Chapter 22
The complete atmosphere fell in silence after the ladies heard Sion’s paroxysm. It wasn't human. It was the low, dangerous growl of a predator. A wolf's snarl, raw and untamed. Cara stared at him, her face a mask of shock.
"All that 'hunky-funky' business with Tisra was just for a contract?" Her voice, normally as gentle as a summer breeze, was a low growl.
Sion’s feral laughter stopped abruptly. His head snapped up, eyes glinting with a dangerous light that promised retribution. He was a purebred Alpha, and they were mere omegas in his pack's territory. "Hunky-funky? I never crossed the line with your daughter. I was always pulling back, trying to escape her. She was the one clinging to me like a vine, shamelessly flirting in front of you." He took a menacing step closer, the air crackling with his suppressed power. "Hasn't your daughter ever seen a man? It's time she finds one, if not for companionship, at least to quench that desperate thirst."
Tisra’s chin rose, her composure gone, replaced by a fierce rage. "Enough! I've tolerated your disrespect long enough. Who are you to tell me what to do with my life? I'm not dying for a man just because I'm not married! You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth—you have no idea what responsibility is! You bluff your way through everything. I have a sick mother to look after; I can't just abandon my ranch and our pack's heritage."
At Tisra's words, the men outside, who were standing guard for Sion, stormed the house. They leveled their guns at the women, their bodies, their scent a mix of human sweat and something else... something feral. Tisra's heart hammered against her ribs as she recognized the scent of another wolf pack, an unsettling mix of human and beast. Her own suppressed instincts screamed at her to flee, to shift, to defend herself and her mother.
Sion’s eyes held a cruel, mocking pity as he looked out the window. "I see. You're taking very good care of the ranch and winery." He said, his voice a low purr. With a subtle flick of his finger, the bodyguards lowered their guns, though their hostile gazes never left the women. "I don't bluff, Ms. Tisra Stan. Every moment is precious. I'm a busy man, and I only talk about business."
With a fluid, graceful movement, Sion reached into his expensive jacket and pulled out a fountain pen. "I've shown you respect all this time, but you have crossed a line. And yes, despite everything that happened here, I respect your mother for her age. That's the only reason you are still in one piece."
"Enough of your lectures!" Tisra snarled, tears of fury welling in her eyes. "Get out of my house!"
A conceited sneer twisted Sion’s lips. "This place now belongs to me. So I'm not the one who's leaving. You are."
"What are you talking about? We only leased the winery, not our home!" Tisra’s voice rose, a raw, angry octave.
"Ms. Tisra, I wonder if you read the entire contract before talking nonsense. Within a one-kilometer radius on all sides of the vineyard, every piece of land belongs to me, from today onwards. Your house is on that land. If you have any doubt, go get a tape measure. I’m open to any negotiations if the deal falls through otherwise." His words were firm, the cold logic of a werewolf businessman clashing with the primal rage simmering beneath his skin.
Sion took her silence as an opportunity to continue. "Normally, I don't give people much time to vacate a property. You should know that I'm being very liberal here because your mother is sick and you have no one to help." His tone was slick, his hands in his pockets, exuding a silent but powerful dominance that made Tisra's inner self tremble.
Cara couldn't meet his gaze, feeling the overwhelming pressure of his power. He was a true Alpha, a leader of his pack, and they were nothing but lowly omegas in his sight. "I'll give you a week to vacate this house. Here is the bank check for the lease my company decided to pay you." He scrawled his signature, the motion practiced and precise.
He gestured to one of his men, who handed a file to Ms. Stan. "The sale proceeds of the wine will be mentioned clearly in the legal document you will receive every month. We are a rational pack; we do fair business. The money will be deposited into your bank in the first week of every month. For any questions, you can consult my administration staff."
"Give her the manager’s card." Sion commanded, before walking out of the house with a powerful, confident stride. His eyes, a chillingly cold blue, held the absolute power of an Alpha.
***
"Good evening, dad. I've secured the deal with the Stans," Sion said nonchalantly into his phone as his car sped away from the ranch.
"That's great news. Why are you sharing it so dryly? It was almost an impossible task for our men, which is why I had to send you. But I always had the confidence that you would succeed. Well done, son," Karen replied, his voice filled with pride.
"I leased the winery for a hundred years, and the sale proceeds will be split 60:40. We will get 60%," Sion explained, lighting a cigarette.
"Why the lease? We could have just bought it," Karen asked, surprised.
"That vineyard is not just for business. It's a heritage for them. Their generations have poured their energy and time into it. We shouldn't just show them our money and take their land. It would be an injustice. Their sentiments are tied to it, and I didn't want to break them."
A tense silence fell over the line. "I hear your words, but the one speaking in your head is that girl. You married her to save her hereditary business, and now this deal... I see a lot of similarity between both. Don't let her rule your mind. She was a headache to us earlier, and she will be now, too. I was dead against you marrying her. Anyone would stay away from their enemy, but you put her right under your roof. I wonder what goes on in your mind."
Suddenly, Sion’s hand crushed the lit cigarette he was holding, the faint smell of tobacco replaced by the sharper scent of singed flesh. He ignored the pain. His father’s words had a more devastating sting than a thousand burns.
"I never married her," Sion’s voice was a low growl, laced with venom. He took a deep breath, fighting to keep his composure. He hadn't wanted this to come out, not like this. Not ever. "The woman I married was for a contract, a business deal. Nothing more and nothing less.”
“Oh, I see. You can't lie to your dad. But I trust you. Like always you will find victory in your personal life too along with the family business.” Karen had a double timing.
Sion didn't like his father looking at the wound he tried to conceal from the world. Was he so expressive? His knuckles went white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. He slammed the phone shut, leaving Karen with a chilling silence.
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