<b>Chapter 38 </b>


    E


    “Where is Alexander?”


    I wrenched my arm away, ignoring the sting of pain. “He had somethinge up at thest minute. I decided toe anyway.”


    My father’s face darkened. “Without your Alpha? That’s incredibly irresponsible, E. If Alexander couldn’t make it, then you should have stayed home


    “I was invited, too,” I reminded him. “My name was on the invitation. Not just his.”


    “As Alexander’s mate,” he hissed. His eyes flicked down to my dress with disapproval. “And certainly not dressed like… that.”


    I resisted the urge to cover myself. The ck dress wasn’t even that revealingpared <i>to </i>what some of the other women were wearing tonight. But to my father, anything that showed I had a figure at all was “provocative.”


    I nced at Lilith, who was hovering awkwardly a few steps away. She looked unusually tense, her eyes darting nervously between my father and me. <b>it </b>seemed strange to see her so ufortable–Lilith was normally the picture ofposure. That was why she was my rock.


    My father’s nostrils red. “E, go home.”


    Up until recently, I would have followed my father’s orders. But not now. Not when I might only have months left to live.


    “No.” I linked my arm through Lilith’s. “Come on, Lilith. Let’s get a drink.”


    Without waiting for my father’s response, I led Lilith toward the bar set up on the far side of the ballroom with Gabriel trailing silently behind us.


    “Are you sure this is wise?” Lilith whispered as we weaved through the crowd. “Your father seems upset.”


    “He’ll be fine,” I replied with a shrug. “I’m not a child anymore. Maybe it’s about time he learns that.”


    When we reached the bar, I ordered a ss of champagne for myself and one for Lilith. Gabriel morosely sipped a ss of whiskey.


    As I surveyed the room, I spotted my half–brother, Brian, standing with a group of young men about his age. He was seventeen now, hadn’t seen him much since he was twelve.


    almost <b>a </b>man. !


    Champagne in hand, I made my way toward Brian. Despite everything, I had always tried to be a good half–sister to him. It wasn’t his fault that his mother hated me or that our father had always favored him.


    Brian had grown tall, nearly as tall as our father now. His brown hair had clearly been styled earlier but he had run his hands through it carelessly, and the tie on his expensive suit was loose, a few buttons undone, suit jacket nowhere to be found.


    He turned as I approached. “E! I didn’t think you’d show up without your husband in tow. What happened, did he finally realize what a mistake he


    made?”


    His friends snickered, and one of them looked me up and down with a leer.


    “Nice dress,” he said, his eyes lingering unabashedly on my chest. “Is that what all the Lunas are wearing these days, or just the ones who aren’t loved by their Alphas?”


    My face heated, but not from embarrassment–from anger.


    “You might want to watch your mouth,” I said coolly, looking the boy in the eye. “That’s no way to speak to your superior.”


    The boy’s smirk faltered.


    “And you,” I continued, turning to my brother. “Is that really how you greet your sister after five years? Making jokes about <b>my </b>marriage<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    “It was just”


    Before he could finish, I reached up and pinched his ear, hard, the way I used to when he was being particrly bratty as a child. Brian <b>yelped</b>, his face turning bright red as his friends stared in shock.


    “Ow! E, stop!”


    “Apologize,” ! demanded, still holding his ear. “Now.”


    “I’m sorry! Geez, let go!”


    I released him, watching with satisfaction as he rubbed his ear, thoroughly embarrassed in front of his friends. “That’s better. Now, <b>if </b>you’ll excuse me, I have more maturepany to keep.”


    As I walked away, I caught a glimpse of my father and stepmother across the room. They were both practically vibrating with fury now. I lifted <b>my </b>champagne in a mock toast and continued on my way.


    “E? Is that really you?”


    I turned at the sound of my name and found myself face to face with my cousin, Tara. My heart stuttered. Tara had made my high school years a living hell, mocking my clothes, my hair, my grades, anything she could find to tear me down.


    I braced myself for an unpleasant exchange, but to my surprise, Tara was smiling.


    “It is you!” she eximed, pulling me into a hug. “You look amazing! That dress is absolutely killer.”


    I stood frozen for a moment, too stunned to respond. “Thanks,” I finally managed. “You… look good too.”


    Tara’s expression softened when she noticed the sour look on my face. “Look, I know we weren’t exactly friends in high school. Actually, that’s putting it mildly.”


    She shook her head ruefully. “I was awful to you, and I’m really sorry about that. You were always so pretty and smart, and even though you didn’t have many friends, you never seemed to care what anyone thought of you. You were just… authentic, in a way I never knew how to be.”


    Her words caught me off guard. Me, authentic? Pretty? That wasn’t how I remembered myself at all. I had been shy and awkward, always trying to please everyone and failing miserably.


    But maybe that wasn’t how others had seen me.


    “Well,” I said, offering a small smile, “that was a long time ago.”


    “It was.” Tara grinned. “And now look at you! Confident, glowing, the kind of woman every woman wants to be.”


    “Thanks, Tara. That means a lot.”


    We fell into easy conversation after that, catching up on the years we’d missed. Tara was working in marketing now<i>, </i>still single but dating around. It was nice, talking to someone my age about normal things, things that had nothing to do with pack politics or death sentences.


    “So, a bunch of us are going out after this snoozefest wraps up,” Tara finally said. “Just to a bar downtown for drinks, maybe some dancing. <b>You </b><b>should </be! It’ll be fun.”


    I hesitated. Going out to a bar? Dancing? These were normal things that women my age did all the time<b>, </b>experiences I’d never had bec straight from my father’s control to Alexander’s.


    <b>“</b><b>d </b><b>gone </b>


    And what <i>if </i>I did die in a few months? I’d never have those experiences at all.


    “I’d love to,” I said before I could second–guess myself. “I’ve never actually been to a bar before.”


    Tara’s eyes widened, “Seriously? Oh, then you definitely have toe. We’ll show you a good time, I promise!”


    <b>08:38 </b><b>Tue</b>, <b>19 </b>Aug


    I grinned, already imagining a night of freedom—drinks, dancing,ughter. Just one night to be young and carefree.


    “What’s this I hear about going to a bar?”


    My father’s voice cut through my fantasy. I turned to find him standing behind me.


    “Uncle Richard,” Tara said politely. “I was just making ns to go out with E after-”


    “I heard. Please excuse us, Tara.” My father put his hand on my shoulder. “I have to speak with E.”


    Tara hesitated, no doubt noticing the tension, but what was she supposed to do when her Alpha wasmanding her to leave? Finally, she nodded and slipped away.


    As soon as she was out of earshot, my father grabbed my arm again, this time dragging me toward a small alcove off the main ballroom. I had to struggle to keep from spilling my champagne as I stumbled after him.


    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he hissed once we were alone and out of sight. “You show up without your Alpha, dressed like that, drinking, in public, and now you’re nning to go bar–hopping with Tara, of all people? Have you lost your mind?”


    “I’m having a conversation with my cousin,” I said evenly. “And making ns with her, yes. I don’t see the problem.”


    “The problem,” my father growled, “is that you’re acting like a slut. Your mate is nowhere to be found, you’re practically half–naked, and you’re nning to go out drinking with a girl who has slept with half the males in this territory.”


    “Don’t you dare call me that. I’m an adult, and I can make my own decisions.”


    “Not when those decisions reflect poorly on this family! You need to go home to Alexander right now, before you ruin everything we’ve worked so hard to build because you’re going through some bted rebellious phase.”


    “We?” Iughed bitterly. “What exactly have you worked hard to build, Father? All you did was marry me off and take paychecks from my husband like I’m a prize mare.”


    “I got <i>you </i>married to an Alpha from a prestigious pack<i>, </i>who, might I add, didn’t even want you from the get–go,” he spat. “I secured your future. And this is <i>how </i>you repay me? By acting like amon whore the moment his back is turned?”


    “I’m not hurting anyone,” I ground out. “I’m just trying <i>to </i>live my life for once, instead of being controlled by you or Alexander or anyone else. And maybe if you hadn’t tried to dictate my every move since I was a child, I wouldn’t feel the need to suddenly experience life for the first time in my twenties! And who knows? Maybe I won’t go home to Alexander at all tonight!”


    My father’s face twisted. “I didn’t raise a whore!” he snarled, <i>his </i>hand flying up to p me.


    I flinched, bracing for the impact, but it never came.


    Instead, Alexander <i>stepped </i>between us and grabbed my father’s wrist.


    <b><i>AD </i></b>


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