"Bullshit!" Eric muttered angrily, his jaw clenching as he watched Adrian take the stage.

Alpha Seth greeted Adrian with a handshake.

"I can't believe this! How is this possible, boss?" Damia asked, her tone laced with disappointment.

My company managers lowered their heads, defeat etched on their faces. It enraged me.

"Alpha Adrian, please say something," the Storm Forest Pack's beta urged.

Alpha Wade presented Adrian with a bouquet of flowers.

My eyes widened; a memory flickered. Shifting my gaze from the bouquet to Adrian, I saw him smirking at me. The urge to wipe that smirk off his face was overwhelming. Then I realized: he'd sent me the red roses last night.

Adrian looked away and began to speak.

"Good evening, everyone. I, Alpha Adrian, never forget my pledges to my pack. When I became Alpha, my father asked me to—" He paused, his words trailing off. "—and keeping the pack strong is one of them."

I scoffed at his insincerity. The man was a fraud! I'd seen how he treated his father. His current demeanor was a pathetic imitation of an ideal son.

"We will give the Crystal Blood Pack 70% of the project's profits."

Jaws dropped.

"70%?" murmurs arose from behind me. The Alphas were stunned; Alpha Wade was making a deal that would severely disadvantage his own pack. It was clear…

"Yes," Adrian continued. "But the Crystal Blood Pack will send us 20% of their fighters to assist in any war."

Silence fell. It wasn't a losing proposition anymore. Everyone knew the Storm Forest Pack's reputation; other packs feared them. That's why the Alphas expected at least 50% of the profits. No one anticipated this.

The Crystal Blood Pack was enormous, possessing a massive fighting force. Providing those fighters meant risking their own pack's strength. What if a rival attacked while their fighters were elsewhere?

"No one thinks like Alpha Adrian," someone whispered. "Protecting other packs? Unthinkable." "That's why he rules the largest pack."

Other Alphas praised Adrian's strategic thinking and fearless attitude.

My gaze remained fixed on Adrian, standing tall and proud on stage.

"How do you feel about the deal?" the beta asked.

"It's important to me, just as it is to Alpha Wade. But it's not about my pack company."

"Then what is it?"

Adrian's eyes met mine. "Someone thought stealing a few projects would bring me down. I just wanted to show that person who's really in charge."

I glared at him. His words were aimed squarely at me. I remembered the note he'd sent. He'd orchestrated this project to crush my ambition?

I felt everyone's eyes on me. They knew who he meant. I, the one who'd dared to challenge him.

I took a deep breath, concealing my emotions.

"Jason's right. He's a bastard," Eric whispered furiously. He, too, had poured his heart into this project. It wasn't just my loss; it was my employees' loss as well.

"I guess your friend was right," I mumbled to Eric. "Someone was after this deal, and they got it."

I looked around; the Alphas' eyes were still on me. I met Adrian's gaze on stage; his eyes searched mine for a reaction.

I refused to give him the satisfaction. I was the first to clap. Others followed suit.

"Boss," Damia murmured. "Damia, we need to show sportsmanship. Let the winner celebrate."

Damia, still unhappy, reluctantly clapped.

After the conference, many Alphas praised my composure; my lack of hostility toward the Crystal Blood Pack.

At the buffet dinner arranged by Alpha Wade, I avoided Adrian. Late in the evening, Eric urged us to return to the hotel. I was setting down a drink when—

"I'm coming from the washroom in a few minutes," I said, heading outside.

Eric agreed.

After cleaning a spill from my dress, I left the washroom. A voice stopped me.

"Won't you congratulate your rival, Natalia Hanseley?" Adrian's voice dripped with mockery.

He blocked my path.

"Congratulations, Adrian Miller," I scoffed. "You successfully salvaged a project from my grasp."

He remained impassive. I tried to leave, but he stopped me again. His gaze swept my face, eliciting a cold glare. His devilish smirk returned.

"Why so angry, woman? One failure doesn't make you weak, does it?"

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