Chapter 80 *

Chapter 80 Chapter 80
Angelina’s POV
He started walking toward me, cracking his knuckles.
Franklin finally spoke up. "Gentlemen, I would strongly advise—"
"Stay out of this, Alpha Franklin," Patrick growled. "This is between me and her."
Franklin went quiet. But I saw the slight smile on his face.
He wanted to see this.
Patrick stopped about ten feet away from me. He was breathing hard, working himself up.
"I'm going to make you regret walking in here," he said.
"Probably not."
His eyes flashed. Then he charged.
He was fast. His fist came at my face with serious power behind it.
I caught his wrist mid-swing.
His eyes widened.
I twisted his arm, stepped inside his guard, and swept his leg.
Patrick hit the floor hard. The impact rattled the table.
The whole thing took maybe two seconds.
I let go of his wrist and stepped back.
Patrick lay on the floor, gasping. He tried to push himself up but his arm gave out.
"That's it?" I said. "That's Creek Pack's strongest warrior?"
The room was dead silent.
Patrick finally managed to get to his knees. His face was bright red. Shame and anger mixed together.
"How..." he wheezed. "How did you..."
"You're slow. Predictable. And you rely too much on brute strength." I looked around the room. "If this is the level Creek Pack operates at, no wonder Cory got himself killed."
Someone at the table made a choking sound.
I walked back to the Alpha's chair and sat down again.
"Anyone else want to try?" I asked.
Nobody moved.
"Good." I leaned back in the chair. "Now that we've established the hierarchy, let's talk business."
Franklin stood up. "I believe Miss Aria has made her point. Redmeadow Pack's decision stands. She will serve as Creek Pack's acting Alpha until stability is restored to this territory."
He looked around the room. "Does anyone have further objections?"
Silence.
Franklin's voice hardened. "I asked a question."
Patrick slowly got to his feet. He was holding his shoulder where I'd twisted it.
"No objections," he said quietly. Then he looked at me. "A...Alpha."
The word hung in the air.
One by one, the others at the table stood up.
"No objections, Alpha."
"We'll follow your lead, Alpha."
"Welcome to Creek Pack, Alpha."
I watched them all stand. Watched them submit.
This was familiar territory. I'd done this dozens of times in my previous life.
Different Pack. Different people. Same result.
"Sit down," I said.
They sat.
I looked at each face around the table. "Here's how this is going to work. I'm in charge. You follow my orders. You run your operations the way I tell you to run them. Anyone who has a problem with that can leave right now."
Nobody left.
"Good." I nodded. "Now someone explain to me exactly how Creek Pack makes money."
Trent spoke up for the first time. "The casino is our biggest revenue source. We also run three nightclubs, two strip clubs, and a handful of underground gambling dens across Wyoming."
"What else?"
Uncomfortable silence.
"Answer the question," I said.
Patrick cleared his throat. "Some... other businesses. Import-export. Private security. Debt collection."
"Trafficking?" I asked.
More uncomfortable silence.
"Yes," Patrick finally admitted. "People. Goods. Whatever pays."
I'd expected that. Creek Pack's reputation was well-known.
"That stops," I said.
Several people looked up in shock.
"What?" someone asked.
"The trafficking stops. Immediately. Shut down those operations."
"But that's a huge part of our income!" Patrick protested.
"I don't care. Those operations attract too much attention from law enforcement and other Packs. They're liabilities."
"The casino and clubs don't make nearly as much—"
"Then you'll make them more efficient. Cut costs. Increase profits. Figure it out."
Patrick looked like he wanted to argue more but didn't dare.
I continued. "From now on, Creek Pack operates as a legitimate business. The casino, the clubs, the security firm—all of it by the book. No more kidnapping. No more forced labor. No more slavery."
"You're destroying everything Cory built," someone muttered.
"Cory's dead," I said flatly. "What he built doesn't matter anymore."
The room went quiet again.
I stood up. "Meeting adjourned. I want financial reports on my desk tomorrow morning. Every operation, every revenue stream, every expense. Patrick, you're in charge of gathering that information."
Patrick nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Alpha."
"The rest of you, business continues as usual for now. But start thinking about how to transition away from the illegal operations. You have one month."
I walked toward the door. Daniel scrambled to follow me.
As we left, I heard voices behind us.
"Did that really just happen?"
"She destroyed Patrick in two seconds..."
"Maybe this won't be so bad..."
"At least she's not making us call her Alpha Cory..."
Franklin caught up to us in the hallway. "Impressive performance, Miss Aria."
"Thanks."
"Though I must admit, I'm curious about your decision to eliminate the trafficking operations. That's going to cut Creek Pack's income significantly."
"Those operations are too risky. They attract enemies and attention. If you want stability, they have to go."
Franklin studied me for a moment. "You're quite pragmatic for someone so young."
"I'm practical."
"Indeed." He smiled. "I look forward to seeing what you do with Creek Pack. I have a feeling it will be... interesting."
We reached the elevator. Franklin didn't follow us inside.
The elevator doors slid open on the main floor. I stepped out into the noise. Daniel was right behind me, still looking nervous from everything that had happened upstairs.
"So what now?" he asked. "Are we heading back to the hotel?"
"Not yet. I - " Then I saw him. Just for a second. A glimpse through the crowd near the high-stakes poker tables.
Dark hair. Tall frame. That distinctive way of standing.
Caelan.
My steps faltered.
What the hell was he doing here?
This was Wyoming. Creek Pack territory. There was no reason for Caelan Thorne, Alpha of Evergreen Pack, to be in this specific casino at this specific time.
Unless... Unless he'd followed me here.
"Aria?" Daniel's voice cut through my thoughts. "You okay? You just stopped walking."
I blinked and turned to look at him. "What?"
"You zoned out for a second there. Staring at something." He followed my gaze toward the poker tables. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I turned away from where I'd seen Caelan. "Let's go."
But my mind was racing.
It couldn't be a coincidence. Caelan showing up here, now. He had to have tracked me somehow.
But how? I'd been careful. I'd told my family I was going to Logan's lake house. I'd used cash for most transactions. I'd stayed off social media.
So how did he find me?
"Are you sure you're okay?" Daniel asked again. "You seem distracted."
"I'm fine. Just tired."
We headed toward the exit. The main doors were just ahead.
I glanced back one more time, scanning the crowd.
No sign of him now.
Maybe I'd imagined it. But I didn't think so.
That had been Caelan. I was sure of it.
Which meant he was here. In Casper. Probably watching me right now.
We'd just reached the casino entrance when I heard shouting behind us.
"Move! Out of the way!"
I turned around.
A blonde girl in a sparkly dress was pushing through the crowd. She looked familiar - "
Savannah.
Three security guards were chasing after her, looking stressed.
"Miss Savannah, please! You can't be in here!"
"Your grandfather is going to kill us if something happens to you!"
"Please just go back to the car!"
Savannah ignored them completely. She was heading straight toward the center of the casino floor, looking around like she was searching for something.
Or someone.
Then her eyes landed on me.
Her face lit up. "Aria!"
She changed direction and started running toward me.
The security guards looked panicked now.
"Miss Savannah, wait!"
She didn't wait. She ran right up to me, breathing hard, her face flushed with excitement.
"Aria! Thank god you're still here! I need your help!"
I stared at her. "What are you doing in a casino? You're what, seventeen?"
"Sixteen, actually. But that's not important right now." She grabbed my arm. "Please, you have to take me out! I'm so bored! Grandpa won't let me do anything fun and I've been stuck in that stupid estate for three days and I'm going insane!"
The security guards caught up to us, out of breath.
"Miss Savannah," one of them said desperately. "Your grandfather specifically said you weren't allowed to leave the estate without permission. If he finds out we let you come hereâ€""
"He won't find out if you don't tell him," Savannah said cheerfully. She turned back to me. "Aria, please? Just for a few hours? We could go shopping or get food or anything! I promise I'll behave!"
I opened my mouth to say no.
Then I heard more shouting from the entrance.
"Everyone move! Make way!"
The crowd near the doors suddenly parted.
And I saw them.
Two men walking through the entrance. Both in expensive suits. Both moving with the kind of confidence that made people step aside automatically.
The one in front was wearing a dark gray suit. Wire-rimmed glasses. Rowan, Caelan’s Beta.
Behind him was... Caelan.