‘Surprise me,” she smiled, her wet hair clinging to her face.
I ordered her favorite dishes, grilled salmon with roasted vegetables and chocolate mousse for dessert. Her face lit up when the food arrived.
“You know me so well,” she said, settling beside me on the couch in her nightgown, leaning against my chest.
“Did you tell your father everything that happens at home?” I asked after a moment of silence.
She stiffened slightly before answering. “Not exactly. He asks questions, and I answer them. I’m his only child, so he’s curious about my life.”
I forced a laugh, but inside I was making a mental note to be more careful around Isabelle. Every word I said to her was potentially being reported back to Charles.
“Now that Juno is getting married and happy,” Isabelle began cautiously, “will we get married too?”
I sighed. “We’ve already marked each other, Isabelle. There’s no need for a ceremony. Only chosen mates have Purplemoon ceremonies and weddings.”
The truth was, I refused because I knew her father was pushing her to ask, and I wasn’t ready to officially make her my Luna. Not yet.
After dinner, Isabelle fell asleep watching some mindless movie. My eyelids grew heavy too, but I jolted awake at the sound of Maddox roaring in the living
room.
I left the bedroom wearing only my sleep pants. Maddox was pacing furiously around the room.
“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded. “Isabelle is sleeping.”
Quinn turned to me, his eyes blazing with anger. “What good are you?”
“Excuse me?” I growled.
“What fucking good are you as a leader?” Quinn spat. “You have no backbone. All you had to do was ask for an exchange and you couldn’t even do that.”
“You’re a coward,” Quinn continued, his voice dripping with contempt. ‘No wonder Juno left you so quickly.”
Something snapped inside me. My fist connected with Quinn’s face. I heard something crack, but I didn’t care.
“You will show me some respect,‘ I snarled, Zephyx taking over. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”
Quinn staggered back, holding his bleeding nose.
“I accepted this invitation for you,” I continued, my voice deadly calm. “I came to Clifflands and I begged Augustin Levenston for you.”
I pointed an accusing finger at Quinn. “You couldn’t control your men, and someone used them to attack Verdantia’s border, which provoked Augustin’s
retaliation.”
My voice broke slightly. “I’m still in pain from losing Juno, and you dare call me a coward?”
*I knew she was in Augustine’s box today, but I didn’t even have the courage to look at her because it’s so fucking hard, I admitted, my chest heaving. “You
got our mates taken from us, Quinn.”
I turned to face both of them. “Freya is not some object you can trade back. She’s happy with Adryx Callaway and pregnant. Let her go.”
I stared at Quinn. “Are you on drugs? No woman would come back to you after what you did to her.”
‘I can’t understand how you let your soldiers rape your wife in front of you,” I said, disgust evident in my voice. “That’s sick.”
I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. “I’m ashamed to call you my friends. I’ve done enough for you both.”
1/2
Chapter 213
I lost my wife to a better man, I admitted. “You should accept the same reality.”
Maddox stepped forward. We may be your subordinates, but we’re Alphas too. I want to make things right with Scarlett.
“Everyone deserves a second chance, he insisted. I never meant to hurt her. Della lied to me. I believed her.
He collapsed onto the sofa, tears streaming down his face. “It started as a heated argument, but then it became normal….
I won’t help you try to get them back again,” I said firmly. “I won’t antagonize Levenston, Savidge, and Callaway for this.”
I returned to the bedroom to find Isabelle sitting up in bed, crying. She had heard everything, but at that moment, I didn’t care.
I climbed into bed, letting Zephyx take over as I tried to comfort her. I needed to move on faster than this.
The next morning, we headed to the stadium. Maddox and Quinn had decided they would find Freya and Scarlett.
“We’ll catch them when they’re alone,* Quinn explained, determination in his eyes. “We’ll explain ourselves and beg them to come back.”
I thought they were delusional. And, I was certain this plan wouldn’t end well for any of them.
Chapter Comments
Visitor
Wait until the guys catch Maddox and Quinn trying to get near Scarlett and Freya. Those two will regret this bad decision.
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