Chapter 4

Esther’s POV

I had thought I was going to die. Nicholas was going to be furious when he realized that I had been the one in his bed, and he was going to kill me.

I braced myself as he ripped at the collar of my shirt, knowing I couldn’t hide the bite any longer. But instead of him reacting angrily to the sight of his mark, there was nothing.

I opened my eyes—I hadn’t even realized I had shut them—and saw Nicholas glaring at me. He grabbed my chin and turned it left and right before releasing me abruptly.

“Were you deliberately trying to get my attention?” he demanded.

“What?”

“Did you think acting strangely was going to make me turn my focus onto you?”

Shaking his head, he turned away. “Stupid little slave.”

What was he talking about? How could he not see the bite on my neck?

I reached up to touch it, but my fingers brushed over smooth skin. There was nothing there.

I pressed my palm against my neck, but it was like I had never been touched. Then I noticed my arms, my sleeves pushed up to my elbows.

The scars were gone. The multiple injuries I had been given over the last year had vanished.

And the pain from the wolfsbane had disappeared. It was like it had never happened.

I felt… normal.

What was happening to me?

“She’s just worried you’ll find out her secret, My Lord.”

My heart leapt into my throat at the sudden interjection. I hadn’t noticed Amanda enter the room.

She was wearing a gorgeous, slinky red dress, her hair pinned up on her head. I wished I could wear clothes that stunning.

“Secret?”

Nicholas frowned at her. “What do you mean by that?”

Amanda sounded very smug as she spoke, smirking at me.

“She came in this morning after being out all night. She was playing around with someone last night.”

Nicholas’s eyes widened and he turned back to me, his face contorted in rage.

“Are you not content with being an embarrassment to this pack? You have to be a shameless slut as well?”

“But I—”

Nicholas cut me off.

“I don’t want to hear it. Get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you.”

I wondered if someone might defend me, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Nobody cared, and everyone avoided my gaze.

“Are you deaf?” Nicholas bellowed. “I said get out!”

Jumping, I hurried toward the door, pausing to glance back. Still nobody looked at me.

Except Amanda. She was watching me with a satisfied look on her face.

Amanda’s POV

I didn’t understand it. Esther had a mark on her neck when I had seen her that morning, and now it was gone. It was like she had never had it.

Now Nicholas was looking at everyone’s necks, inspecting them closely before dismissing each of the she-wolves and moving on to the next one.

Did that mean…?

No, it couldn’t be. Esther couldn’t have been the one who was in Nicholas’s bed last night.

Did that mean he had gone looking for her after I had tried to take him to bed myself? Or had she seen my failed attempt and snuck in to show she could take something from me yet again?

She had always been a manipulative bitch.

But did that mean if Nicholas saw the bite mark, he would know it was the woman he had been with, and he would take her as his Luna? Was that what was happening?

Maybe, if Esther’s mark was gone, I could use that to my advantage.

Stepping back out into the hallway, I caught sight of Nicholas’s Gamma at the far end, standing by the window as the sun set behind him, casting an orange glow around his shoulders.

Perfect. I fought back the smirk as I approached him.

“Bobby, I need a favor.”

Bobby turned to me, and I noticed him straighten up. Anyone would have been a fool not to know that he had a crush on me.

I had always known. He was cute, but he could never be my mate; I wouldn’t allow it.

I had someone else in mind for that.

“Anything for you, Amanda,” he said eagerly.

I stroked a finger down the side of his throat.

“You know about Nicholas looking for someone with bite marks on their neck? I want you to bite me.”

Bobby blinked at me.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Bite me, Bobby. This is important. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.”

Of course, Bobby could have asked me what was going on and why I would want to be bitten. But he never asked much.

Mostly, he jumped to do whatever I told him. And I needed him to do that now.

Looking dubious, he glanced around before taking my hand and leading me into a side room. Closing the door, he turned to me.

“Are you sure about this, Amanda? This is a big thing…”

“Stop asking questions and just do it.” I pulled aside the high collar of my dress, tilting my head to the side.

“Bite me.”

It didn’t take long for the deed to be done, although I could tell Bobby wished there was more he could do. I felt him hard against my belly, and his hand even palmed my ass.

But as soon as he was done, I pushed him away, adjusting my collar so it partially covered my neck. Nicholas hadn’t checked me yet, so this would be fresh for him.

Perfect.

Barely giving Bobby any acknowledgement, I left the room and headed into the Great Hall. Nicholas and Dan were in there now, looking over each of the she-wolves.

The air was crackling with anticipation. Everyone must have heard about what he was looking for.

But I was certain none of them had decided to mark themselves in order to trick him.

I bit back a smirk as I saw Dan beckon me over. I stepped towards them, and Nicholas turned toward me.

He was so handsome. I had thought that for years, and it had never faded away.

But he had never seemed to look at anyone else. It had always been Esther, the little brat he had wanted to hang out with all the time.

That was never going to happen anymore. Not after what had happened to Emily.

And after he crowned me as his Luna, they would never be together.

Nicholas stepped toward me, and his fingers were firm as he tweaked aside my collar. His eyes widened when he saw the mark.

“It was you!” he cried.

“Yes, My Lord.”

“But… I thought I sent you away.”

I smiled at him before bowing my head a little.

“You did not, My Lord. It was me. Forgive me for leaving when I did. I didn’t know how you would react. I was a little worried.”

Nicholas grunted.

“Well, you don’t have to be concerned about that.”

He peered at me. “So, it’s really true. It was you. My mate.”

I could feel the wave of satisfaction building up. I had gotten away with it.

“I, the Alpha King of Blood Moon Pack, accept you, Amanda Russell as my mate.” Nicholas gave me a slight courtly bow. “Do you accept me as your mate?”

I was about to curtsy and say that I did, when there was a loud thud in the corner of the room. Then everyone’s attention turned away from me.

Through the bustling crowd, I saw someone lying on the floor, and my anger flared.

It was Esther. And she was unconscious.

The bitch had fainted.