Chapter 107 The Ring in His Wallet

"Serena." Alpha Victor’s voice snapped her out of it.

She blinked. "Sorry, Grandpa. Zoned out thinking about Seb."

He sighed. "You promised you’d help him out. Guy’s ambitious, works hard. This project’s a big deal for him."

"I know."

His tone softened, even if his face stayed stern. "Quit worrying so much about him."

"He’s not just ’him.’" Serena grinned. "He’s gonna be your grandson-in-law someday."

"Watch it." No real heat behind it. Then his voice went serious. "Listen up. Ceremony day, keep it simple. Nothing flashy. No designer stuff. No fancy bag. Got it?"

He said it twice, just to make sure it stuck.

Serena nodded fast. She knew what was riding on this. "Got it, Grandpa. Low-key, I promise."

"Good."

"But Grandpa," she brightened, "can I run out tomorrow? Just to grab something to wear?"

His eyes narrowed. He didn’t trust her to stay out of trouble for five minutes.

"No. You stay put till the ceremony. We go together."

Her face fell. "But I haven’t seen Sebastian in forever."

"Sebastian this, Sebastian that, that’s all I hear out of you," he snapped. "Go read a paper or something."

Serena wisely kept her mouth shut.

"Fine. Whatever you say."

"Good."

Alpha Victor got up, left the room. Once he was clear of the door, he called for the head of household staff.

"Dig up everything you can on Alpha Sebastian Hale. I want to know if he’s been messing around with anyone else these past four years."

--

The day before the bid meeting, Alpha Sebastian knew he had to get home early. Recharge, reset, show up tomorrow sharp.

He pushed the front door open, found it already ajar. Something cooking, the smell drifting faint into the hallway.

"Eira? You home?"

He stepped in, scanned the room on instinct the way any Alpha would. His parents and sister sat on the living room sofa. He paused, eyes cutting toward the kitchen.

A heavyset figure moved around the stove. The housekeeper. Not Eira.

His mother caught the flash of disappointment cross his face before he could smooth it over, caught the way his shoulders dropped half an inch.

She bit back a sigh. Tomorrow mattered too much.

They needed him steady, confident, nothing pulling at him.

"Seb, honey, come sit. Want a drink? Beer’s in the fridge. Dinner’s almost up."

"Dad. Mom. Isabella." He nodded at each one, slipped off his coat, hung it by the door. "Let me change first."

"Go on."

Alpha Roger watched his son head down the hall, then turned sharp on his daughter, voice dropping low enough it wouldn’t carry past the room. "Listen, Isabella. Don’t say or do anything tonight that upsets your brother. Understood?"

Isabella rolled her eyes, popped a grape in her mouth. "So I can’t mention Eira? Fine. Not much to say anyway. Place was spotless when she left. Looked like she was packing up for good."

Alpha Roger’s voice dropped further, barely a growl under the words. "Don’t bring her up at all."

"Fine. Whatever." She shrugged, chewing. "Not like I want to talk about her. Makes me sick just thinking about it."

Alpha Sebastian came back in a gray henley, lounge pants.

Luna Margaret elbowed her daughter, sharp, a silent order to zip it.

Isabella caught her mother’s scent shift, that faint edge of warning that came off her when she meant business, and shoved another grape in her mouth instead of arguing.

Alpha Sebastian dropped onto the couch, pulled out his phone. Whole family here tonight. Didn’t feel right leaving Eira out, especially tonight of all nights.

Usually, the night before something big, she’d cook something special. Just the two of them, quiet, low-key.

Tonight, nothing. Just somebody else’s hands in the kitchen and a smell that wasn’t hers.

Alpha Roger caught him about to dial, cut in smooth. "We already called her when we got here. She said she’s tied up tonight. Can’t make it."

Alpha Sebastian frowned. "You called her?"

"I did. Not your mother. Not your sister."

Alpha Roger said it on purpose, watched his son’s face for the flicker he knew was coming.

Alpha Sebastian eased up a little. His dad, at least, knew how to keep things civil, knew better than to let his temper loose on Eira.

[She’d quit her job, right? So what could possibly keep her from a family dinner tonight?]

"Why are you wearing that again?" Alpha Roger’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Alpha Sebastian glanced down. "What?"

"The ring." Alpha Roger nodded at his son’s left hand. "Weren’t wearing it a few weeks back."

Alpha Sebastian lifted his hand, studied the band.

His face softened, the tension in his jaw easing out. "My wedding ring. Mine and Eira’s."

Alpha Roger knew that already. What he didn’t know anymore was what the hell was going on in his son’s head.

One minute Alpha Sebastian’s saying the marriage had to end for his career, for the pack’s standing.

Next minute he’s slipping the ring back on like it still means something, like four years of history hadn’t just been signed away.

Bad timing, all of it. Tomorrow, Alpha Victor Winthrop would be in that room, Serena’s grandfather, head of a pack that outranked theirs on paper and never let anybody forget it.

A man like that catches even a whiff of his granddaughter tangled up with someone who couldn’t fully let go of an old marriage, ring and all, that’s the kind of thing that gets talked about at every gathering for years.

Hale Pack couldn’t afford that, not with everything riding on tomorrow.

"Fine to wear it around the house," Alpha Roger said, careful, watching his son’s face. "Tomorrow, at the ceremony? Not a good look. Don’t slip up on something that small."

Alpha Sebastian got it right away, read it straight off his father’s face, off the tightness around his eyes.

Looked down at the ring again.

"Take it off tonight," Alpha Roger pushed. "Won’t have to scramble in the morning. God forbid you drop it somewhere and lose it."

That last part landed harder than the rest. Alpha Sebastian let out a slow breath and slid the ring off.

Opened his wallet, tucked it in carefully, right next to another ring already sitting in the clear pocket.

Two rings, side by side, tucked into the same worn leather pocket.

His mouth curved slightly. Whole face went soft in a way it hadn’t all evening.

Alpha Roger glanced at the wallet, frowned. "Why do you have Eira’s ring too?"

The question had an edge to it. [She already took hers off. Why’s he still hanging on?]

"She’s always careful with it," Alpha Sebastian said, quiet. "Takes it off when she’s cleaning or cooking so it doesn’t get scratched up. Must’ve forgotten to put it back on this time. Didn’t want her losing it, so I’m holding onto it."

Tucked the wallet back in his pocket.

Dinner was already laid out. The family sat down together.

Alpha Sebastian snapped a photo of the spread, sent it to Eira.

[Dad said you’re busy tonight and can’t make it. What’s going on?]

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