Chapter 87:Alliance Negotiations

(Scarlett's POV) Nathan hesitated, his usually confident and composed demeanor faltering for the first time. His dark eyes reflected an unspoken question, the kind he wasn’t sure he should even voice aloud. "I’ve noticed how highly you value Roman and the Thorn Pack," he began carefully, as though testing how much he could push. "It doesn’t make sense to me. Why would someone as capable and respected as you choose to walk away from that kind of safety and security?" My fingers gripped the edge of the desk tightly, my nails pressing into the cold surface. His words brought back memories I’d shoved deep down, memories of choices I wished I’d never been forced to make. "I had my reasons," I replied sharply, my tone like a blade. Nathan didn’t back down, though I saw him hesitate. "So, it wasn’t your choice, then? What could force someone like you—" "Enough." My words came out as a snap, cutting him off mid-sentence. My emerald eyes locked onto his with a flash of anger. "You have no