4

VENUS

Two hours have passed since I left the meeting and have seen Bronze. I don’t know when the meeting ends, so I’m guessing he’s still busy. 

I stroll through the packhouse’s garden, the solitude and the cool, gentle breeze calming my nerves.I wonder if Bronze is with Mallory right now. 

I can’t stop remembering Sydney’s sympathetic look. Maybe she is right to feel sorry for me. 

I catch his scent and hear his footsteps before I hear his voice.“Venus.” He walks over to me with a straight face. “Why did you leave the meeting?” 

I hold back a scoff. He’s asking me this after two hours. Not that I expected much since he’s the Alpha of the pack. 

“My opinion wasn’t required since Mallory was there,” I say in a sarcastic tone. 

His face hardens. “You’re still doubting me?” 

“Why shouldn’t I? You allowed Mallory to live in the packhouse and now she’s participating in the training camp.” I retort, my anger rushing to the surface. 

“I had no choice. The elders were pressuring me. You saw it and yet you choose to be emotional about it.” He says, and my gut tightens at his words. He sighs, stepping closer, the moonlight carving shadows across his face. “Fine, I’ll kick her out.” 

My brows raise his words. 

“I’ll do it for you, but will you be able to handle the elder’s wrath after that?” He grabs my arm and looks me in the eye. “Tell me, Venus.” He challenges me. 

I stay silent. Not because I don’t have a response. But because I know there’s no point in arguing. He won’t listen. 

Bronze can kick Mallory out because he’s the Alpha. He can convince the elders if he wants to. But it isn’t that simple since she’s his mate. 

“I thought so,” he says and I let him walk away. 

I head back to the guest room and think of coming up with a plan. This situation is slowly getting out of hand and I wonder if I should prepare in case Bronze decides to reject me. 

The thought slams into me so hard my legs go numb, and I collapse to the floor. I press my back against the bed, hugging myself as tears stream down my face, unstoppable.

I wish I had my wolf to share my pain with right now. 

I have dedicated my entire life to Bronze. If things end, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take the blow. I’m not that strong. 

I wipe my tears and tell myself to stay hopeful. No one can tell how things will go, but my parents did not raise me to be a quitter. I will fight for my love until the very end. 

—--

Two days later, Mallory shifts to the packhouse.

I walk down the stairs to have breakfast with Bronze. I see him sitting in his chair and feel happy, but then my eyes dart to the chair next to him and Mallory is sitting there. My mood turns gloomy. That’s my chair. 

Mallory is saying something to Bronze, but he’s not sparing her a glance and is focused on buttering his bread. I walk over to the table and Bronze looks up at me. Mallory sees me too and gives me a smile. 

I don’t smile back and say, “Can you take the other seat? That’s where I usually sit.” I point at the chair. 

She chuckles, “It’s just a chair, Venus. You can sit anywhere you want.” She points at the other chairs. 

She’s not wrong. I can sit anywhere. But I want to sit close to Bronze. The other seat that’s right beside him is occupied by Simon, who is busy talking to someone on his phone. I can’t ask him to give up his seat. 

I feel my heart sink as I look at the two of them. There’s no point in fighting over such a small thing. It’s not small to me, but I doubt anyone else will understand. So I decide to take the seat beside Simon. 

“Mallory, take the other chair,” Bronze says and I look at him. He’s pouring orange juice into his glass while he speaks. “Venus sits beside me.” 

Mallory’s face falls at his words. She hesitates, then looks at me before getting up and taking the other chair. My heart lifts.

I guess there’s hope for us. 

“Why are you standing there? Come here,” Bronze smiles at me. 

The peace among us doesn’t last long as a fresh problem rises to the surface regarding the annual training camp. Alpha King Rowan has banned our pack from hosting the camp. Some believe that he has a good reason to do so. Camps like these allow evil forces to enter the pack grounds by disguising as members and causing havoc. That’s the reason this camp hadn’t taken place for so many years. 

Regarding the Alpha King, I have never met him in person but heard stories from Ezra, my elder brother. He said that the King isn’t one to be messed with since no one knows his true powers yet. 

“I won’t allow him to stop the camp,” Bronze speaks in a firm voice as we sit in the living room, discussing the predicament. He hid the news from the elders because it might lead to them canceling the camp completely.

“How? He’s got the power to ban the camp,” Simon mutters as he sits across us, holding a glass of whiskey in his hand. “The only way I see is by showing him that our pack can provide good security and ensuring the safety of all the foreign pack members who’d be joining this camp.” 

I nod, since he’s right. 

“I can help with that,” Mallory’s voice interrupts the silence and I find her entering the living room. She gives us a smile as she stands before us. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation.”