Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 12 Pack Law Article Three

Victoria’s POV

Grace ordered a large array of drinks, then turned to me with that cunning smile of hers.

"Vic, doesn’t this feel absolutely liberating?" she asked, gesturing around the luxurious VIP lounge. "Men are just entertainment, honey. They’re literally everywhere—supply and demand, basic economics. Never sacrifice your entire kingdom for one lying bastard, especially when there’s a whole buffet of eye candy out there. Anyone downstairs catch your fancy?"

I tried to stay calm, but my wolf Nora was going wild inside me. That familiar aroma drifted over—deep smokiness of cedar wood intertwined with the mystery of midnight roses—wafting from the adjacent room, making every nerve in my body tense. This intoxicating combination hit me like a drug, contradictory yet perfect, like forbidden roses blooming in shadows, dangerous and utterly captivating.

My breath caught. Damian.

At this moment, I was incredibly grateful that the bracelet on my wrist perfectly masked my scent.

The last thing I needed was him discovering what I’d known all along—that we were fated mates. That cosmic joke was my secret to bear.

I didn’t want any more connections with the Sterling family.

I shook my head, trying to keep my voice calm: "No one worth my time."

But Nora was practically clawing at my restraint—she recognized her mate’s call. The smoky cedar represented raw dominance and primal power, while those midnight roses hinted at the refined predator lurking beneath his designer suits. Every instinct screamed at me to go to him, even as my rational mind reminded me why that was impossible.

The man who had just come over to chat seemed to be Damian’s friend.

"Hey, what are you thinking about? Don’t worry," Grace’s voice cut through my spiral . "That was just the appetizer. The main course hasn’t arrived yet."

She took out her phone to check the time.

Soon, men began streaming into the room one by one.

"Showtime!" Grace practically bounced in her seat. "Take your pick, or hell, take them all. It’s your revenge tour, remember?"

I watched wide-eyed as the men continued flowing into the room.

Some were undeniably gorgeous—the kind of specimens that would make excellent Instagram posts. Eye candy with actual substance behind those pretty faces.

Maybe Grace had a point. If my worthless ex could play around for years behind my back, why couldn’t I have some fun with a few willing participants?

As for that damned destined mate.

He can go to hell!

Besides, I wasn’t planning to make any of them my true life partner—pack law had very clear regulations about bonding ceremonies. This was just... entertainment.

I began evaluating them more carefully, but the choices were overwhelming—different ages, different styles. Nora remained skeptical, feeling none of them were particularly special.

"I’ll take the top three," I declared with newfound confidence, even as Nora huffed disapprovingly in my mind.

The men seemed pleased with my decision. One particularly striking specimen approached—dark hair, emerald eyes, and the kind of confident swagger that suggested he knew exactly how to use those assets.

"Blake," he introduced himself, his voice like aged whiskey. "I’ve got to say, I’ve never met a she-wolf with such... commanding presence."

Because our mate was mere feet away, probably catching traces of these other males’ scents.

Fine—I could handle a little internal rebellion.

The enchanted bracelet wasn’t just masking my scent; it was keeping my wolf’s possessive instincts in check, allowing me to play this game without completely losing control.

Another contender approached from my left—light brown hair, shoulders that could carry the weight of the world, and amber eyes that held just the right amount of danger.

My lips curved into a smile that would have made devils weep. Maybe tonight would be exactly the kind of therapy I needed.

"Well then, gentlemen," I purred, letting my voice drop to that register that made men stupid, "I hope you’re all prepared to work very, very hard to impress me."

Grace practically cackled with delight. "That’s my girl! See? There’s a whole damn army of gorgeous wolves out there. Why waste tears on one who treated you like garbage?"

I raised my glass, letting the expensive champagne burn slightly as it went down, and surveyed my very appealing options. The alcohol was liquid courage, warming me from the inside out.

Tonight wasn’t about finding my happily ever after—it was about reclaiming my power and reminding myself exactly who the hell I was.

I am Victoria Lancaster, future Alpha of the Crescent Dawn pack, and I deserve worship, not betrayal.

"So," I announced, letting my natural dominance roll through the room like a challenge, "who’s brave enough to try and earn my attention first?"

Damian’s POV:

I sat in the adjacent room, my wolf Arthur pacing like a caged predator beneath my skin, agitated by something I couldn’t quite identify.

Felix kept his eyes glued to the entrance, watching as men continuously filed into the neighboring room.

"Christ," he said, raising an eyebrow, "someone’s planning quite the party. What’s she gonna do, start her own personal harem?"

I should have been indifferent to such gossip—among our kind, consenting adults could do whatever the hell they wanted as long as pack law wasn’t violated. But something about this situation had Arthur’s hackles raised, a low growl building in my chest that I couldn’t quite suppress.

"Weren’t you just saying you wanted to find some women to drink with?" I asked coldly. "How are you any different from her?"

Felix’s face flushed slightly. "It’s completely different," he protested. "I just want company, to feel the atmosphere, not... whatever circus is happening next door. It’s not the same thing at all."

I gave him a contemptuous look. "Don’t be a hypocrite. You have zero right to judge anyone else’s choices."

The conversation should have died there, but Felix couldn’t leave well enough alone.

"Look, I’m not judging—live and let live, right? It’s just... that woman is absolutely stunning. I snapped a quick photo earlier, but now I feel like a creep. I should probably delete it."

He pulled out his phone, finger hovering over his photo gallery.

I glanced over with casual disinterest, expecting to see some random she-wolf I’d never met. Instead, that careless look revealed a face that hit me like a physical blow, and Arthur slammed into my consciousness with the force of a freight train. A possessive growl vibrated through my chest before I could stop it.

"Wait." I snatched the phone from Felix’s hands.

The woman in the photo was immediately recognizable—dressed provocatively, heavily made up, but unmistakably Victoria. My mate. Arthur clawed at my restraint, his territorial instincts blazing as her sweet scent—like wildflowers after rain—flooded my memory.

"This is the woman you mentioned—her?" I struggled to maintain dangerous composure, though I could feel myself losing my grip.

Felix nodded. "Yes. Do you know her?"

"She’s in the next room with how many men?" The beast inside me strained against its leash. Arthur howled for dominance, urging me to take action. The thought of Victoria with other men—a pack of hungry wolves—sent molten rage coursing through my veins.

Felix nodded again. "Yes. What’s wrong?"

"Get pack enforcement here. Now," I said coldly, my mind already calculating how to get her out of that room as quickly as possible.

Felix looked at me in confusion. "What?"

"Report a violation of Pack Law Section Three," I continued, my tone ice-cold. "Unauthorized escort services on pack territory."

I didn’t believe for a second that Victoria would engage in such activities, but I needed a legitimate reason to intervene without revealing the mating bond. The thought of those men touching her, breathing in her scent, possibly even trying to claim her... Arthur was practically feral with the need to mark our territory.

"But... this isn’t like you," Felix protested in confusion. "Do you know her? What’s your angle here?"

"I’ll handle this myself." I ignored his questions and began firing off messages to my security team. There was no need for Felix to understand my motivations.

While Felix busied himself digging into Victoria’s identity, I focused on keeping Arthur leashed and maintaining my composure. When Felix finally came back with intel, he approached me.

"I know you have it out for Ethan, but this seems excessive. If you report this, you’ll destroy that girl’s reputation. She’ll have a permanent record—for violating pack law. The Council doesn’t mess around with this stuff."

Felix thought this was about Ethan? Perfect. Let him keep thinking that. I completely disregarded his concerns. Minutes later, my security team arrived in uniform.

I strode toward the door, Felix following closely behind. "Are you seriously going through with this?"

I didn’t answer. Every instinct I possessed was laser-focused on one thing—getting to Victoria before any of those bastards laid a finger on what was mine.