Tempted By My Ex's Brother-in-Law (Aria and Grayson) novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211

Aria’s POV

For a while I just stood there in the empty corridor.

The music from the ballroom drifted faintly through the stone walls, cheerful and careless, like it belonged to a different world. Laughter rose and fell in the distance. Glasses clinked. Someone shouted a toast.

Meanwhile I was standing alone, trying to process the fact that my grandmother had just turned my life into a public competition.

It was like I was some prize stallion at an auction.

I took a slow breath and forced myself to move.

Running away wouldn’t change anything. The party was still happening, and if I didn’t go back soon people would start whispering about that too. I had already given the world enough rumors for one day.

So I straightened my shoulders and walked toward the ballroom.

A figure stepped out from the shadows.

I almost jumped. “God! What the hell are you doing here?”

It was Grayson.

He leaned against the stone wall with one shoulder, arms crossed over his chest. The torchlight flickered across his face, outlining the sharp angles of his jaw and the dark intensity of his eyes.

“I overheard you two talking,” he said.

“Of course you did,” I murmured. “Can you stop creeping up on me like that? Scared the hell out of me.”

He pushed himself off the wall and walked toward me. He stood before me, tall and mighty, his shadow falling on me.

He seized my chin, forcing me to look at his grey eyes.

“You really think I’m going to let you marry just like that?” he asked deeply.

Under normal circumstances, I might have reacted differently. I might have been nervous, or embarrassed, or even secretly pleased that he cared enough to do something.

But today had already been too much.

Too many had happened. Too many decisions made without me. Too many people trying to claim ownership over my future.

So my patience snapped.

I rescued my chin from his grip and gave him a sharp look. “Are you going to force me again, like before?”

His face turned dark. “No.”

“Good,” I took in a deep breath. “Look. I fought like hell to stand where I am now. Do you know how many people in that room still think I’m nothing but your mistress?”

“I’ll make sure nobody dares say a single word about that in front of you,” he said coldly.

“But you can’t control what’s going on in their mind.” I rubbed my temple, suddenly aware of how tired I was. “I finally got rid of that label tonight. I finally became something else. Frostpine’s Lady. A future Alpha.”

I met his eyes directly.

“So please,” I said quietly, “do not sweep in and ruin that for me again.”

Grayson stood there looking at me with that unreadable expression that had always made me uneasy.

The torchlight caught his face at an angle that made him look almost carved from stone.

“Even if it means that you have to marry a total stranger?” he asked darkly after a long pause.

I felt irritation building inside of me. “Well, if you must know–Yeah, that’s how much I’m willing to give. And you set your mind to make things difficult for me, I guess there’s nothing I can do to stop you, but I’ll fight hard. I’m not that weepy little girl anymore who doesn’t stand a single chance against you. Now I’ll do whatever it takes to-”

“One dance,” he said abruptly.

I paused, blinking blankly. “W–What?”

He offered me his hand. “All I’m asking for is the next dance. And then I’ll stay out of your way.”

I hesitated.

art of me suspected there was some deeper meaning behind his request. With Grayson there usually was. And it was very nlikely for him to stay out of my way. He ALWAYS gets what he wants.

But another part of me was simply too exhausted to fight another battle tonight.

So after a brief pause, I nodded.

Fine.”

rayson gave me a faint smile. Even after all this time, I still got dazzled by his shockingly good–looking face.

I put my hand on his forearm and let him lead me back to the ballroom.

The moment the doors opened, the noise hit us again. The guests were still drinking and talking.

Then they noticed me returning, the energy in the room shifted. People stopped talking and started moving toward me with eager expressions. Most of them were young men about my age.

“Lady Aria-”

“May I have a moment-”

“My family would be honored-”

They closed in around me like wolves around fresh meat.

I felt my irritation rising again.

Apparently, the future Alpha of Frostpine Pack had just become the most valuable unmarried woman in the entire territory.

And suddenly every ambitious young man wanted to introduce himself.

Yet the thing was, these people had looked down on me for years. They’d whispered behind my back, mocked my background, called me a disgraceful whore.

Now those same types of men were practically tripping over themselves to win my favor.

…Those hypocrites.

Taking in a deep breath, I turned slightly and raised my voice above the noise:

“Alpha Grayson.”

The crowd froze.

I extended my hand, “Will you do me the honor?”

A smile flickered across his eyes. And he moved forward to take my hand. “With pleasure.”

The men around me parted unwillingly. They looked jealous and indignant. But this was Grayson for Moon Goddess’s sake. None of them dared say a single word.

The orchestra quickly shifted into a waltz. And under dozens of envious, curious eyes, Grayson led me onto the dance floor.

The music swelled as we began to move.

His hand rested firmly against my waist, steady and confident. Mine rested against his shoulder.

It’s been a while since we danced. And he was still the great dancer as I remembered. Effortless. And graceful.

“You are getting better at this.” he murmured as we glided across the polished marble floor.

“At what? Dancing? Grandma made me practice, so I look more like a lady,” I said, absent–minded, still glancing at the crowd..

“No, at being a lady. At giving orders. I guess I should thank you for picking me among the others.”

“Or maybe I’m just using you to fend off all those annoying men.”

“Still. It’s my honor, Lady Aria.”

“Alpha wants you to be there. To get a quick first impression of those candidates and to say a few words to them,” Ila said.

“Exciting, or crazy?” I sighed.

Both Sable and I stared at him, our eyes widened.

“Wait a second, you signed up as well?” Sable gasped.

He nodded calmly.

“But does your mom know?”

“She doesn’t need to know. This is my life decision.”

Sable blinked. “But Rhys, you’re her cousin! If mother finds out about this-”

“Alpha Thalira will approve because it is one way to keep our blood pure. One of her own husbands was her cousin,” Rhys said with a shrug.

I stared at him with a frown. “You actually want to marry me?”

Rhys met my eyes steadily. Then he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.

“I meant it when I said I wanted to stand beside you,” he whispered into my ear. “And help you rule.”

He stood up, blinked at me and went to stand with the rest of the men.

“Can you believe your charm?” Sable gasped. “It’s Rhys! He’s very popular among the girls in this pack and he could’ve married an Alpha’s daughter. And he gives it up just for you.”

“No, not for me. For the power,” I corrected lowly. Just like all men in this room. They didn’t love me. They loved the power that I represented.

Ila stepped forward and cleared her throat.

“Gentlemen,” she announced, “we will be closing the registration shortly.”

I glanced toward the entrance.

The doorway remained empty.

No more men had turned up.

For some reason I felt a tiny flicker of… disappointment.

What was I thinking? Grayson already said he would stay out of my way. And this was what I wanted, right?

“Lady Aria,” Ila called. She gestured toward the stage. “Would you like to say a few words before we begin the first round?”

I took in and stepped forward. The hall grew quiet as I faced the crowd of candidates.

I had just opened my mouth to speak-

BANG!

The entrance doors burst open.

I jumped and turned with everybody else.

A tall figure stood there like a king coming back to claim his throne.

He gave a quick glance at the crowd and strode in. His coat moved behind him like a dark shadow. Every man there straightened instinctively.

I literally stopped breathing.

“Alpha Grayson!” Ila snapped, “This is our domestic affair, and you’re not invited to it. If you are here to cause trouble, I will have to call our security-”

“Who said I’m here to cause trouble?”

Grayson’s gaze moved across the hall before settling on me.

He smiled.

“I’m here for Lady Aria’s husband selection as well.”