Chapter 209 A Cruel Little Move

The legal notice came in two parts, and both hit Alpha Sebastian hard.

The first explained the claim in clear, formal language. Under Pack Council law, the assets Alpha Sebastian had acquired during his registered mate bond with Eira were considered marital property.

That included the luxury cars, real estate, jewelry, and other high-value assets he had transferred to Serena without Eira’s knowledge or consent.

According to the notice, those transfers were invalid. Alpha Sebastian and Serena were both responsible for returning approximately $118 million to Eira.

The second page contained Susan’s firm’s formal demand.

Alpha Sebastian and Serena were given ten days to respond and begin returning any funds or assets determined to belong to Eira.

If they failed to comply, the firm would file suit on Eira’s behalf and seek the disputed assets, court costs, and any recoverable legal fees.

Alpha Sebastian’s fingers tightened around the pages. His eyes burned as he read the total again.

Eira was really doing this.

She was taking him to court over the money.

Jordan read the notice over his shoulder. His stomach dropped when he saw the amount.

There was a reason old Pack families warned people not to mistake a quiet wolf for a harmless one. The quiet ones rarely lost control. When they finally did, everyone nearby paid the price.

"Alpha," Jordan said carefully, "the Snowmark project is about to launch. If Eira files in federal court, this could cause serious damage."

Alpha Sebastian already knew.

The lawsuit would reach the press, the Hale Group board, the Pack Council, and every potential partner watching the company. If the scandal became public, the board would push him out and bury him in some meaningless executive position until he quit.

His stomach burned. A sharp pulse throbbed behind his eyes.

"Eira," he muttered. "Did it really have to come to this?"

Then he looked at the deadline again, and his expression hardened.

"Find Serena. She received the same notice. Tell her to sell whatever she can. If she can’t liquidate everything in time, she needs to find another way to cover the balance. Every dollar goes back to Eira."

Jordan glanced at the date stamped on the notice.

The color drained from his face.

"Alpha, we only have four days left."

Alpha Sebastian looked up. "What?"

"The courier delivered the packet six days ago." Jordan swallowed. "Reception signed for it, but no one sent it upstairs."

Alpha Sebastian stared at him. "Six days ago?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"You’re telling me the ten-day deadline started six days ago?"

"That’s what the delivery record says."

Alpha Sebastian crushed the corner of the notice in his fist.

"Why the hell wasn’t I told the day it arrived?" he shouted. "What is reception doing down there?"

Jordan had no answer ready. He had been in Klamath following leads, and while he was gone, the legal notice had slipped through the cracks.

He recovered quickly.

"Alpha, the outer packet didn’t list any contents. It looked like routine mail. Inside was a plain envelope, and the legal notice was sealed inside that."

Sebastian’s expression hardened.

"Three layers," Jordan said. "Whoever sent it knew exactly how to make sure it sat in reception without drawing attention."

Alpha Sebastian understood the message. Eira could have filed the lawsuit without warning. Instead, the notice had been delivered in a way that made the threat impossible to ignore.

But Eira was not vindictive. She was controlled, careful, and private. She would not turn a legal notice into a personal attack.

"No," Alpha Sebastian said. "Eira didn’t do this. Alpha Killian did."

Killian Sterling had always gotten under his skin. He had inherited money, power, an old bloodline, and control of both the Sterling Pack and its corporate empire. He had never needed to fight for his place.

Now he had taken Eira’s side and turned her anger against Alpha Sebastian.

Alpha Sebastian grabbed the water glass from his desk and threw it at the wall. It shattered, sending glass and water across the floor.

Jordan waited until the room fell silent.

"Alpha, the lawsuit is not the most urgent problem. If Eira files against Serena, the divorce will become public. Snowmark’s executives still expect you to bring your Luna to dinner tomorrow night."

Alpha Sebastian dragged a hand over his face.

If the Snowmark team learned that Eira was no longer his mate, they could walk away from the deal. The project was too important, and he could not let the company take the fall for his personal mess.

That left him with one option.

He had to see Eira and convince her to attend the dinner as his Luna.

The thought made his chest tighten. After everything he had done, he had no right to ask her for one more favor.

But he had to try.

"The Klamath lead has been handled," Jordan said carefully.

Alpha Sebastian’s chest tightened.

Sam was the only reason Eira might agree to see him. It was a desperate plan, but he had nothing else. Their mate bond was gone, and the divorce was final. He needed one chance to explain himself.

"Did you set up a local number?" Alpha Sebastian asked.

"Yes. A prepaid phone with a 530 area code. It made things easier in the mountains. People are more likely to answer a local number, especially when they don’t recognize an out-of-area call."

"Give it to me."

Jordan took the phone from his pocket and handed it over.

Alpha Sebastian walked to the window, turned his back to Jordan, and dialed the number he knew by heart.

Eira answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

The 530 area code caught her attention.

It was a Northern California number, close enough to the mountains where the group home was located.

Sam had never owned a phone. If he needed to call her, he would have to borrow someone else’s.

That explained the unfamiliar number.

"Sam?" Eira’s voice softened. "Is that you? It’s Eira. Your big sister."

She waited.

For nearly thirty seconds, no one spoke. Eira stayed on the line. If Sam had finally worked up the courage to call, she would not rush him.

Then a man answered.

"Eira. It’s me."

Her face went still.

Alpha Sebastian.

"Why are you calling me?"

"I found Sam," Alpha Sebastian said. "If you want to know how he’s doing, meet me tomorrow morning."

Eira said nothing.

Alpha Sebastian lowered his voice. "We’ll meet at the place where I proposed to you. Just once. I won’t keep you there."