Chapter 4

The morning light filtering through the conference room windows felt harsh against my tired eyes. I'd barely slept after Damien's drunken confession, his words echoing in my mind like a broken record. *I need to know if what we had was real.* The admission had cut deeper than any blade.

Now, sitting at the polished oak table surrounded by the pack's leadership council, I watched Damien command the room with his usual authority. He looked impeccable in his charcoal suit, no trace of last night's vulnerability visible. The transformation was so complete it made me wonder if I'd imagined the broken man who'd clung to me in desperation.

"Before we discuss the Luna ceremony preparations," Damien announced, his voice carrying easily across the room, "I have an important business matter to address."

Beta Leo Vance glanced at me from across the table, his eyebrows slightly raised. As the pack's financial advisor, he usually briefed Damien on major investments beforehand. The surprise in his expression mirrored my own growing unease.

"I've decided to make a substantial investment in Wayne Industries," Damien continued, pulling up a presentation on the large screen. "Elara Wayne has developed an innovative renewable energy project that aligns perfectly with our pack's sustainability goals."

The room fell silent. I felt my coffee cup grow cold in my hands as the implications hit me. Wayne Industries—Elara's family company that had been struggling for months. The same company that financial reports showed was hemorrhaging money due to poor management and failed ventures.

"The initial investment will be two million dollars," Damien said, clicking to the next slide. "Additionally, we'll be integrating her project into our pack's financial portfolio, giving her access to our resources and expertise."

Gamma Torres cleared his throat. "Alpha, with respect, this seems like a significant commitment. Have we conducted the usual due diligence?"

"I've reviewed the projections personally," Damien replied, his tone brooking no argument. "The potential returns are substantial."

I stared at the numbers on the screen, my financial training kicking in automatically. The projections were optimistic to the point of fantasy. Any legitimate investor would see the red flags immediately—the inconsistent revenue streams, the lack of proven technology, the absence of concrete contracts.

"Damien," I said carefully, keeping my voice professional despite the turmoil in my chest. "These projections seem... ambitious. The renewable energy sector is incredibly competitive right now, and Wayne Industries lacks the infrastructure to compete with established players."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Damien's eyes snapped to mine, and I saw something cold and dismissive in his gaze that made my stomach clench.

"I'm sorry, Seraphina, but I don't recall asking for your opinion on this matter."

The casual cruelty in his tone made several council members shift uncomfortably in their seats. Heat flooded my cheeks, but I pressed on. As his mate and the future Luna, I had not just the right but the responsibility to voice concerns about pack finances.

"As a member of this council and someone with extensive financial experience, I think it's important to consider the risks—"

"The risks?" Damien's voice rose, cutting me off. "The only risk I see is letting short-sighted thinking prevent us from seizing a valuable opportunity."

The words hit like a slap. Around the table, I could see the other council members avoiding eye contact, their discomfort palpable. Leo's jaw was tight with barely contained anger, while Gamma Torres stared at his hands.

"Short-sighted?" I stood up slowly, my chair scraping against the floor. "Damien, the company's debt-to-equity ratio alone should give us pause. Their last three ventures failed spectacularly, and—"

"Enough." His voice carried the full weight of his Alpha authority, designed to make subordinates submit. But I wasn't just any subordinate—I was his mate, his equal in all things that mattered. The fact that he was using his Alpha voice on me in front of the entire council was a betrayal that cut to the bone.

"You clearly don't understand the bigger picture here," he continued, his eyes boring into mine with something that looked dangerously close to contempt. "While you're focused on spreadsheets and statistics, I'm thinking about the pack's future. About building relationships that will benefit us for generations."

The implication was clear—my concerns were petty, my expertise worthless. In front of the people who would soon look to me as their Luna, he was systematically dismantling my credibility and authority.

"This investment will proceed as planned," he declared, turning back to the rest of the council as if I no longer existed. "Elara will be joining our next financial planning meeting to discuss integration strategies."

I felt something inside me crack. Not break—not yet—but develop a hairline fracture that would only grow wider with time. Without another word, I gathered my papers and walked toward the door, my spine straight and my head high despite the humiliation burning in my chest.

"Seraphina." Damien's voice stopped me at the threshold. When I turned back, I saw a flicker of something—regret, maybe, or uncertainty. "We'll discuss this later."

I met his gaze steadily. "No, Alpha. I think you've made your position quite clear."

The formal title felt like acid on my tongue, but it had the desired effect. Something shifted in his expression, a recognition of the line he'd just crossed. But it was too late. The damage was done, witnessed by everyone who mattered in our pack hierarchy.

I left the conference room with as much dignity as I could muster, but inside, I was crumbling. The man who'd whispered desperate promises in my ear just hours ago had publicly humiliated me, dismissed my expertise, and made it clear that when it came to Elara, my voice meant nothing.

The hallway felt endless as I walked toward the elevator, each step echoing like a countdown to something I wasn't ready to face. Behind me, I could hear the murmur of voices resuming, the meeting continuing as if nothing had happened.

But something had happened. Something fundamental had shifted in the balance of our relationship, and I wasn't sure we could ever shift it back.

"Seraphina." Leo's voice called out just as the elevator doors opened. I turned to see him striding down the hallway, his face grim with concern.

"Not now, Leo," I said, stepping into the elevator. "Please."

But he caught the door before it could close, his expression urgent. "We need to talk. What just happened in there... that wasn't right."

I looked at this man who'd served faithfully as Beta for years, who'd always treated me with respect and consideration. The genuine worry in his eyes was almost my undoing.

"I know," I whispered, my voice finally cracking. "I know it wasn't right."

The elevator doors closed behind us, sealing us in a small space filled with unspoken truths and growing doubts. As we descended toward the ground floor, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was falling in more ways than one.

And somewhere above us, Damien was probably already calling Elara to share the good news about their new business partnership, completely oblivious to the fact that he'd just driven another wedge between us.

Or maybe he knew exactly what he was doing.

The thought sent a chill through me that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. Would that really be the case...?