Don’t try to monpulaté me
Don’t try to manipulate me
(Victoria’s POV) La’s POV)
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I stood in the hallway, watching Dominic emerge from my father’s study. His face was impassive, but could sense the tension radiating from him. My heart raced at his proximity, a reaction I couldn’t fully control.
“Excuse me.” he asked a passing mald. “Do you know where Amber is?
1 stepped forward before the omega could answer. “Amber and Mather went upstairs to talk,” informed him, moving closer than necessary. “Can I help you with anything?”
His blue eyes flickered to me briefly, then away, as if I wasn’t word his full attention. The dismissal stung, but I maintained my
smile.
I couldn’t deny my attraction to Dominic Blackwood. Who would be drawn to him? Powerful, wealthy, and devastatingly handsome–he embodied everything I wanted in a mate. But it wasn’t love that drove me, it was something deeper, more primal
Possession Status. Power.
“I’ll wait for Amber downstairs,” he said, already turning away from me
Every time the Chase Pack collaborated with the Blackwoods, I made sure to present my best self. Designer clothes, perfect makeup, intelligent conversation about pack politics–I crafted my image meticulously, playing the role of the ideal Luna
But Dominic had always seen through the facade. At the Supernatural Business Forum last year, he had publicly rejected my advances, his eyes cold as he stepped away from me in front of everyone who mattered in our world.
But I wasn’t going to be discouraged, and I found him again in the garden with my moonshine. This time he told me, “Fuck off We’ve got nothing to talk about.”
“You’re wrong,” I insisted, emboldened by the wine I’d consumed at dinner. “We have plenty to discuss. Like why you chose Amber over me.”
His expression hardened. “This conversation is inappropriate.”
“Is it?” I laughed, the sound brittle. “She was engaged to your nephew. Did you forget that? She’s using you for revenge against Ethan.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened. “Victoria—”
“I’m better than Amber,” I continued, unable to stop myself. “You can even accept her, so why do you always shut me out? What makes me worse than her?”
The words hung in the air between us, revealing more of my insecurities than I’d intended. Dominic’s eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through me as if he could see every dark thought I’d ever had about my sister.
“You overestimate yourself,” he replied, his voice low and cutting
The simple statement hit me like a physical blow. My cheeks burned with humiliation as his blue eyes twinkled with undisguised contempt.
He turned to leave, but desperation made me reckless. “She’s lying to you, you know. About the memory loss.”
Dominic paused mid–step. Slowly, he turned back to face me.
“What did you say?” he asked, his voice dangerously quiet
“The amnesia,” I continued, sensing I’d finally captured his interest. “It’s fake. She’s playing you, just like she plays everyone.”
Instead of the anger or surprise I expected, a cold smile spread across Dominic’s face. “I’m well aware of that, Victoria”
Don’t try to manipulate Mite
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The revelation stunned me into momentary silence. He knew?
“While we’re sharing revelations,” Dominic continued, stepping closer, “perhaps you can clarify something for me. Amber’s kidnapping in high school–the one that prematurely triggered her woll’s transformation.”
My blood ran cold. How did he know about that?
“She’s always emphasized that you orchestrated it,” he said, watching me intently. “She never lies, so you were involved back then, right?”
I struggled to maintain my composure. “That’s ancient history. Amber always exaggerates –
“Answer the question,” Dominic Interrupted, his voice carrying 11 unmistakable command of an Alpha.
My wolf cowered inside me, instinctively responding to his dominance. “I–I didn’t mean for her to get hurt,” I stammered. “It was supposed to be a prank. How was I supposed to know her wolf would emerge early?”
The moment the confession left my lips, I knew I’d made a terrible mistake. Dominic’s eyes flashed with a cold fury that made my skin crawl.
“Thank you for confirming what I already suspected,” he said softly. “Stay away from my mate, Victoria. This is your only
warning
(Amber’s POV)
“Amber, darling, you’ve done so well for yourself,” my mother saber voice dripping with newfound approval as she closed the bedroom door behind us.
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to get to the point. Melanie Chose never offered praise without an agenda.
“Dominic seems quite taken with you,” she continued, smoothing her perfectly tailored dress. “The way he looks at you….it’s
clear he values your opinion.”
Hleaned against the windowsill, crossing my arms. “What do you want, Mother?”
Her smile tightened slightly. “Always so direct. I’m simply observing how beneficial this marriage could be for our entir
There it was the real reason for this private chat.
“Henry has been developing some promising business ventures,” the continued. “And Victoria has been working tirelessly on expanding our territory management. With Dominic’s influence, they could make significant progress.”
Hlaughed, the sound sharp and humorless. “So you want me to use my husband to benefit the siblings you’ve always favored over me? How convenient.”
Mother’s expression hardened. “This isn’t about favoritism, Amber. It’s about pack cooperation and family support.”
“Fine,” I replied, my amber eyes meeting hers. “I’ll consider helping Henry and Victoria My price is one million dollars for every favor.”
Her mouth fell open in shock. “You can’t be serious”
“Completely serious,” I confirmed. “Consider it a consulting fee.”
“This mercenary attitude is beneath you,” she snapped. “Family helps family without expecting payment.”
Something inside me snapped. Years of resentment bubbled to the surface,
hot and caustic
“Family?” I repeated incredulously. “When have you ever treated me like family? You’re always telling me to learn from
Victoria? I’m just learning from her.”
Mother’s face flushed with anger. “That’s not inue
Don’t try to manipulati me
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“When I was a kid, you would give her my toys whenever she said she liked them,” I continued, my voice rising “You would also give her any gift I received, no matter how expensive, if she looked at it twice. How much has she stolen from me!”
The memories flooded back–birthdays where my presents mysteriously ended up in Victoria’s room, achievements that were dismissed while Victoria’s were celebrated, the constant comparison that always left me wanting
“That’s enough,” Mother hissed, glancing nervously at the door.
“No, it’s not nearly enough.” I replied, my wolf Cora growling inside me. “I’m going to take back everything that has been taken from me. Unless you tell me why you favor Victoria so much, just you wait. I want a lot of things.”
I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Unless you break the wolf bond with me, Victoria is not touching Chasepack property again!”
The door burst open, and Henry stood there, his expression alarmed, “What’s going on? I could hear you from downstairs.”
I took a deep breath, forcing my wolf to settle. My amber eyes coldly surveyed him as he stepped into the room.
“Amber, please,” Henry began, his tone placating. “We’re family. Whatever the issue is, we can resolve it without threats.”
I remained silent, watching him squirm under my gaze. It was almost amusing how quickly they switched to damage control when they realized 1 now had power they couldn’t ignore.
“As a gesture of family unity,” Henry continued, “I’d like you to choose something from my collection as a housewarming Anything you want.
A slow smile spread across my face. “Anything?”
Ten minutes later, I walked out of the room with the mast valuable piece from Henry’s prized collection of supernatural artifacts
an ancient moonstone carving that had been in his possession for decades. His face had gone pale when I pointed to it, but he couldn’t refuse without exposing his hypocrisy.
As I descended the stairs, I noticed something odd. Dominic was emerging from my father’s study, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. Harrison followed shortly after, looking unusually subdued.
Dominic’s eyes softened when he saw me: “Ready to go?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, curious about what had transpired between them. Dominic was unnaturally quiet, and the scent of moonlit cigars clung to his clothes.
Even stranger was Harrison’s behavior. As we prepared to leave, he approached me with an almost deferential manner.
ו
“Amber, before you go,” he said, his voice lacking its usual commanding tone, “feel free to take whatever you like from my collection of ancient pack relics, Consider it a belated wedding gift
I stared at him in disbelief. My father never parted with his relics willingly–they were his pride and possession, symbols of the Chase Pack’s history and power.
“Thank you,” replied cautiously, selecting two valuable pieces before he could change Ids mind.
As Dominic and I left the Chase Pack House, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had shifted. Whatever Dominic had said to my father in that study had clearly made an impact
Several days later, my suspicions were confirmed when Harrison called me personally–something he rarely did.
“Amber,”
“he began, his voice unnaturally wann, “I’ve been thinking. Your birthday is coming up next month, and I’d like to host a celebration in your honor. Something befitting your new status as Dominic’s Luna.”
Inearly dropped the phone in shock.
“Acelebration?” I repeated. “For my birthday?”
“Of course,” he replied smoothly. “It’s time we properly acknowledged your achievements. The entire supernatural community
Don’t try to manipulati
will be invited. ”
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Tended the call abruptly, my hand shaking with anger and suspicion.
“Acelebration of my birthday?” I muttered to myself, pacing across my living room. “How dare he mention my birthday ”
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Why Not Celebrate Birthdays
(Amber’s POV)
The past two months had been surprisingly peaceful. After my productive visit to the Chase Pack House, where I’d managed to fill my car with valuable pack artifacts, life had settled into an almost pleasant rhythm
Family dinners at the Blackwood pack home during both the Spring Moon Festival and the May Full Moon celebration had passed without incident. Even Ivy Reed, Dominic’s troublesome sister–in–law, had been subdued since the healing crystal incident
Melissa James was too preoccupied with her strained relationship with Olivia Blackwood to cause me any trouble. Ethan had redirected his energy toward pack business and his rivalry with Lus
Victoria was away on a territorial diplomacy trip, and even my mother hadn’t bothered me with her usual criticisms.
I used this period of tranquility productively, focusing on my supernatural photography and preparing for the reopening of Moonlight Photography. My creative inspiration had been returning gradually, bringing with it a sense of purpose I’d been missing
“This lighting setup is perfect for capturing the aura shift during partial transformations,” I told my assistant as I adjusted my specialized camera equipment.
Working with supernatural clients required technical skills beyond what human photographers needed. My ability to capture the ethereal qualities of werewolves, particularly during their transitional states, had built my reputation in our community.
“The Northern Pack Alpha is very pleased with the preliminary shots,” Liam Wilde, my assistant, reported as he organized the equipment. “He says you’ve captured his authority without making him look intimidating to potential allies.”
I smiled, feeling a surge of professional pride “That’s exactly what I was aiming for.”
With Paige Sullivan now acting as my business manager, I’d been able to focus entirely on the creative aspects of my work. She had immediately fired my previous incompetent beta manager and taken control of my neglected social media accounts.
“Your follower count has doubled since we started posting your werewolf wedding portfolio, Paige informed me during our weekly meeting “Of course, we’re careful to only show the images approved for human viewing.”
I nodded appreciatively. “Your marketing strategy is working wonders.”
“That’s why you hired me,” she replied with a confident smile. “us, I know exactly which of your shots will appeal to both communities without revealing anything we need to keep private.”
Paige’s determination to boost my presence within both human and supernatural worlds had allowed me to dedicate myself to my art. I found fulfillment in capturing the essence of supernatural beings in ways ordinary photographers could not.
The studio reopening is scheduled for next Friday,” Parge reminded me. “I’ve already confirmed attendance from representatives of all major packs in the Northern Territory.”
Everything was falling into place. Until my phone rang
I glanced at the caller ID and felt my stomach tighten Harrison Chase. My father rarely called directly unless he wanted something
“Hello, Father, answered cautiously
“Amber,” his voice came through with uncharacteristic warmth. “Tve been thinking about your upcoming birthday.”
My grip on the phone tightened. My birthday was next week, just days before my studio’s grand reopening.
“What about it?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I’d like to host a celebration at the Pack House,” be continued. “Something befitting your status as Dominic’s Lama. The entire
Why Not Celebrate Bancays
supernatural community will be invited.”
The phone nearly slipped from my suddenly trembling hand.
“Abirthday celebration?” I repeated, my voice rising “After all these years?”
“Of course,” he replied smoothly. “It’s time we properly acknowlged your achievements.”
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White–hot rage flooded through me. How dare he? Alter years of ignoring my birthday in favor of Victoria’s accomplishments, he suddenly wanted to throw me a party?:
“You’ve never cared about my birthday before, 1snapped
start now?”
“Amber, that’s not true
“Don’t lie to me!” I shouted, my woll Cora growling within me. “Every year, you’ve forgotten my birthday or canceled celebrations because Victoria was upset about something trivial!“”
“That’s an exaggeration,” Harrison attempted to sound reasonable. “Your sister has always been sensitive about
“My birth father’s death anniversary,” I finished for him. “I know. But that doesn’t explain why you always made me feel like T didn’t deserve to celebrate my own birthday.”
The memories flooded back–Victoria’s crocodile tears, my mother’s comforting arms around her while I stood alone with an uncut birthday cake, year after year until they stopped pretending to celebrate altogether.
“Things are different now,” Harrison insisted. “You’re married to Dominie Blackwood. It’s important that we
“That we what? Pretend to be a loving family now that I have connections you want to exploit? My voice had gone dangerously quiet. “No thank you.”
I slammed the phone down with enough force to crack the screen, my hands partially shifting into claws in my rage.
Florence Harper, our housekeeper who had followed Dominic from the Blackwood pack house to Dominic’s riverside apartment, looked at me with concert.
“Miss Amber, are you alright?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I stormed upstairs to the weapons cabinet where Dominic kept his prized silver baseball bat–a specialized tool designed for werewolf combat.
My eyes flashed amber as I gripped the bat. “I need to pay my family a visit.”
(Dominic’s POV)
“I’ll raise you ten thousand,” I said, placing my chips in the center of the table.
Ryan Quinn whistled low beside me. “Going big tonight, aren’t you?”
We were at the Moonlight Club, in our private booth overlooking the main floor. The leaders of the Alliance wolf packs sat around the table, watching our poker game with interest while we discussed territory expansion between hands.
“The southeastern border has potential,” Alpha Jenkins remarked, folding his cards. “But the human developments there could complicate matters
I was about to respond when my phone vibrated. Florence Harper’s name flashed on the screen.
Florence never called unless it was an emergency. I immediately excused myself and stepped away from the table.
“What’s happened?” Tasked without preamble.
“Mr. Blackwood, it’s Miss Amber,” Florence’s usually composed voice trembled with emotion. “Harrison Chase called about her birthday, and she–she’s not herself.”
Why Not Colebrate fixtoys
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My body tensed. “Explain ”
“She stamned the phone down hard enough to crack the screen,” Florence continued. “Then she went upstairs and grabbed your silver baseball bat. She’s left the apartment with her eyes flashing and her hands partially shifted. I’m worried she miglit
“I understand,” I cut in, already moving toward the exit. “I’m on my way.”
I returned to the table just long enough to gather my things. “Gentlemen, I apologize, but I need to leave immediately. Lucas, with me.” ”
My nephew looked up in surprise but didn’t hesitate to follow as 1 rode toward the door. I felt my Alpha power surge with my concern for Amber, causing the other Alphas in the room to stralen Instinctively.
1 knew exactly what had triggered Amber’s reaction. Paige had confided in me months ago about the painful history behind Amber’s birthday.
It wasn’t just that Victoria would cry on Amber’s birthday because 1 coincided with the anniversary of Amber’s birth father’s death. It was that Victoria had weaponized these tears, using them to manipulate Harrison into canceling Amber’s celebrations year after year.
“Uncle, what’s happening?” Lucas asked as we reached my car. “IsAmber okay?”
I didn’t answer as Istid behind the wheel, my expression grim as accelerated toward the Chase Pack House,
“Dominic, you’re scaring me,” Lucas persisted. “What’s going on?
I finally spoke as we sped through the night. “Harrison Chase called Amber about hosting a birthday celebration for her.”
Lucas’s confusion was evident, “And that’s… bad?
“Amber’s birthday falls on the same day as her birth father’s deathanniversary,” explained, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. “After Victoria was adopted, she would cry every year on this day, claiming she was mourning Amber’s father out of respect”
“But that’s
“A manipulation tactic,” I finished for him. “Harrison would comfort Victoria and cancel Amber’s celebrations. Eventually, they stopped acknowledging her birthday altogether.”
Lucas’s expression darkened with understanding. “And now he suddenly wants to throw her a party?”
“Now that she’s my Luna,” I confirmed, my voice cold. “Now that the connection benefits him
I recalled Paige’s explanation about “Howling, Avenue,” the property that had belonged to Amber’s grandmother Eleanor. It was where Amber had experienced her most traumatic high school incident–the event that had triggered her wolf Cora’s premature emergence after Victoria’s orchestrated “prank” had gone too far
“There’s more to it than just the birthday,” I told Lucas as we approached the Chase estate. “Victoria arranged for Amber to be kidnapped in high school.”
Lucas’s eyes widened. “Victoria did
d that to her own sister?”
I nodded grimly as we pulled up to the Chase Pack House. Even from outside, we could hear the sound of breaking glass.
We rushed through the front door to find the entrance hall floor covered in shards. Amber stood in the center of the room, systematically smashing the portraits of successive Chase Alphas that lined the walls,
Her eyes glowed amber, her claws extended as she swung the silver bat at a family portrait, sending glass and frame fragments flying
“Amber, “I called softly, approaching her with careful steps.
Why Not Celebrate Birnya
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She turned to me, her beautiful face contorted with rage and painThey want to celebrate my birthday now,” she said, her voice breaking. “After all these years of making me feel worthless on the one day that should have been mine.”
moved closer, Ignoring the glass crunching beneath my shoes. “know, love, I know.”
