Third Person’s POV
Many people couldn’t help but nce at Gloria and then at Adide.
Theparison was stark,
Gloria felt like a fool for even showing up
+5 Free Con
She hadn’t seen what she’d hoped to see and was still reluctant to give up, shamelessly staying to watch for <b>any </b>slip–up from <b>Adide </b>during the grand banquet.
The banquet progressed to the toast segment.
It was traditional for guests to offer toasts during the meal. So when the male guests announced, “Let’s go offer our best wishes to Prisci,” the guests put down their utensils and turned their attention to Prisci
Led by Alpha Lance, Alpha Howell, Cyrus, and Doug approached first.
They walked straight up to Prisci, <b>raised </b>their sses a few feet away, and <b>said</b><b>. </b>“To Prisci’s long life, good health, and abundant blessings.”
Originally, Lance <b>had </b>nned to drink the toast on his mother’s behalf. But Prisci, in high spirits, raised her own ss and smiled, saying. “Here’s to all of us–to long life, good health, and many years of enjoying thepany of our children and grandchildren.
Cyrus and Doug, being older, found the toast quite fitting, while Alpha Howell stood awkwardly aside.
Cyrus and Doug downed their drinks in one gulp. Howell quickly followed suit and excused himself
Groups of three <b>male </b>guests continued <b>to </b><b>approach</b>. After Prisci <b>had </b><b>drunk </b>several toasts, Adide stood up and said. “On behalf of my mother–inw, I thank you for taking the time offer your best wishes today. If there were any shorings in our hospitality, please kindly ove them.”
The next group included Winslow and two family heads.
<b>Winslow</b>, <b>Wanda’s </b>mate, didn’t so much as nce at her upon entering.
Wanda, furious, thought to herself, “He won’t look at me? I don’t need him to.”
“Luna Adide, you’re truly straightforward!” Winslow smiled and raised his ss to Adide. “I <b>admire </b><b>you </b>greatly.”
“I’m ttered,” Adide replied with a smile.
The <b>two </b>family heads also drank their toasts and cast admiring nces at Adide.
Gloria found the scene highly ironic. The guests hade to offer best wishes to Prisci. If a recement drinker was needed, it should have been Alpha Lance, not Adide.
She expected Lance to be annoyed. But when she nced at him, she saw him looking at Adide with
O
Chapter <b>341 </b>
tender affection.
In that instant, Gloria felt as if struck by lightning–her whole body froze.
She recognized that look; it was one she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Eugene used to look <b>at </b><b>her </b><b>that </b>way.
But Ulrik never had. His eyes were always cold.
s
Memories of Eugene flooded back, and for a moment, Alpha Lance’s figure seemed to ovep with Eugene’s in her mind.
She quickly drained a ss of wine, forcing down the jumble of thoughts–what good were memories when he was gone?
Sabrina <b>cowered </b>in a cold, carved wooden chair, her fingers digging deeply into her palms.
The utter failure of her first attempt coiled around her heart like a cold, venomous snake–the crushing pheromones of Lance, and the undisguised contempt and alienation in Wanda’s eyes.
Wanda didn’t even nce at her again, as if she were a gue..
The obsession with entering the ckthorn Pack burned more fiercely in her despair.
She stared intently at Alpha Lance, who was as close as the sun yet as unattainable.
She knew this was herst chance. <b>Wanda </b>would never allow her a third <b>approach</b>.
A desperate resolution surged within her.
She abruptly seized the half–full wine ss beside her. The liquid in the ss mirrored the twisted determination in her eyes.
Amid the curious and mocking gazes of the crowd, she rose unsteadily to her feet. A stiff, fragile smile. tinged with the pathos of a desperate gamble, forced its way onto her face as she headed toward Prisci
“Prisci, please allow me to… Her voice trembled exaggeratedly, seeking attention.
-Before she could finish, just a few steps away from Lance, she “tripped” <b>and </b>fell toward him at a
meticulously calcted angle–a motion that was both deliberate and forceful.
<b>“</b><b>Carefull </b>someone instinctively eximed.
This time, a strong arm finally caught her around the waist.
A crazed gleam flickered in Sabrina’s eyes.
Not only did she not rein herself in, but she channeled all her remaining strength and focus into her pheromones.
A thick, viscous mating pheromone,den with possessiveness and intent to bind, surged like a venomous vine from the point of contact, forcing its way rudely and violently into the person holding her.
99%
But when <b>Sabrina </b>looked up, her face drained of color–the person who caught her was Winslow.
As soon as Sabrina steadied herself, Winslow released her. But the odd looks from the crowd had alreadynded on her.
Winslow realized the situation and turned pale with embarrassment.
“<b>You </b>wretched woman!” Wanda roared, mmed her wine ss down, stormed over, grabbed Sabrina’s shoulders, and pped her hard.
Dazed from the blow, Sabrina fell to the floor.
She cradled her <b>face</b>, tears welling up in her eyes, panic–stricken as she looked around–it was all like a nightmare.
Everyone was staring at her, their eyes filled with mockery.
This time, everyone was certain of her motive—<b>she </b>had been trying to climb the socialdder by ensnaring Alpha Lance.
<b>UZ </b>IZ