Chapter 132
{Ronan’s POV}
The Global Finance Leadership Summit looked every bit like what its name promised, a parade of wealth, ego, and everything even remotely tied to it.
Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling like always. But I could bet the lodgings that these promised to be crafted from even rarer precious stones than previous years. “Classic.”
Their light scattered across tuxedos, gowns, and the gleam of frankly… excessive jewelry. Surrounding those were waiters who moved with quiet efficiency, passing trays of champagne flutes, appetizers, and whatever the esteemed guests required. And with surprisingly less incidents this time. Now that had me impressed. Both at the elite and those that poured time and effort into serving here.
Make that double impressed. The tune from the string quartet was absolutely heavenly, but asides myself, I knew no one was truly listening… because this wasn’t about music or food. It was about power. The true currency of the world we knew.
I had half a mind to turn back at the doors. If it weren’t for the Council, for the weight tied to appearances here, I would have. After the day Lisa and I had shared, I would have preferred to stay at the estate, with her, with Heri, in the warmth of their presence rather than this room chilled by false smiles. But duty had dragged me here. It helped convincingmyself I was doing this for them.
I straightened my cuffs as I walked around, every step measured, keeping my wits the entire time. Eyes turned, whispers rippled. It wasn’t my imagination either. This was something the Council… and the Elders made certain of it. They liked a spectacle, and what better than parading the supposed frontrunners in front of the crowd? Lucien and I, shoulder to shoulder, competitors masked as peers. Sickening as it was, this was how it had to be.
Lucien was already farther into the building than I was. “Hm, looks like he got here early.”
Of course he was. Perfectly placed, shaking hands, laughing too loudly at something a fellow tycoon said. His numbers had climbed in my absence, a narrow lead, but enough for the headlines to dangle him as their favorite.
The announcement came soon after, the Council representative stepping up to the podium with a smile that never reached his eyes. He called out the leaders by name, mine and Lucien’s, and the crowd turned in unison. My jaw tightened.
We were both summoned forward. Speeches, they said. Which was odd, considering this was supposed to be a summit, not some announcement ceremony. Still, I stepped to the microphone with practiced ease.
With a light clap, I began. “Lovely being here ladies, gentlemen, children.” That last part gained a windfall of laughs.
“Werewolves great and small.” I continued. “It's always a pleasure making your acquaintances whenever I am graced with the opportunity. I trust you have all enjoyed the past couple weeks as much as I have. But alas, all honeymoons must come to an end.” They laughed once again.
“As with all things, a time to sow and a time to reap… and growth does not happen in leaps fueled by chance. It comes with steady work, discipline, reliability, plus the knowledge to know when to go on a break, or pass the baton. All that to say, stability is what sustains an empire. Not the flare of sudden advantage, but the certainty of endurance and legacy.”
I kept it simple, not too long. Just flashy enough for the old heads to give satisfied nods. My gaze never strayed from the crowd, though I could feel Lucien’s stare boring into the side of my head.
When it was his turn, he strode up like a man certain the stage had been built for him. His smile stretched wide, his words slick and polished. He really did love being ahead of me. ‘Clown.’
“The future belongs to those who act decisively,” he said, his tone warm but laced underneath. “We cannot afford leaders who hesitate, who vanish when the world demands their presence. A true leader takes charge now, not later.”
The jab was clear. He was targeting my absence. My honeymoon. Which isn't to say I didn’t make jabs either. His were just a bit too on the nose.
His smile widened, feeding off the small laughter it sparked in certain corners.
I stepped aside, taking a glass from a passing tray. I hadn’t realized my mic was still live when I muttered, “Maybe the Council should ask him to lead their comedy hour.”
The chuckle from the audience told me immediately. My words had carried.
Lucien froze mid-sentence, the corner of his eye twitching visible even from where I stood.
I clicked the mic off quickly, lifting my glass in his direction with a gesture of goodwill. “To you, Lucien,” I said loudly enough for the nearest to hear. The room rippled with laughter again, only this time at his expense.
His jaw clenched, but he managed to force a thin smile.
Inside, I was satisfied. I had no idea if that was his entire speech, or not but it looked like he was still easy to rattle. He could polish his image, but beneath it he was fragile. That fragility would crack when it mattered most.
Over time, the crowd’s reaction balanced. Applause for both speeches, support divided as all things tend to be.
While some clapped harder for him, others did for me. There was no clear winner, nor clear dismissal. Which was exactly how they wanted it.
As the evening stretched on, I scanned the room, and I could already tell this would be a long, longgg summit. Not for investors or competitors, but for the names Heri had divulged. Those snakes Elders Veyra and Mallon Kal.
I stared down at my watch for a second, then back up. Gliding across the crowd.
My gaze found Veyra first. He stood close to Lucien, too close for it to be coincidence. Their posture wasn’t that of casual acquaintances. It wasn’t even the formal distance of political allies. It was one of trust. The kind of trust that bred schemes. The kind of schemes that led to the death of others.
I narrowed my eyes.
They weren’t building Lucien up for nothing. This was a plan. A carefully laid one, and this only served to confirm my suspicion, they were doing it so they would have someone they could manipulate as the King of Wolves.
I was still watching when a voice called my name from behind. Low, familiar, and sharp enough to draw me from my thoughts.
I turned, then froze and the crowd blurred for a moment, voices dimming. She stood there, as though plucked from a memory I had almost managed to bury.
“Lena...”