Chapter 99: This Is Far Too Much

?Even in a concourse crammed with hundreds of wolves, their loud chatter, and clashing inner wolves, Benjamin hadn’t so much as reached for a cigarette. He didn’t need one. My presence was his noise cancellation if his wolf just focused on me enough—kind of the point of being a companion—the ultimate buffer against the neural chaos.

?Once he spoke, my parents’ eyes snapped from the gleaming black card in Valerie’s trembling hand straight to Benjamin. Then, slowly, their gazes trailed downward, landing squarely on our joined hands.

?Benjamin’s fingers were laced firmly through mine, holding my hand with a quiet, possessive tightness.

?A heavy, stunned silence fell over my family. Their thoughts were spilling across their faces so loudly I didn’t even need wolf senses to read them. Why is he going this far? What in the world is his actual interest in Brianna? Is he trying to buy her?

?Jayden and Jordan’s jaws were practically hanging down to their chests, their eyes darting rapidly between Benjamin’s dark, indifferent expression and our locked hands.

?Instead of offering a single word of explanation to ease their shock, Benjamin simply inched closer to me, his shoulder brushing mine as he subtly pulled me a fraction tighter against his side—as if our grounding proximity wasn’t already proving his point clearly enough.

?"I... I can’t take this," Valerie stammered, looking at the VIP card in horror, as though it might burn her fingers. "Young Alpha, this is far too much—"

?"Mom, just take it," I cut in smoothly, squeezing Benjamin’s hand lightly so he wouldn’t start getting impatient with them. "Think of it as him paying his tab for my services. If an Almond heir wants to throw his wealth around, who are we to stop him? Let’s just enjoy it."

?Bradford let out a long, quiet breath, studying the quiet way Benjamin stood beside me, as if I were his equal.

Seeing how completely relaxed and grounded the young Alpha seemed while glued to my side, my father gave a small, resigned nod.

?"If Brianna says it’s alright... then thank you, Young Alpha Benjamin," Bradford said softly, his voice full of genuine respect.

Benjamin beamed a smile and went, "You’re welcome,"

I rolled my eyes aside. He probably got what he wanted, this guy. He was a handful.

For the next three hours, the Grand Galleria became our personal playground.

We raided the high-end home goods boutique first. My mother, finally relaxing after seeing how effortlessly the staff catered to us the moment they saw Benjamin’s card, gleefully selected top-tier copper cookware, imported spice racks, and fine porcelain dining sets.

Don’t get me wrong, the new house is furnished, but for some reason, the kitchen is empty of supplies, like it had all been cleared out intentionally.

Jayden and Jordan went completely wild in the designer clothing stores, shedding their faded, threadbare rags for sharp, tailored leather jackets, silk-blend shirts, and custom combat boots, but they didn’t exactly go too far either.

They still knew better that they had not earned a single thing they were getting with their own money after all.

Still, it was fun to see them so excited.

"Look at this!" Jordan cheered, striking a ridiculous pose in a dark green velvet coat in front of a full-length mirror. "I look like a pack lord! Bri, look!"

"You look like a peacock," I said with a deadpan expression, though a faint smirk tugged at my lips as I leaned against a marble pillar, watching them.

Benjamin stayed glued to my side the entire time, completely unbothered by the mountain of bags his driver was carting back to the SUV. He just stared... at me of course. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I had something on my face but that’s just how he is.

Every time the crowd in the mall grew too dense or noisy, he would subtly shift closer, resting his hand against my hip or dropping his head on my shoulder, drawing quiet clarity from my presence and scent amidst the bustle.

I felt the shuddering breaths, the trembling of his shoulders, and I knew he wasn’t having it easy in the slightest.

He didn’t even want to smoke, as if he was trying to keep his reputation clean for some reason.

Why go through this trouble though? Even if he had an itch to spend, we could’ve taken the money without him coming out.

Seriously, I don’t understand what goes through an Alpha’s head.

As we walked out of a luxury shoe boutique, my mother looked back at us, her eyes glassy with unshed tears as she hugged a brand-new leather handbag to her chest.

"I still can’t believe this is real," she murmured softly, looking at my father, who was wearing a crisp, tailored suit that made him look ten years younger. "A real house... real clothes... good food..."

"It’s real, Mom," I said gently, stepping up beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "It’s all real."

Jayden and Jordan ran up, arms loaded with bags of high-tier athletic gear, grinning from ear to ear. "Where to next, Bri?! There’s a night gourmet food market on the bottom floor!"

"Lead the way," I laughed softly.

As my family happily marched toward the escalators, I felt Benjamin’s fingers tighten gently around mine. I looked up to see him staring down at me, a rare, soft warmth in his purple eyes.

"You look good when you smile, Brianna," he murmured softly.

"Shut up, Benjamin," I replied. "Don’t say weird things."

?He chuckled—a low, quiet vibration that resonated right through our joined hands.

?"And you?" I asked, turning my head slightly to look at his pale, exhausted profile. "How are you holding up?"

?Benjamin raised our joined hands just an inch, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. "Still standing, obviously."

?"Have you ever been to a night gourmet market?" I asked, looking toward the wide escalators leading down to the bustling food hall below.

?Benjamin scoffed, a dry, faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Do I look like I’d have survived it?"

?A short, genuine laugh burst out of my chest before I could catch it—a light, musical sound that startled even me.