E’s POV
The crowd erupted in murmurs and whispers. My hands wanted to shake, but I refused to let that happen–instead, I gripped the card tightly and scanned the room, searching for my father’s face. Why would he donate to the cause? Ten thousand dors had been his amount; why?
The donations were supposed to go to supporting his destitute pack members. Pack members that he had made destitute <b>with </b>his own actions. It didn’t make any sense, and it waspletely out of character for him<b>. </b>
Which meant only one thing: he wasn’t doing this to be charitable. He was doing it to prove a point, and to make himself look saintly and untouchable.
Just then, I spotted a figure moving through the crowd. People parted, allowing the man in the elegant tuxedo to approach. My father’s Beta came to stand in front of the stage. His smile was all teeth, and the glimmer of malice in his eyes only served to confirm my suspicions.
“I will ept the reward on Mr. Eden’s behalf tonight, as he is not currently present.”
My jaw clenched as I stared down at the Beta. I wanted to call him on his bluff right then and there, but I restrained myself. He and my father both knew that it would only harm my reputation even more if I did.
So I had no choice but to smile. To have him thank my father for the sizable donation. And to give him the ticket to collect his prize.
As my father’s Beta walked away, ticket in hand, I could already hear the whispers starting.
“So charitable…”
“He clearly cares about his people, even if she is trying to make him seem like a miser!”
“I sense that she’s up to something… This whole thing is fishy…”
“If it weren’t for him, this woman’s g would have been aplete disaster! Meanwhile, I heard that she’s now iming to be the reincarnation of his dead daughter.”
I pursed my lips and refused to show the reaction on my face. I refused to show anyone, for the rest of the night, that my father’s actions had shaken me to my core<b>. </b>
But I knew what this was, even if no one else seemed to.
My father didn’t care about the people of Stormhollow. They were mere tools to him, nothing more. Yes, perhaps he had donated some money to their cause; but it wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart.
No, he was trying to seem like the bigger person. He was trying to pad out Brian’s campaign with cash and illusions.
The night was supposed to be a sess. It was supposed to help people in need, and it was supposed to boost our reputations in preparation for the takedown of my father.
And yet it hadn’t been any of those things. The only good thing that came out of all of it was the <b>sess </b>of Anya’s designs. For the rest of the night, though, I had to battle antagonistic whispers dirty looks, and not–so–subtle jabs.
By the time the guests began to filter out, I was dead on my feet andpletely exhausted from the <b>social </b>warfare <b>of </b>the evening. I wanted nothing more than to retreat to my room with Alexander and sleep off all of the bad feelings. I didn’t want <b>to </b>think about the rumors or the next steps we’d have to take tobat all of this.
Alexander and I <b>left </b>the banquet hall. His arm was warm and steady beneath my hand, and the reassuring smile <b>he </b><b>gave </b><b>me </b>chased away some of my worries.
“We’ll figure <b>it </b>out,” he murmured, patting my hand. “Just like we always do.”
<b>I </b>wanted to believe him<b>. </b>
Just as we were rounding the corner, a familiar voice called out, “Alpha Alexander! Luna E!”
<b>+25 </b><b>Bonus </b>
We turned, spotting Jane hurrying toward us, just as radiant as she had been earlier that night; but her expression was pinched with worry, and when she reached us, she was a little breathless.
COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus
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<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.