Chapter 39

Penny

It was almost time.

Never for once had I been under the misconception that Lucien Steel was stupid. No, maybe blinded by love but definitely not stupid. Those blue watchful eyes of his were calculating, sharp. I noticed the way he looked at me, at everyone who wasn't Olivia whenever we were eating breakfast or dinner like we were his enemies.

And he was probably right.

Personally, I blamed it all on that stupid little girl, Elena. She'd almost cost me years of planning by making that stupid revelation to him. Now he was suspicious of everyone and everything. I imagined the betrayal cut him deep. It was almost pathetic how people fell in love and turned into complete buffoons. Why would one want to have such a weakness? An appendage that never went away?

Love was a weakness and I was grateful I had nothing to do with it.

Marrying once had been to acquire wealth. Left to me, I wouldn't have performed the despicable act. Every night when I had to lie down and let him touch me, digust had filled me. Thank fuck I had sense enough to take preventive measures to keep from getting with child, otherwise I'd have been burdened by now.

Thinking about it now, I probably shouldn't have told Olivia I wanted to speak with Mason. As Luna, I'd figured she held some power without needing to run to her husband for permission. I should've just gone there and spoken to him myself. I needed to get in his head, find out certain things, get answers to questions that hovered around me. How much did he despise Lucien? Enough to want him dead?

Most importantly, I needed to know if he'd fight by my side. From what I'd managed to gather, he hated his brother almost as much I did. It would be such a waste for him to die just like that.

The look on Lucien's face told me he hadn't liked my question. Screw him. If I was already sure that I had enough back up, he'd be dead by now. Who did he think he was? This was my house as well.

Thankfully, things weren't completely ruined. Walking to the small wardrobe in my room, I opened it and quickly searched for my potion. It was the full moon tonight and suddenly transforming was the last thing I wanted. It wasn't yet time to reveal myself. I gulped down the foul-smelling liquid, wincing as it went down my throat and into my body.

There was a slight pain that always accompanied the potion and I let it wear out my body, not fighting it. My werewolf side was one that hadn't seen the light of day in a long time. I had to finish this soon and let my wolf out or I wouldn't be able to control her; I was already having a hard time of it.

I had met with some of the Elders. Surprisingly, it had gone smoothly. Given their allegiance to the previous Alpha, I'd thought it would have taken more than a few sentences to convince them that there was need for a new regime. After all, the current Alpha was consumed by his love for his wife and had failed to recognise that the pack needed to be ruled by a strict hand.

He was too lenient, too weak.

I, on the other hand, had no weaknesses. The law stated that whoever killed the Alpha would become Alpha. Unlike my daughter, I didn't have a heart. There was no line between good and right for me. I knew what I wanted and how to get it, and i did not hesitate. That was the difference between us.

She considered herself good, but little did she know that good people usually never win.

The Elders were more than happy to hear my past story and how I was connected to the Steel name. If one thought about it, I had the Steel blood running through my veins. I was older, more experienced. Who was to say I had no claim to being Alpha?

My mother had been kicked to the curb for being a mere maid, a side piece, but it didn't matter. Her alliance with Robert Steel had birthed a new generation—me. Sadly, she had died before the full veracity of who she'd birthed hit her. I was the rightful heir to the Steel name and I would make sure my mother didn't die in vain. I'd make them all suffer for what she went through, how she was humilated and shamed for getting pregnant for another woman's husband and left to fend for herself and her newborn in poverty.

Once I had them fully on my side, I would strike. After I was through with Lucien and that snarky daughter of mine, everything that should have been my mother's would finally be mine.

As they should be.