Chapter 148
I nodded, sliding into the back seat. “Take us to the hotel.”
As we pulled away from the Ravencroft estate, I noticed Varian beside me, his posture rigid, his eyes fixed straight ahead. The mood in the car was tense–a direct result of how I’d spoken to him earlier.
“Lysandra said I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way,” I said abruptly, irritation creeping into my tone. “But you deserved it. You interrupted me.”
Varian didn’t look at me, but I caught the subtle roll of his eyes.
I raised an eyebrow. “Did you just roll your eyes at me?”
He turned then, meeting my gaze directly. “Yes, I did.”
Any other Alpha might have punished such insolence, but Varian wasn’t just my Beta–he was the closest thing I had to a friend. A fact I’d never admit aloud.
“Lysandra was right,” I conceded reluctantly. “I shouldn’t have reprimanded you publicly. But I was angry. I don’t understand how she can have a mate and still accept attention from other men.”
“What’s the point of this visit, Tristan?” Varian pressed when I didn’t respond. “What’s the end goal here?”
I rubbed my forehead, opening my eyes to stare at the ceiling.
Varian leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper laced with knowing amusement. “And how do you plan to do that? Convince him to let his sister be with you again?”
I glared at him, not bothering to disguisé my irritation.
Varian chuckled. “See? This is exactly why I deserved that public scolding.”
“You’re pushing it,” I warned, though there was no real heat behind my words.
I didn’t bother denying it. What would be the point? Varian knew me too well,
“I want her back,” I admitted quietly. “That’s why I came here. Why I wanted to stay at the manor–to be near her. The alliance matters, even with the losses, because it puts me in her orbit. I can’t stand the thought of another man touching
what’s mine.”
“I think we should wait for the wedding-”
“Can you shut up?” I snapped, the mention of Lysandra marrying someone else sending a surge of possessive rage through
- me.
“Alaric is stubborn,” Varian reminded me, his tone more serious now. “If he’s set on this marriage, he won’t back down easily.”
The rest of the ride passed in silence, my mind a chaotic tangle of strategies and desires that all centered around one woman–the only woman who had ever made me feel anything beyond cold indifference.
1/2
Chapter 148
The next day.
We arrived at Ravencroft Manor for the meeting to find it bustling with activity. Other Alphas and their entourages filed through the grand entrance, each pack trying to outdo the others in appearance and demeanor.
A Gamma from Moonshade Pack approached, gesturing for us to follow him to the meeting hall. As we moved through the manor’s opulent corridors, movement on the main staircase caught my eye.
Lysandra descended the steps with graceful confidence, her body wrapped in a crimson satin dress that hugged every curve before flowing elegantly to the floor.
“Stop staring,” Varian muttered beside me. “Everyone’s watching. They’re already invested in those rumors about you two.”
I tore my gaze away long enough to notice several Alphas watching our interaction with barely concealed interest. When I looked back at Lysandra, a slow smile spread across my face.
“Let them believe it,” I told Varian, my eyes never leaving her form. The rumors could work to my advantage, creating expectations that might pressure Alaric to reconsider his stance.
“What about Selene?” Varian asked, concern evident in his tone.
I finally looked away from Lysandra, my expression sobering.
“I’ll talk to her after we secure this alliance,” I decided, keeping my voice low. “I’ll make sure she has everything she needs. Then I’ll end things.”
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