RICHARD’S POV
The day had been long.
Endless meetings, endless documents, endless decisions that only I could make.
By the time I finally left my office, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and red.
Instead of going home, I told my driver to take me to my brother’s house in Rainwood Pack.
The Wellington mansion loomed before me, grand and imposing, a monument to everything I’d been denied.
I walked through the front doors, my expression carefully neutral, and was greeted by the staff with barely concealed surprise.
“Alpha Richard,” the butler stammered.
“We weren’t expecting you.
Shall I inform the Alpha?”
“No need,” I said smoothly.
“I’ll announce myself.”
I found my brother Greg in the living room, nursing a glass of whiskey.
His wife, Margaret, was beside him, scrolling through her phone.
They both looked up when I entered, their eyes widening with shock.
“Richard,” Greg said, recovering quickly.
“This is unexpected. To what do we owe the pleasure?”
I forced a smile onto my face.
“I was in the neighborhood and realized I haven’t seen you in a while. I missed you. I thought we could have dinner together.”
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I kept my expression pleasant.
Greg exchanged a glance with Margaret, then nodded slowly.
“Of course. We were just about to have dinner. Join us.”
Dinner was a tense affair.
The staff scurried around us, setting the table with the finest china and silverware.
Greg made small talk, asking about Darkwood Pack, about my business dealings, about anything that might lead to what he really wanted.
And then he brought it up.
“Richard,” Greg said, leaning forward.
“I’ve been thinking about our earlier conversation. The collaboration between our packs. Darkwood has resources that Rainwood desperately needs for the new development project. I was hoping you might reconsider helping us.”
I set down my fork, my expression unreadable.
“I told you my terms, Greg. You give me five percent of your company shares, and I’ll release the resources.”
Greg’s jaw tightened.
“Five percent is too much.
Isn’t there something else you want?”
“If you can meet my demands, there’s nothing more to discuss.”
His face flushed with anger, but before he could respond, Derek appeared at the top of the staircase.
He sauntered down like he owned the place, his hands in his pockets, his expression bored and dismissive.
He didn’t even glance in my direction.
“Derek,” Greg snapped.
“Your uncle is here. Show some respect.”
Derek rolled his eyes, finally turning to me with a mocking half-bow.
“Uncle Richard.
My apologies.
I didn’t see you there.”
“Clearly,” I said, my voice flat.
Greg shot his son a warning look.
Derek shrugged and took his seat at the table, ignoring me completely.
I knew it was all a pretense from Greg’s end because he was trying to get in my good books.
We began dinner.
I forced myself to eat, to smile, to play the part.
And then, when the moment was right, I spoke.
“I have some news,” I said, my voice casual.
“I’m getting married in two weeks. I wanted you all to be there.”
Greg’s fork clattered onto his plate.
“Two weeks? That’s ridiculously short notice. You didn’t even tell us you were seeing anyone.”
Margaret nodded, her expression sour.
“We haven’t even met the bride.
Who is she?
Is she from a good family?”
“I forgot to mention it earlier,” I said smoothly.
“And you don’t need to meet her before the wedding. You’ll see her at the ceremony.”
Greg’s eyes narrowed.
“This is highly irregular, Richard. You can’t expect us to attend a wedding on two weeks’ notice and we haven’t even met the bride who will be joining our prestigious family. It’s disrespectful.”
I ignored him and turned to Derek. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“Derek, I trust you’ll bring your fiancée. Amy, isn’t it? I’d like to see her there.”
Derek’s head snapped up, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.
But I just smiled, cold and sharp, watching the confusion flicker across his face.
Before he could respond, Margaret spoke up, her voice dripping with condescension.
“I haven’t seen Amy around lately,” she said, idly swirling her wine.
“She’s been absent for days. She used to come by every day to help around the house, but ever since that funeral, she’s been slacking off. Honestly, you’d think she could have at least shown some gratitude. But I suppose that’s what happens when you marry beneath your station. No manners.”
My fingers clenched around my fork, my knuckles white.
Derek shrugged, his tone dismissive.
“She’s just acting up because she caught me with another girl. She’ll get over it. It’s not like she has anywhere else to go. Without me, she’s nothing. She’ll come crawling back.”
The fact that he said that like it was the most normal thing baffled me.
His parents unfazed expression toward him was even more surprising.
I didn’t know why I was surprised though.
I shouldn’t have expected better from them.
Margaret laughed.
“Poverty and pride don’t belong in the same sentence, darling. She’s lucky we even let her into this family.”
I set my fork down slowly, my entire body vibrating with barely suppressed rage.
“I have to leave,” I said, my voice dangerously calm.
Greg blinked.
“But you haven’t finished dinner.”
“I’ve lost my appetite.”
I stood, pushing back my chair.
I could feel Derek’s eyes on me, watching me with suspicion.
But I didn’t care.
If I stayed another minute, I would lose control and beat Derek within an inch of his life for talking about Amy like she was garbage.
I walked toward the door, then paused, turning back to face them.
“Greg,” I said, my voice cold and precise.
“If you and your family show up at my wedding, I might consider your request. But if you don’t…” I let the threat hang in the air.
“Then I have nothing more to say to you.”
I walked out without looking back.
The only thing stopping me from snapping at them was the anticipation of their reactions when they see Amy walking down the aisle to marry.
It was going to be a sight to behold.