Page 76 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

"My father's empire wasn't built on sentimentality," she answered, the words feeling hollow even as she spoke them. "Neither will mine be."

The silence that followed hung heavy, until Ronan broke it with a harsh laugh. "And here I thought we were forming a fucking book club." He raised his glass in mock toast. "To business partnerships, then."

As the Alphas dispersed to make arrangements for the night, Serenity remained motionless, the day's events playing onrepeat in her mind. The explosion. The threats. The unexpected alliance that had formed in the aftermath.

This wasn't supposed to be my life, she thought, tracing the rim of her glass. Marcus Vale's daughter or not, she'd built her own identity—financial consultant, independent woman, beholden to no one. Now she was at the center of a power struggle she hadn't asked for, surrounded by Alphas whose motives remained unclear.

Yet when they'd stood together against the Society, something had resonated within her—something primal and undeniable. The way they'd moved in sync, complementing each other's strengths without a word exchanged. Darius with his calculated precision, Ronan with his raw force, Lucian with his quiet authority. And herself—the unexpected variable that somehow completed the equation.

A pack. The concept had always seemed archaic to her, a relic of bygone days when Omegas were traded like commodities. But what if there was more to it? What if this forced alliance offered something beyond mere survival?

She rose, drawn to the window. Below, the city continued its rhythmic pulse, oblivious to how her world had shattered and reformed in the span of hours. The reflection that stared back at her was familiar yet changed—the same golden eyes with their distinctive red flecks, but a new resolve hardening behind them.

"Planning your escape route?" Lucian's voice came from behind her, quiet and knowing.

Serenity didn't turn.

"If I were, discussing it with you would defeat the purpose."

She felt rather than saw him move closer, his presence a tangible force at her back.

"You could run," he acknowledged. "You're resourceful enough. But they would find you—if not the Society, then others who've caught wind of Vale's Omega heir."

"I'm aware of the statistics," she replied coolly. "I have an MBA, remember? Risk assessment is part of basic strategy."

A small smile played at the corner of his mouth. "And what does your assessment tell you about staying with us?"

The question hung between them, weighty with implication. Serenity turned to face him fully.

"That it's complicated," she admitted. "That there are variables I can't quantify. That each of you represents both a threat and an opportunity."

"And yet?"

"And yet," she continued, straightening her shoulders, "the most logical move is to maintain this alliance. For now."

Tomorrow would bring new challenges—securing her inheritance, navigating the volatile dynamics of three Alphas, staying one step ahead of the Society's next move. She was under no illusion that it would be easy or that her protectors might not become threats themselves.

But Serenity Vale had not survived this long by shrinking from complexity.

The game had changed, the stakes raised exponentially, but she would adapt as she always had—calculating odds, leveraging assets, and refusing to become a pawn in anyone's game but her own.

"For now," she repeated, turning back to the window, her reflection superimposed over the glittering city below—a kingdom waiting for its reluctant queen. "But understand this: I won't be your trophy Omega. If we do this, we do it as equals."

The future stretched before her, treacherous and uncertain.

But for the first time since the explosion added to the continued madness ripping through her once carefully constructed life, Serenity felt something like conviction settle in her chest.

She’s ready to rewrite the rules of a game she never wanted to play.

15

NEW SANCTUARY

~SERENITY~

Serenity's heels clicked against the cobblestone driveway as she emerged from the sleek black Bentley.

The sound echoed in the evening air, punctuating her arrival at what appeared to be a modern-day castle. Her golden eyes, flecked with hints of red, widened as she took in the sprawling estate looming before her.

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