Chapter 45

The air inside the car was thick with tension, a heavy weight pressing down on me as I sat there, my fingers tapping on the screen of my phone. My heart was still racing from the argument with my father, the searing accusations, the betrayal. I'd lost so much in the span of a few minutes—my job, my reputation, my standing in the pack. And now, my very birthright was hanging by a thread. Beside me, Xander's gaze never left my face. His strong, steady presence was a comfort, a lifeline in the storm that had suddenly enveloped my life. He had every reason to expect me to crumble under the weight of it all, but I couldn't afford to break. Not now. With practiced ease, I typed out a message to my assistant, instructing Jack to arrange the follow-up work I'd been planning before the world had crumbled around me. It was a testament to my determination, a silent declaration that I wouldn't let others' actions define me. Xander's warm hand found mine, his thumb stroking soothing circles on my k