Chapter 51: Family Secrets

I stared at Victoria. She looked the same. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect clothes. Everything about her screamed money.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Like I said. We need to talk. About family business." She stood. Looked around the gym with disgust. "Though maybe somewhere cleaner? This place is gross."

"This is my home. Say what you need here."

Victoria's smile got tight. "Fine. Your mother's estate. The lawyers called me. As next of kin, I'm in charge now."

"What about my father?"

"Your father doesn't want it. He gave everything to me." She pulled papers from her purse. "Which means I control it all. The house. The money. The business."

"Okay. So?"

"So your mother left you nothing. Cut you out. Changed her will three months ago." Victoria looked happy. "Every penny goes to me and my brother. You get zero."

I should have felt something. Mad maybe. Sad. But I felt nothing.

"Okay," I said.

Victoria blinked. "Okay? That's it?"

"What do you want me to say? My mother hated me. Of course she cut me out."

"You're not going to fight it?"

"No. Take the money. I don't want it." I crossed my arms. "Is that all?"

"Not quite." Victoria's smile came back. "There's your trust fund. The one grandma set up."

"What about it?"

"Your mother controlled it. Now I do. And I'm freezing it. You don't get it until you're twenty five."

Now I felt something. Anger.

"That money is mine. Grandma left it to me. Not my mother. Not you."

"But your mother was in charge. Now I am. Those are the rules." Victoria put papers away. "Unless you want to fight me in court. But that costs money. Money you don't have."

Cole stepped forward. "She has me. I have money. Lawyers. We'll fight."

"Oh, the boyfriend. How cute." Victoria looked at Cole like dirt. "But this is family business. Stay out."

"He's my mate. That makes him family." I moved closer. "And if you try to steal my money, I'll make your life hell."

"Threats? How trashy." Victoria's smile was cold. "But go ahead. Sue me. While you're busy with lawyers, I'll spend your money. Live in your mother's house. Run the business."

"I don't care about the business."

"No? What about the workers? The people who need their jobs? Should I fire them all? Sell the company?" She tilted her head. "Because that's what I'll do. Unless you cooperate."

"Cooperate how?"

"Sign over everything. House. Money. Trust fund. Business. All to me. In writing." Victoria pulled out more papers. "Do that, and I keep the company going. Keep the workers. Everyone wins."

"Except me."

"You lost when you ran away. When you picked this life over family." Victoria's voice got mean. "You wanted freedom? Great. You're free. And broke."

I wanted to hit her. Wanted to shift and scare her.

But that would prove her right. That I was crazy. That I didn't belong.

"I need time to think," I said.

"You have twenty four hours. Sign or I sell everything." Victoria walked to the door. Stopped. "Oh, and one more thing. Your brother James. His trust fund? I'm taking that too. He's dead, so it comes to me."

"James wanted that money for wolf charities. He told me."

"Show me in writing. No? Then it's mine." She smiled. "Twenty four hours, Lita. Tick tock."

She left.

I stood there. Shaking with anger.

"That witch," Stacey said. "She can't do that. Can she?"

"If she's in charge, probably yes," Cole said. He pulled out his phone. "But I'm calling my lawyer."

"Don't." I put my hand on his phone. "She wants me to fight. To look desperate."

"So what do we do?"

"We let her think she won. I sign the papers. Give her everything."

"What? No!" Stacey looked shocked. "That's your money. Your future."

"No. It's my past. My old life. I don't want it." I looked at them. "I have everything here. The pack. You guys. Money doesn't matter."

"But your trust fund," Cole started.

"Is money from a grandma who never talked to me. Who only gave it because she had to. Not because she loved me." I breathed. "Let Victoria have it. All of it. I'm done with that family."

Cole looked at me. "You sure?"

"Completely."

"Then I support you. But Lita, James's money. The charities. That was his wish."

"I know. But without proof, we can't stop her."

"Maybe we can." The Elder walked over. She'd been listening. "James came to me before he died. Asked me to witness his wishes. I have them in writing. Signed."

Hope hit. "Really?"

"Really. He wanted his trust split between three wolf charities. Named them. Had me make it official." The Elder smiled. "It's legal. Victoria can't touch it."

Relief washed over me. "Thank god. James would hate her getting his money."

"I'll send it to Victoria's lawyer. Let them know James's money is protected." The Elder looked at me. "But your money? You sure?"

"Yes. I don't need it. Don't want it. That money comes with strings. With family thinking they own me." I stood tall. "I'd rather be broke and free than rich and trapped."

The Elder nodded. "Smart. Sometimes winning means walking away."

"That's what I'm doing. Walking away for good."

Stacey hugged me. "You're crazy. But I respect it."

"Thanks."

Cole pulled me close. "We'll be okay. I have enough for both of us. And the pack helps its own."

"I know."

But that night, alone in our room, doubt came.

What if I made a mistake? What if I needed that money?

What if Victoria hurt people? Destroyed the business? Fired workers?

"You're thinking too loud," Cole said from bed.

"Sorry."

"Come here."

I got in bed. He wrapped his arms around me.

"You did right. That money would poison you. Make you like them."

"Maybe. But what about the workers? People who'll lose jobs?"

"Not your problem. They'll find new jobs." He kissed my head. "You can't save everyone. Not from your family."

"I know. But I wish I could."

"That's what makes you good. You care. Even about people who hurt you." He pulled me closer. "Now sleep. Tomorrow we deal with what comes."

I closed my eyes. Tried to sleep.

But my phone buzzed. Unknown number.

"You think giving up money makes you noble? It makes you stupid. That money could help the pack. Build things. Save lives. But you threw it away. Some Luna you are."

A photo attached. The gym. From outside. Someone was watching.

I showed Cole.

His eyes went black. "Someone's here. On our land."

"Who?"

"Don't know. But I'll find out."

He shifted. Ran out.

I followed. But by the time I got outside, they were gone.

Just the text stayed.

A warning. A threat.

Someone was watching. Waiting. Planning.

And I had no idea who or why.