CHAPTER 250: SIGNING AN UNDERTAKING

Draven.

I almost laughed.

"That would defeat the entire point of the undertaking, Beta Gabriel. You don’t get to put the blame on me while simultaneously binding me to a guarantee I can’t reasonably give. Not in Duskmoor."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "If you can’t guarantee their safety, then why take my daughter there at all?"

I met his stare without blinking. "Meredith is my wife. She’s there because she belongs there—with me. Your other children are not. You are the one insisting on sending them into the lion’s den."

The smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of irritation. He tried again. "Then at least guarantee that they will remain within your estate grounds unless necessary."

"No," I said flatly. "I won’t have my hands tied by a list of conditions designed to shift responsibility back onto me. You either sign the agreement as I’ve stated, or your son and daughter remain in Stormveil. Your choice."

The silence between us was sharp enough to cut. I could see him weighing pride against purpose, chewing over the fact that I wasn’t going to budge.

He might be stubborn, but I was a fortress when I chose to be—and I had the advantage of time, place, and authority.

At last, Gabriel exhaled slowly. "Fine. I will sign it."

Victory in these matters was never about gloating, so I simply inclined my head in acknowledgment.

"When are you leaving for Duskmoor?" he asked, voice clipped.

"Tomorrow," I replied smoothly, watching for the hesitation I was sure would come. A journey that soon would make it near-impossible for his children to prepare.

But to my surprise, Gabriel didn’t blink. "Then they will be ready by tomorrow."

Interesting. He was doubling down. For all his faults, the man didn’t lack commitment to his own decisions.

Very well.

Without looking away from him, I reached for the mind-link.

"Jeffery," I sent the thought down the bond, my mental tone crisp, "prepare an undertaking agreement on... for Beta Gabriel Carter to sign. Bring it here immediately."

There was a pause before Jeffery’s reply brushed back against my mind. "Understood, Alpha."

I let the connection drop, my gaze still locked with Gabriel’s. "Then we will make it official," I said aloud, my tone final. "No misunderstandings later."

His jaw tightened, but he nodded. This was a battle he had won only in appearance. I’d already made sure the field was mine.

---

It didn’t take long for Jeffery to arrive, the crisp shuffle of his footsteps preceding him into the guest sitting room.

He carried a neat leather folio, the papers inside already printed and waiting.

"Alpha," he said with a bow, stepping forward to set the documents on the low table between Gabriel and me.

I gestured for him to open it.

Gabriel leaned in, eyes narrowing as he read the first few lines. The undertaking was concise—blunt, even—but every word was deliberate.

It clearly stated that his son and second daughter were traveling to Duskmoor entirely at his own request, that they were under my authority while there, and that he accepted full responsibility for any injury, death, or consequence that might befall them, whether inside or outside my estate.

Gabriel’s brow furrowed. "You’ve left no room for—"

"That’s the point," I cut in, my voice steady. "No grey areas. No chance of claiming later that you misunderstood."

He read on, searching for an opening to twist to his advantage, but there wasn’t one. Every possible exit was sealed with clean legal phrasing, and the signatures were to be witnessed by my Beta.

"This clause—" He tapped the section that gave me authority over their movements in Duskmoor. "It states you have sole discretion over where they go and what they do. That is... overly broad."

"That is necessary," I replied. "Duskmoor is not Stormveil. One wrong move in the wrong quarter could invite trouble neither of us wants. If you’re so concerned, you can keep them here."

The corner of his mouth twitched—frustration barely contained. He sat back, the weight of decision pressing down.

This was the last chance to back out gracefully, but Gabriel Carter was not a man who liked retreating once he’d committed.

"Fine," he said at last, reaching for the pen Jeffery had laid beside the folio.

The scratch of ink against paper was quick, decisive, and just a touch more forceful than necessary.

I watched him sign, my face neutral. When the pen lifted, Jeffery stepped forward, turning the folio so I could add my own signature as witness.

As the ink dried, I closed the folio and handed it back to Jeffery. "Have a copy made for Beta Gabriel before he leaves."

Gabriel rose to his feet. "Then we’re agreed. They will be ready tomorrow."

I stood as well, offering no handshake. "Tomorrow, then."

He gave a short nod and left, his back straight but his steps carrying the faint stiffness of a man who had lost more ground than he had gained.

The moment the door clicked shut, I leaned back against the arm of the chair, running a hand along my jaw.

Gabriel’s visit still gnawed at me. Since when did he care enough to "check up" on his daughter?

It wasn’t affection. No, there was an angle here. There was always an angle with that man.

I pushed away from the chair and crossed to the window, looking out over the front courtyard. Gabriel’s car was still idling at the gate, his figure stiff in the passenger seat.

I imagined what Meredith’s face would look like when she saw her siblings in Duskmoor—her posture going tense, the guarded quiet in her voice.

My jaw tightened.

If Gabriel thought I would let his children roam free around her, he was sorely mistaken. The undertaking he had signed gave me every ounce of control I needed—and I would use it.

Still, I couldn’t shake the irritation. His insistence on sending them now, when tensions in Duskmoor were far from settled, told me one thing: Gabriel either underestimated the risk... or he didn’t care about it at all.

Either way, it said more about him than any words he could have used.

I turned from the window, mind already moving to the next steps. Security briefings. Accommodations. And a very careful conversation with Meredith when the time came—because I would not have her blindsided. Not by her father or by anyone.

The soft click of the door pulled me from my thoughts. Jeffery stepped in, holding the original agreement.

"It’s done," he said.

"Good," I replied, taking it. "Now make sure we are ready for tomorrow. No delays."

Jeffery inclined his head and left without another word.

---

(Third Person).

Gabriel Carter stepped into the grand foyer of his estate, the heavy doors closing behind him with a dull thud.

His boots left faint traces of road dust on the marble floor as he removed his jacket and tossed it on the coat hanger.

The afternoon light streamed through the tall windows, gilding the polished banister of the sweeping staircase.

Margaret was in the sitting room, poised on a high-backed armchair upholstered in deep crimson, a porcelain teacup balanced between her fingers. She set it down with a faint clink as soon as she saw him.

"Where have you been Gabriel?" she asked, her tone laced with controlled irritation. "You left without telling anyone. I was worried since I couldn’t even reach you."

Gabriel’s gaze flicked toward her, unreadable. "I went to see Draven," he said, walking past her and lowering himself into the opposite seat.

Margaret blinked, her perfectly plucked brows lifting. "Draven?" she repeated, surprise softening her voice. "And? What was the visit about?"

He leaned back, reaching into his coat pocket. "It was about sending Gary and Mabel to Duskmoor with him," he replied.

Her gaze widened. She suddenly looked interested in the topic as she shifted out of her seat a bit. "What did he say? Did he agree?"

Gabriel pulled out a folded parchment and, without warning, waved it in front of her face. The crisp sound of paper crinkling filled the room.

"This," he said flatly, "is what he said."

Margaret took the document and unfolded it. Her eyes skimmed the bold clauses, and with each line her expression darkened.

"Gabriel..." she murmured, looking up at him sharply. "These terms are unfavourable. I hope Draven won’t use them to his advantage—and end up putting our children in danger."

He exhaled heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I hope so."

Her frown deepened; the vague answer didn’t comfort her even for a moment.

Gabriel sat forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Draven didn’t want to agree to my request. He only wrote this undertaking to try to stop me. But I’ve made up my mind. He can’t change it."

Margaret hesitated, then asked, "Did you at least confirm the truth about the mate bond with Meredith?"

A flicker of irritation crossed his face. "No. There was no need for it."