After One Night with the Alpha (Brad and Elle) novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Elle’s POV

“I hope I’m not being too forward,” Abigail continued, her voice gentle, “but I really wanted to thank you

for being here tonight.”

Thank me? I blinked, caught off guard. “Thank me for what?”

Her expression grew softer, almost vulnerable. “After Dakota left us, it hit everyone pretty hard. I mean, I know you’re not Dakota-of course you’re not-but seeing you here, healthy and alive… it gives me this weird comfort, like maybe Dakota is still out there somehow.”

“If my existence brings you any comfort,” I said carefully, “then at least this face is good for something.”

We both laughed at that, and I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders.

We’d been enjoying our quiet conversation for maybe ten minutes when I heard the sharp click of heels on marble. I looked up to see a group of werewolf women approaching, their expressions ranging from curious to openly hostile.

Shit. My peaceful evening was about to get complicated

The woman leading the group was tall and striking, with the kind of aggressive beauty.

“Well, well,” She drawled, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Look who’s hiding away in the corner.”

I felt my stomach drop. Here we go.

Abigail’s posture straightened beside me, her expression shifting from warm to wary.

“What wonderful luck you have,” she continued, her smile sharp as a blade. Being chosen by a pure-blood

Alpha’

I could feel my heart rate picking up, that familiar fight-or-flight response kicking in whenever I was reminded of exactly how much I didn’t belong here.

Great. Just when I was starting to feel normal.

I took a steady breath, reminding myself that I’d dealt with things like before. But having it happen in front of Abigail, who’d been nothing but kind to me, made my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

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“Kelly,” Abigail said coolly, and I was surprised by the edge in her voice. “You’re mistaken about something.”

Kelly’s eyebrows rose mockingly. “Am I?”

“Yes,” Abigail continued, standing up slowly. Despite being human and physically smaller than the werewolf women surrounding us, there was something tegal about her bearing. “You seem to think that

Elle is lucky to have caught Alpha Brad’s attention. But actually, it’s Alpha Rayne who’s the fortunate one.

The moon goddess finally blessed him with his fated mate.”

Kelly’s expression darkened. “You don’t need to invent fairy tales about mate bonds just to make this

human feel better about her situation.”

Her voice turned nasty. “Everyone knows Alphas can’t form true mate bonds with humans. She’s nothing

more than a convenient breeding vessel.”

The words hit me like physical blows, but what made it worse was the murmur of agreement from Kelly’s

little pack. My face burned with humiliation.

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But before I could respond, Abigail stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger.

“How dare you speak that way about a guest in our home?” she said, her voice carrying despite its lack of werewolf intimidation. “Elle is carrying the next Alpha Heir. Show some respect.”

One of Kelly’s companions laughed harshly. “Respect? For a human who got knocked up and thinks that makes her special? She’s just a temporary inconvenience until Alpha Rayne finds a proper werewolf mate.”

I stood up slowly, setting down my glass with deliberate care. When I spoke, my voice was calm but carried

steel.

“You know what? You’re absolutely right about one thing,” I said, looking directly at Kelly. “I am just a human. I don’t have fangs or super strength or any of the advantages you werewolf women have.”

Kelly smirked, thinking she’d won.

“But here’s the thing,” I continued, letting a small smile play on my lips. “If you think I’m so unworthy, if you believe you’d be so much better for Brad, then by all means-go for it. Take him from me, I won’t fight

you for him.”

The smirk faltered.

“I mean it,” I pressed on, enjoying the confusion spreading across their faces. “If any of you have what it

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takes to make Brad Rayne forget about me and choose you instead, please, be my guest. I’d love to see you

try.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

“Exactly!” Abigail jumped in, her voice ringing with triumph.

Kelly’s face was turning red. She began, “That’s not-we can’t just-”

“Why not?” I asked innocently. “You seem to think being a werewolf automatically makes you more suitable. So prove it. Go charm him away from the lowly human.”

The group exchanged uncomfortable glances. Because the truth was, they had tried. They’d all been circling Brad for years, and none of them had succeeded in capturing his interest.

Kelly rallied for one last attack. “This isn’t over, human. Alpha Brad will come to his senses eventually.”

“Maybe,” I agreed pleasantly. “But until then, he’s mine.

The possessive claim surprised even me, but I stood by it. Kelly and her pack retreated, throwing venomous

looks over their shoulders.

As soon as they were gone, I slumped back into my chair, adrenaline leaving me shaky.

“Holy shit,” I breathed. “I can’t believe I just did that.”

Abigail was grinning widely. “That was brilliant!”

“I probably just made everything worse for myself,” I said, running a hand through my hair.

“Are you kidding? You were perfect.” Abigail sat back down, looking at me with newfound respect. “You know, you really are different from Dakota. She never would have confronted them like that-she was more of a diplomat, always trying to smooth things over.”

I looked at her curiously. “You miss her a lot.”

“We all do,” Abigail said quietly. “But you’re not a replacement for her, Elle, You’re your own person, and that person just proved she’s not going to be pushed around.”

Before I could respond, I heard familiar footsteps behind me. My heart rate spiked as I turned to see Brad approaching, his expression unreadable but his presence commanding immediate attention from everyone

in the room.

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He walked straight to me, ignoring the lingering stares from other guests. Without a word, he picked up a napkin from the table and gently dabbed at the corner of my mouth, his touch surprisingly tender.

“You had a bit of sauce,” he murmured, his amber eyes focused intently on my face.

The intimate gesture sent electricity through me and made every werewolf woman in the vicinity look ready to commit murder. Brad’s public claim of ownership couldn’t have been clearer if he’d pissed on my

leg.

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“What are you doing here?” I managed to ask, my voice slightly breathless. “Shouldn’t you be networking or

something?”

His lips curved into that devastatingly attractive half-smile. “I was. But then I heard my mate was having

some trouble with overzealous party guests.”

Brad’s hand settled possessively on my waist, his thumb tracing small circles against my ribs. “I thought I should come remind everyone exactly who you belong to.”

Around us, I could feel the weight of dozens of stares, the tension crackling through the air as Brad made his intentions crystal clear to every werewolf in attendance.

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After One Night with the Alpha