Chapter 134

Nicole's POV The meeting with Alpha Lucian was arranged through channels that ensured complete discretion—a private dining room at an exclusive restaurant that catered to the kind of business discussions that required absolute confidentiality. As I settled into the leather chair across from one of the most ruthless pharmaceutical executives in the werewolf community, I felt the familiar thrill that accompanied perfectly executed strategy. Lucian himself was exactly what I'd expected from his reputation: sharp-eyed, predatory, with the kind of controlled presence that suggested violence barely contained beneath a veneer of corporate sophistication. His dark suit was impeccably tailored, his silver hair styled with precision that spoke of vanity and attention to detail. But it was his smile that revealed his true nature: cold, calculating, entirely devoid of warmth or genuine emotion. "Ms. Montgomery," he said, his voice carrying the smooth authority of someone accustomed to having his e