Page 143 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

Ronan's laugh is low and rough. "I'll play the enforcer. Also not much of a stretch."

Lucian straightens his tie, slipping back into his role as the calculating manipulator. "Thirty seconds. Places, everyone."

We move back to our original positions—me standing uncertainly by the desk, Darius looming nearby, Lucian lounging with deceptive casualness, Ronan by the window. The fake contract lies where the real one was, awaiting my signature.

"Ready?" Darius asks, his voice already taking on that cold, commanding tone that had once intimidated me.

"Born ready," I reply, then take a deep breath and let vulnerability wash over my features.

The soft click of the surveillance system reactivating is our cue.

Darius's hand lands heavily on my shoulder, making me flinch for the cameras. "Your time is up, Ms. Vale. What's your decision?"

I let my hand tremble slightly as I pick up the pen. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

"We all have choices," Lucian says smoothly. "Some are simply less painful than others."

With deliberate hesitation, I sign the fake contract—the one that, to anyone watching, appears to surrender my autonomy and my father's empire to these three Alphas. The one that makes me look like a defeated Omega accepting her place in their world.

Only the four of us know the truth—that beneath our performance lies a partnership that might just burn The Society to the ground.

"It's done," I whisper, letting a single tear track down my cheek for dramatic effect. "I hope you're satisfied."

Darius takes the pen from my fingers, his touch lingering just long enough to appear possessive. "Very satisfied, Ms. Vale." His voice drops to a register that would sound seductive to outside observers but carries a different message to me:Well played.

"Welcome to your new life," Ronan adds, finally turning from the window to fix me with a predatory stare that, to me alone, holds a glint of approval.

Lucian rises, crossing to stand beside me. His hand settles at the small of my back, a touch that would read as proprietary to anyone watching. "I think this calls for a celebration, don't you, gentlemen?"

Their agreement is immediate and convincing. To The Society, it would appear that three Alphas are preparing to enjoy their new acquisition. Only we know the truth—that we're celebrating the first successful move in our campaign against the very organization that's been manipulating all of us.

As we exit the room—Darius's hand guiding me with feigned possessiveness, Lucian and Ronan flanking us like guards—I allow myself a moment of private satisfaction.

The most dangerous creature isn't the one that bares its teeth first, but the one that waits for the perfect moment to strike.

27

THE COUNTDOWN TO STRIKE

~SERENITY~

The bulletproof Bentley glided through Manhattan traffic, its tinted windows concealing the four occupants from curious eyes.

Serenity sat between Ronan and Lucian in the spacious back seat, while Darius occupied the passenger seat beside his driver—a former special forces operative whose loyalty had been secured through means she'd chosen not to inquire about.

"How long until The Society processes the contract?" she asked once they were safely out of range of any potential surveillance.

Darius turned slightly in his seat. "Their legal team will review it immediately. Official recognition should come through by morning."

"Just in time for the final day of the hunt," Lucian added, his amber eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Your timing was impeccable, as always, Castellano."

"The Society believes they're watching a straightforward power play," Ronan said, his deep voice rumbling through her where their shoulders touched. "Three Alphas claiming an Omega and her inheritance. Tale as old as time in their world."

"While in reality," Serenity continued, unable to keep the edge of excitement from her voice, "we've just established the legal framework to dismantle their entire operation."

The real contract—the one currently secured inside Lucian's custom-tailored jacket—did much more than establish their pack bond. It created a sophisticated structure of shared assets and powers that, once registered with The Society's archaic legal system, would give them unprecedented leverage against them.

"The irony," Lucian mused, "is that they've provided the very tools we'll use to destroy them. Their obsession with bloodlines and ancient rituals makes them vulnerable to someone who understands modern financial warfare."

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