ena

luxurious restaura

h a condescending sneer gave us a single, dismissive glance, recognizing

at d

we w

sed, then tw

was pale, but he didn't complain. I wanted to ask for a basket of bread

heavy oak doo

looking flawless in

was not

s. She offered a sweet, saccharine smile and blamed their lateness on human tr

pping, just resting. The gesture of a woman who knew e

hed out across the table

e embossed cover, Xavier's large

ssed the leather-b

in mid-air for a painful, frozen second. He lowered his head,

my hands on the table, the sharp crack echoing in the silen

t my father would not understand the high-end ingredients, written as they were in French. He claimed

pine suddenly smelled

chair. I told Xavier we would not sit here and acce

e dining room and marched dow

eps thundere

ed the restaurant's grand entrance. His

g current straight to my core. Now, his skin aga

ed that this was not an apology, but a sick, twis

his fist tightened. "Ungrateful." The word was forced through clenched teeth, his gaze point

ght years, I had been his mate in the shadows, spending my nights al

features into a mask of pitiful victimhood. "Alpha, please don't fight because of me," she bo

re she lowered her gaze. She had done this a hundred times

a human shield between us. He roared that I was using my mate status to bully a weaker female, then

abbed Sylvia's hand, led her to

nto the city noise, leaving us

orn shoes. He softly asked me

ough fabric of his shoulder. I told him he smelled l

," I whispered. "And I