Jealousy Alpha's Regret novel Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Iris’s POV

I sat stiffly at the Grey family’s grand dining table, my back straight

as a rod while Uncle Frank–technically Sebastien’s second uncle-

continued his monologue about business connections. Every word felt

deliberately aimed at me, though he maintained the pretense of

addressing the entire table.

“North Star Studio extending an olive branch to Crescent Design is

quite generous,” he said, swirling his wine with practiced elegance.

“They’ve given us quite the honor with this collaboration

opportunity.”

I maintained my neutral expression while taking a small sip of water.

My pregnancy made alcohol impossible, though none of these people

knew that particular secret. My wolf senses detected the subtle shifts

in scent around the table–the smug satisfaction emanating from the

relatives, the sharpening of William’s already intense presence, and

Sebastien’s complete emotional withdrawal beside me.

“Absolutely,” chimed in Aunt Vivian, her carefully manicured nails

tapping against her wine glass. “It’s not often that such established

wolf bloodlines reach out to newer designers.” Her eyes flickered

meaningfully toward me. “Some people are just so fortunate to have

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the right… connections.”

I didn’t miss her emphasis on “connections.” My hand tightened

slightly around my water glass.

These people are insufferable, I thought, carefully regulating my

breathing to keep my scent signature neutral. They think I only got

this job because of the Grey name, as if I haven’t worked my ass off for

years.

Uncle Frank nodded enthusiastically. “The Grey family name opens

many doors. Always has.” He looked directly at me then, his smile not

reaching his eyes. “Quite fortunate for those who marry into our pack,

wouldn’t you say, Iris?”

This is all for my benefit, I realized, analyzing their behavior with

detached clarity. They want me to know my place–the struggling Stone

family daughter who should be grateful for Grey protection. They

probably expect me to cower or defend myself.

The tension around the table thickened. I sensed William’s energy

becoming more razor–sharp, his Alpha presence expanding subtly in

response to his relatives‘ jabs. Sebastien, meanwhile, remained eerily

silent beside me, his face an unreadable mask as he methodically cut

his steak into precise pieces.

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When the relatives finally paused their veiled criticism, expectant

eyes turned to me. They were waiting for me to stumble, to show

weakness.

I smiled pleasantly and nodded. “You all make such valid points. Very

insightful observations.”

My calm response clearly wasn’t what they’d anticipated. Their scents

shifted to confusion and mild disappointment–like they’d thrown a

punch and hit nothing but air. I took another sip of water, allowing

the awkward silence to linger.

Uncle Frank opened his mouth, likely to launch another thinly veiled

insult, when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I glanced at the screen

and saw Catherine Stone’s name flashing.

“Excuse me,” I said, rising from my chair with deliberate grace. “I need

to take this call.”

I could feel their eyes on my back as I walked out of the dining room,

my heels clicking against the hardwood floor. Behind me, I heard

Sebastien’s voice finally break his silence, low and cutting as he

addressed his relatives. I didn’t stick around to hear what he said.

Once in the hallway, I answered the call. “What do you want?” I asked

without preamble.

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“Is that any way to speak to your mother?” Catherine’s artificially

sweet voice made my stomach turn.

“You’re not my mother,” I replied flatly. “What do you need,

Catherine?”

She sighed dramatically. “You’ve become so cold, Iris. I raised you

better than this.”

I bit back a bitter laugh. Catherine had never “raised” me–she’d

merely tolerated my existence while funneling Stone family resources

to her biological daughter, Kim.

“Did you call for a reason?” I pressed, glancing back toward the dining

room. I could hear raised voices now–Sebastien’s among them.

“It’s been so quiet at home without you,” Catherine said, her tone

dripping with fake warmth. “Kim and I were just saying how empty

the house feels. You should bring Sebastien over soon–it’s time for a

proper family reunion, don’t you think? Our pack should gather more

often.”

I leaned against the wall, rolling my eyes where she couldn’t see.

Family reunion? Pack gathering? What a joke. This was pure

calculation–Catherine trying to leverage my connection to the Grey family. With rumors of my cooling period likely circulating, she was

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desperately trying to maintain the Stone family’s tenuous alliance

with the more powerful Grey pack.

“A pack reunion,” I repeated dryly. “How thoughtful of you to

suddenly remember I exist.”

“Now, now,” Catherine chided. “Family is family. The pack needs to

stick together. So when can we expect you both?”

I considered my options. Refusing outright would only delay the

inevitable confrontation. Better to face them on my terms, make r

position clear, and finally cut ties with the manipulative games of the

Stone household.

“Fine,” I said after a moment. “I’ll let you know when we’re available.”

“Wonderful!” Catherine’s relief was palpable even through the phone.

“Kim will be so pleased. We’ve missed you, darling.”

“Sure you have,” I muttered after hanging up. I took a deep breath,

steeling myself to return to the dining room full of judgmental

wolves.

Tomorrow will be another circus of pack politics, I thought grimly. Time

to make it clear to the Stone family that their plans for me are dead. No

more being used as their ticket to Grey family resources.

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When I reentered the dining room, the atmosphere had transformed

completely. The once–smug relatives now sat in uncomfortable

silence, eyes downcast as they picked at their food. William looked

satisfied, while Sebastien maintained his stoic expression, though

something in his posture suggested he’d been the source of the

change.

I slid back into my seat without comment. Whatever had transpired in

my absence, I wasn’t going to acknowledge it. These fake pack

dinners were exhausting–all performance, no substance.

As dinner concluded, I rose quickly, eager to escape back to my

apartment. I needed to prepare mentally for tomorrow’s

confrontation with Catherine and Kim. While I gathered my things, I

sensed a presence behind me–a familiar scent of expensive perfume

mixed with the distinct musk of a female wolf.

“Well, if it isn’t our esteemed Mrs. Grey,” came a syrupy voice that

made my skin crawl.

I turned slowly, forcing a polite smile. “Nancy Thompson. What a

surprise.”

Nancy stood before me in a designer dress that looked painfully new, her perfectly styled hair and calculated smile screaming of effort. As

Sebastien’s cousin, she’d always made it clear she thought I wasn’t good enough for the Grey pack.

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‘I just heard Megan’s back in Moonshade Bay,” she said, watching my

face closely for any reaction. “Isn’t that exciting? The whole pack’s

been buzzing about it.”

My heart sank like a stone. Nancy Thompson–the pack’s most

notorious gossip–was the last person I needed right now. With her

keen nose for drama and her direct connection to Megan, she was

about to make my already complicated life even worse.

I maintained my smile, though I felt it straining at the edges. Time to

face yet another wolf determined to see me fail.