a's

mask of feigned panic. His eyes immediately found me, then slid to Donnie Sinclair standing beside me. I

false concern. "Elara! My love, are you hurt? I cam

pull me into a comforting embrac

gle, deliber

an outstanding Donnie and choose him in my past l

roze in midair. He was left standing there, his

ather. "Alpha Beaumont," he said, his voice calm and reasonable. "To prevent any damaging rumors from s

d-I could see their eyes fixed on

propose to her, rather than letting me, her fiancé, obscure the truth.

ame a potential murder plot as a simple lover's

his features. This was perfect. It would force my hand and end this entire

elaxing, as if a weight had been lifted from them. If I

ide and urgent, pleading and comman

to touch the floor, my voice cut th

ref

onated in the

ture of disbelief. He looked up at

ly coiffed hair to the tips of his expensive leather boot

words unyielding. "Alpha Sinclair, I app

ing man before me. I spoke each word slowly, clear

urst, a mere Beta-i

the room-I heard the sharp intake

everything, my words were a public castration. I had taken his ambitio

of red; his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and I could

ce before she looked away. An insult to Jarod was an insul

, but with Donnie Sinclair as a witness, he seeme

e him studying me with a new wariness, as if reassessing everything he thought he knew about me. This was not th

terly demolish the fiction of our engagement before I could accuse him of tr

e them no s

ight on cue, my loyal Beta, Leo F

Donnie and Officer Reynolds. "The theatrics are