Chapter Eight

"Tell me what?" I asked, my eyes snapping back to Mom, who had been quiet the entire time. "Mom, what is she talking about?"

"You have a blind date that I'm fixing up for you," Mom said, crossing her legs like she wasn't the least bit bothered about anything right now.

Was she ever bothered? Did she even care about me? Hasn’t it always been Cynthia anyway? For fuck's sake! "With the mayor of the West's son. He needs a wife, and a blind date with you... if it works out, then we would be settled with all the problems coming forth. And as you already know, he's a vampire, so that helps the family a bit."

I stared from one face to another in the room and then started laughing. "Is this it? What made you say yes to this union between Cynthia and Gideon? Is *that* why you're agreeing to their union?"

"What happened to being worried about how the Northern packs would feel about our family? About Cynthia?"

"They won't have to worry about that once you get settled with the mayor of the West's son," Mom continued. "The Northern packs... once we send the right words to them, all of this will die down. I would just give your sister a chance to marry..."

"You were worried about her marrying a mafia lord, weren't you?" I pressed, stepping closer to her. "Didn't you say it would ruin the image of the family?"

"Marrying the mayor of the West's son would make all of that go away," Mom cut in smoothly. "And besides, you should be thinking of settling down. Or are you going to be with Persie forever?"

"She's a vampire and you're mixed, both of you can't even breed a child. You can take her along once you're settled with the mayor's son if she's okay with it."

"Can someone just stop talking about that mayor's son thing because there's NO marriage happening between us!!" I snapped, my voice echoing off the high ceilings. "And no, I'm not going on that blind date!"

"You're going to go on that blind date," Cynthia interjected, "The entire family depends on it."

My eyes shot straight back to her. I was angry at her for so many reasons, and hearing her speak just made me want to yank her right off that chair and strangle her until I was sure she was no longer breathing.

"I'm not," I replied tightly. It was the only way I could contain the sheer volume of rage flowing through my veins.

"You are, okay? So stop wasting your time acting stubborn," she scoffed, dismissing me with a wave of her hand. "Grow up for once and just make an impact on this family."

"Have YOU ever made an impact on this family? And how many times have you?"

"At least all my husbands gave this family far more power than it needed. What have you done for this family if not being reckless at every turn?"

"Reckless at every turn? Now are we celebrating your actions as NOT being reckless?" I let out a low, bitter laugh. "At least I don't do what you do. I even heard you have a child."

My eyes flickered instantly toward Gideon, who had been silently observing us the entire time.

"Does Mom know?" I asked, watching as Cynthia's smooth gaze faltered immediately.

I smiled, probing further into the crack in her armor. "So it's true... you have a child. With who? Elias? Or Patrick? Which of your husbands did you bear a child for? Or did you, by any chance, have a child with *him*?" I asked, pointing a sharp finger straight at Gideon.

"Or..." I probed even further, tracking her pale, petrified facial expression, "...or did you have one with another random guy that you're not even going to marry?"

"Cynthia," Mom called out, suddenly sitting up straight. "What is she talking about?"

I laughed out loud. "Oh dear, how stupid can your life be? Jumping from one man to another even after having trophies..."

A sharp, stinging blow landed square across my cheek, shattering the air and sending the room into dead silence.

My head snapped to the side. I slowly traced the hand that had struck me so hard, looking up to see Cynthia standing over me with a cold, stern expression, her right arm still hovering mid-air.

It felt like the air had been violently sucked right out of my lungs. This wasn't her first time hitting me, yet this felt like a high-voltage bolt straight to my entire being.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Cynthia hissed.

"Cynthia!!" Mom yelled, as if her yelling ever worked, as if she had ever learned how to curb Cynthia's excesses toward me.

"Mom! How could she speak to me like that!" Cynthia shouted back, turning to Mom with fake outrage. "What is wrong with her?!"

I gritted my teeth, my eyes blazing with pure, feral anger as I glared at her. My gaze momentarily clashed with Gideon’s.

For a fraction of a second, he looked strangely thrown by the slap, but he quickly turned back toward the fireplace, quietly sipping his whiskey as if he hadn't seen a thing.

"You know what, Cynthia?" I whispered, my voice thick with promise. "I'm not going to let you marry him."

"As if your word could ever count when it comes to me," she sneered, dropping her hand to her side. "You don't tell me what to do. I've already solved the issue about it, and Mom is okay with it."

"Solving the issue by forcing me onto that blind date?"

She nodded her head with terrifying boldness. "And you're going."

"Then all of you will have to physically make me go on that blind date," I spat.

I turned on my heel and headed straight for the grand staircase.

"Come back here, Sandra!!" Cynthia yelled after me, her voice screeching through the foyer. "Mom, is this how you raised her?! Is this how you spoiled her to this extent, so now she doesn't know how to respect people or even behave in front of guests?!"

I didn't stop. I took the steps two at a time until I reached my room, shoved the heavy door shut, and slammed my back against it, locking it in place.

That was when Persie, who had been sitting in the shadows of my room, stepped out into the ambient light.

Her dark hair flowed over her shoulders, framing her sheer, see-through lingerie. She walked quickly toward me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Hey..." she murmured softly.

My chest was heaving. I was panting heavily, completely losing my shit. I was trying so hard to tone down my wolf, who was roaring violently inside my head, and my vampire blood, which was burning far too hot beneath my skin.

"Hey... it's okay..." Persie whispered against my ear before pulling back slightly to cup my face in her soft hands. "Hey... breathe..."

But I was far from okay. I was fighting with everything in me to push back the hot tears brimming at the corners of my eyes.

"That bastard... that bastard..." I started mumbling, my teeth grinding together.

"I hate her... I hate her so much... there's no way I'm ever liking her... I hate her... Persie..."

Persie didn't say another word. She leaned in and pressed her soft, cool lips firmly against mine.