Alpha Father Traded His True Heir for His Bastard Daughter Now Karma's Ultimate Payback novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Nothing in Return

Jasper's POV

Stanton Brennick made his offer in front of eight elders and sixty of my wolves, and I watched Calla's face while he made it.

She did not move.

She stood on my porch steps in my coat, with her bandaged wrists at her sides, and she looked at her father without blinking.

"Heir," Stanton said again, louder. "My seat when I'm gone. The ring on your finger in front of the whole pack. Everything that was taken from you, Calla, and no one will say a word about the past."

"The past," she said.

"A family matter. It should have stayed in the family."

"You sent me to silver for it."

"I made a hard choice." His voice boomed across the yard. "I'm offering to unmake it."

"For the price of the test."

He spread his hands.

"For the price of one day. Withdraw the petition, and you're my daughter again."

"No," Calla said.

He did not seem to hear it.

He turned his big gray head to me instead.

"Holloran. You have a Council vote and a grievance. Name your price. Stonegate gets the Montana timber contract, the river rights, whatever you like, if the vote goes with me tomorrow night."

The elders behind him stared at the gravel.

I came down one step.

"My vote is not for sale," I said.

"Everything is for sale."

"You've mistaken me for a man who'd like to be paid." I let my voice carry. "Stonegate's seat on the High Council belongs to Calla Brennick. Any hall, any hour, any question, if she asks for it, I will cast it as she says."

Nobody made a sound.

Stanton's mouth opened and closed.

"You don't mean that."

"Write it down."

I felt her look at me.

I kept my eyes on Stanton's hat.

"Jasper," she said, very low.

"Yes."

"What do you want for it?"

"Nothing."

I heard her breathe in.

Stanton put on his hat, stiffly.