He Thought He Ruled My Pack for Thirteen Years, Then He Failed My Review

The Westmere pack had one rule about the Alpha's seat: only the Alpha's biological children could inherit it. I was my parents' only child. For as long as I could remember, I'd known I would become the first female Alpha in our pack's history. The trouble was that I hated being tied down. My father spoiled me, so he took in my cousin Evan Hale to take care of pack business for me. Evan had to pass an annual review on New Year's Day to keep his job as my assistant. But in 13 years, I never once took those reviews seriously. I passed Evan every single time. Over time, every wolf in the pack came to see me as the Alpha heir in name only. They believed Evan was the one my father really wanted to take over. Then Evan decided to marry Winona Crane, the daughter of Victor Crane, the Emberwind Alpha. Victor had heard all about Evan's achievements, and he agreed to the marriage without a second thought. To celebrate, I went out and conquered three new territories as a gift for Evan. I also gave Winona a villa to welcome her to Westmere. But on their first day as mates, she sold the villa. On the second day, she revoked my fingerprint access to every restricted area in the pack. Then she sent me a bill. "Lorelei Hale, I had no idea you'd spent 85 million dollars of Evan's money over the years." "You're a grown woman now, You can't keep dragging Evan down, can you?" "I want you to swear on the Moon Goddess that you'll pay back every cent within a month." I pointed at myself, wondering if I'd heard her right. "Me? Pay you back? Is this what Evan wants too?" Winona frowned. "What, are you trying to weasel out of paying?" I actually laughed. Sure, Evan had handled pack business for me for 13 years. But Westmere had never belonged to him. The only reason he'd kept his job as my assistant was that I'd waved him through his review year after year. And as it happened, the new year was only three days away. There was still time to revise Evan's review. Chapter 1 My parents, Richard and Helena Hale, were the Alpha and Luna of the Westmere pack. I was their only daughter, and they'd spoiled me rotten from the start. My wolf awakened when I was six. My father spread the news through the whole pack right away. He couldn't wait to name me Alpha heir, and he started giving me pack business to handle. But I could never sit still. I'd much rather be out on the training grounds than buried in pages of tiny print. One day, while I was sneaking out, I ran smack into a young werewolf dressed in rags. That was the first time I met Evan. It was also how I learned that my late uncle had left behind a son. Under pack law, once a new Alpha was chosen, every other wolf with Alpha blood had to leave the pack and fend for themselves. When my uncle died young and my father became Alpha, he didn't have the heart to throw Evan out, so he let him stay. But once I was named Alpha heir and my parents went off traveling, it was up to me whether Evan could stay. He seemed shy. He hardly dared to speak to me, afraid I'd lose my temper. I felt bad for him. So I promised to behave and take my pack duties seriously. In return, Evan could stay with me. He treasured that chance. Every morning before sunrise, he had all my paperwork organized. He even took care of all the social obligations I couldn't be bothered with, and he was great at it. Before long, he was handling my paperwork whenever I went out to have fun and keeping the pack in line whenever I was training. When my father found out, he called me in and gave me a lecture. I just smiled sweetly at him. "Evan's good at the boring stuff, and I'm good at fighting. That's just smart teamwork!" My father never could say no to me. He gave in and made Evan my assistant, letting him handle pack affairs on my behalf. At the start of every year, I would evaluate Evan's performance over the past year and decide whether he could keep his position. If he failed, he'd be kicked out of the pack. Evan was a sensitive kid back then. The moment he heard that, he tensed up. My father laughed to put him at ease. "Relax, it's just a formality. Lorelei's counting on you so she can slack off. She'd never have the heart to send you away." For the next 13 years, Evan submitted his annual report to me at the start of every year. Every time, I fought to stay awake, flipped through a few pages, and stamped it with my seal. Evan would look half amused and half exasperated. "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll sell you out?" I'd sprawl across the desk, eyes half closed, and wave him off. "Come on, it's you and me. I picked you myself!" Over time, anyone in the pack with a problem went to Evan first. I was happy to let them. 13 years went by in a blink. Evan fell in love with Winona, the Emberwind Alpha's daughter. But Victor didn't think Evan's status was high enough for his daughter, so he kept pushing Winona to give him up. When Evan came to beg me for help, I was out on the training grounds doing some target practice. I hit the target and turned to look at him. "You really want to be with Winona? Like, mates-for-life serious?" He turned red and nodded. I dragged him straight to my father. I whined and pleaded and threw a full-blown tantrum until he agreed to adopt Evan. Then I convinced him to go to the Emberwind pack himself and arrange the match. After one meeting with my father, Victor agreed to the match on the spot. To boost Evan's status, I signed over three of Westmere's territories to him. And to welcome Winona into the pack, I gave her a villa outright. After that, Winona's attitude toward me completely changed. She brought me homemade sparkling drinks and went weapon shopping with me. She had zero interest in training, but she still insisted on keeping me company. On the day of the mating ceremony, she stopped to talk to me right before she stepped up to the altar. "Lorelei, I never had a sister. From now on, you're the closest thing I've got." I was so happy that I gave her my favorite custom-made bracelet. Early the next morning, I brought her some Almas caviar as a treat. Evan wasn't there. She was alone. When she saw me, she smiled and came over to take my hand. But the moment we were inside, she let go, and her smile slowly faded. "Lorelei. "Aren't you tired of this whole sister act yet?" Chapter 2 I froze, my hand still reaching for the caviar I'd brought her. "Winona, what are you talking about?" Winona picked up a sanitizing wipe from the table and slowly cleaned her fingers. "I said I'm sick of it." She gave me a smile that wasn't really a smile. "Honestly, I used to be jealous of you. "We're both daughters of Alphas. So why are you the one who gets to inherit a pack? "But the more I learned about Westmere, the more I realized you're just a figurehead. Evan's the one who really runs this pack." I tilted my head, confused. "Did you come up with that yourself, or did somebody tell you?" Winona curled her lip. "As if I need anyone to tell me. I've seen it for myself. "Everything in Westmere, from dealing with other packs to settling the smallest arguments between wolves, goes through Evan. Every single thing. "On the rare occasion Evan can't make a decision, he goes straight to the Alpha. Isn't it obvious? Even your own father trusts Evan more than he trusts you." Then, out of nowhere, she laughed. "And your father arranged for Evan to mate with me instead of some ordinary she-wolf. "I'm the Emberwind Alpha's daughter. Only an Alpha is worthy of being my mate. "I'm sure it won't be long before your father hands Westmere over to Evan for real. And when he does, I'll be Westmere's Luna." I frowned. "Evan is my assistant. The only reason he has that job is that I wave him through his review every year." A look of contempt crossed Winona's face. "You really think putting your seal on a piece of paper means you get to decide whether Evan stays or goes? "Evan told me a long time ago. Your father only lets you review him as a formality, so you'll feel like you're part of things around here." I pressed my lips together. I couldn't even put a name to what I was feeling. I was the one who'd fought to keep Evan by my side. And this was what he really thought of me. Winona must have thought I'd finally seen the light, because she let out a soft laugh. She went to the computer, logged into the pack's security system, and deleted my fingerprint records one by one. "See? From now on, you stay out of these places." I looked over at the screen. She'd revoked my access to all the pack's restricted areas. "Did Evan tell you to do this?" Winona dropped onto the couch and lounged back against the cushions. "Evan and I are mates now. What he wants, what I want, what's the difference? "What matters is that you don't go into those places anymore. Especially the treasury." My voice went cold. "Winona, Westmere belongs to me. And every cent in that treasury is mine too." Winona raised an eyebrow. "Your money? Have you earned a single cent in all these years? "If Evan weren't working himself to the bone running Westmere's business, do you think that money would just appear out of thin air?" Watching her get so worked up on Evan's behalf, I kind of wanted to laugh. She'd only just become Evan's mate, and she was already so sure she'd be the next Luna that she thought she could boss me around. Before I could say anything, a she-wolf knocked on the door and handed Winona a thick ledger. Winona flipped through it as she talked. "This lists every expense since you were six, from all the weapons you've worn out to the two riding outfits you had custom-made yesterday. Altogether, it comes to 85.3 million. "I'll even let the loose change slide. "Go ahead, check it yourself. I didn't overcharge you, did I?" Ever since my wolf awakened, I'd had incredibly sharp eyesight. One look was all I needed to see what she'd done. The ledger didn't just include what I'd spent on myself. She'd charged me for everything, from building the medical center to hosting the year-end banquets and even sending gifts to other packs. Before I could say a word, she pulled out a photo. "The Ironcrest Alpha is willing to give us ten territories if you become the mate of his younger son, Gareth Stone. I've already worked out how to use that land. Its value will cover exactly what you owe. "Once your mating ceremony is over, I'll give you the ledger back, and we'll call it even." I laughed, and there was nothing nice about it. "Everybody knows Gareth wrecked both his legs in battle years ago. He can't even stand up. You really found me a great mate." Winona stifled a laugh. "Lorelei, you're spoiled and you're impossible. What normal male wolf could put up with you? Only a damaged wolf who'd have trouble finding a mate anyway would ever tolerate you." I pushed the photo back to her. "I'm the Alpha heir of the Westmere pack. Who I take as a mate is not your call." She shot to her feet. "Alpha heir? What have you ever done for Westmere? Do you even know who runs each part of the pack? "Evan just has a soft spot for you, so he plays along to keep you happy!" Then a sharp voice rang out from the doorway. "That's enough, Winona!" It was Audrey Price. Audrey had grown up with my mother. When my mother became Luna, Audrey naturally became her right hand. Later, after I became Alpha heir, my parents started traveling all the time. Audrey didn't like leaving me on my own, so she stayed behind to look after me. Audrey couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "Winona, you've only just mated with Evan, Lorelei's assistant, so maybe you don't understand how things work here yet. "Evan couldn't have done any of this without Lorelei's support. She's the one who gave him the chance to prove himself. He should be grateful, not tallying up her expenses." Winona didn't care. "Assistant? How long are you all going to keep lying to yourselves? "Go look around. Does any other pack have an assistant? Everything Evan does is an Alpha's job. "Evan has worked himself ragged for 13 years. You're a useless wolf, Lorelei. You can't do a thing. What gives you the right to live off his hard work?" Audrey's face darkened with anger. "Evan has been an assistant for 13 years because—" "Are you done?" Winona cut her off, annoyed. "It's always the same excuse. Don't you get tired of it? "Guards, throw this old hag out!" I shot a cold look at the guards outside the door when they moved to obey. "I am the Alpha heir of the Westmere pack. Are you sure you want to betray me for the assistant's wife?" The guards stopped in their tracks, their faces full of hesitation. Winona's brows knitted together. "Lorelei, I've been more than polite to you. Don't push me. "I won't touch you, but I can still deal with one old hag!" Her claws came out, and she swung hard at Audrey! The next second, I had her wrist locked in my grip. Pain flashed across Winona's face. "How... how can you possibly..." Chapter 3 I tightened my grip until her wrist was close to breaking. "I've been going into battle with my father since I was eight. I've killed more wolves than I can count. "Whenever I trained in front of you, I held back so I wouldn't scare you. But you shouldn't have gone after my people." Her face twisted in pain. She couldn't even get a word out. Then a startled, uncertain voice came from the doorway. "Lorelei, what are you doing?" Evan rushed in. "What happened? "If Winona upset you somehow, I'll apologize for her." He was being reasonable enough, so I let go. Winona immediately held up her bruised wrist and complained to Evan. "Evan, it hurts so much. My wrist feels like it's about to break..." Evan looked at her with concern. When he looked up at me, his expression turned disapproving. "Lorelei, whatever Winona did wrong, you shouldn't treat her like this." I scoffed. "She asked for it. "She revoked my fingerprint access to all the pack's restricted areas. She says I owe you 85 million, and she wants me to mate with Gareth from the Ironcrest pack so she can use their territories to settle the debt. "She even tried to have Audrey kicked out of the pack! Audrey practically raised both of us. She's like a mother to us. So tell me, didn't Winona deserve what she got?!" Evan's face darkened. "Winona, did you really say all that?" Winona bit her lip. "Was I wrong?" She grabbed the ledger and flipped it open. "For 13 years, you've run everything in this pack. What has she done? All she ever thinks about is having fun. She's never done a single day of real work. What makes her fit to be Alpha heir? "And every year you need her stamp just to keep your job. You've been playing along with this act for years. It's so unfair to you." I spread my hands. "You don't get to decide whether I'm fit. Look down on me all you want. I'm still the Alpha heir of Westmere. And I'm the only one who decides whether Evan keeps his job as my assistant." She gritted her teeth. "Evan, did you hear that? She actually thinks she's the Alpha heir." Evan frowned, his expression hard to read. Winona stamped her foot. "You told me yourself. The Alpha made it perfectly clear to you that the assistant's review is just a way to keep her happy. "You've humored her for 13 years. Isn't that enough?" Evan's expression wavered. So that was what he really believed too. I asked him straight out, "Evan, do you really think the annual review is just there to keep me happy?" Evan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lorelei, some things don't need to be spelled out. "I'm three years older than you. I'm your cousin. I don't mind humoring you. "But who takes over the pack is a serious matter. I have Alpha blood too. The Alpha personally put me in charge of pack business so that one day I could take over." I looked at Evan and suddenly felt like I'd never known him at all. "Winona revoked my fingerprint access, and you're fine with that?" Evan's voice was flat. "You don't handle anything anyway." "And her making me pay you back?" "Winona just wants you to break your habit of throwing money around." "And Audrey?" "Winona is my wife and the future Luna. Audrey disrespected her, so it's only fair she gets punished." "She also wants me to mate with Gareth. You know what shape he's in." Evan hesitated. "It's just a first meeting. "I'm sure Winona only wants what's best for you." I suddenly laughed. "Fine. Then bring Gareth here. If I like him, he can stay in Westmere." Evan frowned. "Lorelei, there are rules between packs. When wolves from two packs mate, the female goes to live in the male's pack. "If you're going to miss Westmere, you can come back and visit often. But once you're mated, you'll be living in Ironcrest." In that moment, I couldn't fool myself anymore. Evan knew perfectly well that as Westmere's Alpha heir, I wasn't the one who'd move. Whoever I mated with would come live with me. And yet here he was, telling me to go live in another pack. He had never truly seen me as the Alpha heir. I looked him dead in the eye. "So you agree with Winona? You think I'm heir in name only and don't do a thing for the pack?" He sighed. "Lorelei, you've been spoiled your whole life. The Alpha and the Luna adore you. That won't change when I take over. "You can still have fun every day and just focus on being happy. But you have to respect Winona." I laughed. "All I do is have fun? "So was it you who conquered the 23 territories Westmere gained last year? Did you force those six packs to surrender?" Evan froze. Winona looked me up and down. "Don't tell me you're taking credit for that. Sure, you're strong, but you think you can fight a war?! "Give me a break. I've heard all about it. Westmere has a fierce elite war band. Those warriors put their lives on the line out there, and you want to steal their credit too?" Evan's expression softened a little. "Come on, Lorelei. Everyone knows you're the Alpha's daughter. Even if you went into battle, you'd have people assigned to protect you. "There's no need to bring all that up." Seeing how certain they both were, I suddenly didn't have the energy to argue. They'd already decided I was useless. Nothing I said would change that. I changed the subject. "Evan, have you forgotten? The New Year review is coming up. "What if I don't pass you?" Winona burst out laughing. "Lorelei, you still don't get where you stand, do you?" Evan looked exasperated. "Okay, Lorelei. If you want to play, I'll play along. But this is the last time." Winona looked smug. "Got it now? The assistant's review only happens because your cousin is willing to humor you." I looked down and laughed. "Fine. "Be there in three days." Evan thought I'd finally come around. He reached out to ruffle my hair, but I dodged him. His hand froze for a few seconds. Then he smiled. "I get it. This is a lot to take in right now. "I'll give you time. But Audrey crossed the line today. She has to go to the training camp to be disciplined." I didn't answer. He took that as a yes. After he left, Soren Webb, our Beta, heard what had happened and hurried over. "Ms. Hale, are you really going to send Audrey away?" Audrey pressed her lips together and said nothing. I let out a short, hard laugh. "Evan doesn't get to decide what happens to my people. "For this year's review, I want every manager and every Elder in the pack in the meeting room." Soren's eyes went wide. "But isn't it always Evan who meets with them?" I looked up, perfectly calm. "Evan won't be my assistant much longer." Chapter 4 Winona was very pleased with herself over the next few days. I'd sent Audrey away for a little break, but Winona thought I'd actually sent her off to be punished. She wasted no time replacing Westmere's key staff with her own relatives. Then she strutted into my private vault and helped herself. I shut my door and pretended I didn't know. But she still wouldn't leave me alone. She showed up at my room with a few people and announced that since I'd be moving in with my mate sooner or later, there was no need for me to hog such a big room. It had the best view in the place, she said. It would be perfect for the kids she and Evan would have someday. I couldn't be bothered to fight her, so I just handed it over. What Winona didn't know was that everything she was taking now, she'd pay back several times over. On New Year's morning, Evan showed up right on time. He'd brought a new contract. "Lorelei, sign this. "Like we agreed, this is the last time. I've replaced the usual annual contract with one that lasts a lifetime. "If you want to keep playing this game, I'll let you keep your title as Alpha heir until you're mated." I glanced at the contract, then looked up at him. "Is that really what you think? That every year when I stamp your review, you're just humoring me?" Evan's face darkened. "Lorelei, do you really want me to spell it out? "I'm the one who's run Westmere all these years. You've never handled a single thing. Everyone knows it." Winona, right behind him, laughed. "Evan only plays this silly game with you because he thinks of you as his little sister. You're an adult now. Time to face reality. "Don't push your luck just because Evan has a soft spot for you." She shoved the contract in front of me. "Hurry up and sign. Unlike you, some of us have real work to do." I kept my voice even. "Let's wait until everyone's here." Before long, all 11 of Westmere's Elders and all 129 managers had arrived. Evan looked a little surprised, but he quickly found an explanation that suited him. "Lorelei's finally growing up. She knows today is the official handover of power. It's good to have all the pack's leaders here to witness it." Soren, the Beta leading the group, came over carrying my seal and a roster. "Ms. Hale, per the contract, Evan's term as assistant has ended. "Please choose your assistant for this year." Winona's smile froze. Evan frowned. "Soren, what are you talking about?" Soren didn't even look at him. There were more than 100 wolves in that room, and every one of them was looking at me. Evan thought he was the only one who'd done anything for the pack all these years. But I had also earned the respect of the Betas and Elders on my own merits. Soren went on, "Ms. Hale, the candidates are all waiting outside for your decision." Evan rushed up to me. "What candidates? Why didn't I know about this?" I opened the roster, picked up a pen, and crossed out Evan's name. "You said you were only playing along all these years, didn't you? "Well, you won't have to anymore."