I scooted as far away from him as physically possible, pressing my back against the door handle on the opposite side of the backseat.
Edgar watched me with an amused glint in his golden eyes. "Why are you so far away?" he asked, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "I won’t bite, little cat."
I bared my teeth and let out a sharp, defensive hiss—looking, for all the world, like an angry kitten backed into a corner. I wasn’t taking any chances.
With a man as unpredictable and calculating as Edgar Morningstar, keeping my guard up at all times was a matter of basic survival.
Edgar chuckled under his breath, leaning back against his headrest, thoroughly entertained by my hostility.
"As much as I enjoy your little display of feral defense," Edgar began, his tone shifting into something more pragmatic, "we do have a small complication regarding your upcoming fight."
I stopped glaring at him for a fraction of a second, my eyes narrowing. "What complication?"
"The Tournament of Power roster was officially finalized and locked in the central registry earlier this morning," Edgar explained, casually resting his arm along the leather seat. "Despite our recent pack transfer, the official bracket was already drawn under the old filings. Which means... your name is still listed under those competing for the Grey Moon Pack."
I frowned, the implications settling in. "So even though I belong to Morningstar now, on paper, I’m still fighting under Ludwig’s territory?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Edgar said, his golden eyes narrowing with a cold, sharp edge. "The regional council doesn’t allow roster changes a week prior to the opening matches. You’ll be stepping into that arena wearing Grey Moon colors—at least until you rip their candidates apart."
I tilted my head, the initial annoyance fading as my assassin instincts immediately began connecting the dots.
"Wait," I murmured, a slow, dangerous smirk beginning to curl the edge of my lips. "On paper, I’m a wolfless Omega representing Grey Moon... but in reality, I’m fully backed, trained, and funded by Morningstar."
Edgar’s eyes gleamed with approval as he watched the realization set in. "Precisely. The other packs—especially the Four Great Packs—will look at the Grey Moon bracket and see a throwaway slot. An easy target. They’ll send in arrogant, mid-tier fighters expecting a quick bloodbath to pad their scores."
"Which means they’ll walk right into my blade without seeing the strike coming," I finished, leaning forward slightly, forgetting my self-imposed distance for a second. "Ah, even if I’m registered under Grey Moon, every victory I secure in that arena will be credited to Morningstar’s investment while publicly humiliating Grey Moon’s ’superior’ Vanguard when their own throwaway candidate outperforms them."
"And when you reach the finals," Edgar added, his voice dropping into a low, velvet purr, "we reveal the official pack transfer documents in front of the entire council. Ludwig won’t just lose the tournament; he’ll watch the greatest talent his territory ever produced walk under the Morningstar banner while the whole region laughs at his incompetence."
"Brutal," I said, unable to hide the dark delight in my voice. "I love it."
"I knew you would, little cat," Edgar drawled softly, leaning in just enough to make me catch my breath before the car gently smoothly rolled to a stop.
Outside the tinted windows, a sprawling, gated estate with manicured gardens and white stone pillars came into view—and standing right out front, gaping at the entrance with their jaws practically dragging on the driveway, were Jayden and Jordan.
My eyes widened as I stared through the tinted glass, my jaw practically dropping to my lap.
The sprawling, white-stone villa looked like something straight out of an elite magazine—gated perimeter, lush gardens, high arched windows, and a fountain sparkling under the sunlight.
"This... this..." I stammered, completely losing my usual cool, assassin composure. "Edgar, isn’t this way too much?!"
Before I could pull away, Edgar suddenly leaned in close. My breath halted in my chest as his broad frame blocked out the light, his shadow wrapping around me once more.
The rich, subtle scent of cedar and tobacco washed over my senses, making my heart do another annoying, rapid flutter.
"Nothing is too much," he whispered, his golden eyes burning into mine with an intense, unshakeable focus. "I’m going all in, little cat... because I know you won’t disappoint me."
His voice carried a heavy, thrilling weight that sent a shiver straight down my spine. He wasn’t just gambling credits, privileges or property anymore—he was placing his entire reputation on my blade.
And deep down, the killer inside me loved every single bit of it.
"I don’t disappoint," I managed to say, forcing my voice to stay steady as I met his gaze head-on. "You better make sure your wallet is ready for the upkeep, cause I don’t do take-backs."
Edgar let out a low, rich laugh that vibrated against the leather seats, stepping out of the car first and extending a hand to help me out into the crisp afternoon air.
I ignored his offered hand, placing my own boot firmly on the cobblestone driveway and stepping out under my own power.
The moment Jayden and Jordan spotted me, they practically abandoned all decorum and sprinted down the paved walkway.
"Brianna!" Jayden yelled, his jaw practically hanging off his face as he grabbed me by the shoulders, turning me around to face the massive structure. "Tell me we’re dreaming! Tell me this is some kind of sick optical illusion!"
"We were looking at small three-bedroom basements an hour ago," Jordan stammered, his eyes wide as saucers as he gestured wildly toward the grand arched entrance, marble pillars, and manicured lawns. "Then a black sedan pulled up, told us our listings were canceled, and escorted us here! Brianna... what did you do?!"
"I didn’t do anything," I said, offering a cool, composed smirk despite the lingering heat in my cheeks from the car ride. "Consider it our welcome package to a whole new life."
Bradford and Valerie stepped out of the first car that had somehow lagged behind ours despite leaving Ludwig’s estate first. My father looked up at the towering estate, tears shimmering in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around my mother’s waist.
For a family that had spent decades bowing their heads in damp, suffocating slums, standing on the grounds of a high-tier Morningstar property felt like stepping into an alternate reality.
Edgar walked up beside me, casually slipping his hands into his coat pockets. The sheer aura of absolute authority radiating off him made both my brothers freeze instantly in their tracks.
"Jayden, Jordan, you two have already met Edgar, but let me officially introduce you to him once more," I stated smoothly, glancing at Edgar. "This is Alpha Edgar Morningstar. He is our new pack leader—and my sponsor."
Jayden swallowed hard, immediately bowing his head in instinctual deference. Hearing our new pack leader was enough to let him know what we had been up to.
Jordan quickly nudged his shoulder and followed suit. "A-Alpha Morningstar! Thank you for your generosity!"
Edgar offered them a small, refined nod, his golden eyes flicking toward me with that infuriating, knowing glint. "There’s no need for bowing on Morningstar territory. Your sister has earned every inch of this ground. Go inside, inspect your rooms, and let my staff settle your mother’s wound."
Jayden and Jordan blinked, sharing a startled, bewildered glance before their eyes slowly shifted back to me.
?What on earth could he possibly see in Brianna for him to spend this much? The question hung implicitly in the air, mirrored in the quiet, stunned expressions of my parents.
To them, it looked like this Alpha throwing around such unimaginable fortune for a wolfless Omega was that he was thoroughly, undeniably smitten with me.
So, he was certainly serious when he came to our house the other day, that’s what they think. He saw the house the girl he likes was living in and decided he was going to change that.
?My brothers looked at me for confirmation, and when I gave them a subtle nod, they practically bolted up the grand stone steps, pulling our parents along with them in eager, ecstatic disbelief.
?I stood at the bottom of the steps, watching my family disappear through the double mahogany doors. For the first time in two lifetimes, a genuine, contented warmth settled deep within my chest.
?Still, as I watched the polished wood doors click shut, a practical thought crossed my mind. Sheesh, this guy really is something else.
?I knew the truth—I hadn’t actually accomplished anything concrete for him yet to warrant a sprawling, high-tier villa like this.
Edgar was simply the type of man who threw money and resources around without a second thought when he set his mind on something. He called it an ’investment,’ but this was bordering on absurd extravagance.
?My eyes narrowed as I stared up at the grand white balcony, my jaw setting in a firm, resolute line.
?Fine, Edgar. I understand your intentions loud and clear.
?If he was going to hand me such comfort on a silver platter, I wasn’t going to let it go to waste. But I certainly wasn’t going to live off charity, either.
I vowed right then and there that I would carve a path of absolute devastation through the Tournament of Power, as well as whatever tournament comes after, bringing so much glory and blood-bought victory to his name that he would never, ever feel like he made a bad trade—or think about taking any of this back. It was all mine now.
"Satisfied, little cat?" Edgar’s voice echoed softly right beside my ear and I flinched, immediately turning around.
But since he caught me off guard, I ended up twisting my ankle and losing my balance—<anno data-annotation-id="7027895f-b1be-4b9f-ad39-360b2eacc9b9" data-title="Yup, the disgrace of an elite assassin. ">Yup, the disgrace of an elite assassin. 1</anno>