Chapter 107

Violet

“Alpha Nightshade,” the alpha hissed, voice dripping with contempt. “I believe we have unfinished business.”

The crowd parted slightly, all eyes turning toward the confrontation. I reached Theodore just as Olivia stepped aside. The two noble sons didn't move. This close I got a better look at her. I stiffened as the girl—barely more than a teenager—shifted uncomfortably beside him. She was dressed… too old for what I suspected her age to be. Too much make-up, she looked more like a child despite the low-cut dress. She clutched at the fabric of her dress, her expression caught somewhere between embarrassment and fear.

I could smell her anxiety. Her heart was racing. She glanced up at me, and I felt a surge of protectiveness as if I could hear her calling to me for help.

"I don't think we've ever--"

“This is my daughter,” the alpha continued, his grip tightening on her wrist. “And she's pregnant with your child.”

A stunned silence fell over the hall.

My eyes widened before I could stop myself. My stomach dropped in absolute horror that this man would pull this kind of stunt here. Now. I clenched my fist and looked at her. Her eyes were glossy. She was shaking and clearly trying to pull away from her father.

Slowly, Theodore exhaled, his expression unreadable. The music stopped playing. It seemed that the entire room had turned to tune in to the situation. This wasn’t the first time someone had tried this. I knew this. Theodore knew thins.

But it had never been like this. This… This had to be about whatever strings Owen was pulling. I'd deal with him later, but the worst part about it was the gleam in the alpha’s eyes, he thought it would be the first time it worked.

Theodore

I took my time sipping from my glass, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make him sweat. The two troublemakers were stiff. I could feel the anger and indignation radiating off her, but it was the high-flaring burst of abject fury through my bond with Violet that was most interesting.

The hall was buzzing, eyes locked on me, waiting—hoping—for a reaction. People loved a spectacle, and this alpha had come here expecting to cause one.

Unfortunately for him, I didn’t give people what they wanted, and all he'd done was make an enemy of Violet and the entire noble class.

I finished my drink and called a server over to take my glass. She floated away as I looked at the man.

“Is that so?” I said evenly, tilting my head as I finally looked at the girl.

And she was, in fact, a girl no matter what she was wearing. She was trembling, trying to stand tall under the weight of her father’s hand on her wrist. I didn’t recognize her, but that didn’t mean anything. These accusations weren’t new.

The alpha puffed up his chest. “You don’t seem surprised.”

I met his gaze with a slow, deliberate smile. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been accused of fatherhood, and by who, but I have to admit—this might be the most theatrical and ridiculous presentation yet. And the first time that it's been a man to do so.”

Laughter rippled through the crowd. The alpha’s face darkened.

"You can't get out of this. I won't be stopped or cowled by public opinion. If she wants to be a whore and get pregnant out of wedlock, she's your responsibility. Her and your bastard child. I won't be disgraced--"

“If you’re so concerned about honor,” Violet cut in, her voice icy, “then why are you failing so miserably as a father?”

His head snapped toward her. “Stay out of this, girl.”

It was as if the man had a death wish.

The energy around Violet changed, something sharp flickering behind her eyes. She was about to tear him apart.

"Lady Donovan," she said, narrowing her eyes. "And unlike your daughter, I am no girl. The fact that an alpha of any territory would stoop so low to use his own child this is disgusting." I glanced at her, shooting her a sympathetic look. "You dressed her like that and caused this scene, you have already disgraced yourself."

He snarled. "You--"

I let out a low growl. He shut his mouth. His daughter jumped back, pulling to get away from her father, but he kept his grip tight on her wrist. I rolled my shoulders, feeling the shift in the room. I touched Violet's wrist lightly before she could charge forward.

“I’ve got this,” I murmured.

She hesitated, then inclined her head slightly, stepping back.

I turned back to the Alpha. “I want to be clear, having everyone here as witness,” I said. “You came all this way to demand that I take responsibility for your daughter and her unborn child, and if I don’t, you’re going to throw her out like garbage?”

The man’s jaw clenched. “I will not be disgraced by a daughter who—”

“Who what?” I cut in, my voice like ice. “Who you're using in this game you're playing? Who was left vulnerable because of your failure to protect her?”

He flinched, and I let the silence hang there, heavy and damning. Then, I leaned in slightly, dropping my voice so only he could hear.

“If you think threatening me like this will make me flinch, or get you… whatever it is you're after, you’re a bigger fool than I thought,” I murmured. “Whatever happened to your daughter, should have been handled with discretion and grace. Now, everyone knows exactly what kind of alpha-- what kind of father you are.”

His grip on his daughter tightened. She let out a soft whimper that she smothered seconds later. She turned and the light of the room fell oddly on her face. Her eyes darted toward Violet, looked even more frightened.

Smart girl.

I straightened, adjusting my cuff. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” I said, loud enough for the room to hear. “I will humor you, give you… the acknowledgement you want only because in the end it will be to your daughter's benefit. Her child isn’t mine. And you—” I let my gaze sweep over him, voice darkening. “You’re going to pray that there are enough apologies in your repertoire that I won't let my wife tear your head off."

The room watched, spellbound.

The alpha stood there, seething, but I saw it—the realization creeping in. He had overplayed his hand, but he clearly wasn't the type to back down.

I turned to look at the girl. She trembled.

“Tell me,” I said smoothly, “when did we meet?”

She swallowed. “A little over a month ago,” she said quickly.

“Where?”

“At—at a banquet.”

I tilted my head. "I didn't attend a banquet in the last month… other than my own wedding, and you weren't present." I let my gaze sweep the crowd. “Most of this room can verify that. Or we could check the surveillance footage.”

Her hands trembled at her sides. She knew she had messed up.

I turned back to her, my voice gentler. “How old are you?”

She blinked at me. “Nineteen,” she said, but her voice wavered.

A muscle in my jaw ticked. She might be on the taller side, but she couldn't have been more than sixteen looking at her face.

Before I could speak, her father sneered. “We all know that you’re so indiscriminate that you wouldn't even remember if you had fucked someone even at your own wedding."

I exhaled sharply through my nose, patience gone. My fingers went to my tie, loosening it in a slow, deliberate movement before I pulled it free and tossed it at her father’s feet.

The entire hall went dead silent.

Someone gasped. I felt the castle react to my aggression.

I had issued the challenge in the oldest way I knew. It wasn't a noble challenge, but one any werewolf could engage in.

It would be brutal and to the death. The girl didn't even seem to know what was happening which told me was definitely no older than fifteen.

I was going to enjoy tearing him apart.

The alpha’s face drained of color. His nostrils flared. “You—”

“Don't say another fucking word unless it's to withdraw this ridiculous accusation and offer reparation," I said, voice cold. “And not for me. But for your daughter."

He bared his teeth, fury warring with fear. “You can’t—”

“I can,” I cut in, shrugging off my jacket. “I married Lady Donovan. That makes me noble. This accusation isn’t just an affront to me as Alpha of Midnight—it’s an insult to her as Alpha of Darkmoon.” I tossed my jacket aside, rolling my shoulders. “And aside from that, you just accused me of raping a child.” My voice was calm, but the rage underneath it was seething. “So unless you both start telling the truth right now, we fight. And when I kill you, I’ll take your territory and sleep just fine tonight.”