Free Web NovelChapter 232: Chapter 232 The Price of Provocation
Author
Vanessa got the text from her brother Shane asking her to meet.
She walked in light, not thinking much of it.
Maybe lunch. Maybe a quick catch-up.
What she found was a table covered in printouts. Screenshots. Bank records. Phone logs. Everything she had done to make Elara’s life harder laid out in black and white.
Shane was sitting on the other side of the table, arms crossed. His face was hard to read. "You got anything to say?"
Vanessa pressed her lips together. "I just didn’t like her, Shane. That’s not a crime. I threw a little trouble her way. No big deal."
"No big deal." He let out a flat laugh. "The Alpha King would burn this whole city down for her. You think that’s no big deal?"
She opened her mouth. Closed it.
"I warned you last time." His voice dropped. Cold. Sharp. "You didn’t listen." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
He paused. Let the silence sit. Long enough for Vanessa to feel the weight of it settle on her chest.
Then he said, "Dad knows. He wants you out of the company. All operations. You’re off the board, off the payroll, off everything. You go home. You lay low. You don’t make a single move until he says otherwise."
Vanessa’s face went white. "He can’t be serious."
"He’s dead serious."
But before she could argue, Shane slid a folded document across the table. "Read it."
Vanessa opened it. Her face went pale.
It was an official decree from Alpha Dominic’s pack. Dominion sanctions.
Taylor Industries was being placed on probationary status with the Council. All new business ventures required Alpha King approval. Any pack wishing to partner with them would need Alpha Dominic’s explicit consent.
The words blurred in front of her eyes. She had to read them twice to believe them.
"He didn’t cut us off completely," Shane said quietly. "But he made sure everyone knows we’re on thin ice. The message is clear: touch his mate again, and he’ll freeze us out entirely."
Vanessa’s hands trembled. The paper shook in her grip. "This is insane. He can’t just—"
"He’s the Alpha King, Vanessa. He can." Shane’s voice was tired. Worn down. "The fact that he left us a way back means he’s being merciful. Probably because of Elara. She doesn’t even know he did this."
Vanessa’s fists clenched. Her chest burned with frustration. She wanted to scream. To throw something. To argue that none of this was fair.
But she didn’t.
She walked out.
The door clicked shut behind her. She stood in the hallway for a long moment, staring at nothing.
But what made it worse was that Zack had called off their engagement party.
Just like that. No warning. No explanation.
--
Alpha Dominic didn’t see the retaliation as overkill. Honestly, he barely thought about it at all. To him, it was simple math. You touch what’s mine, I remind you who I am. End of story.
But then his phone buzzed. His head of security.
"Alpha King, we have a visitor. Mr. Patterson. He’s requesting a meeting."
Alpha Dominic’s wolf stirred. Not a threat. But an interesting surprise. "Send him up."
Two guards escorted Patterson through the secure corridors. They stopped at the main office door, gave it a knock, then stepped aside.
The moment Patterson walked through the door, Alpha Dominic let his Alpha energy fill the room. Not enough to crush. Just enough to remind.
"Mr. Patterson." Alpha Dominic leaned back in his chair. "What brings you here?"
Patterson gave a small smile. He was calm. Collected. The kind of calm that came from years of playing politics. "I came to ask the Alpha King for a favor."
"Oh?" Alpha Dominic raised an eyebrow. "My favors don’t come cheap." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"I’m aware." Patterson’s smile held. He didn’t flinch. "Why don’t you name your terms, Alpha King?"
The title hung in the air between them. A reminder of who held the power in this room.
Alpha Dominic’s lips curved into a smile, but his amber eyes stayed cold. The kind of cold that made lesser wolves look away first. "No terms. I know who you’re here for, Mr. Patterson."
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. His voice dropped. Quiet. Sharp. "But the fact that I haven’t exposed your little situation with Vincent should count as me doing you a favor already. Don’t you think?"
Patterson’s face went still. For a split second, something flickered behind his eyes. Surprise. Caution. Maybe a sliver of fear. The room felt colder. Like the temperature had dropped a few degrees.
Patterson held Alpha Dominic’s gaze for a long moment. Then he looked away first.
He stood up slowly. A measured movement. Controlled. The kind of man who knew when to back down. "I understand. Sorry for taking up your time, Mr. Wolfe. I’ll see myself out."
Alpha Dominic’s smile didn’t fade. He didn’t move. Didn’t blink. The guards opened the door from the outside. They fell into step behind Patterson as he left, making sure he found his way out.
Alpha Dominic watched the door close with a soft click. Then he picked up his pen and went back to work like nothing had happened.
Because to him, nothing had. Just another wolf learning his place.
--
After he left Wolfe territory, Patterson pulled out his phone and dialed his ex-fiancee.
"I’m sorry, Vanessa," he said when she picked up. "I can’t help you."
Silence on the other end.
"Alpha Dominic is really protective of his mate," Patterson went on quietly. "You shouldn’t have gone after her."
He paused, then added, "If I’m being honest, if I were in his position, I wouldn’t do anyone a favor either."
"Vanessa, I know that because of me, you became insecure. Sensitive. But I’d like to see you become the bright, confident woman you used to be. The one who didn’t let anything dim her light."
Vanessa’s throat tightened. Tears stung her eyes.
He was right. After Patterson, people had whispered behind her back. Mocked her. She had been carrying that shame around, desperate to prove herself.
Did she actually like Zack? No. But she couldn’t stand being ignored. Being dismissed. Over and over again.
And then Elara showed up. At exactly the wrong time.
Vanessa envied her. She was jealous, even if she barely admitted it to herself. Jealous that Elara had two men fighting for her attention, while Patterson’s words—"I think I’m attracted to men"—haunted her like a curse she couldn’t shake.
"Patterson," Vanessa said, her voice shaking with anger, "you’re the last person who has the right to say that to me."
She hung up.
Patterson sighed and typed out a long message. He hesitated, then hit send.
[I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. There’s a position opening up at an organization abroad. They need a director. I can recommend you if you’re interested. If you ever get tired of it, you can come back anytime.]
It was, in his opinion, the best option for her.
A day later, Vanessa finally texted back. Just one word. Okay.
