Claire’s P. O. V
I’ve been waiting for Ethan Randall for almost thirty minutes now, with no clue what he’s up to behind that worn-out wooden door.
Propping up my chin, I yawn a few times, feeling bored. This place feels alien to me. Plus, all these strangers keep glancing at me, judging me with their eyes, acting like I don’t belong there.
I didn’t plan on staying long, but I had no choice. I can’t even talk to Danny, who’s making sure I don’t say anything about Christopher Gale. Because of that, I can’t interrogate anyone.
I scan the room, leaning on my chin. Nothing interesting, just a bunch of people giving me dirty looks. It feels like they’re about to eat me alive.
“When are they gonna be done?” I ask Danny, who’s still eyeing me suspiciously.
Is he scared I’ll talk about Christopher Gale? If that’s the case, I think Christopher Gale has something I need to know. It’s absurd for a fake Alpha like him to run a pack as big as The Moon Fall Pack.
Of course, there is no way a fake Alpha should lead The Moon Fall. If not, Chen Lien wouldn’t have called repeatedly him a ‘fake Alpha’ in our conversation last night.
It feels like deja vu. I feel like I know this guy. Not just from a woman’s perspective, but my inner wolf is screaming, hating that old man. But whenever I try to recall my past, it’s all blurry, just memories of dorms and churches. Nothing else.
Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly notice a black card on the table before me. I look up to see who gave it to me, and I’m a bit shocked-it’s Ethan.
“What’s this?”
“You can use it if you want and head to the hotel first. I still have some work to do,” he says.
I glance at Danny, surprised. “You’re letting me go with him?” I ask.
“Of course, he’s my Beta. You can trust him, even though he’s a bit crazy.”
“Hey!” Danny protests.
He might like Ethan’s praise, but not the insults. But I have to agree, Ethan’s right. Danny is a bit nuts with his jokes and skills as a Beta, handling most of that guy’s work.
“Alpha, you should thank me for being so good to you!”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Hey! That didn’t sound sincere at all.”
“I’m praising you with all my heart.”
“That’s all lies!” Danny keeps shouting like an idiot, just as Ethan said.
While they bicker, I stare at the black card. I remember Agatha flaunting her black card. She always said only certain people could have it-those with extraordinary wealth, like rulers or business people with vast networks.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“You’ll need money in a foreign place. This card can be used regardless of the bank in this country.”
Of course. Agatha once told me about it. A black card is usable by any bank worldwide. I thought it was just a little girl’s bragging, but it is here, honest.
“You’ll take this back when we leave, so I don’t need it,” I say, returning the card to Ethan. But he won’t take it. I asked. It felt like getting hit by a chunk of gold-too unreal yet genuine.
“I have plenty of those. Giving you one won’t break me,” he says, walking away with Danny.
Oh, so he has more than one of these? Does he collect these things just for his amusement? Or is it because he has so much dirty money that he doesn’t know what to do after laundering it? Who knows, it’s an illegal business-anything can happen with the money this guy makes. After that, he leaves with the people who called him into that room behind the old door, and then they drive off in a car, leaving us.
Wow, the black card Agatha once boasted about, claiming only a select few could have. But look, I got one for free from Ethan Randall. Something Agatha always bragged about with arrogance.
“Lady Torrance never got access to even one card, but you got it so easily,” Danny says, sounding bitter.
“Want to take it from me?” I offer it again, but he shakes his head.
“No, keep it and use it well. Alpha Ethan would appreciate it,” Danny says.
I might have offended Danny, but it seems effective in getting the Beta to tell me the truth I want. For now, I want to leave this place.
I leave, followed by Danny. He stays silent the whole way, not saying a word even when we get in the car to find a restaurant and hotel, as Ethan wanted.
“What kind of place do you want to stay, Lady Halle?”
“I want to explore this city a bit. It’s the second country I’ve visited, so can I look around?” I try my luck in negotiating with Danny.
“You’re troublesome, aren’t you?”
“If your Alpha marries Lady Torrance, you’ll never see me again. Isn’t it fair to grant me this simple request? Besides, I have the black card Ethan gave me,” I say, showing the card to Danny.
“Oh, you won the bet, Miss Halle. Maybe I’ll listen to you this time, at least for now,” he says.
I glanced at Danny while he was driving, like a kid sulking. Of course, you have to because otherwise, why would Ethan Randall keep me with him without rejecting me, imprisoning me, treating me like a captive, or worse, a whore?
The answer is I’m valuable. That’s why he treats me like a polished diamond, enhancing my beauty without diminishing my value. The only question is, who am I being offered to once Ethan finds me valuable enough?
“I’ll take you out for lunch at a nicer place with food you’re used to. Is that a good start?” he started offering me.
I smile at him. “Wow, you want me gone from The Silver Fire Pack, Danny?”
“You’re the one who brought up the agreement first.”
“Alright, let’s do it. I’m craving some fish right now.”
“Huh, your taste is awful.”
“Is a Luna not allowed to eat fish dishes?”
“No, it just sounds unusual.”