Returning to Stoneclaw Pack

*****Vivian's POV*****

"Father had never stopped talking about your marriage with that Alpha for the past three years," Caleb casually informed me as we drove smoothly back to my true home. He sat relaxed in the driver's seat of the sleek Tesla, one hand resting lightly on the steering wheel while the other sorted through a thick stack of manila folders. The car glided over the asphalt, taking us further away from the territory that had served as my personal prison and closer to the life I had left behind.

I kept my gaze fixed on the passing treeline, watching the dense woods blur into a continuous strip of green and brown. The plan we had formulated was set in stone. I was returning home first to establish my ground and secure my future. On the exact day I was scheduled to dissolve my mate bond, Caleb would step in. He would escort me back to the Moongrove pack so I could undergo the formal rejection ritual and leave Dari behind for good. Leaving my fated husband brought a sharp, undeniable ache deep within my soul. The bond was a primal thing, designed to anchor wolves together, making separation feel like tearing flesh from bone. But after the endless maltreatment, the cold indifference, and the blatant physical abuse I had endured under his roof, I knew this separation was strictly for the best. My survival and my sanity depended on it.

Without taking his eyes off the winding road, Caleb reached over the center console and handed me the heavy stack of documents.

"What is this?" I asked, taking the crisp pages and feeling the heavy weight of the paper in my hands.

"Three years ago, when you were about to get tied down by that manwhore, you signed a contract with father, right?" Caleb asked, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Well, this is the new one."

I frowned and looked down at the dense legal text. Skimming through the thick pages, my eyes darted past the standard pack jargon and focused on the bold clauses. My eyes widened as the reality of the words set in. The document explicitly demanded I sever all ties with Moongrove forever. That part I expected; I wanted nothing more to do with Dari's pack. But the next clause made my heart skip a beat. It stated I was to assume the role of Alpha of the Stoneclaw Pack, and I must remain the leader until my very last breath.

"Why did dad change the rules?" I asked in pure shock, looking over at my stepbrother for an explanation. My mind raced, trying to comprehend the sheer magnitude of the responsibility being thrust upon me.

Caleb smiled warmly in return, radiating a calm confidence. "You are the first woman to lead the Stoneclaw, so he needed to change the rules to ensure the pack's stability. You are not allowed to get married again, Vivian. But you can keep a lover, you just cannot mark each other."

*Your father is a tyrant,* Tessa, my inner wolf, immediately chimed in. She paced restlessly in the back of my mind, whining about my father's overwhelming strictness. To a wolf, denying a mate mark was a harsh decree, an unnatural barrier against our deepest instincts.

*Quiet, Tessa,* I told her firmly. Realizing I had absolutely no other choice if I wanted to claim my birthright and step out of Dari's shadow, I retrieved a silver pen from the dashboard. I pressed the tip to the dotted line and elegantly signed my name, binding myself to Stoneclaw forever.

Caleb reached over and patted my head softly. His eyes flashed with raw pride. "You are not just an ordinary woman returning home, Vivian. You are now officially the most powerful woman in the entire country."

Looking down at the signed papers in my lap, my thoughts involuntarily drifted to the people who had made my life a living hell. My former mother-in-law and sister-in-law had ruthlessly and continuously despised me. They mocked my simple clothes, sneered at my silence, and branded me a "poor orphan" unworthy of their precious Alpha. They had treated me worse than an omega, constantly finding new ways to humiliate me in front of the pack members.

One specific memory flared up, burning hot in my chest. I vividly remembered staying awake all night in the freezing packhouse kitchen, the smell of bleach and cold stone stinging my nose. Dari's sister had dramatically faked the agony of wolfsbane poisoning. She rolled on the floor, clutching her stomach, putting on a spectacular show just to torment me and get me punished. She claimed my mere presence brought toxins into their home. The pack elders had sided with her, forcing me to painstakingly make meals for her while she recovered from her phantom illness. I stood over the hot stove, my muscles aching with exhaustion, cooking pasta and meatballs in the dead of night. I had to bite my tongue and swallow my pride while she snickered from the dining table, enjoying every second of my misery.

A trace of dark mockery flickered in my grey eyes. My grip on the contract tightened, crinkling the edges of the paper. How would those wicked hags react when they inevitably discovered the truth? What kind of expressions would twist their arrogant faces when they learned the "poor orphan" they tortured was actually the youngest member of the legendary Ashford family and the next supreme Alpha? Given the opportunity, I would gladly let out my pent-up, boiling anger. I would teach those arrogant women a brutal, unforgettable lesson about power and consequence. They would learn what it meant to cross a true Ashford.

Soon, the dense trees cleared, and the Tesla pulled into the massive Stoneclaw Packhouse estate. The sprawling fortress loomed ahead, a magnificent structure built from dark stone, reinforced steel, and towering glass windows that reflected the afternoon sun. It was easily twice the size of Moongrove, an intimidating stronghold that truly reflected our unmatched status as the number one pack in the country. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter, their postures rigid and disciplined, a stark contrast to the lazy sentries at Dari's territory.

The car glided up the long, winding driveway and came to a smooth halt in front of the grand entrance. Caleb stepped out first, rounding the hood to pull my door open.

The moment my feet stepped out of the car and hit the pavement, a rustle of movement caught my attention. Rows of estate maids, dressed in immaculate uniforms, stood waiting on the front steps. As one, they bowed in perfect, synchronized unison, their heads dipping low in absolute submission.

"Welcome back, Alpha Vivian!" they chorused respectfully, their voices echoing across the vast stone courtyard.

A wave of profound relief washed over me. It felt incredibly good to finally be home, to stand in a place where I was surrounded by genuine respect instead of scorn and hatred. Here, I was not a burden. I was their leader.

Caleb gently placed a hand on my back, leading me through the grand entrance. We walked through the vast, familiar mansion, our footsteps echoing against the polished marble floors. The high ceilings and intricate tapestries reminded me of the legacy I was born to uphold. He guided me straight toward the west wing, leading me to my father's private study. Alpha Magnus Ashford. He was the man I missed most in the world, despite our bitter, screaming rift before my disastrous marriage three years ago.

We stopped at the grand entryway. The heavy mahogany door stood closed, a formidable barrier between me and my past.

Caleb turned to me, offering a warm, encouraging smile. "Good luck with him, Sis," he said softly.

I gave a firm nod, squaring my shoulders to show him I was ready. With that, Caleb turned on his heel and walked away down the corridor, leaving me alone in the quiet hallway.

My heart hammered against my ribs, but I refused to let the anxiety take over. I took a deep, steadying breath, letting the familiar scent of ancient wood and leather fill my lungs. I raised my hand and knocked firmly on the heavy mahogany door, the sound sharp in the silence.

A moment later, his authoritative voice rang out from the inside, urging me to come in. The sound sent a jolt of nervous energy through my veins.

With fierce determination shining in my grey eyes, I placed my hand on the cool brass handle. I muttered to myself, "Time to see father," before heavily pushing the door open and walking into the room.