Chapter 92
Katy POV
During the dinner, I noticed how Luce would shoot a glare towards me now and then. Her mother, Queen Cassie, didn’t even look at me once and continued to give more attention to other candidates. The only thing that I wasn’t able to understand was why she was giving preference to others over me even though she knew I was Ace’s mate. How could she hate me so much without knowing me
at all?
My eyes locked with my mate, and he winked at me. Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I winked back. He let out a quiet laugh.
The table was a huge sixteen–seater. We were all sitting according to our ranks. The high–ranking members sat at the table as the others had dinner outside. Since I belonged to an alpha bloodline, I sat closer to the king and the queen, but Luce ensured I sat opposite to Ace.
Ace was crammed between Rebecca and her friend Diana, another Alpha’s daughter, which was odd because he was supposed to be sitting on the right of Alpha Soren. They were both making deliberate attempts to touch him, disguising it as accidental or playful banter. I imagined myself breaking the bones of their wrists. Ara growled inside me, always at the edge, hating to see so many girls
around him.
I directed my gaze to the clear soup in front of me when suddenly the king said, “Miss Katy, I’ve heard a lot about Luna Kylie. Unfortunately, I wasn’t present for the voting that day in the High Council, but I heard she had a lot of support. Isn’t it?”
His question caught me off–guard, but placing my spoon down, I replied softly, “Yes, Alpha Soren. The law she championed has left a lasting impact on several Lunas in the werewolf community.”
“So I’ve heard,” he said with a nod, piking up a glass of wine.
“Well…” Queen Cassie interrupted, staring directly at me. “Luna Kylie has broken an age–old tradition. It is good to be bold, but it is absolutely irresponsible to break the traditions that we’ve been following for hundreds of years. Limiting an Alpha’s needs is like
limiting his surge of power.”
I stopped my mouth from dropping to the floor at her comment. Taking a deep breath in, I said, “I am so sorry that you couldn’t make it that day, Luna Cassie. But if you’re openly saying that cheating is logical, then it’s like applauding someone for winning a game by
stealing all the pieces!”
She jerked her head back in shock, ás if appalled by my answer, but I couldn’t help thinking that her husband cheated on her multiple times. I continued, “This kind of support for cheating is wrong on so many levels, especially when it’s the she–wolves who suffer
more than the male wolves.”
She clenched her jaw because I had put her in a corner. She didn’t have an answer to that and she didn’t like me replying to her. I closed my eyes for a second as I let out a rough exhale because I knew I was blowing up my chances to win their hearts and be the Luna of the Viking pack with each passing second. But I couldn’t help my true nature. I hated submitting to abuse in any form. And in the Viking pack, it seemed like abuse was instilled as second nature in the she–wolves.
The dinner went on quietly after that, but I found Ace looking at me with pride on his face. He smiled, encouraging me.
After dinner, I wanted to go back to my room, but Luce announced they were all going to the living room where Diana was going to play a symphony for us on the piano.
“Don’t go,” Ace said, whispering in my ear as I started to leave for my room. “With you, I’ll suffer less.”
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Chapter 92
I chuckled. “I’m tired.”
“The hell you are!” he growled. “The night hasn’t ended!” I blushed at the double meaning of his words. He was going to sneak into my room after the party was over.
When Luce called him, he sighed and reluctantly made his way over to her. Diana and Rebecca were standing with her. The moment he approached Luce, Diana stumbled for no reason and fell on him. Ace grabbed her shoulders to steady her. She giggled, apologizing for her clumsiness, and I stared at her apparent coquettishness. After that Diana left no opportunity to touch him somewhere or the other, but I knew Ace was getting agitated by her and he was putting up a good show of bearing her.
A few minutes later, along with Luce, Diana went to the piano to play. As she sat down, she smiled and said, “I will play Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet for Alpha Ace Norton.”
I went stiff, rage bubbling in my chest. It was a classical symphony for declaring love.
“Whoa!” Luce cheered and clapped loudly. Everyone followed her suit. She was trying to make me look like a third wheel.
Diana struck the first chord and the next and soon she was into it, playing the symphony flawlessly.
I felt horrible. My choice was to keep sitting uncomfortably and silent in the room or take action. I decided to stop pretending and hiding my true feelings about things. I was mad.
Ara wanted to come out and destroy the piano and soak it in Diana’s blood. I fisted my hands and stood there to control Ara.
Ten minutes later, quietly, I took two steps back to the music system behind me. I punched some buttons and returned to my place,
sipping my wine. No one noticed me.
Suddenly, “Dirty Diana” by Shaman’s Harvest began playing at full volume.
Diana stopped playing, her eyes going wide. Everyone else in the room snapped their heads towards the music system. “Wh–who started that?” Diana squeaked.
Ace cleared his throat. “That’s a fascinating choice of song.”
I tried hard not to laugh. “Yes, it’s an interesting song.” I looked at Diana. “It’s about a woman who gets into bed with men who don’t belong to her.”
While Ace lowered his face to laugh, Diana, Luce, and Rebecca scowled at me. “Bloody bitch!” Diana cursed. She got up and stormed out of the room, feeling insulted. This time, Rebecca didn’t follow her. In fact, I found her smiling while staring at her back. So much for being close friends.
I shrugged, feigning ignorance as to who started the song. Some girls laughed while some gossiped and some became absolutely quiet. In order to dissipate awkwardness, Luna Cassie dismissed us. “I believe it’s been a long day and we are all exhausted. See you all tomorrow at 9AM for the first round of Selection.”
Relieved, I made my way back to my room as soon as possible. Jeff and Kirk escorted me back. Lily and Lilian went to the omega quarters after helping me to undress along with the guards.
I crashed on the bed, remembering the details of the evening, when all of a sudden, a soft knock sounded on my door. I knew it was Ace. Excitement surged through me and I rushed to open the door and be in his arms. But the moment I opened the door, I was stunned. Standing there was Luce’s husband, Beau Jordan.
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