CHAPTER 5

The guilty murmurs of the executives echoed through the silence, like wolves caught plotting against their Luna. The tension was palpable, each averted gaze betraying the shame of being discovered.

"This is ridiculous! How dare they imply Mrs. Stormwolf isn't legitimate?" growled Steven Rousvett, Asher's loyal beta, seated in the passenger seat. His anger boiled like a wolf ready to defend its territory.

Aurora, sitting in the back, narrowed her sharp wolf-like eyes and flashed a sly smile. "Steven, why does it matter if it's about legitimacy or illegitimacy? We're not stuck in a medieval pack. Why are you so riled up?"

With a teasing gesture, she pinched Steven's cheek, prompting a bright red blush to spread across his face.

"Aurora, you're a future leader!" Asher, one of the family's Alphas, intervened. His grave tone carried a hint of reproach. "Stop tormenting our beta."

Aurora chuckled softly, but her eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint. "Lunas tease their betas, don't they? Steven should be honored I'm giving him attention."

The group entered the hotel, led by Michael Gordon, the gamma in charge of operations. But before they could head to the elevator reserved for Alphas and the Luna, Aurora gestured for them to stop.

"Let's start with the restaurant. I want to see if everything is up to standard."

Michael nervously guided them, fully aware of Aurora's formidable reputation. The Luna's invisible fangs seemed ready to bite at the slightest misstep.

When Aurora stepped into the restaurant, her wolf instincts immediately took over. Her piercing gaze swept across the room, inspecting every detail as if it were foreign territory.

She approached the seafood tank, rolled up her sleeves, and plunged her elegant yet firm hand into the water, pulling out a lifeless shrimp.

"Dead," she declared, her voice resonating like a low growl.

Michael, caught off guard, stammered an awkward excuse. "It's… it's just one shrimp out of many. It's normal for a few to die."

Aurora turned, her golden eyes glinting—a sign her inner wolf was close to the surface. "One dead shrimp can poison an entire meal. If a client falls ill, it affects our entire reputation. Replace this supplier immediately. If I find another dead shrimp tomorrow, I'll make you eat every piece."

Silence reigned, broken only by the accelerated heartbeats of the executives around her. Aurora knew what she was doing. Her near-supernatural memory had once helped her solve complex investigations. Within the pack, it was said she could observe everything as if she saw through shadows.

When they reached the guest rooms, Aurora methodically inspected every corner. She wiped a picture frame with a tissue and, showing the accumulated dust, firmly stated, "The cleaning must be redone. This level of upkeep is unworthy of our status."

Murmurs of dissatisfaction rose among the executives. Aurora's sharp senses picked up every word.

"You think I'm difficult, that I'm nitpicking?" She locked her fierce, unyielding gaze on each person present. "But know this: details are what make or break a pack. A simple inspection of the stars would reveal your mistakes and strip us of our status."

Steven, her loyal right-hand, leaned toward her. "What should we do?"

Aurora stared at the wall for a moment before responding with icy authority: "Find another supplier. Replace everything defective. If something slips past me today, I'll remember it tomorrow."

Later, in the general manager's office, Aurora collapsed onto the couch. "This hotel is an absolute disaster. Does Wyalon really think I'm a miracle worker on my own?"

Asher, observing his sister, nodded calmly. "It's not a disaster, Aurora. It's ancestral land. This place is the heart of our pack, the cornerstone of what we've built. But in recent years, we've neglected our duty to it."

Aurora closed her eyes for a moment, her throat tightening. When she reopened them, her gaze fell on a black piano in the corner.

"I had it placed there for you," Asher said. "Playing the piano used to soothe you. If the pressure gets too much, it might help you regain your balance."

Aurora looked down at her hands. "I haven't played in a long time. When I was a battlefield doctor, an injury damaged my finger. I can't play like I used to."

Asher's heart clenched at her words. "Alaric… it's because of him, isn't it?"

Aurora averted her gaze, masking her pain behind a radiant smile. "I did it for our pack. For you. For Grandfather."

Steven suddenly knocked on the door, interrupting their intimate exchange. "Miss Aurora, the furniture suppliers are tied to Alia Furniture, and… Alia belongs to Celia Grimwood's brother."

Aurora's smile turned into a cold, icy smirk. "Then we'll bite. Change suppliers immediately. I won't tolerate any connection to someone who tarnished our pack."

As Asher opened his mouth to protest, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it before smiling ironically.

"Aurora, it's your ex-husband."

Aurora straightened, her wolf's invisible fangs ready to be revealed.