Chapter 18
DEREK’S POV
I paced in my quarters, my hands shaking with barely contained rage.
This wasn't how today was supposed to go.
When I had walked into that settlement meeting, I had expected Eliza to grovel at my feet for mercy, to show some kind of desperation.
Instead, that bastard Alexander had swept in like an avenging angel and turned everything on its head.
I was the one who left empty-handed and with shame hanging over my head.
Three million dollars.
The number echoed in my mind like a death knell. I sucked at my teeth, wondering how this had happened.
I was an Alpha of the pack for God's sake.
A celebrated general, personally praised by the king for my efforts in the war, and yet I found myself in debt to the woman I had cast aside.
It wasn't fair.
If Alexander hadn't shown up when he did, then I might have been able to convince the auditor.
The memory of Alexander's arrival made my blood boil.
The way he had strode into that room, emanating power and authority, had immediately shifted the dynamics.
Every wolf present had instinctively straightened their spine, responding to his presence.
Even my wolf had cowered slightly, though I'd never admit that aloud.
The prince's intervention had effectively destroyed any chance I had of manipulating the situation in my favor.
I hissed, the thought of what might have happened unnerving me, but I tried to calm myself down.
After all, I still controlled the assets of the pack.
I could pay Eliza the sum, and with the pack's resources, I could easily recover the money back.
It would take some time, but it was something.
Though deep down, I knew this would mean cutting back on several planned expansions and improvements.
The pack would suffer for it, but my pride wouldn't let me acknowledge that.
"You're going to wear a hole in the carpet," Maya snapped from where she sat at my desk, her face twisted in barely concealed disgust. "Would you stop pacing?"
I halted, turning to face her.
The sight of her perfectly manicured nails drumming against my mahogany desk irritated me more than it should have.
"I'm trying to think."
"Well, think harder without that incessant shuffling," she retorted, standing up. Her designer dress rustled as she moved, another reminder of her expensive tastes. "Do you even understand what just happened in there? Three million dollars, Derek. That's not pocket change, even for an Alpha."
My wolf bristled at her tone, not liking the way she spoke to me, but I forced myself to remain calm.
The last thing I needed was to lose control and damage our relationship too.
"I'm well aware of the amount, Maya," I told her, matching her stance of annoyance.
"Are you? Because you just sat there like a puppet while that fool Alexander dictated terms to you. You! An Alpha! The Alpha of the pack!" She threw her hands up in exasperation as she grumbled, her diamond bracelet catching the light.
"What happened to the man who told me we'd have everything? Gifts of glittering jewelry, the lavish wedding I always dreamed of, the luxurious life we planned after our victory in the war? Were those just lies to get me into your bed?"
The accusation stung more than I wanted to admit.
Those hadn't been lies – they had been promises made in honesty but now, with this settlement hanging over my head, those promises seemed like foolish boasts—boasts that I still wanted to give to her.
I tried to pull her into my arms, but she stepped back, her mouth in a straight line.
"Maya, listen..." I tried to calm her down, but she wasn't having any of it.
"No, you listen," she cut me off, her voice sharp as a blade. "I didn't leave my pack to marry a man who can't even provide a proper wedding, much less a life together. What about my bride price? Or do you expect me to marry you for free?"
Her words hit me like a physical blow.
I stared at her, seeing a side to her that I hadn't seen before.
Where Eliza would have been concerned about the pack's welfare, Maya only thought of herself.
The contrast was stark and uncomfortable.
I shook my head, removing the thoughts from my mind. No, stop it, I thought, shaking the comparison away. It wasn't fair to compare them.
"We could always withhold some of her property," Maya suggested, her voice taking on a calculating tone as she stepped closer to me, her eyes wide with what I recognized as greed. "There's no way Alexander can monitor everything."
The suggestion left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Despite everything, the thought of stealing from Eliza felt... wrong.
She would never have stooped to such tactics, even at her lowest point.
The realization made me uncomfortable.
"That's not an option," I said firmly, surprising myself with how quickly I dismissed the idea.
I didn't like Eliza, that much was true, but I was not a thief either.
Maya's eyes narrowed as my words sank into her head. The beautiful face I had once found so alluring now seemed somehow harder, colder.
"Then what is the option, Derek? Because right now, all I see is my future going up in smoke because you couldn't keep your ex-mate in check."
I flinched at her words.
The truth was, I had never really needed to keep Eliza "in check."
She had always been strong, capable, dignified – even today, when she had every right to gloat, she had maintained her composure.
Unlike Maya, who now stood before me practically vibrating with rage over material concerns. The difference between them was like night and day.
"I'll figure something out," I said, forcing confidence into my voice. "The pack has resources. We'll recover from this." Even as I spoke the words, I knew they rang hollow.
The pack's resources were not infinite, and this settlement would strain them significantly.
"We better," Maya said, but her tone suggested she didn't believe me. "I didn't sign up for a life of mediocrity."
I frowned.
How could she care only about the money when there was so much else at stake?
The pack's stability, our reputation, the welfare of our members – none of these seemed to concern her.
I disliked the idea of her being greedy, but she did have a point.
I had promised her all those things. Plus, she had always been practical and direct.
She wouldn’t be saying all this if they didn’t have an ounce of truth to them. I watched her, her lip quivering like she was about to break down.
Perhaps she was right. Weddings did cost money, after all.
I sighed, forcing a smile and closed the distance between us, pulling her into my arms.
"Don't worry Maya. I'll figure something out.” My throat tightened as I spoke but I went on, “Even with paying Eliza off, I can still maintain the lifestyle that we have. It'll all be fine. I promise you my love."
“That is my love.” A greedy smile appeared on Maya’s lips, and she stood up approaching me. Her arms wound over my shoulders and she pulled me in for a kiss, “You will figure something out.”