Chapter 117 The Unspoken Claim

Chapter 117 The Unspoken Claim

Bennett's POV

"Find out where Stephanie is going tonight." My voice was low, clipped, each word an order. 

I ended the call without waiting for a reply, ripping my tie loose in a sharp, impatient motion. 

Donna's pale, frightened face flashed in my mind, but I didn't have the space in my head to care about her fear.

My thoughts were a storm caught in a steel cage, slamming against the bars with no way out. 

Clayton's sudden disappearance. My grandfather's warning—sharp, final, almost an exile in all but name. Frederick's smug threats, each one a blade pressing just enough to let me feel the edge.

They pounded through me in a brutal rhythm, a drumbeat that refused to let up. But none of it—none—came close to the storm Stephanie unleashed in me.

The way her eyes went cold when they met mine, stripping me bare without a word. The faint, mocking curl of her lips, as if she knew exactly where to cut so it wouldn't bleed but would still hurt like hell.

Damn her. Who the hell did she think she was… looking at me like that?

My wolf snarled under my skin, a low, restless growl I could almost hear. If she thought I'd let that slide, she was dead wrong.

My phone buzzed. A message from Donna.

Donna: [Alpha, Pritchett Pack's wedding anniversary party. Miss Valerius is on the guest list.]

'Perfect. If you won't answer my calls, Stephanie, I'll make sure you have no choice but to see me,' I thought.

Stephanie's POV

"Miss, we've arrived." Anna's soft voice pulled me out of the tangle of my thoughts.

The last event, the one my grandfather had arranged in my favor, had been little more than a public stage for the elders to push me toward Karon. Their transparent matchmaking had kept my wolf restless, pacing inside me. And now, knowing I'd be seeing Karon tonight, my heart began to pound in spite of myself.

I lifted my gaze to the window. The Valerius Pack headquarters towered above the city, a silver-gray skyscraper like a blade cutting into the clouds.

My mother, Isabelle, walked beside me as we entered the grand hall. The moment we stepped inside, dozens of eyes turned toward us in unison. Curiosity. Appraisal. Respect. The air was thick with it.

"That's Stephanie?"

"She's nothing like the rumors—her presence is... commanding."

A group of young Alphas, dressed in tailored suits, lounged in the nearby seating area. Their gazes were openly fixed on me, their voices low but not discreet.

Isabelle moved with the grace of a queen, nodding politely to those who greeted her. She leaned toward me, her voice quiet but sharp. "Do you remember them? We saw them at the private dining club—grandsons of Ivan, William, and the rest. They're all watching you. Remember, you are a daughter of the Valerius family. Hold yourself like it. Give them nothing they can use to talk about you."

Her protective pride made me smile despite myself.

Just then, her assistant hurried over, whispering something into her ear. Isabelle's brow creased.

"Darling," she said, apologetic but firm, "there's an urgent matter with the Energy Commission. I need to handle it personally. Stay here and relax. Anna will be with you."

She paused, then added, "And don't forget—the Pack's charity gala in two days. That will be your formal introduction, your best chance to build connections."

When she left, I took a seat in the lounge area, choosing a quiet corner by the floor-to-ceiling windows. The city lights glittered beyond the glass. Anna brought me an iced Americano, setting it gently in front of me.

Karon had messaged earlier, saying he would be here. I sipped my coffee, letting my eyes wander over the crowd, searching without making it obvious.

That was when I felt it—a familiar presence, heavy and commanding, pushing through the air toward me. I didn't need to turn around to know.

Karon.

He moved without hesitation, cutting straight through the crowd with the steady stride of a man who owned every space he entered. The tailored black suit fit him like it had been made for no one else. The moment he appeared, the lounge seemed to shift around him, light bending toward his presence.

The young Alphas who had been whispering about me straightened instinctively, their expressions shifting from casual interest to something closer to reverence.

He didn't glance at them. His eyes were locked on me.

"Mr. Thorn?" Anna's voice trembled slightly under the weight of his aura.

"Long time no see, Miss Valerius." His deep gaze held a flicker of something I couldn't read.

"We saw each other yesterday," I said, arching a brow.

"Did we?" His tone was teasing, feigning surprise. "It feels like it's been a century."

The unexpected warmth in his words sent a flush to my cheeks. My heart skipped; Anna looked as if she'd forgotten how to breathe.

"The charity gala in two days," Karon said, not giving me time to recover, "I happen to be in need of a date." His eyes locked on mine, intense and unyielding. "Would I have the honor of taking you with me?"

The certainty in his gaze told me I had no real choice. And truthfully, I didn't want one.

"My honor," I said, nodding.

His smile deepened, the kind that could pull you in and keep you there. He sat down across from me without asking, as if the seat had been waiting for him.

I was about to speak when movement caught my eye—Marcus, with Leon beside him, approaching.

"Mr. Thorn? You're here too?" Marcus's tone was polite, but there was a flicker of knowing in his expression.

Leon grinned, easy and familiar. "Hey, there you are. Thought you'd been cornered by the old guard."

Marcus gave me a courteous nod. "Miss Valerius. Good evening."

Oscar arrived next, greeting me before turning to Karon. His eyes narrowed slightly, confusion flickering before recognition struck. In the business world, Oscar was quick to connect dots. His gaze shifted from uncertainty to shock, as if matching Karon's face to a legend he'd only heard in whispers.

Karon gave Oscar a brief, indifferent glance before turning his eyes back to me, as if to say, "Your friend?"

Oscar's smile faltered, replaced by something more careful. "Miss Valerius... I didn't realize you and Mr. Thorn were acquainted. That's... unexpected."

The pause was deliberate, the final word layered with meaning.

Karon didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached for my empty cup, sliding it toward Anna. 

"Get her another," he said, his tone casual but carrying the weight of command.

Only then did he look at Oscar, a faint smile curving his lips. "You seem very interested in my personal life."