CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91 STRIKING A DEAL

Evelyn straightened her back as she rose to her feet, letting the last shard of glass fall into the waste bin. Her voice was calm, yet carried a strange certainty. "I have a plan."

Maddie’s tear-filled eyes lifted, still filled with rage, but now laced with a sliver of hope. "A plan?"

"Yes," Evelyn said, brushing dust off her palms as she walked over to her daughter. "A plan that will make Alpha Damon despise that girl. He will see her for the trash she is and cast her away without looking back. You will regain your rightful position, and the Silver Moon Pack will rise in honour once more."

Maddie sat up straighter, her fingers curling against her knees. "What kind of plan?"

Evelyn lowered herself beside her, brushing Maddie’s hair away from her face. "One that doesn’t involve shouting or smashing vases. You must control yourself, Maddie. A Luna isn’t ruled by her emotions. She rules with them hidden behind grace and poise. Do you understand me?"

Maddie blinked slowly, her chest still rising and falling with heavy breaths. But her mother’s words seeped into her, and she nodded. "Yes... I understand."

Evelyn offered a small smile and gently pulled Maddie into a hug. "Good girl. We will carry out the plan tonight. All you need to do is keep your composure. When the time comes, I want Alpha Damon to see you as the one who stood tall while Ember fell apart."

Maddie leaned against her mother’s shoulder, silent for a moment. Then she asked, voice cracking, "Will he look at me again... the way I want him to?"

Evelyn didn’t answer right away. She tightened the hug, running her fingers gently down Maddie’s back. "He will," she whispered. "Once the illusion that Ember has wrapped him with is broken, and when he sees what kind of girl Ember truly is."

Maddie closed her eyes, her fists trembling against her mother’s arms. "I can’t believe I lost to someone as low and worthless as Ember. Someone who had eaten beneath my feet. How could I lose Damon to her mother?."

"I know," Evelyn murmured, her tone cold and sharp. "But girls like her don’t last long. They’re like flames, burning bright for a moment, then turning to ash. It’s the ones who endure, the ones who plan, that rise to the top. She will fall back into the slump she belongs."

..........

(Third Person POV)

After Evelyn left, the soft expression Maddie had worn during their embrace disappeared. Her tears dried quickly, and her face hardened like stone. She stood up, straightening her dress as her lips curled into a bitter smile. If her mother truly had a plan, then it was time to play her part.

Without wasting another second, Maddie stormed out of the room, her heels clicking with purpose against the hallway floor. She knew exactly where to find Beta Roy’s son, Erik. A brute of a man with no manners, no charm, and absolutely no boundaries. But he was also easy to manipulate. All she needed was to dangle the right bait.

She headed straight for the soldiers’ quarters, a part of the estate she usually avoided. The scent of sweat and wine hit her nose before she even opened the door. Her eyes scanned the room until she found him.

Erik was on a low bed, shirtless, a dark smirk plastered across his face as he hovered over a woman who was moaning beneath him. Maddie’s nose wrinkled in disgust, but she didn’t look away.

Without knocking or announcing herself, she barged in.

"Get up," she snapped. "I have something important to tell you."

Erik didn’t even stop what he was doing. He glanced at her with mild annoyance, then growled, "Can’t you see I’m busy having fun? Unless what you’re about to say is more exciting than this, get out."

Maddie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it’s far more exciting. The kind of news that would make your blood boil... in a good way."

At that, Erik slowed. He let out a lazy breath and finally pulled out, rising to his feet without even bothering to cover himself. He was muscular and tall, his presence intimidating in the dim light of the room. He turned to the girl on the bed and jerked his chin toward the door.

"Leave."

The woman didn’t argue. She scrambled to collect her clothes, avoiding Maddie’s eyes as she fled the room.

Erik turned back to Maddie, his voice low and gruff. "This better be worth my time."

Maddie’s lips curved into a calculated smile. She took a few steps closer, letting her voice drop. "Ember’s back."

Erik’s eyes narrowed slightly, though the corner of his mouth twitched.

"She’s here," Maddie continued, circling him like a predator. "In the pack house. Sleeping in Alpha Damon’s room like she belongs there."

Erik scoffed. "And you want me to care about that why?"

"Because," Maddie whispered, stepping so close he could feel her breath, "don’t you remember the last time you saw her? Don’t you want to finish what you started?"

That was all it took.

Erik’s eyes lit up, gleaming with a sick sort of interest. He licked his lips slowly, as if savoring the thought. "You’re serious?"

Maddie nodded. "Dead serious. And if you do exactly as I say, you’ll get your chance. Not just to touch her... but to make love to her."

Erik’s jaw tightened as his fists curled at his sides, already imagining things Maddie didn’t want to picture. She forced down her revulsion and pressed on.

"I have a plan," she said smoothly. "One that will hand her over to you like a gift... and when Damon sees what she’s done, he’ll throw her away like the trash she is."

He gave a low laugh. "What’s the catch?"

"You don’t ask questions. You just follow my lead."

Erik stared at her for a moment, then gave a slow nod, his grin widening. "Fine. But if this goes wrong, you’re not getting away untouched either."

Maddie didn’t bat an eyelid, a cold smile graced her lips. "It won’t go wrong. Just be ready when I call."

And with that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving the door swinging behind her.