Chapter 24

Rachel POV

Camelot Records

"Am I keeping the appearance on the Late Late Show?"

Multiple appearances had been canceled since the tabloids began running their lies about me. Howard had been so certain I would have nothing to worry about until it seemed the public opinion had totally changed overnight.

I had gone from a woman who represented love at first sight to a woman who supposedly stole love from a committed relationship.

The rumors about my secret lover had blown out of proportion to now stating my lover was a wealthy man who kept me a secret from his wife and children. I had broken up his home by coming out to the public with my "love song" which wasn't about love at all.

"We are still on their schedule. You're going to have to speak about the mistress rumor though. I can't do anything about it at this point. It's taken on a life of its own."

Humans didn't have much understanding of wolf relationships, but they were thirsty for any knowledge our kind was willing to share.

I knew I was taking a risk by going public about my formal rejection of my fated mate, but I would rather have the truth out for everyone to hear than to keep trying to fight lies.

Nathan Lewis had escorted me to my last appearance because the crowd of reporters had been bad enough to frighten me. I wouldn't run to an Alpha to fix all my problems, but Nathan was my friend. He wanted to protect me and I needed his protection.

"Nathan is going to be with me as an escort. I've got his permission to tell people he was my first love. I also have prepared a statement regarding my formal rejection of the fated mate bond with my ex."

"Has he agreed to let you release his name? It would help your image a lot to have it known he's been public with other women throughout your entire relationship."

Howard wasn't wrong, but I would not be putting Tyler Wright in the line of fire to save myself.

Our mating had been based on lies I told. Tyler would not be placed in a position where he had to defend my honor or risk his good name on my account. He had been free to step out with other women our entire mating. I had agreed to as much.

I would not jeopardize Tyler's public image for my own sake. I owed him my loyalty for the years he had taken care of me during our mating and for the sake of the child I carried.

Tyler might not want our baby, but I did and I didn't want our child to be born into a battlefield.

We were better apart than together. There was no cause worth putting us back into each other's orbit again.

"I'm not releasing my mate's name. He is off-limits to the press. We had a relationship based on an arrangement which suited us both at the time. We have since gone our separate ways. I won't put him in the line of fire to save myself."

Howard looked at me with a question in his eyes; I wondered if he had worked out I was pregnant. My body hadn't changed enough to be visibly expecting, but I had traits which were associated with pregnancy.

"You're better to him than he deserves, I think."

"You don't know him. Your opinion is biased based on the fact you like me as a client."

We exchanged a smile as we realized we wouldn't come to an agreement about releasing my mate's information.

Howard did like me and I liked him right back. We worked well together. I hoped our partnership started to become more profitable for him again. He didn't deserve to have to field constant rumors about me.

"How about this Nathan Lewis guy? I know him pretty well from how often he comes around. Is there a chance he's going to become the next Mister Rachel?"

I laughed at the idea of an Alpha taking on the role of "Mister Rachel."

Nathan cared about me in spite of the fact I'd broken his heart when I had called off our relationship with no warning. He had never pressured me for information about my fated mate. Everyone at our school had been thrown by the fact we'd separated after spending all our teen years devoted to each other.

Rumors had circled for years about me.

Nathan had yet to ask me about any of them.

"I don't deserve Nathan. That's the truth, Howard."

I wasn't lying either. Nathan Lewis was a catch for any woman. His dedication to me was more than I had ever earned from him as his teen love.

"I think you're too hard on yourself."

"I think you're the one who brought up the idea of deserving someone. I'm only being honest. About the music---do you think I should do something faster tempo? A dance piece rather than more love songs?"

Love songs held my heart, but I would do whatever I could to best support Camelot Records and their faith in me as an artist. I wanted to earn my keep with them. I'd put my career on a permanent hold due to my relationship with Tyler; I had to push myself into the spotlight while I had a chance before my baby came.

"No. Your appeal is in the love song and the love story. People want to believe in love at first sight. People want to believe in magic. Your performance at Blue Diamond was love magic in the making. We have to capitalize on that because it's what's going to make you a star."

I needed to become a star, too.

I came from an omega family of a small pack. My father was a compulsive gambler. My mother was dead and her family had never reached out to either me or my brother to offer support.

If my child had a future to look forward to, it would have to be one I provided him or her.

"I'll trust you to make the decisions, Howard. I want to make music. You keep making the appearances and I'll show up every time to do my very best. You have my word on it."

"I know," Howard said, giving me a quick hug, "You're going to get through this. You're already a star. We just have to make sure the world sees it."

I made my way to the booth where we were recording. They'd decided to record me with only my own piano playing for accompaniment. I was glad there wouldn't be a lot of electronic gimmicks used to autotune my voice or overpower the music's authenticity.

I was also oddly scared in a way I hadn't been before when performing.

I knew my playing was fine. I went through the songs quickly, repeating my performance as directed, and got caught up in the music until the called for a cut and I noticed Nathan watching me through the window.

How long had he been there?

I couldn't help smiling as I saw him. There was something so very comforting about Nathan. He looked thrilled to see me every time we met up again even though we both knew now what it meant to have a fated mate rather than a chosen lover.

"You're amazing," he praised.

"I hope they think so on the Late Late Show tonight. Are you sure about letting me release your name?"

"I'm sure I want to be known as your first love."

Nathan smiled at me as if I were the full moon and he couldn't help being captivated by me. I remembered he had smiled at me exactly the same way on our first date, on our first anniversary, at junior prom, and again at senior prom.

Love shined out of him in a way I knew I had barely captured with my song. "Love at the First Sight" was a tribute to Nathan Lewis as much as it was a love song. I wished I had any memories at all of my fated mate looking at me with so much love on his face.

"You know they're going to hound you? The press, I mean."

"You're worth a little hounding from the press. Besides. My family has made a few appearances in the Society pages. I'm not a complete stranger to the spotlight."

House Lewis was a strong house. They were the Alpha House to Full Moon Pack and Nathan was going to be their Alpha as soon as his father abdicated. No matter how many times I tried to reconcile this powerful Alpha with his love for me---I still couldn't believe he wanted to be mine.

"I'm going to bring you trouble."

I couldn't keep a little sadness out of my voice.

I knew Nathan deserved better than me no matter what he thought or said. I just wasn't strong enough to turn down the chance to hide under his protection for a little while at least.

"I look forward to it," Nathan said, wrapping his arm around my waist, "Now, let's go get ourselves seen on camera together! Look out Late Late Show: here comes Rachel Flores! Songmaker!"