Chapter 122
Lysandra shifted her weight slightly, clearly preparing to slip away.
“Lysandra, stay a moment,” Rowan said, his tone fatherly and kind. “You haven’t properly congratulated our winner yet.”
Her jaw tightened almost imperceptibly before she turned to face me–or rather, to face my shoulder, her eyes still avoiding direct contact with mine.
“Congratulations, Alpha Tristan,” she said, voice flat and emotionless.
I studied her, irritated by her deliberate avoidance. Was she really this upset over losing one project? After stealing four of mine? Women truly were impossible to understand.
“Thank you, Lysandra,” I replied. “Don’t worry, you might win next time.”
Before she could respond, our exchange was interrupted by a young woman who approached and embraced Alpha Rowan
with obvious affection.
“Dad, congratulations on another successful negotiation!” she exclaimed.
Rowan’s face softened as he returned her embrace. “Darling, you made it. There are some people I’d like you to meet.”
He gestured toward Lysandra first. “This is Lysandra Ravencroft, CEO of Ravencroft Enterprises. One of the sharpest business minds I’ve encountered recently.”
The young woman–clearly Rowan’s daughter–extended her hand to Lysandra with genuine warmth. “I’m Arwen. Dad’s mentioned your work. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“And this,” Rowan continued, turning toward me, “is Alpha Tristan Wolfbane of Silverblood Pack.”
Recognition flashed across Arwen’s face. “It’s you!”
I frowned slightly, unable to place her. “Have we met?”
“This afternoon, on the street,” she explained, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “I bumped into
by accident.”
The memory clicked into place–the young woman who’d apologized after colliding with me during my angry walk. I’d barely registered her then, too lost in my own thoughts.
Through my peripheral vision, I noticed Lysandra watching our interaction with careful neutrality. Perfect. This might be an opportunity to gauge her reaction.
“Of course,” I said, offering Arwen a warm smile. “The beautiful young lady. How could I forget?”
Arwen’s blush deepened at the compliment. I kept a fraction of my attention on Lysandra, waiting for any sign of jealousy
or discomfort.
Nothing. Not even a flicker of annoyance crossed her features.
“Arwen is my only daughter,” Rowan explained proudly. “Liam has high hopes for her position in our family business.
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Chapter 122
“I’m still learning,” Arwen admitted, her gaze lingering on me with unmistakable admiration. “Since you’ll be working with our pack, I hope I might learn from your expertise, Alpha Tristan.”
Her meaning wasn’t subtle. The young woman was clearly interested.
But my eyes kept drifting to Lysandra, who showed absolutely no reaction to Arwen’s obvious flirtation. Her complete indifference bothered me more than any display of jealousy would have.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Lysandra said suddenly, addressing her words to Rowan rather than me.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
Without thinking, I quickly made my excuses to Rowan and Arwen.
I caught up to her near the entrance to a quieter hallway, my hand closing around her wrist before I’d fully decided what I intended to do. She spun around, surprise briefly replacing her careful mask of indifference.
“Can I help you, Alpha Tristan?”
I didn’t answer, just pulled her forward, guiding her away from prying eyes. She followed, likely to avoid creating a scene, but her tension was evident in the stiffness of her arm under my grip.
“Tristan, what are you doing?” she hissed, keeping her voice low.
Still, I remained silent, leading her through a service corridor and into a secluded alcove far from the main celebration. Only when we were completely alone did I release her, backing her against the wall with my body, not touching her but close enough that escape would be difficult.
“Why are you pretending not to care?” I demanded, searching her face for any crack in her composure.
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