Page 81 of Down Knot Out
Holden’s hand rubs slow circles on my back, the movement soothing.
When Simon starts talking, describing his surveillance of my life with fevered pride, Blake’s hands clench into fists on his thighs. His knuckles go white, tendons standing out under his skin. A vibration starts in his chest, hovering on the edge of a growl, and it sinks straight into my bones.
Nathaniel stops pacing when Wells begins outlining their offer, turning to face us with his jaw set in granite lines.
The worst moment comes when Gregory reveals the identity of my intended Alpha mate.Jonathan Sinclair. A stranger chosen to breed me like a prized mare.
Simon’s shocked outburst follows. “But you promised?—”
Even over the small speaker, he makes my skin crawl.
Blake’s scent flares with protective rage, so strong that my head spins. “That sick bastard thought he was going to get you as payment?”
When the recording reaches the moment I reject their offer, Holden’s chest swells with pride beneath my cheek.
His hand moves to push back my hood and cradle my head, his fingers threading through my loose braid. “That’s my girl.”
The recording plays through to the end, capturing Wells’s threats about DNA results and legal battles, Gregory’s final attempts at manipulation, and our exit. When Dominic clicks it off, silence fills the room.
Nathaniel breaks the silence first. “That won’t be the only recording of your meeting. They would have made one themselves in case you flat-out refused and tried to negotiate later. Men like Gregory Sinclair operate that way as a rule.”
Blake scrubs a hand over his jaw, tension in his shoulders. “Can they actually alter DNA results?”
Dominic sets the recorder on the coffee table with careful precision. “Legally? No. But they can drag out the process, piling on enough costs to bankrupt anyone trying to challenge them. And of course, any recording on their end will be edited to fit their narrative.”
His focus shifts to me. “That’s why they waited until now to approach you. They needed time to position themselves as the reasonable party offering a generous settlement.”
I shift in Holden’s lap. “So what’s our legal position actually worth?”
“Everything, if we play it right.” Dominic’s expression turns dangerous. “Gregory admitted paternity on that recording. Augustus died without a recognized heir, which puts you first in line under pack law. The Sinclair holdings include real estate, business interests, and liquid assets worth somewhere north of thirty billion dollars.”
Blake whistles. “No wonder the Santaro pack wanted to marry into that.”
Nathaniel turns from the window, his expression thoughtful. “They’ll fight it, of course. Drag it through the courts, claim you’re illegitimate, hire experts to challenge everything.” His fingers find his grandfather’s ring, twisting it. “But that recording changes the dynamic. It’sevidence of a conspiracy to defraud you of your inheritance.”
“What about a buyout?” Holden’s hand rubs soothing circles on my back. “Would they consider paying Chloe to walk away quietly?”
“Possibly.” Dominic leans forward, elbows on his knees. “It would mean giving up control of the heir to the next in line, but that might not matter to Gregory. He’s the head until he dies or steps down.”
“They’d lowball your offer,” Nathaniel adds, “hoping you'll settle out of fear.”
I shift on Holden’s lap so I can see all their faces. “I don’t want their money. I want them to leave me alone.”
“It’s not about the money.” Nathaniel moves to perch on the arm of the sofa near Dominic. “It’s about power. As long as they think they can intimidate you, they’ll keep coming. The Santaro pack will keep sniffing around. Simon will keep showing up in dark parking garages.”
The reminder of Simon’s obsession sends a shiver through me, and Holden’s arms tighten in response, his vanilla cake scent spiking with protectiveness.
“We need a lawyer who specializes in pack inheritance disputes.” Dominic turns towardNathaniel. “Someone who knows how to handle families like the Sinclairs.”
Nathaniel’s expression shifts, calculation replacing anger. “My father has connections in that world. There’s a firm in Seattle that handles high-stakes, family disputes. They have experience with pack politics and old money tactics.”
Blake’s eyebrows rise. “You’d reach out to your father for help?”
“Not for help.” Nathaniel’s features harden. “For information. He’ll be able to tell us which firm to contact, and he’ll understand how this benefits him, too. If the Sinclairs are pulling strings in pack politics, it affects everyone in their social circle.”
I study his face, reading the tension there. Asking Maxwell Burton for anything costs Nathaniel, even when it’s strategic rather than personal. “You don’t have to?—”
“Yes, I do.” His eyes meet mine with absolute certainty. “You’re pack, which makes this pack business. And I know how these people think, how they operate. Gregory Sinclair respects one thing only. Superior positioning. If we come at him with the right lawyer and the right strategy, he’ll fold rather than risk public exposure of his family’s dirty laundry.”
