Chapter 342

Logan

The thrum of music and the ripples of conversations were deafening, but all I could focus on was Ella,

standing defiantly across the patio.

Her impromptu declaration of the engagement party had left me stunned. It felt like something she had

concocted on a whim, yet her performance suggested otherwise. Was Ella this good an actress or had

she been mulling this over for a while?

“That was bold, even for her,” my wolf mused internally.

“I can’t believe she just… agreed to that,” I muttered under my breath.

“She’s either a damn good actress or… she’s genuinely considering it,” my wolf replied. It was a

peculiar dynamic, conversing with the beast within, but it had become second nature.

I watched as Ella made her way back to the bar, the shimmer of her dress capturing the ambient light,

making her look ethereal. The way the fabric hugged her curves, the gleam in her eyes, and the

graceful manner with which she carried herself took my breath away. My concerns momentarily pushed

aside, I was flooded with appreciation for her beauty and spirit.

“You know, if she goes through with this party, you’ll finally meet Edrick Morgan,” my wolf teased, a hint

of mischief in his tone.

I had thought of that already. Meeting Edrick Morgan, the renowned CEO of WereCorp, would be a

tremendous opportunity. And impressing him? Even better.

A chuckle escaped my lips. “That’s true. Imagine that, me making an impression on Edrick Morgan.”

“You? With your family’s reputation?” The wolf scoffed. “Good luck. Charm may work on some, but

Edrick Morgan is not just any wolf.”

I sighed. “Look, it’s not like I’ve had a choice about my family. But I’ve always been able to charm

people. You know that. And it’s not just charm; if I can show Edrick my business acumen, the potential I

have, then he might be more open.”

“You forget he’s the husband to the Golden Wolf, one of the most revered figures in our world,” my wolf

interjected. “The moment he hears your last name, he’ll associate you with crime. High profile,

unscrupulous crime. Charm or not, he won’t risk his wife’s reputation.”

I was silent for a moment, reflecting on this bitter truth. “Then I need to prove to him, to everyone, that I

am more than just the black sheep in a family of criminals,” I responded, determination lacing my voice.

“I want a different path. A clean slate.”

“And how exactly do you plan to accomplish that?” My wolf’s question was tinged with doubt. “You can’t

even prove it to Ella. She still sees you as a criminal, despite everything.”

I glanced back at Ella. She was now at the bar, lost in her thoughts as she waited for her drink. My wolf

was right; she did still see me as a petty criminal. And knowing her, she likely wasn’t even planning on

actually introducing me to her parents. Being the excellent lawyer she was, I fully expected her to have

a way out.

But this was about more than that. If I wanted to reap the benefits of our arrangement and get my

father’s fortune, I had to impress him. That meant that excuses wouldn’t work. We had to figure

something out.

“I have an idea,” I murmured aloud, a plan slowly forming in my mind.

“Always the schemer, aren’t you?” my wolf remarked, a hint of amusement evident.

I grinned, feeling the challenge ahead invigorating. “Always.”

I was just about to approach Ella when a hand landed on my shoulder, halting me in my tracks.

“Logan!”

Recognizing the voice that greeted me, I turned around with a forced smile. “Ah, Mr. Dalton. Good

evening.”

Frank Dalton was one of my father’s closest business partners. His reputation wasn’t any cleaner than

my family’s, but he had a knack for smooth talking and, unfortunately for me at the present moment,

never seemed to be short on conversation.

“Logan, my boy!” He clapped me on the back. “I heard about the engagement party. Quite a move,

huh?”

“Yes,” I replied cautiously, attempting to keep the conversation brief. “Still in the works, Mr. Dalton.”

I tried to glance past him, noticing Marina, Harry’s newest fiancee and known for her love of meddling,

engaged in a conversation with Ella. I didn’t need heightened senses to know that whatever Marina

was saying wouldn’t be pleasant.

I tensed, eager to put an end to this dialogue and rescue Ella.

“You know,” Dalton slurred, a hint of alcohol on his breath, “I couldn’t help but notice that lovely girl of

yours-what was her name? Millie?”

“It’s Ella, Mr. Dalton,” I said, restraining my annoyance, Mr. Dalton nodded. “Right. Bella. Well, I noticed

that she doesn’t seem to be wearing an engagement ring.”

“Ah, well,” I replied, improvising, “the ring was quite an expensive piece. She’s decided to keep it in a

secure box at home, for safety. You know how this city is.”

Dalton raised an eyebrow. “Yes, this city and its crime. But to hide such a valuable piece at an event

like this? Don’t you think that might give people the wrong idea? I saw her talking to a rather dashing

young man earlier.”

I ground my teeth, my patience wearing thin. Picturing her talking so openly to that Devon guy in my

mind filled me with unease, for more reasons than one. I wasn’t typically the jealous type, but

something about Devon just made me feel sick. Not that I was going to get into that with Mr. Dalton, of

all people.

“I trust Ella,” I said, managing a stiff smile. “It’s not a problem, Mr. Dalton.”

Mr. Dalton nodded slowly, the extra skin under his chin wobbling as his head moved. He was getting on

in age, and it showed. But thankfully, it seemed as though he had run out of things to say for once.

Attempting to put an end to this already- prolonged chat, I excused myself. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,

Mr. Dalton, I should-”

But the older wolf was not to be dismissed so easily. Grabbing my arm, he continued, “One more

question, my boy. If you won’t mind entertaining an old man for a moment.”

I stifled a sigh, straightening my suit jacket. “Of course. Ask away.”

Mr. Dalton paused, annoyingly sucking his teeth for several long moments before he finally spoké. “Tell

me, are you two planning a local wedding or something more… exotic? My heart isn’t so good

anymore, you know. Airplanes aren’t so kind to an old wolf like me. I hope you’ll consider something a

little closer.”

I gave him a tight-lipped smile. “We’re still discussing the details. Don’t worry, Mr. Dalton; we’ll keep

you in mind.”

Dalton, either due to his inebriated state or sheer nosiness, bombarded me with a string of questions.

How many guests were we planning to invite? Would it be a traditional ceremony? Had we chosen a

date? Each query felt like a nail, pinning me to the spot when I so desperately wanted to be elsewhere.

By the time I managed to extricate myself from Dalton’s prying, Marina was making her exit from her

chat with Ella.

As our eyes locked, she smirked and mimicked a ring on her finger before sauntering off, leaving me

with a sinking feeling in my gut. But, thankfully, Ella was free. And I wanted to show her something, to

prove to her that there was more to my past than crime.

“Ella,” I said, leaning on the bar beside her. “What do you say we sneak out of here for a little bit?”