The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 195

Chapter 195

Sienna

She noticed all the eyes on her and tried again.

“I mean…” she lowered her voice. “…I thought we had a fruitful discussion last night”

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“While I’ve taken Sandra’s suggestions into consideration,” Johanson spoke to all of us, instead of just her, “the actual details of the trial haven’t been decided yet.”

Sandra’s face fell in genuine shock. “But we…” she started, stammering slightly, her composure cracking for the first time all morning.

“We discussed several possibilities. You said you’d take them under consideration. You said that…”

“We discussed possibilities,” Johansson agreed, unbothered by the interruption and cut her off like she had never spoken.

“But the final decision remains with the elders. That was always the arrangement, Sandra.”

“I understood we’d reached something closer to a conclusion,” she was flustered now, and there was an edge creeping into her voice now.

It was thin and barely controlled, like she feared she would be put through the same hell she wished upon me and I would be lying if I didn’t want to go through it just so I could see her crumble next.

“Then you understood incorrectly,” Johansson continued speaking in that same tone, clearly enjoying the attention he was receiving.

His gaze then flicked to Connor.

“I know you think I am a barbarian and hold some personal grudge against you after what happened last night and the elders had a long discussion last night while you were in the hospital.”

Connor’s lips twitched and I hastily rea.ched for his knee instead because I ws sure he had some sarcastic retort dancing on his tongue that would only worsen the situation.

He gave me a side eye and I pleaded in a whisper. “Don’t”

I saw him exhale long and hard but thankfully he gave in.

Meanwhile, Johanson continued to babble.

“The elders were of the collective opinion that last night’s trial was excessive. Taking every request into account…” his eyes flicked briefly to Sandra as he said this, a small acknowledgment that did nothing to soften the sting of what had just been withdrawn from her, “…I’ve decided this next evaluation will be considerably

less strict.”

He paused, clearly enjoying the weight of the room’s attention.

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“However. The specific details of what it will involve remain with the elders, and will be disclosed on the day itself. That’s only fair to every candidate.”

Ha!

She had been buttering him excessively and maybe he hated that she pulled up his name when Connor asked about her whereabouts last night so maybe Johanson subtly took a dig at her as well.

The small concession didn’t do anything to settle the dread sitting in my stomach.

“Fair,” Connor repeated, flatly.

“Precisely,” Johansson nodded, missing or choosing to miss the edge in Connor’s voice entirely.

Sandra looked like she’d just been slapped, though she recovered quickly, smoothing her expression back to

composure.

“Of course, Elder,” she murmured. “Whatever the council decides.”

Aaron shifted in his seat again, opening his mouth like he was going to try one more time to insert himself into a conversation that had already moved on without him twice.

This time, however, Elder Maren caught his eye and gave the smallest shake of her head meant like a warning that saved him from a third dismissal.

He closed his mouth and settled back, looking faintly wounded regardless.

Johansson pushed his empty ice cream bowl aside and rose from the table, brushing an invisible crumb of bread from his sleeve.

“I believe that concludes the necessary business for this morning,” he said with a dismissive tone. “I’ll take my leave. There’s a great deal to consider before I bring anything formal to the full council.”

“Elder Johansson,” Sandra called for him, already rushing to talk to him again.

“Can I walk with you for a moment? I had a few more thoughts on structure that might be useful…” he looked like he was going to bluntly say no so she quickly added, “… of course, if you allow me”

That seemed to do the trick.

“You may,” Johansson replied smugly, and the two of them moved toward the door together, already deep in conversation before they’d fully left the room.

Sandra grabbed her purse with one hand and reached for Aaron’s arm with another. “Come, we have to talk” she urged him and it wasn’t a request.

Aaron threw me an apologetic, uncertain look and let himself be pulled along after her.

The door swung shut behind them shortly thereafter.

The dining hall, which minutes ago was filled with the entire pack council, was suddenly, completely empty

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“However. The specific details of what it will involve remain with the elders, and will be disclosed on the day itself. That’s only fair to every candidate.”

Ha!

She had been buttering him excessively and maybe he hated that she pulled up his name when Connor asked about her whereabouts last night so maybe Johanson subtly took a dig at her as well.

The small concession didn’t do anything to settle the dread sitting in my stomach.

“Fair,” Connor repeated, flatly.

“Precisely,” Johansson nodded, missing or choosing to miss the edge in Connor’s voice entirely.

Sandra looked like she’d just been slapped, though she recovered quickly, smoothing her expression back to

composure.

“Of course, Elder,” she murmured. “Whatever the council decides.”

Aaron shifted in his seat again, opening his mouth like he was going to try one more time to insert himself into a conversation that had already moved on without him twice.

This time, however, Elder Maren caught his eye and gave the smallest shake of her head meant like a warning that saved him from a third dismissal.

He closed his mouth and settled back, looking faintly wounded regardless.

Johansson pushed his empty ice cream bowl aside and rose from the table, brushing an invisible crumb of bread from his sleeve.

“I believe that concludes the necessary business for this morning,” he said with a dismissive tone. “I’ll take my leave. There’s a great deal to consider before I bring anything formal to the full council.”

“Elder Johansson,” Sandra called for him, already rushing to talk to him again.

“Can I walk with you for a moment? I had a few more thoughts on structure that might be useful…” he looked like he was going to bluntly say no so she quickly added, “…of course, if you allow me”

That seemed to do the trick.

“You may,” Johansson replied smugly, and the two of them moved toward the door together, already deep in conversation before they’d fully left the room.

Sandra grabbed her purse with one hand and reached for Aaron’s arm with another. “Come, we have to talk” she urged him and it wasn’t a request.

Aaron threw me an apologetic, uncertain look and let himself be pulled along after her.

The door swung shut behind them shortly thereafter.

The dining hall, which minutes ago was filled with the entire pack council, was suddenly, completely empty

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The Wrong Brother’s Templation

0130

except for the two of us, sunlight still pouring through the tall windows over plates feat weather of us had finished.

I didn’t think 1 had eaten anything at all and now I wasn’t hungry either.

My shoulders sagged the moment the latch clicked into place and I let myself slump on the back of the dining chair.

Everything I’d been holding together for the last twenty minutes which largely included the effort of not saying anything that could be used against either of us came apart all at once.

I buried my face in my hands, feeling utterly helpless.

“Hey.” Connor’s voice was gentler now than it had been with Johansson, and his hand found my back “What’s wrong?”

“I…this….can’t…you…leave”

I was feeling too overwhelmed all of a sudden and having trouble putting my thoughts coherently.

“Calm down and take a few deep breaths first” he continued rubbing slow circles on my back as I felt my chest rise and fall rapidly.

“You’re going to….because…of…me” I sputtered and his other hand gently came forward to pull my hands away from my face.

“Here” He said, pouring water into a glass from one of the pitchers and held it in front of me.

“Have this first”

I looked up at him without moving and he thrust the glass in my hands.

“Drink it”

I slowly took a few sips, willing my body to calm down. I was feeling very uneasy and anxious.

“I… I dont know what’s happening. I suddenly feel…like crying”

I expected him to burst out laughing but he only cupped my cheek.

“Happens. Maybe your wolf is feeling overwhelmed as well. After all she is connected to you”

I blinked.

Was that what was happening?

“But…” I stammered. “I am taking the meds…”

“And maybe that’s the reason she is pushing even harder to break through the suppression the meds force on

her.”

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for the two of us, sunlight still pouring through the tall windows over plates that neither of us had

except finished.

I didn’t think I had eaten anything at all and now I wasn’t hungry either.

My shoulders sagged the moment the latch clicked into place and I let myself slump on the back of the dining chair.

Everything I’d been holding together for the last twenty minutes which largely included the effort of not saying anything that could be used against either of us came apart all at once.

I buried my face in my hands, feeling utterly helpless.

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