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seen–close to the grandiose of the penthouse that Lucien and I once shared.
“Thank you,” I said to the concierge and he gave me a soft smile before vanishing in the hallway.
It was almost sunset and the Brightheart Pack‘ s event coordinator said that the second night of the Feast‘ s dinner will be held on the seaside so now we’re free to
do whatever we want.
I changed into my swimming attire, eager to dive into the hotel‘ s infinity pool on my first night of stay. I may not have a couple of friends here but I sure will enjoy the
festivities.
The sun was just beginning its descent. when I plunged myself into the pool‘ s cool waters. I made myself swim from one end to the other until I found myself needing a drink.
I sat on one of the chairs to the east of the pool when I felt someone standing behind
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- me. I put down my glass of pomegranate juice and looked up.
“Vesta.” The two syllables of my name. from the lips of my once–doting boyfriend. were nothing more than a whisper.
“Leave me alone,” was all I mumbled
and I leaned back on the chair.
Five years of living with him wasted away. Five years of a relationship built upon lies. and broken promises and crying.
I regretted saying yes to him when he asked me if I’d be his girlfriend. Maybe I should never have loved him at all.
“Vesta,” he calledagain. This time it was louder as if ordering me to get up and face him.
“For the love of the Moon Goddess, walk away.” I didn’t lower my voice and I made sure the staff heard us.
“No.”
So he wants to play a game of who walks
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away first? Fine.
“What was the point, Lucien,” I shot to my feet and rested a hand on my waist,
“of us living together when your attention. and mind are so far from me?”
Alpha Lucien and I may have been
physically close for the past five years but our hearts seemed to be minding their own business with each passing day.
“So you just broke up with me over jealousy?” He ran a hand through his hair,
“I saw Charm’s post on my way to the restaurant. She asked for my help to secure a deal with a big company and it was a last- minute. Don‘ t you know how big of an impact it is for the Brightheart Pack? Charm needs me for that meeting.”
“And I don’t?” I retorted, “Just because it’s an anniversary dinner date, does it mean I don’t need you?”
He didn’t answer my question. He added instead, “Some sacrifices are to be made
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to strengthen our ties with other packs and -and stop being childish, Vesta! We‘ re adults now. Put aside your childish jealousy. Come home when you‘ ve calmed down and I’ll just tell everyone that we never broke up.”
“Childish?!” My eyes simmered with bright fury at that. “So now I am childish?” I snarled and didn’t bother to correct my posture like I was going to shift and pounce at him.
He’s an Alpha, yes. But he’s an asshole.
If Lucien‘ s goal is to piss me off on the first day of this Feast, then he successfully did.
“Stand down, Vesta. I have no intention of fighting you.”
“Oh, but you do,” I spat.
Shaking my head, I tried to brush away the anger that he stirred up with his words by inhaling the lulling scent of roses nearby.
“As I said, leave me alone.”
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He ignored my words, “Come have dinner with me. Their steak and lobster are
delicious here.” He removed one hand
from his pocket and offered it to me.
The word childish kept echoing in my mind, igniting that surge of anger and turning it into a fiery storm. Was I really
that childish?
I scoffed, “I think you’re the one who’s childish, Alpha Lucien.”
Taking my words as my rejection of his offer, he simply pursed his lips and blandly said, “Enjoy your swim.”
And then he walked away.
I didn’t enjoy my swim that night. I sprinted straight to my room, locked my door and the windows, and relentlessly cried on my bed with pillows over my mouth to lower my sobs.
The next day, I spend half of the morning
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deciding what to wear for the formal dinner. I was in the lobby when a familiar scent hit me: the crisp scent of pine and the earthiness of cedarwood punched me in the gut.
There’s only one male who has that smell.
“Lucien.”
His cheerful voice almost made me vomit,
“Hi, Ves!”
I didn’t know that our ‘lovely‘ conversation last night made him joyful.
“Good thing you didn’t bring your obsessive fans.” Alpha Lucien might be an asshole but he’s drop–dead gorgeous. No wonder a lot of our pack fangirl over him.
He ran a look over my silk dress. It’s a kind of dress that changes colors depending on the light: subtle red when it’s bright and glittering black if it s dark.
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He smiled, “You looked as lovely as always, Vesta.”
I growled but he only laughed as if my
constant shoving and brushing him off amuses him.
“I’ll drive you to the beach,” he extended an arm to me–the same way did yesterday.
I rolled my eyes and walked past him.
he
True to what Lucien had said, I walked my way to the beach in this dress and heels. I look ridiculous but I don‘ t care as long as
A car honked behind me. Lucien’s car. I
could have continued walking when I saw what was behind it: a swarm of his
obsessive fanatics were running after him.
“Hop in!” I saw the panic in his eyes.
When I opened the door, that sharp female scent tore through my senses that almost made me vomit.
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My entire body froze when I realized it was Charmaine’s fucking scent that lingered and I was just about to plop down on the seat she sat on.
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Chapter 4
“Drive!” I yelled at the top of my voice. Alpha
