“You really would be my type,” Thomas says, his eyes scanning her body. I grimace at that. What an asshole. She is obviously here, representing the pack, and while she might not have received the official title yet, she is Dad’s heir to the pack. He is being highly disrespectful, and he seems to not give a fuck about it.
He is so gross,Gwen links me.It’s not just what he says. It’s how he says it. He is… Fuck…
I was just thinking the same,I mutter.
“Maybe we could strike a deal,” Thomas adds.
Aurelia laughs before her expression changes into something much darker. “Alright, let’s cut to the chase instead of exchanging more unwanted pleasantries. What do you want?”
“You know what I am here for,” he says.
“No, we don’t, please enlighten us.”
“My daughter is being held in this pack.” He looks at Dad now. “Clearly, you know how it feels to be separated from your children.”
Dad furrows his brows. “Do I?”
“She was kidnapped and brought here against my will.”
“No, she wasn’t,” Aurelia says simply.
Something in Thomas’ perfect smiling expression shows a tiny crack. I see the edges of his lips twitch slightly.
“Let’s not joke around,” he says. “I know she is here.”
“Oh, we didn’t deny she is,” Dad says calmly.
“I only said she wasn’t kidnapped.” Aurelia scratches her forehead as if she were bored. “We know she wasn’t. We also know there has been an interesting amount of money flowing from you to a certain alpha. Interesting how he is the alpha from your fated mate’s old pack.”
Another little crack in his expression.
“Funny little coincidence, huh?” Aurelia asks sweetly.
“I have many enemies,” he says. “I am sure said alpha is just framing me!”
“Come on,” Aurelia’s eyes darken. “We are not stupid,TJ. We are very well aware of what you did to your mate, and that Alpha Jacob hid her and her daughter on your command, so that no one would notice what you did. Where does your sudden interest in your daughter come from? Don’t you have any other children to parade around? Do you need her to show her off to someone? A marriage deal with another alpha family, maybe?”
At that, something in Thomas’ face changes visibly, and an ugly snarl forms on his lips. “What does a little bitch like you-“
“So, it’s true,” Aurelia concludes. She turns towards Liam. “He wants to sell her off.”
“Good job in uncovering that,” Liam says. He has his perfect stoic face up now, the one that doesn’t give away any emotion, but I can see the vein on his neck twitch slightly. “The Council will be interested in that detail.”
“She is my daughter! You cannot keep her from me,” Thomas hisses. “A child needs its parents!”
“She doesn’t need you. I would rather die than hand her over to Marina’s murderer,” Gwen says all of a sudden. I can hear the tremor in her voice. I have no idea what this standoff must do to her. He is the man who ruined her best friend, and now he is standing here without any remorse, without any care for what he did. “Besides, she has parents,” she adds, nodding towards Celine.
Celine nods, a dangerous smile curling her lips. “Don’t worry, Alpha Thomas, I will watch out for her. And unlike your usual victims, I know how to fight and kill.”
“It’s illegal to steal a child!”
“Come on, Thomas,” Dad interrupts, the look in his eyes dark and angry. “This is getting ridiculous. As my daughter said, we are all very well aware of what you did.” He stares at the men behind Thomas. “And what most likely some of your men did. Marina passed away from the injuries she received, which officially makes you the murderer of your own mate. None of us here wants to deal with you any longer.”
“Well, I certainly don’t,” Liam says. “You are a waste of air.”
“We have entertained you long enough,” Aurelia agrees while some of our warriors appear behind us. “For your crimes against your mate, illegal businesses, blackmail and corruption, we will hand you over to the Council.”
Thomas furrows his brows, his expression turning angry, the look in his eyes much more sinister now. Yeah, that’s closer to the picture I had in my mind than his creepy, polite expression. He gestures for his men to step closer. “I am on neutral ground,” he snarls. “You can’t detain me!”
