CHAPTER 4
1794 Words
Derrick didn't sleep much that night.
Not because anything was wrong.
Nothing was ever "wrong" in his world.
Just... unsettled.
He lay in bed for a while before getting up. Same routine. Same silence. Same controlled house.
But something about the café stayed in his mind longer than it should.
A face.
A glance.
A moment that didn't mean anything on paper.
But still didn't leave.
---
At breakfast, he was quieter than usual.
His father noticed.
"You're thinking," his father said.
Derrick didn't look up. "I always think."
"This is different."
"It isn't."
His mother watched him carefully but said nothing at first.
Then she spoke.
"About the Carter matter?"
Derrick paused for a second.
"No."
That was a lie.
But it was easier than explaining nothing made sense yet.
His father continued eating.
"We will proceed with formal contact soon. The family will be informed."
Derrick didn't respond.
The conversation moved on like it always did.
No one asked if he agreed.
They just moved forward as if he would.
---
Later that day, Derrick was back in the office.
Damian entered with documents like usual.
But he hesitated before placing them down.
Derrick noticed.
"What?" Derrick asked.
Damian paused.
"I noticed you left early yesterday," he said carefully.
"I canceled the day."
"Yes."
A beat.
"You don't usually do that."
Derrick flipped a page in the file.
"I did."
Damian nodded once, then placed another folder on the desk.
"This came in this morning."
Derrick looked at it.
No label on the outside. Just a sealed pack file.
He didn't open it immediately.
"What is it?" he asked.
Damian kept his voice neutral.
"Carter family records. Requested by the council review team."
That made Derrick pause.
He looked at the file for a moment longer than normal.
Then opened it.
Inside were basic documents. Lineage. Pack history. Financial standing.
Nothing unusual.
At first.
Then he saw a section marked:
"Divine Moon Lineage Connection - Unverified Branch."
Derrick's eyes stayed on it.
Damian spoke again.
"They're trying to confirm the strength of the bloodline before final approval."
Derrick closed the file.
"Approval for what?"
Damian didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"The marriage arrangement."
Silence.
Derrick leaned back in his chair.
So it had already moved beyond discussion.
It was already being processed.
Like paperwork.
Like something scheduled.
---
He stood up.
"Cancel the next meeting," he said.
Damian blinked. "Which one?"
"All of them."
A pause.
"That will affect council reporting."
"I don't care."
Damian hesitated again.
Then nodded.
"Yes, Alpha heir."
He turned to leave.
"Damian."
Damian stopped.
Derrick looked at him.
"Pull everything you have on the Carter family. Not council reports. Everything."
Damian studied him for a moment.
"Understood."
He left.
---
That evening, Damian sat at his desk longer than usual.
He didn't ask questions.
He just did the work.
Names. Records. Old connections. Pack movements. Bloodline notes.
The Carter file was deeper than expected.
Most of it was old history.
But one line stood out.
«"Remaining descendant: unstable residence history. Mixed protection record."»
Damian frowned slightly.
He didn't know why that detail mattered.
But he marked it anyway.
---
Meanwhile, Nate was still living his normal day.
University.
Café shift.
Daniel talking too much.
Same rhythm.
Same noise.
Same everything.
"Dude, you're spacing out again," Daniel said, leaning on the counter.
"I'm not spacing out."
"You are. Like, full disconnect."
"I'm thinking."
"That's worse."
Nate rolled his eyes and went back to work.
But Daniel kept watching him.
"You good?"
"Yeah."
"Liar."
Nate didn't answer.
Because even he didn't know why his mind kept drifting.
Not to anything clear.
Just... a feeling.
Like something slightly off in the air.
Something he couldn't name.
---
That night, Derrick stood alone in his office after everyone left.
City lights stretched outside the glass window.
Damian's report sat open on the desk.
Carter family file.
Still open.
Still unreadable in a way that mattered.
Derrick stared at it for a long time.
Then closed it.
But the name didn't leave.
Again.
---
Somewhere across the city, Nate locked up the café after his shift.
Daniel walked ahead, still talking.
Nate followed behind, hands in his pockets.
Normal night.
Normal walk.
But halfway home, Nate slowed slightly.
Daniel noticed.
"What now?"
Nate looked around.
"Nothing."
But he didn't move immediately.
Just stood there for a second.
Like he was listening to something that wasn't there.
Then he shook it off.
"Let's go," he said.
And kept walking.
---
Neither of them knew it yet.
But something had already started moving.
Slow.
Quiet.
Nate slipped into the house through the poolside door, careful like always, trying not to make noise.
The lights inside were dim, most of the house already winding down for the night.
But Richard was there.
Sitting in a rocking chair by the glass door, newspaper in hand.
He looked up the moment Nate stepped in.
"Nate," he called.
Nate paused.
"...Uncle."
"Late shift?"
"Yes," Nate replied, adjusting his bag strap. "Café was busy."
Richard hummed once, then folded his newspaper.
"Hm. It's fine. Come to the study. I need everyone there."
Nate frowned slightly.
Everyone.
That word wasn't casual in this house.
"...Alright," he said slowly.
Then immediately turned and headed upstairs.
Too fast.
---
Minutes later, the study was full.
Martha sat upright, already tense.
Lily leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, looking annoyed before anyone even spoke.
Richard sat at the head of the room.
Nate stood near the door, like he always did when things didn't concern him... even when they did.
Richard cleared his throat.
"I know you're wondering why I called you all," he said. "There is something important."
Silence tightened.
"I've received contact from the Blackwood family."
That name hit the room differently.
Lily blinked.
Martha straightened.
Nate didn't react yet.
Richard continued.
"They are ready to settle the old promise between our families."
For a second, no one spoke.
Then Lily leaned forward.
"Promise?"
Martha answered before Richard could.
"The engagement agreement. Between the Carter line and Blackwood heir."
Lily frowned.
"That thing again?"
Richard's gaze moved to her slowly.
That was enough to make the room colder.
"Yes," he said simply.
Martha added carefully, "It is not optional, Lily. This is long-standing family history."
Lily's expression shifted fast.
From confusion to anger.
"No," she said immediately. "No. I don't even know this person properly. I don't care if he's an Alpha heir or whatever. I'm not marrying anyone for 'family history'."
She stood up.
"I choose who I marry. Not you."
The chair scraped loudly behind her.
Richard's voice cut through instantly.
"If you take one step out of this house, Lily, you will lose your freedom."
That stopped her.
The air froze.
Martha stood quickly. "Richard-"
"Don't," he said without looking at her.
Lily turned slowly.
"You're threatening me?"
"I'm stating consequences."
"That's the same thing!"
Nate stayed quiet near the door.
Watching.
Uncomfortable.
Not surprised, but tired already.
Lily shook her head.
"My career just started. My life is just starting. And you want to sell me into some political marriage I didn't agree to?"
Richard didn't answer immediately.
That silence said enough.
Lily let out a sharp breath.
"You people are insane."
And then she walked out.
The door shut behind her.
Hard.
---
Silence stayed after she left.
Martha sat down slowly, like her strength had been taken.
"...Richard," she said quietly.
Richard didn't respond.
Nate looked between them.
Something about this didn't feel finished.
But no one moved.
So he didn't either.
---
Morning came too fast.
Too normal.
Too quiet.
And Lily was gone.
Martha noticed first.
Her panic filled the house instantly.
"She's not here," she said, checking again. "Her room is empty."
Richard didn't look up from his breakfast.
"She left."
Martha turned sharply. "You don't even care?"
"I warned her," he said simply.
"That's your daughter!"
"She made her choice."
Martha's voice cracked slightly. "She's still our daughter..."
But Richard had already gone back to eating.
Like nothing had changed.
Like everything had already been decided.
---
Nate didn't get time to process it.
Before he could even leave for school, Richard called him.
"Stay."
Nate paused at the door.
"...Uncle, I have class."
"This is more important."
That tone again.
The study.
The same room.
Same weight.
Nate walked in slowly.
Richard didn't waste time.
"Sit."
Nate didn't.
"I'm already late."
"Sit."
He sat.
Silence.
Then Richard exhaled.
"I need you to take Lily's place."
Nate blinked once.
"...What?"
"You heard me."
"No," Nate said immediately. "No, I'm not doing that."
Richard leaned forward.
"This is not a request."
Nate's jaw tightened.
"I don't care what it is. I'm not becoming someone's replacement bride for a political deal I didn't agree to."
Martha looked up slightly, but said nothing.
Richard studied him.
Then spoke again.
"You would get your family house back."
That landed differently.
Nate went still.
Richard continued.
"All you have to do is stay married for five years. After that, the agreement is complete. You divorce. You leave. You get everything your parents left behind."
Silence stretched.
Nate's expression didn't change immediately.
But something in his eyes did.
"...Five years," he repeated slowly.
"Yes."
"And I walk away after that."
"Yes."
"And I get the house back."
"Yes."
Nate leaned back slightly.
For the first time, he didn't answer right away.
He looked away.
Thinking.
Not about marriage.
Not about love.
Not about anything soft.
Just survival.
Just return.
Just an exit door he had been waiting for without knowing it.
"...I need time," he said finally.
Richard nodded once.
"You don't have time. But I will give you one night."
Nate sat in class.
Daniel was talking beside him.
Something about a professor, something about trouble, something loud and meaningless.
Nate wasn't listening.
"Hey," Daniel said suddenly. "You good?"
Nate blinked.
"...Yeah."
"Liar."
Nate gave a small shrug.
Daniel squinted at him but turned away again.
Nate stared at the front of the classroom.
But didn't see it.
Instead, his mind kept repeating one thing.
Five years.
That's it.
Just five years.
Then freedom.
Then his house.
Then silence.
He leaned back slightly.
Trying to convince himself it was simple.
Trying to make it sound simple.
In his head, he started counting it like a plan.
So all he had to do was tolerate some arrogant rich Alpha for five years.
Then leave.
Then take back everything that mattered.
Then disappear.
Move somewhere else.
Start over.
No more dependency.
No more house issues.
No more being unwanted in places he stayed.
Just five years.
That's nothing.
He nodded slightly to himself.
Yeah.
He could do that.
He had to.
What was the worst that could happen?
- Writer
