Alan stood in the center of the war room, the candles crackling around him, throwing sharp shadows across his sharp jawline. His expression was unreadable—cold, calculating, dangerous. But inside him, a storm churned, fueled by grief, rage, and a newly sharpened purpose.
Olivia had taken Julia's child.
She had butchered an unborn life.
She had destroyed Julia's heart and driven her away.
And now Alan would destroy her… slowly.
Not with claws, not with fangs—but with a plan so cruelly precise that even the Moon Goddess would tremble.
He called Beta Rowan inside.
"Prepare the clan for an announcement at dawn," Alan said, voice composed, calm… deadly.
Rowan frowned. "What announcement, Alpha?"
Alan's lips twitched into a smile—thin, cold, cutting.
"I will marry Olivia Blackthorn."
Rowan's eyes widened. "Alpha—surely you don't mean—after what she's done? After the cruelty—"
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Alan cut in sharply, voice like a blade. "She wants to play a game? I will end it. She thinks she's won? I will break her in the place she believes she's safest."
He stepped toward the window, looking out at the dark forest, imagining Julia somewhere out there, heartbroken, grieving a child she thought she lost because of him.
His chest tightened painfully.
But the pain only sharpened his resolve.
Alan whispered to himself, "She took my child. She hurt my mate. I will take everything she cares about."
Rowan hesitated. "What will you gain from marrying her, Alpha?"
Alan turned, eyes glowing with a terrifying amber fire.
"Access," he said. "Her trust. Her secrets. And the perfect chance to tear her life apart from within."
His voice darkened.
"I will make her feel every ounce of pain Julia felt."
Rowan swallowed. Even he trembled at the Alpha's tone—because this wasn't rage anymore. This was vengeance sharpened to a surgical point.
Olivia was fixing her hair when Alan walked in without knocking. His presence filled the room instantly—powerful, tall, radiating icy dominance.
She smiled sweetly. Fake. Manipulative. Snake-like.
"Alpha," she purred. "I wasn't expecting you. I heard Julia ran away—how sad."
Alan's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure.
"Olivia," he said smoothly. "I have made a decision."
She felt a shiver of excitement, misinterpreting the glacial tone as affection.
"And what decision is that?"
Alan stepped closer, letting his wolf's aura roll over her. Not warmth. Not care.
Possessive dominance.
Manipulated dominance.
A trap.
"You want power," Alan said slowly. "A higher position in the clan. Recognition."
Olivia's eyes glimmered. "Yes… I always knew you saw my worth."
Alan almost laughed. Saw her worth? She was worth nothing to him but revenge.
Instead, he said calmly, "Then I will give it to you."
Olivia blinked. "What do you mean?"
Alan leaned down, his voice a deadly whisper over her skin.
"We will marry."
Olivia gasped, stepping back in stunned joy. "M-Marry? You want to marry me?"
Alan nodded once. "The clan needs stability. And you… will provide it."
She placed a hand over her mouth, tears forming. "Alan… I knew you'd finally realize—"
Alan grabbed her chin suddenly, hard enough to make her gasp—not lovingly, but with cold authority.
"I will warn you, Olivia," he said softly, dangerously. "Marriage to me will not be what you imagine."
Her eyes fluttered at the dominance she misread as passion. "I can handle anything," she whispered.
He smirked, a razor-thin curve of cruelty.
"I hope so."
Alan allowed the smile to drop.
His eyes turned predator-dark.
His heart, however, tightened with pain.
Julia… forgive me.
He touched the mark on his neck—the place where Julia's mark should've been. It burned with emptiness.
"This marriage is not betrayal," he whispered to the emptiness. "It is the path to vengeance. To justice. To you."
He clenched his fists.
"I will ruin Olivia. Publicly. Privately. Slowly."
His voice dropped.
"And when she breaks like she broke you… then I will find you. And bring you home."
He closed his eyes, letting his wolf echo the vow.
For our child.
For our mate.
For justice.
The entire clan gathered outside the hall. Whispers ran through the crowd as Alan stepped forward, tall, commanding, ice-cold.
"Today," Alan announced, "I declare my intention to take Olivia Blackthorn as my Luna."
Shock rippled through the crowd.
Gasps.
Murmurs.
Some cheers.
Some fear.
Olivia stepped beside him, smiling proudly—like she had already won.
But Alan's eyes were empty.
Hollow.
Filled only with the promise of destruction.
Olivia has no idea she is marrying her doom.