Page 42 of Never Submit

I have.

All of it.

His holdings, his stocks, his investments.

I turned Steel Claws into an empire no one could match.

Once I finalize the merge with the Briar pack, our closest neighbors on the coast, then we’ll be fucking untouchable.

I take in the clean sweep of the desk, the black-and-white framed art on the walls—the photos are originals and worth a fortune. The first editions on the shelves that form a collection. Theobjets d’artthroughout the room.

It’s a masterpiece of wealth and taste, the subtle hint ofpower such things give. I know Catarina appreciates it. Ren?—

I don’t want to think about her.

And yet here she fucking is, rent-free, in my head.

No matter how hard I deny it, I want Ren, and seeing her again rekindled that lust.

I wrap my control tight around me. It doesn’t matter how badly I want her. I can’t have her.

She’s Noble’s mate.

Their bond is obvious, so I shouldn’t feel anything.

Not even the barest shred of desire, lust. Obsession.

He’s good for her. When we first saw her, as a human, she’d been on a sharp decline toward an early grave and her skin was pallid.

Now, she glows.

She’s not fucking mine, and apart from lust, I don’t want her. My hands curl into fists, but I keep them at my sides.Shit.

I head to the window and stare down at the streets. The sun’s sank fully and shadows have merged into the darkness of night. I can feel that darkness pushing down on me.

Maybe I’m obsessing because it’s no love match between me and Catarina. She’d say the same. Neither of us is looking for that idiotic emotion, anyway.

Power is the only thing that matters and the wedding is that. Power. In less than a week we’ll be bonded and I’ll be untouchable. Our packs will merge and we’ll rule. Even Andras won’t stand a chance.

Ren’s value to me is having her centered on the Moonstone. Fuck, maybethat’smy obsession. We need to drag that Moonstone from her. It’s doing no good as a part of her. After all, the girl’s no weapon. She’s not ready to be and I doubt she ever will be.

My phone buzzes again. Jaw clenched, grinding my teeth, I’m sick of ignoring it so I grab the cell out of my pocket and check the screen.

Several missed calls from Catarina.

As much as it ticks me off to play the game of love match, which she plays to perfection, I use it to get myself out of my head and call her back.

She doesn’t fucking answer.

Trust Catarina to call repeatedly and then not answer a returned call.

It’s a power play if I’ve ever seen one, and I wrote the goddamn book on them.

Annoyed, I stuff the cell in my desk drawer. I’ll ignore the fucking thing for the next few days?—

I groan, my head dropping back. I can’t ignore it. I promised Mathis I’d keep him updated, and in the face of our tentative truce, I’d have to keep my word.

The walls of the office close in around me, so I head into the hallway beyond. A little breathing room. That’s all I need.

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