Cassia might have been Grady's childhood sweetheart, but she abandoned him when he faced a financial crisis at eighteen.

Back then, Grady was nearly crushed by a million dollars of debt.

His Alpha stipend was barely enough to cover our basic living expenses.

Cassia didn't just leave—she married a Beta from another pack, claiming she "deserved better than a failed Alpha."

"I need a real wolf," she had told Grady, "not some loser pretending to be great."

She didn't even say goodbye. Just vanished one night, leaving Grady heartbroken.

It was then that my wolf recognized him as my fated mate.

I worked three jobs to help Grady pay off his debt.

I never complained, even when my hands bled from mixing too many potions.

Back then, I'd apply healing salves to my hands at night, trying to hide my tears.

"It's all worth it," I would whisper to my inner wolf. "Grady just needs time to get on his feet."

But everything changed when Cassia returned five years ago.

Her Beta mate had been killed in a pack war, and she came back with her daughter, Briar.

They showed up at our door dressed in designer clothes, playing the part of grieving widows.

Grady welcomed them back with open arms.

He even started using the money I earned to support them.

Every month, more and more of my hard-earned money went toward Cassia's "temporary" needs.

The worst was when Briar needed tuition for a private academy.

One night, Grady burst into my room, his eyes wild.

"You have to hand over the patent for your new potion. Briar needs the money more—she's younger, she has potential."

That day, Eleanor shocked everyone.

She had always been quiet and submissive.

But she grabbed a silver knife and told Grady she would rather die than see her daughter-in-law lose her future.

Her hand was shaking, but her voice was steady. "Kill me now," she said, pressing the blade to her own throat. "Because I won't live to see you destroy everything our family has for that woman's child."

Grady backed down, but he never forgave Eleanor for daring to defy him.

The warmth between mother and son bled away, leaving only a chilling distance.

Five years ago, I became the pack's Head Alchemist.

Finally, Eleanor could stop taking on extra cleaning jobs.

I still remember the way she cried when I handed her my first paycheck.

Caleb was only nine at the time.

I took over his upbringing completely, determined to give him a better life than I'd had.

I trained him myself, spending hours teaching him how to fight.

I paid for his alchemy lessons and made sure he had the best equipment.

I didn't want him to suffer the same shame I did, watching other pups with their top-of-the-line training gear.

I also handled all the household expenses—Grady's bills, Eleanor's medical fees, everything.

My alchemy business thrived, and I made sure my family wanted for nothing.

Eleanor could finally rest. Or she could have, if Grady hadn't kept inviting Cassia and Briar over.

Every visit was another reminder of who he truly wanted.

Tonight was no exception.

Eleanor wouldn't meet my eyes. "The alchemy lab is a mess," she said, her voice flat with resignation. "He wants you to clean it and start brewing potions. For Cassia and Briar's welcome."

I just stood there silently, my shoulders slumped. Years of neglect had taught me not to expect anything.

Caleb, the brother I had raised for five years, piped up. "Hurry up! Briar and Cassia are hungry!"

This was the same brother who had cried in my arms because he couldn't afford a school trip, now treating me like a servant.

I couldn't take it anymore. My inner wolf was clawing under my skin, demanding justice.

"Caleb, why don't you brew the potions? Or you, Eleanor? Since you're so concerned about everyone's needs. Or have you all forgotten how an alchemy station works, since you're so good at ordering me around?"

Grady's eyes flashed gold as his wolf surfaced. "Watch your tone! You know your place!"

"Oh, I do!" I said with a sweet smile, letting a sliver of my alchemical power bleed into the room.

"Cassia, why don't you brew the potions? Show us those skills that supposedly make you the perfect mate for Grady. Or are you only good at playing the lady of the house after someone else has done all the work?"

Cassia's face flushed. Her perfectly manicured hands clutched her designer purse.

"I... I can brew! I'll show you how a real she-wolf uses an alchemy station!"

For the next hour, she wrecked my lab. The smell of burnt potions filled the house, and I could hear her cursing as she destroyed one piece of equipment after another.

So much for her superior skills.

Briar pulled me toward the dining table, a smug smile on her lips. "You'll have to eat in the kitchen. This is Cassia's seat now. We need to maintain the proper... hierarchy."

My hand shot out, grabbing my own arm. The touch was surprisingly rough. A callus, a testament to years of thankless work, scraped against my skin. "Wait."

"We're eating out. My treat." I laced my voice with my alchemical power, daring anyone to object.

Grady snarled, his wolf eyes glowing. "The Moon Goddess Gala starts tomorrow. You haven't even finished brewing all the necessary potions! But what can I expect from a mate who's turned out just like her useless mother-in-law?"

I felt my claws extend. "What did you just say?"

"Look at you—no class, no manners. Just like Eleanor," he sneered. "I should have let Cassia train you from the start. Maybe then you wouldn't have turned into such a disgrace."

Just then, Eleanor stunned us all again. "What, are those precious hands of hers incapable of brewing their own potions?" Her voice was soft but firm, years of repressed anger finally surfacing.

"Thank the Moon Goddess I didn't raise my daughter-in-law to be as useless as you."

Grady's jaw dropped as we walked out. For once, he had no immediate comeback.

I treated Eleanor to a ten-thousand-dollar dinner at the most expensive restaurant in our territory.

For once, she didn't look at the prices or try to order the cheapest thing on the menu.

"Are you sure, Rowan?" she whispered, her fingers trembling on the leather-bound menu.

I covered her hand with mine. "Order anything you want. With that ungrateful family off my accounts, we have more than enough money!"

We savored every bite of our Wagyu steak, sharing quiet smiles across the candlelit table.

For the first time in years, Eleanor's shoulders weren't tense with stress.

We stayed out until the moon was high in the sky before heading home.

The autumn night air was crisp, and Eleanor actually laughed as I told her stories from my alchemy lab.

When we got home, the house was blazing with lights.

The moment I stepped inside, my wolf recoiled so violently I almost shifted on the spot.

The cheap scent of Cassia's perfume hung in the air—a sickly sweet jasmine that tried and failed to cover her own scent.

It mingled with something else that made my stomach turn—their scents were all over our home, marking their presence in every room.

My house.

My territory.

My family space.

All of it had been invaded by the women who were tearing our family apart.

As I walked to the door of my alchemy lab, I heard giggling from inside.

Young, carefree laughter that had no business being in my private sanctuary.

I threw the door open, so hard it cracked the wall.

Briar was lounging on my experiment table as if she owned the place, her designer clothes strewn across my equipment.

My alchemy station.

The place where my scent was strongest.

Where I'd spent countless nights developing potions, practicing formulas until my spiritual energy was depleted.

My blood didn't just boil—my inner wolf roared for vengeance.

All my carefully honed control as Head Alchemist shattered like glass.

Without thinking, I grabbed Briar's monogrammed Hermès suitcase and hurled it out the window.

The glass exploded outward with a satisfying crash.

Briar let out a wail as she watched her expensive clothes scatter across the front lawn.

"My Gucci dress! My Prada shoes!"

Grady ran over, shielding Cassia and Briar as if they were the ones who needed protection.

"What are you doing? They needed a place to rest for the night! Stop acting like a feral wolf!"

I bared my fangs, letting him see just how feral I could be.

"Oh, really? And my alchemy lab was the only option? In this entire house? The house I pay for?"

"You came back so late! We couldn't just leave them without proper accommodations. Briar was tired, and your lab has the best view of the moon—"

A wave of my dominance flooded the room, and his voice faltered.

The air crackled with power, making Briar whimper.

"Then why didn't you give them your room? Too busy playing happy family with your ex to remember your actual mate? The one who actually supports this household?"

Grady's eyes blazed with fury, but I noticed he didn't step any closer.

"Rowan, you're being unreasonable! They're our guests—"

"They're parasites," I snarled. I could smell them all over my space—my books, my clothes, even my childhood stuffed wolf.

My carefully honed control as Head Alchemist was gone.

I turned to Cassia and Briar, letting them see the full fury of my inner wolf.

"Get. Out."

Cassia held Briar protectively, playing the victim as always. "You can't just throw us out in the middle of the night!"

I grabbed their remaining luggage—three more designer suitcases—and hurled them out onto the street.

"Watch me."

When Grady tried to stop me, I shoved him out too. I lashed out with another wave of dominance, sending them stumbling down the front steps.

Caleb started shouting, puffing out his chest like he was still the trainee warrior I had raised. "You can't do this! They're family—more family than you are!"

I turned on him, my eyes burning gold as I loomed over him, letting him feel the full force of my wrath.

"Want to join them on the street, little brother? Keep talking."

He fell silent, backing away. All his bluster vanished in the face of true dominance.

I dragged him to the basement and locked the door. "Maybe a night in here will remind you who actually cares about you. Who paid for your training. Who raised you while Grady was busy chasing his ex."

Eleanor was wringing her hands, her maternal instincts at war with years of abuse. "Rowan, maybe we should—"

"He needs this lesson. They all do. Sometimes a bond has to break before it can heal properly."

I activated all the security measures in the house—a hundred thousand dollars worth of protection well spent.

Barriers of rowan wood, reinforced locks, and warning wards sealed us safely inside.

We slept soundly that night, just me and Eleanor in our fortress.

For once, no one could hurt us.

The next morning, Grady arrived with a locksmith.

Cassia and Briar followed him, their designer clothes wrinkled, playing the part of the victim perfectly.

The moment the basement was open, Briar rushed in.

"Caleb! Oh my god, are you okay? How could she lock you up like this? What kind of monster does this to her own brother-in-law? You poor thing!"

Caleb collapsed into her arms, trembling for maximum effect. "She's insane! Her and Eleanor both! Look what they've done to our family!"

Cassia stepped forward, her face contorted in disgust. "Look what you've done to him! His own mother raised you to be violent and irrational. Just like her! No decent she-wolf would ever act like this!"

Cassia dabbed at her eyes with a silk handkerchief, careful not to smudge her perfect makeup. "Please, let's not fight. We can all live together in this house. I'm so sorry to have caused such a rift. I only want us to be a happy family!"

"See how gracious Cassia is," Grady snarled, an arm wrapped around her waist. "Unlike you two ungrateful women! After everything we've done for you!"

He pointed to the ruined designer clothes still scattered on our lawn. "You're going to clean every single piece and have them delivered to the gala. Maybe that will teach you some respect! Cassia and Briar shouldn't have to suffer because you can't control your temper."

I smiled sweetly, drawing on all my years of training to appear calm. "Of course. You all go on ahead—Eleanor and I will take care of everything. We wouldn't want to delay your perfect family gala."

Grady narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious of my sudden cooperation. "Don't be late. And get ready properly this time! I don't want you embarrassing us in front of the other pack members."