Chapter 56

Olivia

“I’m not welcome on the Council yet.”

Nathan’s words struck me like a bolt of lightning. I had thought that we were coming close to him being welcomed on the Council and our arrangement could soon come to an end, but it seemed as though I was dead wrong.

The gentle orchestral music faded into the background, replaced by the sound of my blood rushing through my ears. Meanwhile, the soft glow of the chandeliers cast an ethereal ambiance over the grand hall, but my mind was clouded with confusion.

Colin’s harsh, icy eyes glared at me unwaveringly from across the crowd, making me feel sick to my stomach, until I finally ripped my gaze away and stared nervously down at the table.

“Why won’t they accept you on the Alpha Council?” I asked quietly, my hand still gripping Nathan’s forearm tightly.

Nathan shrugged. “It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. He continued to poke at his food with his fork, but I wasn’t finished.

“Nathan,” I urged, “Please tell me.”

Finally, Nathan relented and set his fork down. He pulled his arm away from my hand, leaving me feeling awkward.

Sitting side by side, I couldn't help but fidget with the edge of my napkin, nerves and anticipation coursing through my veins.

Nathan took a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine with a mixture of sincerity and vulnerability. “They don't think our relationship is real,” he admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. “Well, at least one of them doesn’t, and I’m pretty sure that most of them agree. I think we might be screwed.”

I felt a knot form in my stomach, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me.

“So, is that what happened at the last council meeting?” I prodded, trying to sound calm despite the growing lump in my throat.

Nathan nodded. “It’s definitely part of it.” It felt as though there was more that he wanted to say, but he didn’t. I wondered what else happened at that meeting that I didn’t know about, but right now, I didn’t have the courage to push my luck and ask for more details.

“But why?” I asked, trying to grasp the reasoning behind the council's suspicions. “We live together and haven’t told a soul about the truth. What more do they want?”

Nathan's expression turned serious, a shadow of concern crossing his face.

“It's not enough,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “They clearly want more. We need to be seen together more often, to be photographed in intimate moments, to show the world that we're truly committed.”

I swallowed hard, my mind racing to comprehend the weight of his words. “So is that why you didn’t warn me about today’s events?” I murmured.

Nathan nodded reluctantly. “I honestly didn’t want to go, so I wasn’t even going to mention it to you. But after last night, I realized that we need to start doing this stuff if we want our plan to work.”

I felt taken aback. At the same time, I still felt Colin’s eyes boring a hole through the side of my skull, and I wanted nothing more than to jump up and run out of this place. But I couldn’t. And I didn’t dare to look up and meet his icy gaze again.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked quietly.

Nathan simply shrugged. “I figured that I could handle it on my own.”

“I want to help you, Nathan,” I said, my voice firm despite the tremble in my hands. “You’re still my best friend, although we fight sometimes. We’re supposed to be doing this together.”

Suddenly, Nathan reached for my hand, offering a reassuring squeeze. It was the first genuine touch that I’d felt from him all day, and something about it made my heart flutter.

However, as though he sensed the patter in my chest, or as though his flesh was burned just from touching me, he quickly pulled away.

His sudden recoil made my chest ache, but at the same time, his entire attitude lately made sense to me; yes, he was upset by my words last night, but he was also upset for bigger reasons.

“I know it's not ideal,” he said quietly. “But it's the only way to prove to them that we're serious. We need to be careful, strategic in our approach. If we can't convince them, my chances of being on the Council will be ruined.”

As much as I wanted to resist the Council's pressure, the thought of Nathan's dreams being shattered weighed heavily on me.

I wanted to support him, to help him achieve his goals, but at what cost?

“I'll do it,” I finally said, my voice determined. “We'll do what they want, but we need to set boundaries. We can't let this consume us.”

Nathan smiled, gratitude evident in his eyes. “Thank you, Olivia,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity. “I promise we'll figure out a healthy way to get through this.”

Seeing Nathan’s smile filled me with relief. However, as we continued our meal, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

My mind drifted back to my conversation with Jenifer, wondering if she had been fishing for information about our relationship. Her smirking gaze had left a lingering sense of unease.

Curiously, I looked up and glanced around at the banquet hall. Many of the other guests had finished their meals and were milling about, mingling with each other, and some had retreated to the dancefloor to dance to the lively orchestral music.

However, Colin was still seated at the Alpha table. And beside him, instead of Maria, sat someone else: Jenifer.

They were leaning closely together, whispering. And they were both staring at me.

As soon as they saw me looking, their eyes quickly darted away.

Not only had Jenifer’s smirking gaze from the event earlier left me with a lingering sense of unease in the pit of my stomach, but now, seeing her talking quietly with Colin as their eyes were fixed on me, only heightened my suspicions.

I tried to push those thoughts aside as the band began playing a new romantic song, the melodic notes filling the air. More guests began to flock to the dance floor. Couples pulled each other along excitedly, their laughter floating through the room.

Soon, Nathan and I were only two out of the few people our age who were left behind while all of the other happy, young couples started to dance to the soft music.

I hated to admit it, but I felt a little jealous as Nathan and I sat silently alongside each other. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be dancing with someone who loved me, to be held in the arms of a man who truly had feelings for me.

Suddenly, Nathan stood, holding out his hand for me.

For a moment, I felt as though he had read my mind, and I felt my cheeks flush red. But there was something theatrical in his mannerisms, and I instantly knew that he was putting on an act for the public.

It amazed me how quickly he could get that switch to flip.

“What are you doing?” I asked, stifling a nervous chuckle.

“If the Alpha Council wants a good show, then they’ll get one,” he said, a hint of annoyance at the whole situation dancing behind his eyes. “Let’s dance.”