Ava’s POV
Just before I got in the car, Alvin told me there was no problem with me showing up, and that the Bloodmoon Pack was the type that treated their promises like iron laws.
Anyway, I should thank him.
In the end, they brought me to this fancy restaurant perched on top of the city skyline.
The second I stepped through the door, a wave of Alpha pressure slammed into me, sharp and overwhelming.
My heartbeat kicked up like a war drum.
I looked up at the man sitting by the window.
He wore a perfectly tailored suit, the muscle underneath taut and defined like it had been carved by a master craftsman.
That deep cleft in the center of his square jaw could spark desire all on its own.
He sensed me approaching and lifted his head.
His gaze locked onto me, sharp and precise, like a blade.
For a second, I forgot to breathe.
I’d assumed he’d be ugly, or impotent, but the man in front of me was dangerously perfect.
Handsome, powerful, untouchable.
He could have any strong she-wolf he wanted, without needing any excuse.
But he chose to honor the contract.
I had to understand why.
I walked over and sat down across from him.
“Ms. Crawford.” He finally spoke, his voice low and soft, like an electric current running down my spine.
“Mr. Thorne.” I replied politely, gripping my skirt to steady myself.
“You can call me Adrian.” He said it casually, cutting into his steak without even looking up.
“Alright. Adrian.” I said softly, taking a sip of ice water to calm down.
“I think we should get to the point.”
“Looks like you’re worried this is a trap.” He looked up, those ice-blue eyes pinning me, like he could see straight through the chaos in my head.
“For instance, whether this marriage is real, and why I need you.”
My stomach dropped, but I pretended his words hadn’t affected me.
I set my glass down and met his eyes.
“I came here to say thank you. If you have nothing to say, I’ll be leaving.” The contract had caught me completely off guard.
If he was just another handsome egomaniac, I didn’t need the extra headache.
“Strong. Sharp.” Adrian nodded, voice low.
“Exactly the Luna I wanted. I won the bet.”
He leaned back, one arm draped over the back of his chair, and I felt like I’d been enclosed in his territory.
I met his gaze.
“So you intend to honor that contract.”
Adrian nodded, his square jaw dipping slightly.
“Keeping promises is why the Bloodmoon Pack got strong. As the pack’s Alpha, it’s my duty to uphold that. Any other she-wolf is irrelevant to me.”
Right.
How could I forget?
For males at the top of the food chain, marriage was never about love.
It was a transaction.
Damon was like that, and so was Adrian.
Maybe that was better.
No feelings, no betrayal, no heartbreak.
“Looks like I’ll be your Luna, then,” I said with a hint of sarcasm.
Adrian set down his utensils and leaned toward me, his breath brushing my cheek.
“You need me. Otherwise, do you think you’d have walked out of the Crawford Manor alive today?”
His words hit like needles.
I didn’t argue, because he was right.
I’d never imagined my stepmother and stepbrother wouldn’t just refuse to welcome me, but actually try to kill me.
“You may be the heir on paper, but your stepmother and your so-called brother won’t let you take the throne.” His voice was soft but sharp as a knife.
“They tried once today. They’ll try again tomorrow. An Omega with no pack backing, no ability to defend herself. What exactly are you going to fight them with?”
My fingers tightened around the wine glass, knuckles going white.
He was right.
Every word hit a nerve.
“But if we marry, and you become the Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack,” he continued, his tone firm and uncompromising, “then the entire West Coast, no, the entire werewolf world, won’t dare lay a finger on you. You’ll have every right to take back everything that belongs to you, including the Crawford Pack.”
He sounded like a salesman pitching an irresistible deal.
And me?
I had no leverage to refuse.
But I hated his condescending tone.
Sure, as an Omega, I was weak.
But I just needed time.
As an Omega, I had helped the Darkmoon Pack rise to become the second strongest pack.
I would never let anyone look down on me, write me off as worthless.
“Sounds like I should be thanking you, Alpha Adrian. Shouldn’t I?” I said with a cold smile.
“But you need me too. I’m fairly certain our agreement was made on equal footing. Honoring it is what a real Alpha does. Don’t pretend you’re doing me a favor. If you keep this up, I’m not sure I’ll keep walking into this fantasy you’ve built.”
Adrian laughed.
He stood abruptly, then leaned down, his large frame enveloping me.
I could smell his scent.
He smelled incredible.
“You really are something special, Ava Crawford.
I thought Damon had broken you, but you’re like a flower growing out of solid rock.
Even under pressure, you never stop growing.”
“I have to admit, I’m glad you’re not the type of princess who sits in the rubble waiting to be rescued.
What I need is a Luna with a clear head and a spine.”
“Glad to hear your positive review,” I met his gaze, trying to ignore the heat crawling up my thighs.
“It tells me you’re a strong partner, not a jerk.
That’s exactly what I need.”
“So we have a deal?” Adrian said, voice low.
I ignored the heat and forced myself to stay composed.
“Of course.
Looks like we understand each other’s nature now.
That’s a good start.”
“Perfect.” Adrian leaned back.
“So, when do you plan to let me announce our engagement? I bet the news will shock your ex-husband.”
The heat faded, and I gathered myself.
“Not yet. Thirty days,” I added.
“I need thirty days.
I’ve already gotten him to sign the divorce papers.
Until then, I can’t risk Damon finding out who I really am and refusing the divorce.”
“I don’t care about Damon,” Adrian growled, then his tone softened as he looked at me.
“But preparing a grand wedding does take time.”
A wedding?
The thought of Adrian’s hand guiding me to the altar, then carrying me to that big bed in his room.
Stop it, Ava.
Why are you suddenly acting like you’re starving?
Just then, my phone rang.
Caller ID: Catherine.
Damon’s sister.
I frowned and picked up.
“Ava! Where the hell are you?!” Catherine’s sharp, irritated voice burst through the speaker.
“Leo’s out of school! Why haven’t you picked him up? Did you seriously forget? Get over here and take him home!”
I took a slow breath, pushing down the anger rising in my chest.
“I’ll be right there.” I hung up.
I looked up and met Adrian’s probing gaze.
“Sorry, I have to go.” I stood up.
“As you can see, I have some messes to clean up.”
“I don’t mind. The pack is hosting a charity gala in three days. You’ll attend as my date.” Adrian said, leaning back in his chair.
He looked at me like a predator watching his prey struggle.
My eyes went wide.
How was that possible?
But he quickly added, “Don’t worry about Damon. I’ll make sure he accepts the reason for you attending as my date.”
He could absolutely do it.
He was the Alpha of the most powerful pack on both coasts.
There was nothing he couldn’t pull off.
But I had to go.
The heat was rising again between us.
Damon and I had never even slept together.
Was I really that starved?
“Well… see you there.” I pushed back my chair and left the restaurant.
The moment I stepped outside, the biting cold wind hit my face, and the restless heat inside me finally settled.
I took a deep breath.
What was going on?
Why was Adrian’s pull so strong?
Damon was my mate.
Even though we were bound by fate, Adrian still made me feel like I belonged to him.
I shook my head.
Anyway, before I could become the Crawford Pack’s heir, before I could stand beside Adrian as his fiancee, I had one last role to play.
Damon’s “perfect Luna.