Chapter 364\u00a0<\/p>\n
Author\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
As expected, the Stormridge Pack\u2019s Duskgrave family-aineage of Alpha royalty-had dominated the auction without blinking. Dropping one hundred billion credits as if it were nothing, they crushed the competition with terrifying ease.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael Vale exchanged a glance with his father, Alpha Alaric of the Ebonclaw Pack. Both understood what had to be done.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was only one way now to tie themselves to the East Crescent project-by marrying Riley to Lucien Duskgrave, the enigmatic Alpha prince of Stormridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kael rose, adjusted his suit, and approached Lucien with practiced calm, extending a hand. \u201cThe Duskgrave name precedes you, Alpha Lucien. And tonight proves the legends true.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien didn\u2019t show much expression but accepted the handshake with cold politeness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alpha Alaric followed, forcing a grin so wide it folded his weathered face. \u201cNow that the auction is over, how about we continue the conversation in the banquet hall: Perhaps over some wine?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien gave a brief nod. Before he turned, he flicked a subtle glance at his Beta, Duke\u00a0<\/p>\n
immediately followed the auction host to complete the ransfer paperwork.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time they reached the banquet hall, Riley had also just arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The driver spotted Scarlett first. He rushed over to her, slipping something small and discreet into her hand. \u201cScarlett, here\u2019s what you asked for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He vanished just as quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett turned her gaze to Riley, who was scanning the opulent banquet hall, unaware of the danger stalking her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett grabbed a glass of juice from the refreshment table and discreetly poured the powder from the packet into it. After giving it a swirl, she waved over a passing server.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease deliver this drink,\u201d she said, nodding in Riley\u2019s direction with a smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The server nodded and carried the glass over to Riley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley didn\u2019t think much of it. It wasn\u2019t unusual for servers to offer drinks at formal gatherings like this. Besides, she hadn\u2019t eaten anything all evening. Starving she took the drink, grabbed a few pastries from the dessert table, and started nibbling while sipping the juice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett watched as she drank, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sauntered over, hips swaying like a predator closing in. \u201cLook at you, stuffing your face like you\u2019ve never seen real food before. Embarrassing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley was just about to take another bite when she heard that smug, nasal voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her gaze sharpened. \u201cScarlett. Are you begging to get slapped tonight?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tue, Dec 30\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 364\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d better back off before I smash this cake in your face. Let\u2019s see who\u2019s more embarrassed then.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
35%\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s smirk froze, fury bubbling beneath her skin. She wanted to claw the smug expression off Riley\u2019s too-beautiful face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But not yet. Not when victory was moments away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, Riley had just drunk the spiked juice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t be so smug in five minutes,\u201d Scarlett sneered\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley narrowed her eyes. \u201cWhat the hell does that mean\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett leaned in, lips barely moving, mouthing the words: That juice was drugged. Get ready to make a scene, whore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She thought Riley wouldn\u2019t catch it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley knew how to read lips-and those words cut through her like a blade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her pupils contracted in shock. And right on cue, the heat began to bloom beneath her skin-rising, surging, crashing over her in violent waves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her face flushed crimson. Panic set in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s triumphant stare only made it worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley lunged for her, but Scarlett dodged easily, folding her arms and grinning like a viper ready to strike.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAw, what\u2019s the matter, slut? Losing control already?\u201d Scarlett taunted. \u201cYou think you can marry Lucien Duskgrave? That prince of Stormridge? Let\u2019s see how much he wants you after tonight-when you\u2019re\u00a0<\/p>\n
stripping naked and wg in front of every elite Alpha in the room.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her laughter rang out, sharp and cruel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The world tilted. The chandeliers overhead flickered and warped, casting strange shadows across the hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fire beneath Riley\u2019s skin made her want to tear her lothes off. Every fiber of her being screamed to escape, to run, to find cold water-anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She dug her nails into her arms, clawing her own skin, tying to use pain to stay lucid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No one noticed her struggle. Everyone else was mingling, drinking, laughing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t fall apart here. Not in front of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned and bolted for the exit, heart thundering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Scarlett wouldn\u2019t let her go that easily. She darted forward and grabbed Riley\u2019s arm, putting on a sweet, fake smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley, come on. Dad and Mom are over there. Let\u2019s go say hi together, yeah?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley fought her grip, but the heat was making her limb weak and sluggish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
14:36 Tue, Dec 30\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Pack\u2019s Daughter\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 364 Chapter 364\u00a0 Author\u2019s POV\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 As expected, the Stormridge Pack\u2019s Duskgrave family-aineage of Alpha […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20637"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20637\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}