Chapter 39

Will this be my life once I’m officially Julian’s mate? Constant parties where I must smile and show a polite face to people who clearly don’t want me there?

This garden party was a last-minute affair, and Julian had convinced me to come with him. I was scared to eat or drink anything after the last incident.

I had told Julian what had happened and was less than impressed with his response. He had simply assured me that I must have misunderstood Vanessa. Allen, he didn’t seem surprised about and had said it was a good thing Adrian had already dealt with him.

I have been smiling and shaking hands for well over two hours before I finally have the opportunity to excuse myself. There is a little pathway further into the garden and I take it, hoping to have a moment to breathe and rest the muscles in my face.

My respite is short lived, and my frayed nerves threaten to snap as the grating voice I have come to dread follows me down the path. “Count your days, little nanny. You’ll be gone soon.”

I turn to face Vanessa and give a deep audible sigh. “This conversation is getting really old and tedious. Please blondie, give me some peace.”

“You really should give my warnings a little more attention.” She advises me haughtily.

“And why is that?” I ask.

“Because of what will happen when Julian finally tires of you.” She smirks at me. “Think about it, human. We survive because the world doesn’t know about us. Now you do. What do you think will happen to you when he finally kicks you to the curb? I’ll finally have my chance to rip your pretty little throat out.”

I laugh. Not because her words don’t make me nervous, but because I don’t want her to see that they do.

I’m tired and overwhelmed. Maybe that’s why I choose to say the words I know will provoke her. “I am his mate, Vanessa. He chose me. This pining is really pathetic and you’re making yourself look like a dumb, spoiled party girl throwing a tantrum when she doesn’t get her way. Do yourself a favor and let it go.”

I turn to go back to the party, when I feel her hands grabbing hold of my hair and a sharp pain wrenches at my scalp as she throws me to the ground. A kick lands into my side and the air leaves my lungs.

I scramble to my feet before she can come at me again and land a punch to the side of her face. She staggers backward landing on the grass. Grasping the side of her cheek, her eyes filled with tears, a sinister smile stretches across her face.

Before I can even comprehend what is happening, she leaps to her feet and runs, wailing, back into the party.

I follow, even though my better judgement tells me to call a ride and leave.

I walk back into the party, and every eye turns accusingly on me. I know I look like a mess, my hair is probably in shambles and there’s likely a grass stain on my dress. Vanessa stands at the center, clutching her face and crying, “She’s a monster. She just attacked me out of nowhere.”

“Excuse me?” I gape at her. “You attacked me. I defended myself.”

“You hit my face!” Vanessa cries, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“After you threw me to the ground and threatened to rip my throat out.” I say, though I can tell I’m not swaying anyone. A woman comes forward and hands Vanessa a cold cloth for her face. I fight not to roll my eyes.

“Are you alright, Vanessa?” Another girl comes and wraps her arms around her shoulders and Vanessa sobs into her embrace.

Heat rushes to my cheeks and I want nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow me. This is a complete disaster, and I have no idea what to do. Anger and hurt threaten to consume me completely and I start to panic knowing that I’m trapped here with wolves who hate me.

I should have known better than to take Vanessa’s bait. I knew she was planning something. This was it. And I walked right into it.

“Vanessa, get control of yourself.” Adrian appears out of nowhere and puts a reassuring hand on the small of my back. “You’re a werewolf. If you are truly feeling threatened by a human, you’re even weaker than I thought you were.”

Vanessa whirls to face him, her eyes angry. “What is this?” Her eyes narrow to where Adrian’s hand touches me. “You defend this woman against your own pack? Has the harlot seduced our Alpha as well?”

Murmurs erupt from the crowd and now I truly want to die. This is a nightmare worse than the ceremony.

I feel Adrian go still behind me, though his hand remains where it is.

His voice is a low threatening growl that silences that crowd. “You dare to challenge me, girl? To question me and my honor?”

Vanessa trembles and sinks to her knees. She’s crossed a line, and she knows it.

Adrian’s voice rises. “Shall I answer it, or will you apologize for your insult and disrespect?”

Vanessa raises her face and looks up to find Julian, who is pushing his way to the front of the crowd. He looks to her, then to me, and then back again.

“Julian, please, you have to believe me. She attacked me.” Is all she has to say, before he walks to her and helps her to her feet.

My heart dies in my chest. With that one act, he has chosen a side, and it isn’t mine. He wraps an arm around Vanessa’s shoulders and the look she gives me is one of triumph.

I try to reason with myself that he’s only doing it for a chance to question Adrian. He’s always looked for ways to defy his father, but it doesn’t staunch the feeling of betrayal that stabs at me as he glares at us.

“It’s not very honorable of an Alpha to publicly bully a woman and one of his pack.” Julian announces. He looks at me with utter disappointment. “Neither is it very becoming of my fiancé.”

I want to cry. It is taking every ounce of control I have not to allow myself to break down and sob right here. The hurt and betrayal rip my heart in two and I honestly don’t know if I can ever trust Julian again.

“You would defend this treacherous woman over your own mate?” Adrian asks, as though giving his son a chance to rectify his mistake.

Julian raises his chin defiantly. “You would give me advice on how to treat my mate?”

If it wasn’t silent before, it was deadly silent now. Even Vanessa’s hiccupping ceased as tension filled the air like a storm.

Before I could blink, Adrian had closed the distance, his voice more animalistic than I have ever heard it as he snarled at his son with rage. “I am your Alpha. I will have your respect, or I will be forced to remind you why I deserve it.”

The power and authority radiating off of the Alpha had Julian bowing his head slightly in submission, though defiance still raged in his eyes.

Adrian turns and collects me from where I stand, unable to move. He touches my arm lightly and guides me from the party.

We don’t say a word the entire way home.