Free Web NovelChapter 27: Chapter 27 My Savage Beauty
Hudson’s POV
"So who’s the poor girl you’ve tricked into getting engaged to you without telling anyone?" Reginald demanded. "The least you can do is introduce her."
Reginald Laurent. Hudson’s biological father. Walking proof that money couldn’t buy competence.
He looked the part. Mid-forties, still in decent shape, with a sharp enough jawline. But inside? Empty.
Everyone in Highrise City knew old man Edouard, Alpha of the Sabreridge pack and king of Laurent Global Holdings, would rather set fire to his empire than hand Reginald the keys.
The guy didn’t have the grit. Never had.
Maybe Reginald knew it too. Maybe that was why he spent most of his time punching down, taking out his insecurities on people who couldn’t punch back. Like young Hudson.
Once upon a time, Hudson used to care. Used to wonder why his father treated him like something scraped off a shoe.
But those days were dead and buried.
Hudson didn’t even look up from his laptop. He had a conference call with London, Paris, and Frankfurt in two minutes. Reginald barging in, as usual, wasn’t enough to break his focus.
"She’s here at the party. You’ll meet her soon enough," Hudson said, voice flat.
"But, Hudson, what your father means is, we don’t know anything about her," Gwendolyn Laurent chimed in. "I mean, sure, we know her name and that she’s a..." Her mouth twisted like she was chewing glass, "a barista. But are you sure this is the right match? You need a Luna who can handle the mayor’s galas, investor dinners, charity auctions. Is a barista really going to survive in our world?"
Hudson finally looked up, pinning her with a stare. His wolf, Lycaon, stirred inside him, bristling at the disrespect toward his mate.
There it was. Fake concern, real agenda.
Gwendolyn wasn’t worried about his sudden engagement. She was thrilled. freewebnøvel.com
Hudson marrying a ’nobody’ meant her precious son, Declan, might actually stand a chance. In her twisted daydreams, Declan wasn’t just going to inherit Laurent Global Holdings, he was going to snatch Titanova Corp out from under Hudson too.
Hudson shut his laptop with a click.
"Whether she’s up to the job is none of your concern. And I didn’t ask for your worthless opinion."
Reginald’s nostrils flared. "Gwendolyn’s your mother! Show some respect!"
"And as Alpha, I choose my Luna," Hudson said, dragging out each syllable like he was scrubbing it with sandpaper. "And while we’re on the subject, I didn’t ask for your opinion, either."
"Have you forgotten you’re campaigning to be Alpha King?" Reginald pressed, his voice laced with contempt. "Your mate will be scrutinized by every pack in the north. You need someone with breeding, connections."
Hudson’s lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Actually, Christina comes from a respectable family. She’s the daughter of Alpha Franklin Vance of The Crescent pack."
Reginald’s eyebrows shot up. "The Vance girl? But I heard she’s been engaged to the Alpha of the Frostpelt Pack for four years. Why would she suddenly be with you?"
"Four years of Luna training,learning pack protocols,and managing social obligations?" Hudson replied smoothly. "Sounds like exactly what you’re suggesting I need. Besides, I happen to enjoy coffee. Particularly when she makes it."
Lycaon rumbled with satisfaction while Hudson kept his cool. The bond between them strengthened each day, but Christina still hadn’t figured out they were mates.
He hit the intercom. "Dominic. Get them out. Whoever let them in—dock his pay for three months."
"Yes, Alpha," came Dominic’s dry reply.
Thirty seconds later, Hudson’s Beta walked in, his presence commanding respect even without words.
"Mr. and Mrs. Laurent," Dominic said, holding out an arm. "This way, please."
Reginald opened his mouth like he was about to argue, then caught the look in Hudson’s eyes. The flash of impatience made him think better of it.
The moment the study door closed, Hudson patched through his international call.
Titanova Corp usually ran like a well-oiled machine, but certain things still needed his personal attention. Things like corrupt local governments and militia groups who treated bribes like a national sport.
Half an hour later, he wrapped up the call, adjusted his suit with a sharp tug, and was about to head downstairs when Dominic hurried back in.
"She here?" Hudson asked.
Dominic, used to Hudson’s one-track mind where Christina Vance was concerned, nodded. "Miss Vance has arrived." He hesitated, then added, "But there’s been an... incident."
"Spit it out."
"She’s... ah, fighting someone in the ballroom. As in, actual fistfight. Not a verbal argument."
Hudson’s jaw tightened. His entire expression darkened like someone had switched off the lights inside him. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
He brushed past Dominic without a word and stormed towards the stairs.
Cassian Langford, Alpha of a neighboring pack and looking half-asleep while rubbing his face like he’d just lost a brawl with his pillow, caught up to him.
"What’s all the noise downstairs?" he asked, voice still scratchy.
When his friend didn’t answer, Cassian jogged after Hudson but almost crashed into his back when Hudson abruptly stopped at the landing.
Following Hudson’s line of sight, Cassian peered down.
"Bloody hell," he muttered, eyes widening. "When you invited me to the party, I didn’t know it was going to be gladiator-style."
The ballroom was chaos. Guests scrambled back, forming a rough ring around the brewing disaster in the center.
Hudson recognized Christina’s friend Ysolde, who’d just kicked Violet square in the gut.Not hard enough to do real damage since she was in a dress that was more for show than combat, but it was enough to block Serenna from throwing herself in front of Beatrice like a discount bodyguard.
Serenna seized her moment. Tears poured down her face like someone had flipped a switch.
"Chrissy, I was only trying to help," she sobbed. "You pulled the tablecloth and knocked over the buffet by accident. I was just helping you pick up the pieces. Why would you hit me? And Beatrice was only trying to help, too!"
A few of her cronies, already planted at the party like bad weeds, caught her frantic glances. They rushed over to back her up.
"You can’t just go around hitting people!" one of them screeched.
"Yeah, what the hell? This isn’t a bloody food market!" another barked, full Karen mode activated.
Ysolde, scrappy but outnumbered, started looking boxed in.
Before Hudson could even blink, Christina moved. She stormed up, grabbed Serenna by the hair like she was yanking weeds, and slammed her halfway to the marble floor.
"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re pulling. You set this whole thing up, didn’t you?"
Her fingers twisted harder.Serenna whimpered. Christina didn’t let up. With her other hand, she still had a death grip on Beatrice.
Screams and curses bounced around the room. Everyone else was freaking out.
Hudson didn’t see any of it.
He only saw her.
He stood on the stairs with clenched fists. He watched Christina, tiny and furious but completely unstoppable, pinning two grown women like it was nothing.
Her arms looked slim, but damn, she was strong. Serenna and Beatrice couldn’t even lift their heads.
Christina held herself like a warrior goddess. Her spine was straight, her chin tipped back slightly, the diamonds around her neck catching the chandeliers and tossing the light back like a thousand tiny knives.
She made dragging two idiots across a ballroom look... weirdly attractive.
"Why are you grinning like an idiot?" Cassian pointed at Hudson’s face. "Does a catfight turn you on?"
Hudson touched his face. He hadn’t even realized he was smiling.
But how could he not, when it was Christina?
He had been wrong. Christina didn’t need rescuing.
She was feisty, fearless, never-let-them-take-an-inch Christina.
Soon-to-be-his Christina.
His true mate, though she didn’t know it yet.
