Chapter 1The alliance I'd brokered just locked in a $140,000 deal for my brother's pack.
Like always, I showed up with two bottles of good whiskey.
But his son Bridger started laughing the second I walked in.
"Oh look. She's back for her cut."
"Two bottles and you think you're entitled to pack resources? That's hilarious."
I looked around the room. Five wolves. My own blood.
Not one of them said a word.
They all just stared at the floor like he'd spoken some kind of truth.
I'd been doing this for years. Bringing in allies. Taking ten percent. That was the deal. It had always been the deal.
"So that's how you all feel now?" I looked at each of them.
Garrett—my brother, the Alpha—gave me this tight smile.
"Look, Nessa. You helped when I first took over. I'm not saying you didn't. But the pack's strong now. We don't need you doing this anymore."
Imara jumped in right after. My sister.
"We've got plenty of allies lined up. Honestly, you need us more than we need you!"
Right.
So I was useless now.
Perfect. Can't wait to see how far you get on your own!
---
Bridger kept going.
"You show up every time there's a payout. Did anyone actually invite you?"
"Are you that desperate? Living off Dad's treaties?"
"He's been too nice. Every time you come around acting like you run this place, he just smiles and takes it. I'm done watching it."
I looked at Garrett.
Waited for him to say something.
He wouldn't even meet my eyes. Just kept staring at the ground.
Finally he spoke.
"The pack's doing fine now, Nessa. We don't need you negotiating for us. Those allies would've picked us anyway."
So that was it.
In his head, I hadn't done anything. The pack just naturally attracted powerful allies because they were so great.
I almost laughed.
Ten years ago, when he barely had the Alpha title, this pack had nothing. No allies. No trade routes. No respect.
He came to me crying. Begging me to help him.
I was the best negotiator in the Northern Territories. Everyone knew it. He said he needed me to bring in treaties or the pack would collapse.
He said Bridger needed proper Alpha training. That the Council fees were too high. That he didn't want his son to be weak like him.
Other packs were offering me fifteen percent back then.
But I took ten. Because I wanted Bridger to have a future. I wanted this pack to survive.
When the first treaty came through, Garrett got down on his knees in front of me. He swore I'd saved the pack. Swore that as long as Thornwright had anything, I'd have it too.
"That's not what you said ten years ago," I said.
His jaw twitched.
"Maybe I'll pay you this time. But we can't keep doing this forever. Next time—"
"Dad, don't."
Bridger cut him off.
"Don't give in. She's taken hundreds of thousands from us for doing nothing. She acts like every alliance is because of her."
"We don't need her. Plenty of packs want to work with us!"
Sure.
Plenty of packs wanted to work with them.
Packs with broken treaties. Packs that no legitimate territory would touch. Packs circling because they thought Thornwright was weak enough to exploit.
Not one of them was solid. Not one of them was like Declan Stormridge, who always kept his word.
Even the better ones would drag out payments for a year. Maybe two.
I glanced at Imara. I'd built her trade routes too.
She wouldn't look at me either.
"We needed you back then, sure. But we've been paying you for years and you haven't done anything. You've made plenty off us already."
"Besides, wolves are lining up to move my goods. I don't need pack alliances anymore."
Bridger pulled out his phone. Started tapping.
"You've taken over two hundred thousand from us. Let's call it even at two hundred. How are you paying it back?"
"Son—" Garrett reached for him.
Bridger shook him off.
"What's the problem? You don't have it? Or did you get so used to bleeding us dry you thought we'd never ask?"
Garrett stepped closer. Lowered his voice.
"Nessa. Let's just... forget your share this time. You barely helped anyway."
Chapter 2
He thought allies chose Thornwright because the pack was so strong. My negotiations had nothing to do with it.
There were plenty of strong packs in the Northern Territories. His wasn't special.
"This year?" Bridger's voice went up. "She needs to pay back everything. All ten years. If she cuts us off, good. Who needs a leech bleeding the pack dry?"
I looked at Garrett.
He wouldn't lift his head.
"Is that what you think too? Did you forget what you swore to me?"
He swallowed hard. Barely spoke loud enough for me to hear.
"That was a long time ago. By the second year, the pack was stable. I didn't need you anymore."
"But I kept paying you. For ten years. That's enough. You did nothing and took tens of thousands."
"And yeah, I appreciate you getting Bridger into Council training, but—"
Bridger cut him off.
"Thank her for what? I earned that spot. My bloodline got me in."
"When some pathetic Beta loses an argument, she brings up ancient history. Say whatever you want. You're paying us back today."
"Can't do it? Sign a blood oath."
He shoved a blade and parchment in front of me.
"We're settling this now. This pack isn't your personal treasury."
Years ago, Garrett couldn't afford proper Alpha training for Bridger. Without it, Bridger would've been sent to the outer territories for basic instruction.
The outer territories had no real mentors. Half the wolves there couldn't even track properly. Garrett begged everyone he knew for help.
I couldn't stand watching him grovel. And I wanted Bridger to have a real future.
I spent close to $42,000 over the years. Bribes to Council members. Tribute to neighboring Alphas. Securing mentors.
More than once, I drank ceremonial wine until I was sick. Took herbs to keep going. Went straight to the next negotiation.
Finally, I got Bridger into the best training program in the territories.
And now they acted like I'd been holding it over their heads.
"What exactly did I take from you?" I asked Garrett.
He wouldn't even look at me.
I laughed. Sharp and cold.
"Fine. I'll pay it back. And after today, I don't have a brother!"
"Perfect!" Bridger pulled out his phone. "Dad's better off without a parasite like you. Thanks for making this easy."
Garrett started toward us.
Bridger blocked him.
"Dad, she owes us. We're entitled to this. We're being generous by not demanding interest."
I pulled up my account. Transferred $200,000.
Everyone at the table straightened.
Bridger grinned like he'd won some kind of victory.
"You're always guilt-tripping Dad with the past. He might fall for it. I don't."
"We believe in keeping things fair. You took what wasn't yours. So you paid it back."
Once Bridger got his money, the others started circling.
Imara sat there, barely touching her drink.
I was about to leave when Bridger spoke again.
"Our account's settled. What about the aunts?"
Imara waved her hands quickly.
"No, you don't need to pay back the old shares. It's just... going forward—"
"How much do you think I owe you?" I asked her. "Say it. Let's settle everything right now."
"There's no need. You did work for us over the years. Even if it wasn't that much. That must've been tiring."
"Tiring?" Bridger laughed. "She talked to a few Alphas."
"A pack worker breaks his back every day and earns a fraction of that. She got paid just for running her mouth."
"Since we're finally being honest, let's clear everyone's debts."
I looked around the room.
"Anyone else want to end this arrangement?"
Chapter 3
The room went quiet for a second.
Then Halsey and Talia spoke up.
"Trade margins are tight," Halsey said. "Your ten percent wipes out most of our profit. Maybe we should end this arrangement too."
When her goods had been rotting in storage, she'd shown up at my door crying. Begging me to find buyers.
I'd spent days traveling between territories in the summer heat. Negotiating deals until my body gave out.
In the end, I moved everything for her.
She'd sobbed so hard she couldn't get the words out. "If these goods don't sell, I can't pay tribute. I might as well throw myself off a cliff."
Then Talia said she wanted out too. She didn't need me anymore either.
I smiled. Cold and sharp.
"When you needed me, I was your loyal sister. Now I'm a parasite?"
Halsey wouldn't meet my eyes. "We're small operations, Nessa. Don't take it personally."
Bridger jumped back in.
"If we're settling debts, let's settle all of them."
"We won't take what's yours. You don't take what's ours."
When I didn't answer, he looked even more satisfied.
"Did you really think you could leech off them forever? Do you have no shame?"
"Bridger, stop." Halsey grabbed his arm. "Nessa can't do much on her own. She's lived off our shares for years. If she can't pay, just let it go."
"Why should we? If she can't pay, she signs a blood oath. Monthly payments. However many years it takes. With interest."
"We're family," Talia said, holding him back. "We don't need to make this that ugly. We can write off the last ten years."
Bridger scoffed.
"You might as well have burned that money. You paid her for nothing and got no gratitude. She still acts like she saved you and deserved more."
"Send me your details," I said to Halsey and Talia. "I'll have the tribute transferred."
They exchanged a glance. Then sent me their information.
I grabbed the bottles and headed for the door.
The lock clicked behind me.
Bridger grinned. "Aunt Nessa, make sure the tribute comes through tonight. We're not waiting."
"It can wait until tomorrow," Halsey said. Her smile was strained.
I didn't answer.
I pulled out my phone. Made the transfers.
Within minutes, the money hit their accounts.
Halsey and Talia both smiled. They tried to hide it, but I saw the relief.
"Our debts are settled," I told them. "So is our bond."
Halsey shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe I should send half back. You've lived off our shares for years. How are you going to survive without them?"
"So you think I took your money for nothing too?"
She sighed. "I know you're proud. But I have plenty of allies now. You can't keep throwing the past in our faces."
Talia added, "Honestly, you need us more than we need you. Whether you still want to call us family is up to you."
"Come by for pack gatherings if you want. If you don't, we won't beg."
I looked at each of them.
They all had the same expression. Like I'd been getting away with something this whole time.
I didn't say another word.
I walked out.
Then I contacted the Northern Alliance and severed every alliance tied to the Thornwright Pack.
The liaison sounded thrilled. "Finally. Stormridge offered you seventeen percent, and you kept insisting on giving Thornwright the deals."
"They only gave you ten. Even our lowest-tier packs offer twelve."
I hung up.
Through the window, I could see them inside. Drinking. Laughing. Celebrating.
They had no idea they'd just signed their own death warrant.
