Page 51 of Pack to the Wall

As Marty's boat came into view, a knot formed in Chrissy's stomach. It was larger than she'd expected, gleaming black against the blue sea. She could make out figures on deck—one of them had to be her dad.

"Ready?" Zev asked, his voice calm but his eyes blazing.

She nodded, straightening her shoulders. The red gown suddenly felt like armor as she stepped onto the transfer platform.

"I'll be right behind you," Zev promised, his voice for her ears alone as he helped her across to Marty's vessel. "Always."

Then he was gone, his boat disappearing into the darkness, leaving Chrissy alone on Marty's deck, her heart pounding with equal parts fear and determination.

Chrissy immediately connected eyes with her dad who was tied up at the wrists and his mouth gagged. Jim Rivera's salt-and-pepper hair was disheveled, and his kind face was etched with worry lines she'd never seen before. But when their eyes locked, she saw that familiar spark – the unwavering belief he'd always had in her. Her heart thundered in her chest, the mate mark on her neck pulsing with each beat.

Seeing the man who had taught her to play guitar at eight years old, who had kissed every scraped knee and attended every school recital, reduced to a helpless victim ignited something primal inside her. The wrath that flooded her veins was foreign and fierce – she literally wanted to tear Marty's throat out with her bare hands.

Calm. Focus. Play along.She channeled the performance skills that had made her famous, forcing her lips into a coy smile as she turned to face Marty.

"Marty," she purred, smoothing the silky fabric of her red gown. "I never realized how... commanding you look when you're in your element." She let her gaze travel appreciatively over his tailored navy suit. "Being away from you these past days has given me... perspective."

Marty's ice-blue eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "Smart girl," he said, circling her like prey. "You finally understand who's in charge."

"More than that." Chrissy stepped closer, fighting the revulsion crawling up her spine. "I discovered what you really are. A wolf shifter. A rogue." She lowered her voice to a breathy whisper. "That's so much sexier than some pack-bound Alpha who needs a hundred others to feel powerful."

His chest puffed up visibly. "I answer to no one. That's real power."

"And now I'm going to be your mate." She forced excitement into her voice while inching closer to her dad. "Just think of the headlines – 'Pop Princess and Music Mogul: The Ultimate Power Couple.'"

Marty's smile widened, revealing teeth too sharp for a human mouth. "Our celebrity wedding will break the internet. Every magazine, every social media platform..." He gestured grandly. "And after we're properly mated, you'll understand what real control feels like."

Chrissy suppressed a shudder, moving another step toward her dad while keeping her eyes locked on Marty. "Tell me everything you've planned for us."

"I've already talked to Vogue about an exclusive spread," Marty preened, loosening his tie slightly. "And after the wedding, we'll launch your rebranding. Something edgier andsexier. You'll be the first openly human mate to a shifter celebrity. All the shifters in the supernatural world will bow to me for that."

Your ego is going to be your downfall, she thought, now standing just a foot from her dad. She felt his presence like a physical anchor keeping her grounded.

"And you'll wear what I tell you and sing what I tell you. You'll do exactly everything I want you to do, when I want you to do it, including pleasuring me," Marty continued, lost in his power fantasy. "I'll finally taste what that Alpha thinks he claimed, and you'll love it."

Bile rose in Chrissy's throat, but she forced a seductive laugh. "I can't wait."

She dropped her hand to her side, brushing her fingers against her dad's. Their childhood signal – three quick taps followed by a squeeze.I've got this.

Her dad's fingers moved against hers – a single tap back.I trust you.

"The best part," Marty said, stalking toward her, "is watching Zev's face when he realizes I've won. That I've taken his precious Luna and made her mine forever."

Chrissy positioned herself between Marty and her dad, creating a shield with her body. She closed her eyes briefly, focusing on the mate bond that thrummed through her veins like electricity.

Now, Zev. We're ready.

TWENTY

ZEV

Zev's jaw ached from clenching his teeth as he steered his sleek boat away from Marty's vessel. Every instinct in his body screamed for him to turn back, to leap aboard and protect his mate, but Zev forced himself to maintain the charade. His fingers gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened, the mate bond pulsing with fierce protectiveness.

"Touch her and I'll rip your throat out with my teeth," he growled under his breath, the memory of Marty's voice on speakerphone making his wolf surge dangerously close to the surface again.

The Alpha wolf thinks he's claimed you... I'm making you mine forever.

The words had triggered something primal in Zev, something beyond rage. Nothing in thirty years of life had prepared him for the visceral possessiveness that flooded his veins at the thought of another wolf—especially a rogue—threatening and claiming what was his.

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