“There’s my girl!”
Sunny raced toward him and jumped into his embrace. “Daddy!”
I stood there, feeling a small pang of sadness as he welcomed her home like a loving father should while ignoring me completely. He turned to the leaders of Harvest Moon and greeted them each with a handshake, still refusing to even acknowledge me.
It shouldn’t have surprised me. I was a background ornament as far as he was concerned. A tool to be taken down when needed and then put away after the job was done. That was all I’d ever been to him.
He’s never praised me for my work. Never thanked me for my sacrifice. He rarely even acknowledges that I’m a person. Heonly ever speaks to me when he’s giving orders. Otherwise, it’s like I’m invisible.
“I’m so happy that you were all able to make it,” he greeted, showing them up the steps. “Why don’t you come inside? Dinner should be ready momentarily.”
“Are you not going to greet Shade?” Caelan asked, obviously bothered by my father’s blatant disregard. “She’s here as well.”
“I should hope so,” my father chuckled as though trying to make light of the situation, but I could hear the sarcasm dripping from every syllable that followed. “Shade would be failing in her duty if she wasn’t watching over my precious Sunny.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel, wrapping an arm around my sister’s shoulders and leading the way into the pack house.
I could feel Caelan’s anger radiating off him in waves. Luna Maty huffed in irritation, taking the arm of the stoic Alpha Leal as they started up the steps.
“He couldn’t even be bothered to say hello to you,” Caelan grumbled as we brought up the rear.
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “I didn’t expect him to.”
“Well, I did,” he countered.
He grabbed my hand and placed a gentle kiss across my knuckles, reluctantly letting it go with a sigh.
“I’ll just be happier when this is all over,” he whispered.
“Me too,” I admitted as we stepped through the door.
We went directly to the dining room. The table had been set with the pack’s finest dishes and silverware. Even my mother’sfavorite crystal glasses were out, ready to be filled with wine for our guests.
He’s really pulling out all the stops to impress them.
As my father took a seat at the head of the table and Sunny took her place next to him, I realized that he had purposely only laid out five place settings. There wasn’t a place for me.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been expected to stand there while they entertained dinner guests.
He’s trying to show that I’m still beneath them. That I don’t belong at their table.
I went to stand against the wall like I usually did, but Caelan grabbed my arm and pulled over another chair.
“Alpha Butch, it seems that we’re missing a place setting,” he pointed out as he settled the extra seat beside his.
“Oh yes! Is Briar going to join us?” Sunny asked, completely missing Caelan’s point.
Briar was my father’s chosen mate. I didn’t care for her. She was obnoxious, forever ordering me around like I was her personal servant with that squeaky, grating voice of hers. Sunny, of course, adored her.
“No. Unfortunately, she has other plans for tonight,” our father replied, quickly dismissing the subject.
I knew he was just making excuses.
The real reason Briar wasn’t at dinner was because she was a power-hungry gold digger who was much closer in age to Caelan than she was to my father. Caelan was a much more attractive option, and I bet that my father wouldn’t put it past her to jump ship for the more powerful alpha if given the chance.
“I wasn’t referring to Luna Briar,” Caelan growled as he guided me into the seat beside his. “There isn’t a place setting for Shade.”
“Apologies, Alpha Caelan. I didn’t realize she would be joining us,” my father admitted begrudgingly. “Here the omegas don’t dine at such a high-ranking table.”
