of immunity to certain toxins.
“Now,” I continued, pressing the blade deeper against his skin, drawing a thin line of blood, “tell
me the truth about the Senior Council Member’s seal.”
Jason swallowed, the movement causing the blade to nick him slightly. “My mother forged it,”
he admitted. ‘She’s done it before.”
His confession confirmed my suspicions, but I needed more. “And Alpha James? How did he
know?”
Jason’s lips curved into a smirk despite the blade at his throat. “Because we’ve used similar tactics before. He knows my grandfather’s sealing habits. He knew this was coming.”
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Chapter 220: A Dangerous Dece…
A cold weight settled in my stomach. My worst fears confirmed.
“Why?” I demanded. “Why would he agree to this?”
“Politics,” Jason replied simply. “My family offers protection from the Alpha King’s scrutiny.
Your father-”
“Don’t call him that,” I snapped.
“Alpha James,” Jason corrected, smirking, “sees the advantage in having the Moore family’s backing. Especially after that mess with the omega wolves.”
The betrayal cut deeper than I could have imagined. Even after everything, some childish part of me had hoped Alpha James still cared, still saw me as his daughter.
“It seems I’ve been a fool,” I said, more to myself than to Jason.
His eyes glinted. “Yes, you have.”
Without warning, he grabbed my wrist, twisting it sharply. Pain shot up my arm, but I refused
to release the dagger.
“Let go,” he growled, his wolf surging beneath his skin.
“Never,” I hissed, my silver–scarred wolf lending me strength.
We struggled, rolling across the bed in a tangle of limbs. Despite the wolfsbane’s lingering effects, I fought with everything I had. This was a battle for my future, my freedom.
Jason leveraged his superior weight, pinning me beneath him. His grip on my wrist tightened
painfully, forcing my arm back.
“You can’t win,” he taunted, leaning closer. “Just accept it.”
In response, I brought my knee up with all the force I could muster, connecting solidly between his legs.
He howled in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to break free. I scrambled away, dagger still clutched in my hand.
“You’ll pay for that,” he snarled, lunging at me again.
I dodged, but his hand caught my ankle, dragging me back. As he grabbed for my arm, I slashed wildly with the dagger.
A terrible scream tore from Jason’s throat as my silver dagger accidentally pierced his eye. Blood spurted from the wound, spattering across my face and dress.
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Chapter 220: A Dangerous Dece…
His agonized howl echoed through the pack house, a sound of pure animal pain that would surely bring others running.
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