Chapter 239
Chapter 239:
I turned away, my chest tight with an icy dread. Why was he covered in Wolfsbane? What dangerous, violent life was he hiding from me? The secret only deepened my fear that I was nothing but a convenient, oblivious pawn in his grand political theater.
We walked into the Gothic Lobby. A massive oak easel displayed a gold-embroidered sign welcoming us to the decennial Alpha Summit. Beside it sat a registration table draped in deep red velvet.
Standing behind the rows of white name cards was Kira Parrish. Her cloying jasmine scent immediately assaulted my senses. Pinned to her designer dress was a gleaming, platinum-edged obsidian nametag that screamed old money and unearned power.
Blake rolled her eyes so hard I thought she might pass out. “Did you give yourself an award for ‘Most Likely to Reject a Fated Mate for a Better Alliance’, Kira?” Blake mocked, her voice dripping with venom.
𝘙𝘦𝗮d 𝘄i𝗍𝗁о𝗎𝗍 iոtе𝘳𝗿𝗎𝗽𝗍𝗂о𝘯ѕ on 𝗀𝘢lո𝗼𝘃𝘦lѕ.𝘤𝗼𝗺
Kira’s fake hostess smile tightened. Her eyes darted to me, flashing with pure malice. “I’m just surprised a banished Rogue has the nerve to show her face here,” Kira sneered, her voice loud enough for the nearby Alphas to hear.
My nails dug into my palms. I wanted to unleash the crushing weight of my White Wolf aura, but I forced myself to remain perfectly still. Blake linked her arm fiercely through mine, her loyalty a small, warm comfort against the freezing humiliation, and pulled me toward the double doors.
We pushed into the Grand Ballroom. The space was overwhelming. A live jazz band played over the low roar of conversation. The air was thick with expensive perfumes, roasted meats, and the competitive, suffocating scents of young Alphas posturing near the massive marble bar.
Before we could even grab a drink, a familiar, obnoxious scent of cheap beer and stale glory hit me.
Chad Miller blocked our path. He was actually wearing his high school varsity jacket over his dress shirt—a pathetic monument to a time when he mattered.
“Well, if it isn’t the nerd who crawled out of the library,” Chad sneered, looking me up and down. “Still Jase’s little Omega pet p>
I lifted my chin, letting my wild rose scent flare defensively. “Still wearing a jacket from when you peaked ten years ago, Chad p>
His face flushed a dark, ugly red. He took a step closer, his voice dropping into a vicious, mocking sneer designed to inflict maximum damage.
“He didn’t fire you, Wolfe,” Chad spat, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “He rejected you. In front of everyone p>
The words twisted like a silver dagger directly into my heart. The phantom pain of Jase’s public betrayal paralyzed my lungs. My dormant Inner Wolf whimpered, shrinking back into the dark.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell him that I was the Fated Mate of the Lycan King, that I commanded an empire that could crush him. But I looked down at my bare hands. I had left Kain’s ring in the penthouse. I had no bite mark on my neck. My scent was entirely my own, completely devoid of Kain’s ancient cedar.