Zade’s POV

“Ready?”

I ignored the voice, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My fingers adjusted the bow with unnecessary precision, the polished surface of my wristwatch catching the light. My hair had been slicked back, my suit flawless. I looked pristine, like any other groom preparing for the day of his life. But appearances were nothing but lies. I was far from a man excited for marriage.

“It seems to me you find this whole thing amusing, don’t you?”

I arched a brow, meeting Nico’s sheepish grin through the mirror. Damn him. Sly fox. He was my right hand, the one I trusted with both political affairs and military command, yet even he could not resist poking fun.

“Dare I say that?” He bit into an apple with a loud crunch, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s just… a wonderful sight. Seeing you, the man who swore off marriage and mates, standing here in a suit, hours away from being a groom.”

“Nico.” My growl carried enough warning to silence most men, but he wasn’t most men. My patience was thinner than a blade’s edge, and he was already pressing against it.

He raised his hands in mock surrender, but the amusement in his eyes remained. “What? You know I’m right. Life has a way of humbling people.”

I brushed my hair once more, trying to keep my hands steady. “And if you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll be the one doing the humbling.”

He chuckled, but the sound died quickly. His face shifted into something more serious. “Your father wants to speak with you.”

The words froze me in place. For a moment, I considered refusing. But that would only feed his arrogance. He thought I bent to his will. He thought I was still his pawn. I would go, but not to please him.

When I pushed the door to his chambers, the sight of him brought an unexpected rush of satisfaction. There he lay, stretched on his bed, pale and thin, a shadow of the iron-fisted Alpha he once was. His skin had lost its strength, his chest rising shallowly as if every breath was stolen from death’s grip.

I stepped closer, a smirk tugging at my lips. “You look terrible,” I said flatly. “Worse than the last time I saw you.”

The last time had been two years ago, after my crowning as Alpha. That night he had handed me temporary authority, still keeping me tethered like a dog on a leash. Now, he was a broken old man pretending to hold on to his reign. Call me twisted, but I loved seeing him this way.

“Long time no see, Zade.” His chuckle was weak, yet his tongue still carried venom. “I can see you’ve grown into a man.”

The undertone in his voice made my fists clench. Always condescending. Always trying to remind me of his shadow over me.

“Cut the formalities.” My words were clipped. “Tell me why you called me here.”

“Still impatient,” he mused. “You really took after your mother.”

The name leaving his mouth snapped what little restraint I had. My vision blurred red. “Do not ever speak of her,” I spat. “Don’t you dare provoke me. I’ll call off this sham of a marriage right now.”

He scoffed, a ghost of his old arrogance flickering in his eyes. “Call it off? You know damn well you can’t.”

I smirked coldly, narrowing my gaze. “Now watch me. I don’t know what you want from this alliance, or why, but I promise you this, whatever you gain, you’ll regret it.”

I turned, reaching for the door. My hand had barely touched the knob when his voice cut through the silence.

“I dare you, Zade. Do not forget, you are only stepping into my shoes for now. I am still Alpha of Claw pack, and everything happens according to my plan. If you defy me, I will strip you of your title and hand it to Beta Anthonio without hesitation.”

My blood boiled. I turned just enough for him to see the hatred in my eyes. “Watch me.”

The door slammed behind me with a thunderous crack. All I saw was red. He was right about one thing. As long as he lived, the pack was his, and every move I made was nothing more than a performance under his control. This alliance had been his doing, fixed behind closed doors, pushed onto me as if I had no voice. The council had backed him, calling it tradition, saying it was time I took a Luna to nurture the pack. But tradition was just another leash, and my father’s hand gripped it tightly.

That was fine. I had learned long ago that patience was the sharpest weapon. I would play along, I would marry his chosen pawn, and when the time came, I would break him. Slowly. Painfully. I would watch him unravel until nothing was left but the ruins of his pride, just as he had destroyed my mother.

Back in my chambers, I grabbed my phone, dialing Cassie, the only woman I tolerated. Her phone rang once, then cut straight to voicemail.

“Fuck it.” I hurled the phone against the wall. Glass shattered, the pieces scattering like my control.

“Now is not the time.” Nico’s voice came from the doorway, but my wolf stirred violently inside me, too furious to listen.

“Get out!” I roared, feeling the shift clawing at my skin. Rage spilled through me, my wolf livid, begging to tear free.

Nico stepped forward, his expression hard. “You need to get a hold of yourself. This is exactly what your father wants. Think of this marriage as collateral. Nothing more.”

My eyes burned in the mirror, bloodshot, barely human. “Why? What is he after? There’s always something more with him.”

The council wanted order, but my father never acted for the pack. His motives were poison, and I knew whatever this alliance was, it served only him.

I clenched my fists, jaw tight. “Her family are nothing but greedy leeches. And she…” My voice dropped into something darker, almost a vow. “She will regret crossing me. I’ll make her life a living hell.”

Nico watched me silently, but he knew better than to argue.

I wasn’t bluffing. My father’s blood ran in my veins, and hatred was the only inheritance I would ever claim.