Chapter 7

I didn't believe he could actually kill Cassandra for Asher's sake. Even if he did, I would never forgive him. Asher could never come back...

Matthew bought a room next to mine at the inn. After disappearing for several days, he blocked my path again. "Olivia, Olivia, Cassandra is dead! Look!"

I was shocked. He had actually killed Cassandra.

Matthew held up his phone, showing off to me. The video was shot in the vast ruined fortress. Cassandra was tied to a chair, and Matthew was forcefully shoving burning silver-laced objects into her mouth.

A silver-laced explosive was strapped to her body, with the timer showing one minute remaining.

Cassandra knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. Her mouth was blistered from the scalding silver, making it difficult for her to speak. "Please forgive me, Luna Olivia. I was wrong. I shouldn't have harmed Asher. I was evil-hearted. Please forgive me, Luna Olivia."

Her forehead was bleeding from the kowtowing, swollen and bruised. But even this couldn't ease the hatred in my heart.

The countdown on the explosive grew shorter and shorter. Matthew had no intention of stopping it.

He slowly walked out of the ruined fortress. "Save those words for Asher."

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. The explosive beeped.

Soon, the fortress was blown to ruins.

Cassandra was completely destroyed, not even bones remained.

I watched the video calmly. But Matthew took my angry words seriously. "Olivia, Cassandra is dead. Come back with me! I have good news to tell you."

I glanced at him coldly. "Matthew, why don't you understand? We can never go back to how things were."

But Matthew wouldn't give up. "Is that so?"

After he spoke, I felt the air grow thin. I couldn't breathe properly, and my consciousness began to fade.

He had drugged me!

When I woke up, I found myself in Matthew's bedroom at the old packhouse. I instinctively tried to escape. This place reminded me of the scene when Asher died.

I curled up on the bed. The image of Asher's death wouldn't leave my mind.

It was Matthew's familiar method again - imprisonment.

But this time, I jumped from the second floor. Since he wouldn't respond to force, I'd try a softer approach.

When Matthew received news of my fracture, he left his pack meeting, ran through more than ten territories, and rushed back.

Seeing him sprint to me, I threw my arms around him. "Matthew, I'm scared! Being here keeps making me think of Asher's death."

"Alright, alright. I'll take you away."

Jumping from the second floor gave me a fracture. The pack healer said I'd need a wheelchair for three months.

After noting down the care instructions, Matthew took me to another safe house in the remote wilderness.

But I suddenly grabbed his hand. "Matthew, can I go to work with you? When I stay alone in this empty house, I get scared and think of Asher. I want to keep myself busy."

Matthew was startled. It had been so long since I'd called him by his name so softly. And since I brought up Asher, he couldn't refuse. He quickly nodded in agreement.

"Matthew, I'm injured now. I need to be with you all the time."

Indeed, from then on, Matthew took me to work with him. I became his personal strategic advisor.

He thought that since I was injured and had to use a wheelchair, I couldn't leave him.

He never expected that during my time as advisor, I was constantly stealing away his most capable warriors and core pack members.

Indeed, using my resources to secretly invest in Matthew's pack rebuilding, the people he found were all very capable and intelligent. Some could even match the key personnel in my mother's Ghostmoon Pack.

Like the warrior in my office now, named Gareth. "Advisor Olivia, the Alpha wanted to see me?"

"Actually, I wanted to see you. I'm sure you've heard of the Ghostmoon Pack. Here's the situation - I have connections there. I think your abilities and intelligence are wasted here. If you're willing, I can recommend you. Since I'm poaching talent, I'll naturally offer a high price."

Seeing Gareth's hesitation, I didn't continue. "Here's the contact information. Reach out if you're interested."

"Alright."

Unexpectedly, as soon as Gareth left, he ran into Matthew. "Gareth? What were you doing in my mate's office?"

"Advisor Olivia wanted to discuss something with me."

Matthew put down the food in his hands. "Tell the Beta that your banishment order will be delivered tomorrow. You don't need to come in tomorrow!"

I was secretly delighted. Being banished by Matthew saved me from having to pay a high price to poach him.

Lost in thought, Matthew suddenly grabbed my face. "Olivia, remember that you're my mate."

I quickly nodded. He had this fit of madness once a day. No need to pay attention.

My leg was almost healed, but Matthew hadn't noticed that most of the pack's key personnel had been poached by me.

"Olivia, when your leg heals, let's complete our Luna bonding ceremony, okay?"

I nodded casually. "Matthew, can you send me a copy of Cassandra's video?"

But Matthew became alert. "What do you want it for?"

"Whenever I think of Asher, I feel guilty."

"It's fine. The person who harmed him is already dead."

Matthew remained vigilant. I had poached enough people. Once I got the video, I could leave.

I never had the chance, until today. When I returned from the pack healer after getting X-rays, Matthew was in a council meeting.

His computer was in the office. Knowing his password, I immediately opened it.

I searched for a long time but couldn't find it. I rummaged through everything, finally finding a USB drive in the safe.

I plugged it in. The video was the first file. I quickly took out my USB drive and copied it, then put it back in the safe.

Just as I was hiding the USB drive, Matthew walked in. "Olivia, what are you doing?"

I picked up the takeout I'd just ordered from the desk. "After leaving the healer, I thought you hadn't eaten yet, so I brought you food. I'll go out now."

"Okay."

Once outside, I went straight to the High Council headquarters. I reported the crime and submitted the evidence in one go.

When Matthew was taken by the Council enforcers, he looked completely shocked. "Olivia, you..."

"A life for a life. It's only right. Stay imprisoned and behave, Matthew! Also, your pack and territory now belong to the Ghostmoon Pack."

Just as I walked out of the Council headquarters, I heard Matthew shouting from inside: "Olivia, I love you!"

I sneered. What an act of devotion.

In this lifetime, we'll never meet again.