Hadley's POV

My grip was tight on the steering wheel and my knuckles were white. My heart was thundering but with each mile on the road I could feel my pulse start to relax. I had to be calm in front of Jade. If she saw how undone I truly was she would suspect something was up.

I had ignored all of West's gentle attempts to talk to me the first half hour in the car. I sighed. I would need them still. As much as I hated putting them at risk to make the plan work they would have to help.

"Hadley," West cautiously put his hand on my shoulder. His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at him, only taking my eyes off of the road for a moment.

"Hadley," he repeated. Quieter this time. I could see what he wanted. Me to open up. To talk to him. Hell he probably wanted us to turn around and go back and get Tate.

"The plan has changed but I still need your help," I glanced at them both. Devin nodded.

"West you're not going near Jade," I said. He tried to cut me off but I sent him a glare that had him closing his mouth.

"Hadley. Jade will suspect you the whole point of West doing it is so that she doesn't see it coming. So that we have even a fraction of more time. She knows you want revenge," Devin said. Her voice was soft. Comforting.

"I know," I said, my eyes not leaving the road.

"Let me do this Hadley. I want to do this," West pleaded.

"No".

"Hadley you're going to get yourself killed," West said. The irritation was growing in his voice.

I ignored the comment and the tone. "This is how it is going to happen".

West and Devin listened. Neither of them bothered to interrupt me or make any comment. They merely listened. I could tell that West was furious. That he didn't agree. But I was the Luna, and he would follow my command whether he liked them or not.

We had pulled over on the side of the road before entering the territory. I made sure to take the keys with me. I walked into the woods with my bag and changed into the sapphire blue dress. I quickly put on some makeup and was back in the car within ten minutes. We all noticeably stiffened as we entered Fenris Moon territory. Each of us on guard.

We made our way to the entrance exchanging one final glance with each other. I wasn't sure if I would be leaving this house. They knew it too. I reached down grabbing each of their hands giving them a small squeeze. Devin returned the squeeze before entering the pack house. West held firm to my hand, keeping me back a moment.

I just looked up at West. I wasn't sure what to say. If there was anything really to say. I could see the hurt and the conflict that covered his eyes. He glanced around before wrapping his arms around me. Hugging me tightly.

"Hadley you don't have to do this," he whispered in my ear. I fought the stinging in my eyes. "I will still do this".

I pulled back and smiled at him, his arms still wrapped around me. I raised myself on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. His crystal eyes watched me so closely.

"Take care of him West," I said quietly before pulling away and walking into the pack house.

The house was filled with pack members. It seemed as though all the other Alpha's and Beta's had come. I spotted Cassia in the crowd and he gave me a strange look after noticing the Alpha who had not accompanied me. The one I had left in a magical bind chained to our bed. I glared at her before making my way into the mix, West at my side. Devin had gone off already executing her part of the plan.

"Dance with me?" I asked West. He nodded and led me to the floor. We moved to the music. I used that time to scan the ballroom. It looked exactly the same as the last time I had been here. When Nolan had captured me.

My eyes skimmed the crowd looking for Jade. My eyes finally connected with her golden ones. She had been watching me so closely the entire time. The wicked glow grew as she caught me noticing her. A feral grin spreading on her plum colored lips. She was at the top of the staircase watching us all below. Her placement in the room was intentional. That she was above us all. In control of us all. I smiled back at her letting a little bit of my own wickedness shine through. I could feel the cool metal of the blade strapped to my upper thigh. West caught my stare, his eyes following mine.

He scoffed. "Of course she would be there".

I gave West a pleading look to keep his thoughts to himself. Refocusing him on the dance. The time would come soon enough. For now we just had to play our parts.

West leaned into me and in a hushed voice whispered in my ear. I giggled acting as though we were sharing some silly little secret. Let Jade think I was interested in West as well.

"Devin linked with me. She says Cassia is going to be presenting Jade with a fucking crown".

"During her speech?" I whispered back.

West gave my waist a small squeeze to confirm it. I searched into the crowd looking for Cassia. It didn't take me long to spot the red head. She was flirting with some wolf I didn't recognize over by the hallway that led to the gallery. His aura of power told me though he was an alpha. I watched her intently never taking my eyes off of her as West continued to move me on the dance floor.

I took a step away from West with a mischievous wink. I knew without even looking I had Cassia's full attention now. I knew she would be watching me tonight. Making sure I fell in line and didn't try anything after what happened to Darren. No she may have been flirting but she was fully aware of my every calculated movement.

I could practically feel her as I made my way through the house to that same garden. I didn't slow down. Even as I heard her footsteps following me down the path to the fountain. I finally stopped once I reached the fountain. I turned around painfully slow. My hands rested on the fountain as I leaned into its sturdy stone.

"Can I help you?" I cooed innocently.

"Not exactly a nice night for a walk in the gardens," Cassia toyed, plucking a rose from a nearby bush. She studied it in her hand. Playing with its thorns. It was rather a nasty spring night. The air was chilled and coated in mist.

"Doesn't seem to bother you since you decided to come join me. And what do I owe the pleasure Cassia?" I said annoyed.

"Please you think Jade would invite you into her home and let you roam freely. No she is much smarter than that," Cassia said stalking closer.

"Her home? Interesting I thought this was the pack's home. I also thought you were a rogue and wanted your freedom. So which was it a lie or a failure?" I asked.

"Watch it?" Cassia snapped.

"No please I'm curious were you a liar who just wanted to make room for Jade to step in, or did you fail and just find a new master to blindly serve?" I said. The venom coating my lips.

"It's not like that at all with Jade," She snapped. I could see the rage in her face as her nostrils flared.

I let a small snicker fall from my lips. "Whatever you say Cassia".

Cassia was on me before I had a chance to say anything else her hand squeezed my throat. Her nails dug into my skin. I choked trying to grasp onto any air.

"Stupid half breed!" She spat in my face. "You are nothing! I will make you nothing!" she shouted. I felt her nails dig in harder as a small trail of blood ran down my neck.

Cassia had gone fully wild. She was furious as she gripped me harder. I began to see small black dots as they filled my field of vision.

She didn't even notice as Devin tapped her shoulder behind her.

Cassia whipped around letting go of my throat. I gasped for air as I moved quickly.

Devin punched Cassia in the face. Cassia was strong though. Almost as strong as Devin. Cassia sent her fist to Devin's temple. I could almost feel the crack of the sound that was made when her fist connected with Devin's face. Devin laid on the ground. Cassia turned back to me.

To slow though. Distracted. Her rage had clouded her judgement.

Just as I predicted.

Cassia gasped as I pushed the blade of the dagger deeper into her chest. She struggled to form any words as we stood there in that moment staring at one another.

"I'm going to go with failure," I whispered in her ear before shoving her to the ground.

Devin popped off of the ground and rubbed her face.

"Are you ok?" I asked strapping the blade back to my inner thigh.

"Bitch has... had a good punch but I'm good," Devin said. She came up closer to me inspecting the wounds on my neck that were already healing. She tore a small part from the lining in her dress dipping it into the fountain water to wipe the blood.

She worked quickly and helped me fix myself so that I looked as I had before I had gone into the garden.

"You go back inside. Here is the crown," Devin said quickly shoving the box into my hands. "She started her speech. She is on the top of the stairs like before. I'll take care of the body and meet you back in.... In five minutes," Devin's words were rushed. We had to hurry before any of the guards could come across us. She practically shoved me down the path.

"Hadley."

I turned back. Devin's Ice blue eyes were clouded. Darker than usual. I waited for a moment but the words didn't make their way out. This was it. There was so much to say but finding the right words was impossible. I gave Devin a half smile remembering her. Her blonde curly hair. Her ice blue eyes. The sassy smirk. I had grown to care for her so much. Her personality. The friendship. I savoured that small moment before I turned back to the house.

I prepared myself to say goodbye to it all.