at the Hager voletention, enching a drink I wasn’t baiting.
shuipened benind their bandit, eyes darling to her before they dissolved Into imati A deep bord spread through my Kipha Kmg, 1 tirely *elf helpless, but watching these wolves circle Ava like was wounded prey white politiet tied
© The Telleritance ceremony had been had enough. Watching how these people treated someone who once fought for their park confioned what lá
the Hayes family was rothen straight to the marrow.
crtical alliance for both packs, don’t you agree?” Michand donned on bedde me, completely oblivious that I’d tuned him out five minutes ago.
Richard was apposedly Shadow Creek’s second in command, but the whole pack knew he was just a mouthpiece for his wife. My ge drifted across the reem to where Martha stood with the eldes, her spine straight as a blade. She glanced my way, her perfectly painted smile never reaching these calculating
“Absolutely,” I muttered, not giving a damn what I was agtering fo.
1 focused my hearing instead, zeroing in on the group of semen who’d compered we by the refreshment table.
“Got some nerve showing her face here,” a blonde in a dress that probably cost more than most pack members made in a month said, her lip curled.
Traitor’s daughter strutting around like she belongs.”
“Well, she’s Sophia’s pet project,” another one snickered. “Poor thing has no idea how close her fiancé used to be with this… warrior.”
Something primal and dangerous rumbled up from my chest before I could stop it a sound that rolled through the air like distant thunder. Conversations within twenty feet went dead silent. Richard froze mid–sentence, a bead of sweat forming on his temple.
“Alpha King?” he asked, tension threading through his voice. “Is everything alright?”
I inhaled slowly, fighting back the Alpha energy that wanted to food the room. “Excuse me. Something needs my attention.”
I didn’t wait for his response. The crowd parted as I crossed the floor, nobody stupid enough to make eye contact. I moved with purpose, my focus narrowed to the women still surrounding Ava, too caught up in their own viciousness to notice the approaching storm.
Ava stood among them, spine straight as steel, face carefully blank. But I knew her now–could read the fury in her clenched fists and the slight tilt of her chin. My warrior was holding herself back, honoring our agreement to avoid making waves.
“She’s probably only here with Sophia to save daddy dearest, Vanessa sneered, playing with her silver bracelet like a cat with a mouse. “How pathetic. Still hanging around after being tossed aside like yesterday’s garbage.”
I reached them in three more strides, my hand coming to rest on Awa’s shoulder before I’d even thought about it. The temperature in our little circle seemed to drop ten degrees. The women’s vanished like they’d been slapped.
“Ladies,” I said, keeping my voice deceptively soft. It didn’t matter–every wolf within hearing distance went still as prey. “Seems like you’ve found better entertainment than the ceremony itself”
Eleanor–the family matriarch–recovered first, her face transforming from cruel to sickly sweet so fast it was almost impressive.
“Alpha King Morgan! What a pleasant surprise,” she practically cooed. “We were just catching up with our
old… acquaintance.”
“Catching u up?” 1 raised an eyebrow, letting a hint of gold are in my eyes. Funny, it sounded more like you were being nasty as hell to my guest.”
Eleanor blanched. Vanessa took a half–step back, eyes darting around for escape routes.
“1–1 apologize, Alpha King, Eleanor stammered. That was never-
“Save it 1 cut her off “Your apology isn’t for me.”
1/2
જોકે આની આશા હ યાની
hold wide ન
the walking crowd Mattles the held Phelt breath. Thayes widers didn’t apologize to anyone tally not in someone they considered kanapen
–
↑ Hedded sneh, a kmall smile playing at her lips that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Apology accepted, Elder Hayes-
3 kept nos band en Ava’s shoulder, using the slightest pressure to guide her away. “As will be joining me et my table. The Morgan family landler host donnently
No one mined my meshing. As we moved through the crowd, whispers tippled out like stones thrown in a pond.
That ti start talk,“ Ayn mattered when we were far enough away.
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