Chapter 8

I stood in front of the full-length mirror inside the Obsidian estate guest room.

I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.

When I was married to Julian, he always chose my clothes. He dressed me in soft pastel colors. Pale pinks, quiet blues, and dull yellows. He told me those colors made me look gentle. He told me a Luna should never draw too much attention.

Tonight, I drew all the attention.

I wore a floor-length gown made of deep emerald silk. The dress was bold and striking. It had a sharp, asymmetrical neckline and a high slit up the left leg. It hugged my curves in a way Julian never allowed. I wore dark, smoky makeup around my eyes and painted my lips a deep crimson red. My dark hair was swept up into a sleek, fierce twist.

I did not look gentle. I looked dangerous.

A quiet knock sounded on the bedroom door. Mrs. Higgins stepped inside.

"Alpha Dominic is waiting for you in the foyer, ma'am," she said with a polite smile.

I took a deep breath. My heart hammered against my ribs. I grabbed a small black clutch purse and walked out of the room.

When I reached the top of the glass staircase, Dominic looked up.

He wore a tailored black tuxedo that fit his broad shoulders flawlessly. A dark silver watch gleamed on his wrist. When he saw me, he stopped moving. His icy blue eyes swept over my emerald dress. A dark, intense heat flared in his gaze. He did not say a word, but the raw approval radiating from his dominant aura made my skin flush.

I walked down the stairs. My black heels clicked softly on the glass steps.

"You look stunning," Dominic murmured when I reached the bottom step. His voice was deeper than usual.

"Thank you," I said softly.

He offered me his arm. I slid my hand through the crook of his elbow. His muscles felt like solid steel beneath his suit jacket. We walked out to the waiting Maybach and rode toward the city center in tense silence.

The charity gala was held in the grand ballroom of the city’s most elite hotel.

When we arrived, a large crowd of reporters waited behind velvet ropes. Camera flashes lit up the dark night. Dominic stepped out of the car first. He turned and offered me his hand.

The moment I stepped into the flashing lights, the reporters went crazy.

"Is that Sienna Vanguard?" someone shouted.

"She is with Dominic Vance!" another reporter yelled.

Dominic ignored them. He kept his hand firmly on the small of my back. He guided me up the red carpet with pure confidence. His touch was a shield. The warmth of his hand grounded me and pushed my fear away.

We walked through the large double doors and entered the ballroom.

The room was filled with hundreds of wealthy pack members and corporate elites. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. A string quartet played soft music in the corner. Waiters carried trays of costly champagne.

When Dominic and I walked in, the music seemed to stop.

Every head in the room turned toward us. The whispers started instantly. I felt the judging eyes of the Vanguard pack members burning into my skin. These were the same people who mocked me for five years. They expected me to be a broken, crying mess.

Instead, I stood tall beside the most powerful Alpha in the city.

I kept my chin high. I did not look away from their stares.

"Keep walking," Dominic whispered near my ear. "Let them look at you."

We moved slowly through the crowd. People parted for Dominic like water. We stopped near a large ice sculpture in the center of the room.

Suddenly, the crowd shifted.

Julian Vanguard pushed his way through the guests. His handsome face was a tight mask of pure fury. His green eyes locked onto me with deep hatred. Scarlett walked closely beside him, wearing a tight silver dress that showed off her swollen pregnant stomach.

Julian stopped two feet away from us. He looked at Dominic, and then he glared at my emerald dress.

"What is she doing here, Vance?" Julian demanded in a low, furious growl. He kept his voice quiet so the reporters near the door could not hear him.

"I received an invitation," Dominic replied smoothly. He took a sip of his champagne. He looked totally bored. "The invitation said I could bring a guest."

"She is a criminal," Julian hissed. He took a step toward me. His aggressive Alpha aura flared out, trying to push me down. "She tried to steal from my company. Security will throw her out right now."

Before I could speak, Dominic shifted his body slightly. He stepped in front of me, blocking Julian's energy. Dominic’s own aura exploded into the room. It was cold, dark, and highly dominant. It forced Julian to take a step back.

"If your security guards touch her, I will buy this hotel and fire every single one of them," Dominic promised in a deadly whisper. "Sienna is my Lead Software Architect. If you insult my employee again, we will handle this outside."

Julian’s face turned pale. He looked at me in total shock. "Lead Architect? You hired her?"

"Yes," I finally spoke. I stepped out from behind Dominic. I looked Julian directly in the eyes. I did not feel scared of him anymore. "I am building a new system for Obsidian Industries, Julian. A much better system."

Julian gritted his teeth. "You are a foolish woman. You know nothing without me."

"We will see about that," I replied calmly.

Scarlett let out a fake, high-pitched laugh. She stepped forward and grabbed Julian’s arm.

"Do not waste your breath on a barren omega, Julian," Scarlett sneered at me. She rubbed her large stomach proudly. "She is just jealous because I am giving you a strong Alpha son. Look at her. Dressing up in fancy clothes will not fix her defective body."

I stared at Scarlett. I wanted to yell at her.

But as I looked at her, my newly awakened senses noticed something strange.

Werewolves have very sharp senses of smell. Pregnant wolves give off a very distinct, sweet scent. A mix of milk and honey. But as I stood close to Scarlett, I did not smell honey.

I smelled sharp, bitter herbs. I smelled burnt sage and dark magic.

And as she shifted her weight, the fabric of her tight silver dress pulled tightly across her stomach. I noticed a very strange, hard seam right beneath the silk. It did not look like a natural curve. It looked rigid.

My heart skipped a beat.

I looked up from her stomach and met Scarlett's blue eyes. Scarlett smiled at me, looking very proud of herself.

I did not smile back. I just stared at her.

Why does the mother of the Vanguard heir smell like dark magic? And why does her stomach look like it has a plastic strap holding it in place?

Something is very wrong, I realized. Something is totally wrong with her pregnancy. And I was going to find out exactly what it was.