Chapter 6

Digby's POV The air thickened within the circle of wolf guards. Wally and Sky's sweat beaded visibly on their foreheads—not from fear, but from my lupine aura altering the air pressure. "Locked in a storage room?" As I leaned in, Sky's pupils reflected not a face but a twisted golden glow. Dammit, my heritage was showing. Only those near death could catch a glimpse. "Y-yeah, but the house was too small back then. The storage room was cozy." "Right, we were poor. Everyone was hungry." I felt nothing as I worked them over, leaving them bloodied and toothless. Rubbing my wrist, I said coldly, "Take them away. Don't let Kelsey see." Can't have my gentle, timid sister traumatized. How could I be a kind, upstanding, non-scary big brother otherwise? Turning toward the dining area, a burning sensation pricked my eyes—the sign of Lycan powers fading. I softened my expression as I looked at Kelsey. "Order whatever you like." Kelsey glanced toward the hall, noticing Wally and Sky's absence. "Where are they?" My throat flared—my clan's emblem was burning again. "I reasoned with them. They left in shame." Kelsey's eyes held doubt. She sniffed the air, and I froze—the metallic scent from earlier hadn't fully cleared. "Are Wally and Sky really that reasonable?" I grabbed a towel, hiding the strange itch in my palm—the sensation of ants crawling inside my veins during healing. When I pulled away, the crimson stain had dulled to rust. "If they come back, call me." Kelsey seemed less wary now. She eyed the pricey menu. "Are you rich?" My molars ached—a side effect of suppressing my lupine aura. My mind raced. Remembering my mate Arya's advice to play poor earlier, I blurted, "No." My ears burned—those cursed physiological reactions always struck at the worst times. "But you mentioned a hundred million?" "That was a bluff." My fingers twitched uncontrollably, leaving claw marks on the embroidered tablecloth. I quickly covered them, the lingering wolfish heat scorching the silk. "But this hotel's expensive, and the restaurant too." I loosened my tie, revealing an old scar on my clavicle—a telltale sign of lying. "I used to work here. Employee discount." Catherine asked about the helicopter and guards. "Those were rented too." My clan emblem seared again. I handed cash to the nearest wolf guard. "Salary." He froze, then hastily took it and fled. Kelsey blinked. "So you were just pretending to scare me?" "Uh, yeah…" My molars throbbed as suppressed wolfish energy surged in my gums. I evaporated the corrosive sweat on my palm using Lycan thermoregulation. Seeing Kelsey less guarded, I felt my approach was right. From now on, I'd be a poor man. Catherine asked about my job. I stayed vague. "I work in real estate." Emphasizing "company" to imply sales. Catherine understood. "A real estate agent. It doesn't matter what we do. We're all ordinary folks. Kelsey doesn't care about wealth—she dislikes fancy settings." Kelsey nodded. "I don't mind. Rich life's too complicated." The airflow from her words carried a unique wavelength—our shared bloodline's trait. "If you dislike it, I'll skip the theatrics next time." "What do my other brothers do?" "Jasper, your second brother, is a top coder, leading award-winning teams and building firewalls. Lucas volunteers at the Red Cross, rescuing wildlife. Your cousin Avery teaches piano; Brigham works at a law firm; George acts in minor film roles." I felt my explanation was solid—no outright lies. Jasper's a renowned hacker; Lucas a top surgeon. The other three cousins? A piano maestro, a famous lawyer, and a global A-list actor. Catherine sighed. "Let's leave after this meal. This hotel must be expensive."