Chapter 10 Was It Her Who Seduced You?

The entire room fell dead silent.

Chloe's lips twitched uncontrollably as mocking stares pierced through her—sharp and unmistakable.

Humiliation crashed over her in waves, like thousands of tiny insects crawling up her ankles, wrapping around her spine, burrowing into the back of her skull. Her whole body itched with unbearable discomfort.

Tristan completely ignored her, pulling back the ebony box and cradling it securely. His commanding gaze swept the room, searching for his target.

"I was informed that Leah Sinclair would be here today." His tone was measured and unhurried. "I brought this gift specifically for her—and her alone."

At those words, the room erupted in murmurs.

Chloe stumbled back a step, all color draining from her face.

She could accept losing to any stranger from a noble bloodline—anyone except Leah.

In her eyes, Leah was nothing but a lowborn wolf. How could she possibly steal the spotlight and trample over Chloe's standing?

Instinctively, she turned toward Ethan, panic flooding her gaze as she silently begged for help. But Ethan's brow was furrowed, his mind clearly elsewhere. He didn't even notice her looking at him.

Marcus couldn't stand by and watch his daughter be humiliated in public. He jumped in immediately. "Mr. Gray, you must be mistaken. Leah is just an insignificant junior in our family. She's never set foot in the Capital—there's no way she could know someone of your stature. But Chloe—"

He gestured toward his daughter with an open hand, practically hawking her like a merchant selling treasure. "Chloe is the most accomplished child of this generation. She's lived in the Capital for years. Perhaps you met her there?"

Tristan glanced at Chloe briefly, his expression flat and disinterested. His gaze didn't linger for even a second.

"I was stationed at the northern border last year. I never went to the Capital." His tone was firm. "My intelligence is never wrong. The target is Leah—not Chloe."

His unwavering certainty wiped the polite smile clean off Marcus's face.

"But that's impossible!" Marcus forced an awkward laugh, disbelief thick in his voice. "Leah has spent her entire life around Shadowpine. She's never traveled far, let alone to the northern border or the Capital. Mr. Gray, someone must have deceived you—fed you false information. My daughter is just an ordinary wolf. She couldn't possibly have connections with someone like you—"

"Are you suggesting the orders I received were wrong?" Tristan tilted his head slightly, a flicker of clear displeasure crossing his grey-green eyes.

Marcus's smile froze. His entire body stiffened.

The guests could no longer stay seated. One by one, they stood and moved closer, eager to witness how this spectacle would unfold.

"That's an envoy from the Capital—why would he go out of his way to bring Leah a gift?"

"I heard him loud and clear. He said it was specifically for Leah, and he brought it all the way from the northern border!"

"Leah? The illegitimate daughter Ethan dumped? When did she get connections in the Capital?"

"Could it be a mistake? Maybe the gift was meant for Chloe and they just got the name wrong?"

"Look how certain Tristan is. Does that look like a mistake to you?"

Chloe's nails dug into her palms as she felt the shift in the room's attention.

All the admiration and envy that had been directed at her was slowly peeling away—flowing instead toward Leah.

She bit down hard on her lower lip and stepped forward, deliberately stumbling slightly to ease the burning itch crawling under her skin. Her fingers twitched with the urge to scratch.

"Mr. Gray, you've just arrived in Shadowpine. You don't understand how things work here." She put on a sweet, innocent smile, her tone soft and gentle. "Leah is my sister, but she's lived in the back hills her whole life. She's barely been involved in pack affairs. Could it be that this precious gift was meant for someone else? Perhaps another noblewoman with the same name?"

"After all, Leah has never left the territory. She's never had the chance to meet anyone important from the Capital."

Tristan finally looked at her directly, his tone cold and detached. "Miss."

"My intelligence is never wrong. Three years ago, Leah Sinclair married into the Rourke Pack and personally cared for a critically injured Alpha. During that time, she negotiated a partnership with the Oakwood Guild, trading an exclusive herbal formula for shares in the merchant company. This information is accurate."

Ethan's gaze shifted between Tristan's indifferent expression, Leah's silent composure, and the gleaming jewelry set inside the wooden box. His throat bobbed heavily.

It suddenly hit him—after three years together, he had never truly known the woman by his side.

Tristan ignored the chaos around him and turned, following the crowd's gaze until he locked onto Leah.

Leah's heart stirred faintly. She hadn't expected the gift from that person in the Capital to arrive in such a public, high-profile manner.

Tristan had recognized her.

Holding the ebony box carefully in both hands, he walked straight toward Leah and stopped in front of her.

He bowed slightly, his posture respectful and humble, as he extended the box toward her. "Ms. Sinclair, this gift belongs to you. I apologize for the delay in delivery."

The room exploded.

A distinguished envoy sent directly from the Capital had just bowed before a despised Omega illegitimate daughter—and presented her with a priceless treasure in front of everyone.

The sheer impact of the scene left every single person stunned, almost convinced they were hallucinating.

Chloe completely snapped.

Her voice shot up, shrill and trembling. "Mr. Gray! Do you even realize what you're doing? You're an envoy from the Capital—someone of high standing! How can you bow to a lowborn wolf? This goes against pack rules! It's absurd!"

Her chest heaved violently, her face twisted with jealousy and rage.

She stared at the sunstone amber necklace inside the ebony box, watching the gemstones glimmer with a soft golden glow under the light. These were treasures even noblewomen in the Capital fought over—things she had never owned. And now they belonged to Leah, who was inferior to her in every way. She couldn't accept it.

Tristan completely ignored her outburst. He remained bowed, holding the box steady, waiting quietly for Leah to accept it.

Then, suddenly, Ethan moved.

He strode out from the dining area and planted himself directly between Tristan and Leah, his towering frame blocking the offered gift. Amber eyes blazed with a fury so deep it seemed ready to explode.

"Mr. Gray." Ethan's voice was low and icy, each word forced through clenched teeth. "You dare make such a bold move on my mate—right in front of me? Did she seduce you? Is that why you've lost your damn mind?"