Chapter 20
Giana’s face crumpled on cue, tears welling in her eyes. “I knew it was a mistake to ask for help,” she said, her voice quivering perfectly. “I should just go. I don’t want to cause problems between you and Aurora.”
She started to turn away, a calculated move that worked exactly as intended. Raymond immediately caught her arm.
“No, wait-”
“Let her go,” I said. “She’s manipulating you.”
Raymond’s expression hardened. “This is because I missed your discharge, isn’t it? You’re still angry about that.”
“This has nothing to do with—”
“She nearly died, Aurora,” he hissed. “Are you really that petty that you’d put your pride over her safety?”
I glanced between Raymond’s stubborn expression and Giana’s tear–stained face. I could continue fighting, but it would only make me look like the villain. Besides, my head was throbbing mercilessly from my injury.
“Fine,” I conceded, too exhausted to argue further. “She can stay in the Omega quarters. Not the main
house.”
Raymond’s mouth opened to protest, but Giana squeezed his arm. “That’s more than generous, Raymond,” she said sweetly. “Thank you, Aurora.”
Her eyes told a different story–this was just the beginning of her incursion into pack territory.
***
Kane’s POV
I watched Raymond pace across my office, his frustration evident in every rigid line of his body. We’d been discussing the upcoming trade agreement between our packs, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.
“You seem distracted,” I observed, leaning back in my chair. “Wedding jitters?”
Raymond grimaced, running a hand through his hair. “About that.” He pulled an envelope from his jacket. “I want you to be my best man.”
I accepted the invitation with a raised eyebrow. “An honor I didn’t expect, given your obvious enthusiasm for the event.”
“Don’t start,” he warned, dropping heavily into the chair across from me. “This whole wedding is just… necessary politics.”
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Chapter 20
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“And Aurora knows this?”
He nodded. “It’s a contract. Nothing more.” He sighed, staring out the window. “She’s not the bride I want.”
I studied him, hiding my irritation behind a casual expression. Raymond had everything–power, position, respect, and a woman who would walk through fire for him. Yet here he was, whining about it.
“You know, I almost envy you,” he continued. “No pressure to find a Luna, no expectations. You’re free to
do as you please.”
I twirled a pen between my fingers, thinking of Aurora. When I’d first met her, I’d dismissed her as pathetically lovesick over Raymond. But that night–the night she’d come to me with fire in her eyes and hunger in her touch–I’d glimpsed something else. Something that continued to intrigue me.
“Perhaps,” I said carefully, “you don’t truly understand Aurora.”
Raymond frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve known her my entire life.”
I shrugged, not elaborating. The truth was, I wasn’t sure why I’d said it or why the thought of Aurora
trapped in a loveless marriage with Raymond bothered me so much. I’d never cared about such things
before.
“One day,” Raymond said, misreading my silence, “when you find your fated mate, you’ll understand this
pain. Being bound to someone you can’t publicly claim…”
I laughed, genuinely amused. “Not likely. Marriage, mate bonds–that’s not for me. I prefer to enjoy life without such… complications.”
A frantic knock interrupted us. The door flew open to reveal a young maid, her face flushed with
excitement and anxiety.
“Alpha heir,” she gasped, curtseying hastily. “The butler sent me. He found something in the Omega quarters–in that rogue girl’s room.”
Raymond stood, suddenly tense. “What is it?”
“A ring, sir,” the maid said, eyes wide. “A beautiful one that’s a perfect match for your own. The butler
thinks she must have stolen it from Miss Aurora.”
Raymond went pale. I sat back, intrigued despite myself. A complication had just entered our little drama, and for once, I wasn’t at the center of it.
This was about to get very interesting indeed.
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Chapter 21
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