“Hey, wait.”
He called out, but I had already crossed a few tables. It felt like a walk of shame, but I kept my head low and walked on.
“Nadia,” he called out, now following me.
My heart skipped a bit at the way my name rolled off his tongue, it sounded foreign like it didn’t belong to me anymore. I didn’t realize how much of myself was blending into the mask, becoming Vanessa, and the way he called my name sounded like he was reminding me of who I was.
"Nadia," he called out, harsher this time.
"Don't!" I snapped, spinning around to face him. "Don't say it like that."
He stopped a few inches away. "Like what?"
My eyes blurred, and I fought to keep the tears at bay. "Like you care. Like you didn't stand there and let her paw at me, laugh with you, flaunt to everyone present that you could
“Hey, wait.”He called out, but I had already crossed a few tables. It felt like a walk of shame, but I kept my head low and walked on.“Nadia,” he called out, now following me.My heart skipped a bit at the way my name rolled off his tongue, it sounded foreign like it didn’t belong to me anymore. I didn’t realize how much of myself was blending into the mask, becoming Vanessa, and the way he called my name sounded like he was reminding me of who I was."Nadia," he called out, harsher this time."Don't!" I snapped, spinning around to face him. "Don't say it like that."He stopped a few inches away. "Like what?"My eyes blurred, and I fought to keep the tears at bay. "Like you care. Like you didn't stand there and let her paw at me, laugh with you, flaunt to everyone present that you could
I lost count of how long I had been waiting. Hours had passed and the sun had successfully snuck behind the horizon, and they weren’t done yet. I felt stupid—why was I waiting on him like a wife? Some Lunas had excused themselves, like Thelma, who had slipped away soon after I returned from the walk with Aiden, while others still lingered in a small group.I tried talking with them a few times, but they kept asking about the accident and my memory, and I didn’t have the energy to indulge. So I left and to keep myself busy, I helped the maids who were clearing the dirty dishes and glasses off the table.“There you go,” I said under my breath as I handed one of them a small stack of plates.Her eyes, which had widened when I began clearing, remained the size of a saucepan as she quickly took the dishes from me. “My lady, it isn’t appropriate for the guests to see you doing this.&rd
Thelma’s nails dug into her palm, and for a second, I thought she would draw blood. Her lips pulled back into something that might have been a snarl, and I swore I saw her wolf flicker behind her blue eyes. If we weren’t in a hall full of guests, I knew she would have torn me apart.My heart thudded, but I didn’t flinch. Maybe I wanted her to strike—to do anything to make me feel like I wasn’t the one losing control by daring her the way I did.But the lunge never came.“You two look like you’re about to give the celebration a sparring match.”Aiden’s voice drifted, lazy but laced with sharpness. He stopped by my side, slightly shielding me from Thelma with polite grins and casual arrogance. His eyes moved from Thelma’s trembling fingers to my clenched jaw.“Who the hell are you, and who gave you the
Lunch was...civil. Forks twinkled. Glasses chimed and chairs scraped against the marble floor as the guests took their seats. Varic pulled a chair to his right for me, and I smiled at him as I sat. He took his seat at the head of our table and soon after, the now familiar scent of rose followed as Ophelia sat at his left. Every nerve in my body tingled as I fought the urge to glare at her. Why was she following us—more like Varic—around like a moth drawn to light? I shut my eyes for a second to pull myself together. It was a beautiful day and I had spent so long planning it out, so I wouldn't let a woman who popped out of the house ruin it for me.Soon, waiters trooped in from the back door pulling trolleys of the buffet. Lamb chops, roasted pork, barbecue... You name it was brought to fit the desires of each guest. The meals were served in waves—first light appetizers, then the full buffet. The foods were served, and soon, the clinking of cutleries on dishes echoed. Occasional chatte
Lunch was...civil. Forks twinkled. Glasses chimed and chairs scraped against the marble floor as the guests took their seats. Varic pulled a chair to his right for me, and I smiled at him as I sat. He took his seat at the head of our table and soon after, the now familiar scent of rose followed as Ophelia sat at his left. Every nerve in my body tingled as I fought the urge to glare at her. Why was she following us—more like Varic—around like a moth drawn to light? I shut my eyes for a second to pull myself together. It was a beautiful day and I had spent so long planning it out, so I wouldn't let a woman who popped out of the house ruin it for me.Soon, waiters trooped in from the back door pulling trolleys of the buffet. Lamb chops, roasted pork, barbecue... You name it was brought to fit the desires of each guest. The meals were served in waves—first light appetizers, then the full buffet. The foods were served, and soon, the clinking of cutleries on dishes echoed. Occasional chatter
I simmered in my spot; my breath hitched so slightly that I doubted anyone noticed. Varic’s arms were still around me, and I felt a sudden urge to press myself into him—to stake a claim. My thoughts shocked me; what was I becoming?“Alpha Ophelia,” Varic said with a nod, nothing more, but to me, it felt like an entire betrayal. “I’m surprised you made it as you missed the last.”Ophelia was her name, and from what I had predicted, she was an Alpha, and the only female Alpha present for that matter. I had read a few tabloids about her a while back. The infamous aloha of Redmoor; the first daughter of her father, who refused to surrender her birthright to her brothers. She was a fighter, I could tell from the way she carried herself; no wonder she got a few gawkers in the crowd; unmated Alphas who found the idea of mating with another Alpha too inviting to ignore. But sadly for them, her eyes seemed set on Varic which tickled me the wrong way. She had not yet acknowledged me.“And miss