Chapter 42
-Maya's POV-
My head snapped towards Ivan, surprise coursing through me. His declaration hung in the air, a bombshell that
left the room stunned. A low murmur erupted among the pack members, a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
Petrov, his face contorted in disbelief, sputtered, "What are you talking about, Ivan? You can't just waltz in and
declare yourself Alpha. There are rules, traditions..."
"Traditions? Yes, there are traditions, Petrov. And one of those traditions is respecting the wishes of the Alpha,
especially when those wishes are documented and signed." With a flourish, he reached into his inner jacket
pocket and produced a sheaf of papers.
"These," he declared, holding the papers up, "are the official merger agreements between the Crescent Pack and
the SilverCrest Pack, signed by none other than Daniel Stone."
A collective gasp arose from the assembled wolves. Petrov lunged forward, his eyes wide with a mixture of
disbelief and dawning dread. "Letsee those!"
Ivan held the documents just out of reach, a steely glint in his eyes. "Not so fast, Petrov. There's more." He
flipped through the
pages,
his gaze
fixed on a specific section. "Here it is," he announced, his voice resonating with quiet authority. "The agreement
clearly states that in the event of Daniel's incapacitation, the Alpha position of the Crescent Pack would be
assumed by me, Ivan, until such tas Daniel is able to reshis duties."
"But...but Daniel never mentioned this," Petrov stammered.
"Perhaps," Ivan countered, his tone laced with a hint of amusement, "because he didn't think it would happen
this soon. But as these documents clearly state, the groundwork for this merger has been in progress for quite
stime. Daniel simply wanted to ensure the future of both our packs."
Petrov shook his head, a desperate edge creeping into his voice. "This can't be right. There must be some
mistake. This is all a setup, selaborate schyou and Maya cooked up to steal the Alpha position."
A wave of anger surged through me, but before | could voice my outrage, Ivan cut in, his voice hardening. "Why
would she want to steal a position that is already hers?" Petrov hesitated, his bluster fading further. He darted a
nervous glance towards me, his eyes flickering with a flicker of guilt that quickly morphed back into defiance.
"Regardless of that," he argued, grasping at straws, "these documents could be forgeries. We need to verify their
authenticity before we blindly accept them."
A smirk played on Ivan's lips. "Of course, due diligence is important. But fear not. I've already taken the liberty of
having these documents verified by a third party, a completely neutral source outside both our packs. Here's the
confirmation."
He produced another document, this one thinner, and tossed it onto the table in front of Petrov. The room held
its breath as Petrov hesitantly picked it up and scan the contents. His face drained of all color as he finished
reading.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"So," Ivan continued, his voice low and dangerous, "do you still question the legitimacy of these documents? Or
are you finally
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Chapter 42
ready to accept the will of your Alpha?"
Petrov slumped back in his chair, defeated. The fight had seeped out of him, replaced by a dull resignation. "I...|
suppose not," he mumbled.
A triumphant glint lit up Ivan's eyes. He swept his gaze across the room, taking in the stunned faces of the pack
members. "Then,"" he boomed, his voice filling the room, "letreiterate. As per the official agreements and
the wishes of Daniel Stone, the Crescent Pack and the SilverCrest Pack are now merged into one. And as the
designated leader of the SilverCrest Pack, I, Ivan, will stand beside Maya, the rightful heir of the Crescent Pack,
as co-Alpha of this newly formed pack."
A stunned silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft rustle of movement.
| had watched the exchange in silence, my mind flying everywhere. My father seemed like the type to just
relinquish his power, no matter what the circumstances. Yes, | had known about the merger - that was the whole
reason behind my father's marriage proposal with Ivan. But the way Ivan had just blindsided me, turning the tide
of the entire power struggle in his favor while seemingly tipping the scales in mine moments before...it left me
feeling utterly disoriented.
As Ivan delivered his final pronouncement, his gaze swept across the room, taking in the stunned faces of the
pack members. My own expression, however, must have remained a mask, for | barely registered the expectant
stares that followed his declaration. My mind was locked in a battle with itself, trying to reconcile the Ivan |
thought | was getting to know with the man who had just orchestrated this elaborate power play.
"Amaya," Ivan's voice finally cut through the fog in my head, his tone gentle as he addressedwith a smile.
"We did it."
| blinked, momentarily brought back to the present moment. "What?"
A flicker of surprise crossed his face, then a hint of amusement crept into his eyes. "You're supposed to
acknowledge what | just said, Co-Alpha," he teased softly.
"Co-Alpha?" | repeated. My mind raced. Co-Alpha. Merger. All these words swam before my eyes, a dizzying
concoction of emotions threatening to boil over. | forced myself to nod, the gesture stiff and mechanical. "Yes," |
managed, "lvan and | will lead the pack together. We are one now."
The words felt hollow on my tongue. My stomach churned with a cocktail of confusion, betrayal, and a flicker of
something else... was it fear? Without another word, | turned on my heel and marched out of the room, leaving
behind the stunned silence and Ivan's surprised gaze.
He followed close behind, a heavy silence settling between us as we walked outside. We reached his car, and |
climbed in without a word, the leather seat offering a small comfort in the midst of the emotional chaos swirling
inside me. The car ride was a tense affair, punctuated only by the rhythmic hum of the engine and the
occasional rustle of leaves as we drove through the woods. Every fiber of my being bristled with unspoken anger.
Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he broke the silence, his voice laced with a hint of caution, shattering the
suffocating quiet. "You are upset with me,
| remained silent, refusing to acknowledge his question. It wasn't a matter of being "upset." It was a full-blown
maelstrom of emotions threatening to erupt.
He let out a sigh, the sound heavy with resignation. "Alright, | understand. I'm sorry, Amaya. | truly am."
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11:36 Fri, 21 Jun er
Chapter 42
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"Sorry?" | finally snapped, my voice sharper than | intended. "Sorry doesn't even begin to cover it, Ivan. You
completely blindsidedin there. How could you do that?"
He flinched slightly at the harshness in my tone, but his gaze remained steady. "I... | didn't expect Petrov to react
the way he did. Honestly, | had no plans for it to go down that way."
"No plans?" | repeated, incredulous. "It looked like you thought about the whole thing ahead. Documents and all,
and you're tellingyou had no plans?"
"The merger was always going to happen. Daniel
approach the whole co-Alpha thing with you. I didn'en working on it for months. But | admit, | wasn't sure how to
to think | was trying to overstep or take away your authority."
| scoffed. "Well, you did a fantastic job of achieving exactly that, didn't you?"
: n |
He winced. "I understand why you're
upset, Amaya. | should have talked to
you about it beforehand. Explained
the whole plan but ra sam
heated th Retrol, ... reacted.
Look! I'know this is a lot to take in all
at once. Co-leading the pack,
9 q ond 9
merging with another pack, it's a big
change. But trust me, Amaya, this is
the best thing for the pack. It will
strengthen us, give us a better
chance against anyone who dared
q " h a
question us.” The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
"Maybe," | conceded grudgingly, the anger simmering down to a low hum. "But you could have includedin
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmthe conversation, Ivan. Madefeel like a partner in this, not just a figurehead you pull out when it suits you."
His shoulders slumped. “I know. | just.. Well reacted and I'm really sorry. | thought it would be a good thing.”
A part ofunderstood his reasoning. The merger would undoubtedly bring challenges, and having an
experienced leader like Ivan on board could be beneficial. Still, the sting of his unilateral decision lingered.
I" n : + :
Maybe," | said finally, a hint of a
smile tugging at the corner of my
: n
lips. "Maybe you have @point But’
: fi
nexitins, aT leaned forward,
Nr . . n
fixing him with a playful glare, "try
includingin the grand plan. It
fH [1
might save you a future headache.
A genuine smile broke across his face, erasing the tension that had been hanging heavy between us. "Deal," he
chuckled, the sound warm and genuine.
Despite the forced lightness of the
moment, a pit of unease settled in
my stomach. The si) worefel
brite, A¥iasK I donned to hide the
lingering apprehension, a nagging
voice at the back of my mind kept
whispering a question: The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Had | just made a big mistake? x
EY or
SEND GIFT 2 \
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ale ,
COMMENT
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Chapter 43