THE ALPHA’S PAWN

“Hello, sister in-law”

“Hello, Hugh Buckingham’ Her voice was velvety as she smirked at the dark-haired, lanky man in front of her.

In the dimly lit room, Neon Faye leaned in close, her voice a persuasive whisper that dripped with calculated charm. Hugh, her half-brother trembled at her presence and looked like he would collapse. Despite his dominance as an Alpha, his posture betrayed a lingering self-doubt that Neon was all too aware of.

"Listen, Hugh," Neon purred, her eyes locking onto his. "You deserve more than being hidden away as an illegitimate son.” Hugh winced at the adjective but Neon cared less. “I can offer you a chance to claim your rightful share of the inheritance." A sly smile danced on her lips as her eyes bore into him.

Hugh shifted uncomfortably, his gaze flickering with a mixture of longing and apprehension. "W-What do you want me to do?"his voice shook as he grabbed the hem of his shirt.

Neon's lips curled into a cunning smile. " I like that you’re very cooperative, Hugh”

“Of course, you have a knife at my throat. And it’s laced with wolvesbane” Hugh responded stiffly as he eyed the knife that hung inches to his throat.

Neon chuckled, clearly delighted at the fear she was seeding into another dominant alpha. “Help me take Astor down. Together, we can ensure that the inheritance is rightfully ours to share."Her voice was slick as she snapped her fingers.

“What do you say?” Her green eyes shone with anticipation as she bore them into Hugh's. The knife was now gone.

A spark of greed ignited in Hugh's eyes as he considered the proposition. He had always felt like an outsider in the family, overshadowed by Astor's prominence. The enchantment of finally claiming his place, and with Neon's assistance, was too tempting to resist.

Neon's fingers traced a delicate pattern on the table, her tone dripping with certainty. "Astor has something going on, something he's keeping hidden. I heard he brought a girl to father’s birthday. I need you to find out who she is, what she is. Expose his secrets to me, and I will make sure our victory is assured."

Hugh's jaw clenched as he nodded, a fierce determination replacing his initial uncertainty. "Consider it done."

Neon's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Good. Together, we'll show them that we can't be underestimated."

As the conversation reached its conclusion, Neon watched Hugh leave with a sense of satisfaction. She knew that he was a pawn in her game, a tool to be used to further her own ambitions. And with the prospect of taking Astor down, she felt a surge of excitement that she could barely contain.

***

Meanwhile, across town, Chantelle was in her apartment. Her fear was gone and she was a smiling mess. She sat with Ino, her roommate and confidante, as they chatted about the surprises life had brought her way.

Chantelle's eyes sparkled as she recounted her Astor Buckingham.. "Ino, you won't believe it. We went to a birthday event, he took me to this lavish restaurant, and we went to the beach. He was such a gentleman, ahhh, he is so caring" She praised him with enthusiasm, leaving out the remaining part of the night.

Her mind went back to the moment she had confessed to Astor. The way he had been shocked, she had gotten scared it was over between them. That Astor would immediately call the authorities on her. But his face softened, and he had hugged her, and comforted her. He had made her promise to not tell anyone for her own protection. He had promised to love and cherish her either way. This memory brought smiles to Chantelle’s face.

Ino's eyes widened with delight, and she let out a delighted squeal. "Oh my goddess, Chantelle, this is like a fairy tale!When you had that complication this morning, I totally thought he rejected you. And now you went on a date of my dream"

Chantelle's cheeks flushed with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I know, Ino. Me too. I can't believe it myself. But I'm really looking forward to it."

“Girl, I told you struck gold. It was as if Alpha Astor was there at the moment. Like bam! He came so fast. You’d be dead if he hadn’t been here on time. He was so fast though” Ino ranted on, envy and amazement laced in her voice.

“Stopppp. He is a dominant Alpha after all, the way he came so fast, he looked so panicked. Like I was about to die or something” She giggled as she clutched her heart. “When he pronounced me as his mate, you need to know how fast I got relieved. He is so cool! Ahhhh” she kicked her legs excitedly as she screamed, Ino joining her immediately.

As they giggled like schoolgirls, the doorbell rang, interrupting their conversation. Chantelle's heart raced as she rose from her seat, her anticipation building.

“Are we expecting anyone?” She asked Ino as she headed to the door, her thoughts consumed by the possibilities that lay ahead.

“No. Ouuu, maybe its Alpha Astorrrrr” Ino teased and Chantelle’s face grew a shade of red.

“Noooo. Why will he come here?” She feigned disinterest.

I hope so. She thought as she swung the door open.

Chantelle froze in shock as she stared at the person who rang her door bell. Her heart raced and she felt her lungs closing up, refusing to provide her with air. Cold sweat broke out quickly on her forehead as she gasped for air. Her hands flew to her throat in panic, not even knowing why she kept them there.

“Chantelle?” Ino’s voice shook as she saw her friend’s panicked state. Her thoughts ran wild as she gingerly headed to the door, trying to find out what shocked her friend.

The atmosphere was tense and the hairs on her skin stood, goosebumps crawled onto her pearly skin as she got closer to the door.

That is definitely a dominant Alpha. She thought as she barely reached the door. She stopped dead in her tracks and could no longer go any closer. It felt like her legs had turned to heavymetal as she struggled to even take a step forward. She could not. Nor could she see who their visitor was.

Whoever that is, they’re very strong. And they’re pouring out so much aura, regular omegas like us can’t even move anymore. Damn it. Ino gazed over at her friend who was in the same frozen state she was.

Chantelle’s mouth was agape, as she tried to breath effortlessly. Her vision was getting hazy and since she had no wolf, she could not even call on her mate for help. She wondered who this woman was and wondered what the bloodied knife in her hand was for, and how it even got bloodied in the first place.

As if their visitor read her mind, a menacing smile danced on her bloodied red lips as her sharp green eyes bore into Chantelle’s.

“Hello, sister in-law.”