Chapter 78 *

Chapter 78 Chapter 78
Angelina’s POV
She looked at me with genuine warmth. No judgment. No superiority. Just honest friendliness.
It reminded me of someone from my previous life. A Gamma in my Pack who'd been killed during the war. She'd had the same kind of open, trusting personality.
I felt something soften slightly inside me.
"I'm only here for a few days," I said.
Savannah's face fell. "Oh no! That's so soon! Well, we should definitely hang out before you leave then!"
One of the three guys finally spoke up. "Miss Savannah, maybe we should—"
"Not now, Travis," Savannah said without looking at him. She turned back to me. "Do you like horses? We have horses! I could show you the stables!"
Franklin smiled at the interaction but then shifted his tone slightly. "Savannah, why don't you go check on the kitchen staff? Make sure they're preparing refreshments for our guests."
Savannah pouted. "But I want to talk to Aria."
"You can talk to her later. I need to discuss some business first."
She sighed dramatically. "Fine." She squeezed my hand. "Don't leave without saying goodbye, okay?"
"Okay."
She stood up reluctantly and headed toward the door. The three guys followed her like shadows.
Once they were gone, the room felt different. Quieter. More serious.
Franklin leaned back in his chair. "Thank you for your patience. Savannah can be... enthusiastic."
"She's fine," I said.
Franklin nodded. "She likes you. That's rare. Savannah is friendly to everyone, but she doesn't usually attach herself to people this quickly." Franklin's expression grew more businesslike. "Now then. Let's discuss why I invited you here."
Daniel sat up straighter.
Franklin looked directly at me. "I'll be direct. Cory's death last night has created a situation."
"Creek Pack is now leaderless. Cory was their Alpha. Without him, they have no structure. No authority. And Creek Pack, for all their flaws, controlled Casper and the surrounding areas' underground operations."
"And?"
"And now there's a power vacuum. Various groups are already positioning themselves to take over Creek Pack's territory. It could lead to violence. Turf wars. Chaos."
Franklin paused. "Redmeadow Pack is the strongest Pack in this region. We have a responsibility to maintain order. But we don't want to directly involve ourselves in Creek Pack's... dirtier businesses."
I could see where this was going.
Franklin continued. "We need someone to stabilize the situation. Someone strong. Someone who isn't tied to local politics or existing Pack alliances."
Daniel was staring at Franklin now, realization dawning on his face.
"You want Aria to take over Creek Pack," Daniel said slowly.
Franklin smiled. "Not exactly. But close."
He looked at me. "I'd like to offer you a position. Temporary Alpha, or Enforcer if you prefer the title. Your job would be to stabilize Creek Pack. Reorganize them. Clean up their operations—make them more legitimate. Maintain order so the region doesn't descend into war."
The room was silent.
Daniel looked shocked.
I kept my expression neutral.
Franklin leaned forward. "Redmeadow Pack would provide full support. Resources, funding, manpower, political connections—whatever you need. You'd have complete autonomy to run things however you see fit. The only requirement is that you keep the peace."
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because you killed an Alpha with ease. Because you're young, which means you're underestimated. Because you don't belong to any local Pack, which makes you neutral. And because I have a feeling you're far more capable than you appear."
He smiled. "You're exactly what this situation needs. A wildcard."
I looked at Franklin. His offer was generous. Very generous.
And it reminded me of something.
In my previous life, when I was Angelina, Franklin had been one of my subordinates. He had been stubborn. Difficult. He'd questioned my orders more than once. Pushed back against my authority whenever he thought he could get away with it.
I'd tolerated it because Redmeadow Pack was strategically important. But Franklin had always been a thorn in my side.
Now he was offering me a position. And he had no idea who I really was.
This could be useful.
I could use this opportunity to gather information. See what Franklin and Redmeadow Pack were really up to. Understand the current power dynamics in this region.
And it was only temporary. Once Creek Pack was stabilized, I could walk away.
"I'll do it," I said.
Franklin's eyebrows rose slightly. "Excellent. I'm pleased to hear—"
"But I have conditions."
Daniel's head snapped toward me. His expression said what the hell are you doing?
Franklin leaned back in his chair. "What kind of conditions?"
"I want a fixed salary. Monthly. Plus a percentage of the profits from Creek Pack's casinos and nightclubs."
The room went silent.
Daniel looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
Franklin studied me for a long moment. His expression was unreadable.
Then he smiled. "You're bold. I like that."
"Is that a yes?"
Franklin tapped his fingers on the armrest. "How much of a percentage are we talking about?"
"Fifteen percent."
"That's quite high for someone with no established reputation in this region."
"You said I'm exactly what this situation needs. If that's true, then fifteen percent is reasonable."
Franklin's smile widened. "Ten percent."
"Fifteen."
"Twelve."
I didn't respond immediately. Let him think I was considering it.
"Thirteen," Franklin said. "And that's my final offer."
"Fine. Thirteen percent of casino and nightclub profits. Plus a monthly salary of fifty thousand."
Daniel made a choking sound.
Franklin laughed. "You drive a hard bargain, Miss Aria. But very well. Thirteen percent and fifty thousand per month. We have a deal."
He stood and extended his hand.
I stood and shook it. His grip was firm.
"I'll have my people draw up the paperwork," Franklin said. "In the meantime, you should familiarize yourself with Creek Pack's operations. Start with their main casino. It's their biggest revenue source."
"Where is it?"
"Downtown Casper. The Silver Fang. You can't miss it."
I nodded.
Franklin walked us back to the entrance. The Rolls-Royce was already waiting.
"One more thing," Franklin said as we reached the car. "Creek Pack's remaining members don't know about this arrangement yet. I'll send word that you're coming. But expect resistance. Not everyone will accept a new Alpha easily."
"I can handle it."
"I believe you can." Franklin smiled. "Good luck, Miss Aria."
We got back into the car. Daniel waited until we were through the estate gates before he exploded.
"What the hell was that?!" He turned to me, eyes wide. "You just negotiated with one of the most powerful Pack leaders in the Northwest like you were buying a used car!"
"He made an offer. I countered. That's how negotiations work."
"But—but—" Daniel was sputtering. "You could have just accepted! Instead you asked for more money! What if he'd gotten angry? What if he'd withdrawn the offer entirely?"
"He wouldn't."
"How do you know?"
"Because he needs me more than I need him."
Daniel stared at me. "You're insane. You know that?"
I didn't respond.
He ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. Okay. Let's just... let's finish my father's business first. Then we can deal with this Creek Pack situation."
"Where are we going?"
"There's a warehouse on the east side of town. I need to pick up a package and deliver it to someone at the docks."
"Fine."
The rest of Daniel's errands took about three hours. A package pickup, a delivery, a meeting with some nervous-looking guy in a suit who handed Daniel an envelope full of cash.