Rebirth of the Alpha's Slave Mate (Samantha and Kade) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

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Samantha’s POV

The room began to swirl around me the moment I saw Kade’s cold, calculating face appear through the crowd.

He wasn’t supposed to be here. Tyler had assured me that Kade wouldn’t come to the Alpha Ball this year, and I knew he wouldn’t lie to me-so what was Kade doing here?

Why he was here, though, didn’t matter; what mattered was that he was looking right at me, his face turning ashen as his eyes met mine from across the room, and I knew I needed to get away. I couldn’t stay any longer- beautiful dresses be damned.

Ignoring Beth and her friends, I set the tray aside and turned, looking around for an exit. I couldn’t leave through the main entrance, because Kade was standing right there. But finally, I spotted a small side door that the staff was using to come and go, and I picked up my skirt and began making my way in that direction.

Quickly, but not too quickly for fear of drawing attention.

I had made it halfway across the room, and for a moment, I had actually thought I was in the clear. But then a familiar figure stepped in my way.

Beth’s sneering face was always insufferable, but even more so now.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, folding her arms. “I told you to serve our guests. You can’t just run off without doing your duty.”

Her condescending tone made me bristle. “I’m not on ‘duty’ tonight, Beth,” I shot back, glancing over my shoulder. I didn’t see Kade, which could either be a good thing or a very, very bad one. “Now get out of my way. I have somewhere to be.”

Beth didn’t budge. Her lips curved, revealing that malicious smirk I’d already gotten to know all too well.

“Well, since it seems like you’re headed to the servants’ door anyway, you could at least take some of the dirty dishes with you. This place is a pigsty.”

Before I could react, Beth picked up a nearby dirty plate and shoved it in my hands. Red sauce from some kind of meat dish splattered onto the front of my dress, immediately staining the delicate fabric.

All I could do was stare in shock down at the spot.

Beth’s friends snickered at my misfortune like it was some kind of joke. Like the one nice dress I’d gotten to wear in years, ever since I was taken hostage by Kade, was worthless to them. I refused to let tears fill my eyes, but my fingers tightened so hard around the plate that my knuckles turned white and my hands began to tremble.

“Oops,” Beth said, pressing her fingers to her lips. “My bad. Let me clean that up for you.”

Beth picked up a nearby napkin that had also been clearly used-if the lipstick stains and crumbs were any indication-and reached out to smear it across the spot. I hissed through my teeth and tried to jump out of the way, but one of her friends pushed me from behind.

I pitched forward with a cry. The plate slipped from my fingers and fell to the floor, the sound of shattering porcelain causing nearby guests to turn and stare. More sauce splattered all across the hem of my dress and my shoes, and Beth, not wanting to get her precious clothes dirty, sidestepped rather than catching me.

But before I could hit the floor, a figure stepped in front of me and caught me in a pair of warm arms.

1/3

Chapter 31

+25 Bonus

“That’s enough,” a gruff voice said.

I stiffened. To my surprise, so did Beth and her friends.

“A-Alpha Kade,” Beth said, her voice suddenly sweet and lilting like that could somehow hide the venom beneath. “I didn’t see you there.”

“And I saw everything.” Kade’s grip tightened on me. I wanted to shove him away, to run and never look back, but I was too frozen to move. I couldn’t even blink. I could only stand there, wrapped in his arms, staring wide-eyed at the silky lapel of his black suit.

Beth and her friends, faces red by now, quickly turned tail and disappeared into the crowd. Kade stared at them until they were gone. In the silence that followed, I managed to regain control of myself and wriggled out of his grip.

“Thanks,” I muttered, turning away and keeping my face down to avoid letting him see me. My wolf stirred ever so faintly at his presence, but I shoved her away and began making my way in the direction of the exit again.

This time, I only made it two steps before Kade’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. I winced, feeling as if I’d been burnt by his touch alone.

“You,” he said, eyes widening as he took me in with that cold gaze of his. “I’ve been looking for you.”

I tried to twist my arm away, but it was no use. Even with all of my recent training and this new, healthy body, I was still weak-and Kade was an Alpha. I was no match for him right now.

“You must have me mistaken,” I said, keeping my gaze averted for fear of him recognizing my features. “We’ve never met.”

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