Fake Mating To My Ex's Powerful Enemy

Chapter 38: Chapter 38 The Cold Shoulder Strategy

Hudson’s POV

Dominic waited until Christina Vance walked away before going back inside, the bag hanging from his arm.

At the front desk, one of the reception girls stopped him.

"Dom, who was that just now?"

She was trying to act like she didn’t care,but he could see she felt bad. She had clearly thought Christina was nobody important before and now wanted another chance.

"She didn’t give her name. Is she really here to see the Alpha Hudson? How come she doesn’t have an appointment? I thought—"

"Stop asking so many questions," Dominic said, barely slowing down. "Next time she shows up, don’t make her wait. Let her through straightaway. Got it?"

The girl swallowed, instinctively submitting to the Beta’s authority. "Y-yeah. Got it."

Dominic took the elevator up to the sixty-eighth floor,where the Alpha’s offices looked out over the Sabreridge pack territory.

His Alpha was standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back to him. Hudson’s powerful frame was silhouetted against the Highrise, his shoulders tense.

Dominic wasn’t sure if he was watching the Highrise or tracking Christina’s movement with his heightened wolf senses.

He placed the laundry bag on a nearby coffee table.

"Alpha Hudson.I said everything you told me to. Dropped enough pressure on her to make her nervous. She’s definitely thinking now."

Hudson didn’t turn around.He was still focused on something in the distance, probably Christina’s figure walking away.

"Good."

His voice was calm, but his eyes had that look again—sharp, locked in, predatory. Lycaon was clearly agitated, sensing his mate but unable to claim her yet. He was already planning how to corner her next.

His personal phone lit up.

Dominic checked the caller ID. "Alpha, it’s your father."

Hudson turned around, took the phone, and answered, "What."

"That’s exactly what I want to ask," Reginald snapped. "You walked out of your own damn pack gathering.The one meant to introduce you to every major Alpha in Highrise.Half the wolf community is still buzzing about it. Do you realize the gossip magazines have gone feral?"

"Not my problem." Hudson leaned back against the glass, fingers drumming on the window ledge.

"You’re the Alpha of the Sabreridge pack. Every damn move you make affects our standing. I happen to be part of this pack too, you know. This affects me."

"Then maybe find another pack." The threat in his voice was subtle but clear.

Reginald ignored that. "They’re saying that Sabreridge pack is weakening and you’ve abandoned your responsibilities. I haven’t slept since. I’ve been running damage control, trying to silence some of the more outrageous stories floating around the packs. You know, you could’ve given me a heads-up before pulling a vanishing act."

"I’m not obligated to justify myself to anyone, particularly the scavengers fishing for headlines. Those who truly count were contacted directly."

"Many of those ’scavengers’ happen to be key stakeholders.Financial backers. Corporate executives who traveled across continents specifically for a handshake with you.They ended up with canapés and a missing Alpha apparent. Tell me how that strengthens our position?"

"They’ll live. And if they want to keep alliances with Sabreridge, they’ll get over it. Let’s not pretend the territories are stable. We’re the strongest pack worth joining. They need us more than we need them."

Silence fell.

Then Reginald tried a new angle. "Fine. You handle the pack business. But what about your mate?"

Hudson’s jaw ticked. "What about her." fгeewebnovёl.com

"The one you said we’d meet but didn’t. What am I supposed to say to your grandfather? He’s convinced the Moon Goddess is calling him soon. He wants to see you bonded. A future heir. Gwendolyn and I were supposed to meet your mate, and—"

"I’ll talk to him."

That shut Reginald up for a beat.

Then he conceded, "Alright. I’ll leave that to you, too."

"Good." The Alpha’s tone left no room for discussion.

"Wait, don’t cut the link yet!" Reginald’s voice changed, awkward and slippery. "There’s... an opportunity. Some new territory expansion. I’d need some resources to secure it early—"

"No."

"Just hear me out—"

"No." Hudson didn’t even blink. "You said that with the hunting grounds in the North. They were barren."

"This one’s different."

"You said that too, about the river territory. Which, last I checked, nearly depleted our pack’s reserves."

"It’s not the same."

"Neither was the alliance with that rogue pack. Remember that? The one that ’just needed our protection’ and ended up being a trap with hunters waiting."

"Alright, alright. I got your point. But I’m your father and I could use—"

"I might consider helping you," Hudson said coolly, "if you keep your wife from treating me like the last unmated Alpha in the region. I don’t need another list of ’eligible’ daughters from neighboring packs.Or strange women calling my personal line at midnight because Gwendolyn keeps giving out my number without asking."

Reginald sighed. "She’s just trying to help. You’re almost thirty-one and still unmated. She wants to see you bonded."

"I’ll get married when I want. What I need now is for her to stop burning through company funds on galas nobody cares about and designer clothes she’ll never wear again.You rein her in, maybe I allocate more resources to your division.No promises."

"Fine. I’ll talk to her."

Hudson ended the call.

Dominic stepped in, arms full.

"Alpha.These are gifts from Miss Grey. Concert tickets from Miss Kendra Lucille. Gift baskets from Miss Yvette Summers, Miss Liliana Hart, and Miss Noemi Bancroft. And this..." He set down a long velvet case. "An antique silver letter opener from Miss Desiree Lang. Apparently she heard about your European pack training."

Hudson didn’t even glance at the pile. He had zero interest in these desperate attempts for his attention. "Redistribute everything. Give the tickets to whoever handled that merger dispute last week. Food baskets go to the junior staff. Whatever we can’t use, liquidate it. Put the proceeds toward the company’s quarterly bonuses."

Dominic grinned. "On it, Alpha. Can I keep one of the concert tickets? My girlfriend happens to like that music."

"Sure."

"Thanks, Alpha." Dominic turned to leave, then paused. "Oh. The safe you ordered has arrived. Installed five minutes ago."

"Good." Hudson opened the drawer behind him and pulled out a small velvet box.

He flicked it open with one hand.

Inside was a necklace. Simple design, sleek platinum that caught the light.

If Christina were here, she’d have recognized it instantly.

Veyra.

Her design.

The one she’d made for Eliza Black.

The same one that blew up social media and divided people with its modern take.

He snapped the box shut and handed it to Dominic.

"Lock this in the safe. Later. Personally."

Dominic took it, understanding the significance. "Yes, Alpha."