Chapter 22
The Blackwood Pack had twin daughters with dramatically different personalities. The elder sister,
Leila, was notoriously entitled and manipulative, constantly bulldozing those around her.
Her younger twin, Layla, was calculated and strategic, preferring to orchestrate events from the shadows rather than cause scenes directly.
Initially, the Blackwoods had invested all their expectations in Leila, grooming her as the future heir of their pack.
What they hadn’t anticipated was Leila’s obsessive fixation on Lucas Thornwood–a one–sided infatuation that frequently resulted in dramatic public incidents and impulsive decisions.
Exasperated by these liabilities, the family had quietly redirected their resources toward Layla, sending her to the European packs at sixteen for elite education.
She had been tasked with assuming control of Blackwood Pack before her thirtieth birthday, a responsibility she approached with characteristic intensity.
Her single–minded focus on this goal had kept her primarily in Europe, which explained why Aria had never encountered or even heard of her during the years in TheThornwood Pack.
Only when Leila was imprisoned for her role in the fire and the Blackwood Pack’s area and fortune began hemorrhaging under The Thornwood Pack’s attacks did Layla finally return to America to stabilize the situation.
Within a week, she had meticulously traced the origin of their current predicament, reviewing every facet of the so–called “revenge game.”
She didn’t dispute her sister’s culpability–Leila had earned her prison sentence through her actions. What Layla found unacceptable was the primary architect of destruction walking free.
“Leila may have suggested the game,” Layla explained, cutting directly to the point, “but Lucas executed it with methodical precision. His actions nearly got you killed multiple times. The combined charges should put him away for decades, yet here he is, planning his picture–perfect mating ceremony.”
Layla’s expression remained neutral, but something cold flickered in her eyes. “The Thornwood Pack’s influence has effectively silenced anyone who might speak against him. Until now.”
16:42
Chapter 22
She carefully placed a small USB drive on the table between them.
“This contains documented evidence of every criminal act Lucas committed against you over those three years. Felony assault, unlawful imprisonment, attempted murder–it’s all here with timestamps and witness statements.”
She nodded toward the private dining room’s entrance, where Lucas’s security detail stood watch. “On your mating day, half of territory’s pack elite and dozens of media outlets will be present. The perfect audience.”
She continued with surgical precision: “If you play this content during the reception–when he calls for your speech–he’ll be arrested before the mating ceremony. I’ll have pack enforcers standing by to ensure immediate action.”
A satisfied smile touched her lips. “Being publicly destroyed by the mate he claims to love above all else… I can’t think of a more fitting punishment.”
Layla’s proposition stirred something in Aria that had been dormant for weeks–hope.
She fought to control her racing pulse as she studied the she–wolf delicately sampling her espresso across the table.
“I’ll do it,” Aria finally said, “but I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
“After it’s done, you get me back to the Northern Alpine Pack. And you make absolutely certain that no one from the Thornwood pack ever finds me or my parents again.”
Layla had clearly expected a more complex demand. This request was easily within her considerable resources.
“Consider it done,” she agreed without hesitation.
“Then we have a deal.”
“Indeed we do.”
They shook hands firmly, both women recognizing in the other a shared determination that transcended their different motivations.
16:43
Chapter 22
Time accelerated, and suddenly the mating ceremony day arrived.
The venue–a converted historical opera house–overflowed with Southern Territory’s elite. Pack leaders, political figures, and cultural icons filled the rows of seats, all eager to witness the social
event of the season.
Television cameras lined the back wall, broadcasting the ceremony live to millions. Online viewers flooded social platforms with commentary and congratulations for the “reunited lovers.”
As the orchestra began playing traditional pack ceremony music, Aria appeared at the entrance in a custom that had required four months of handwork. With practiced composure, she took Lucas’s arm and began the long walk down the flower–lined aisle toward the altar.
Despite weeks of near–paralyzing anxiety–fear that their plan would fail, terror that she might never escape–a strange calm settled over Aria the moment she stepped into the venue.
