Free Web NovelChapter 117: Chapter 117
Richard’s POV
My car rolled to a smooth stop in a shadowed corner of the venue, the engine humming low like a wolf growling under its breath. I didn’t get out immediately. I wanted a moment, just a moment to gauge the chaos brewing outside.
The rear window slid down, and Sophia’s furious face came into view.
She was seething, baring her fangs at the people gossiping outside. We had watched Nathan arrive and head inside. Our ears had also caught the gossips involving Sophia. I glanced at her briefly, her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
Nathan attending the auction without her? Yeah, that was enough to ignite her temper.
It had always been her unspoken right to cling to his arm at these functions.
But tonight, the gossip had changed, swirling through the air like a pack wind:
“Luna Aria’s back.”
“Ms. Sophia’s losing her place.”
“Nathan didn’t bring her...”
Sophia’s face darkened even more.
I watched her, arching a brow. I couldn’t help it. The dramatic irony, the tension, the way her emotions twisted the air...gods, it was entertaining. I felt a glint flash in my eyes. My wolf lifted its head, amused.
This was going to be fun. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Sophia whipped around suddenly, her eyes blazing. When her gaze met mine, she froze for a heartbeat, her cheeks flushing red.
“What the heck are they yapping about!” she snapped, her voice trembling with fury. “Nathan couldn’t stand Aria even before she went to the slammer. And now that she’s a former prisoner? Forget it!”
Her jealousy was thick enough to taste.
But the second she finished, the car fell utterly silent.
Only the soft tap... tap... tap of my fingers broke the stillness.
She swallowed hard. Her balled her fists again, clearly trying to swallow the bitterness.
She really couldn’t grasp it. She had told me before that she didn’t understand why high-ranking wolves like Nathan and I kept circling around Aria. A woman with a kid, a former prisoner, a she-wolf who’d been pushed out of every circle she once belonged to.
She didn’t get it and she never would.
Aria wasn’t like them, she was different.
Grinding her teeth, Sophia finally shoved the car door open and stepped out, lifting her gown so it wouldn’t drag. I slipped out on my side, the crisp night air filling my lungs.
We didn’t walk in together, no way,
That would start a whole different rumor storm.
She walked ahead, her posture straight, her nose lifted, pretending she belonged here. Truth was, she almost didn’t attend. Nathan hadn’t invited her. The organizers hadn’t sent her an invite either.
If she hadn’t begged me?
She’d be howling outside the gates right now.
Sophia pinched her dress so hard the luxury fabric wrinkled, then forced herself to relax just in time to face the crowd with a polite, brittle smile.
The attendees glanced her way, then quickly looked away.
Ouch, that had to sting.
She bit her lip and hurried inside without a word.
The moment she disappeared, the gossipers exchanged looks, the kind wolves share before tearing into a fresh piece of meat.
Sophia wasn’t stupid, she knew she was being judged.
She’d spent a whole year basking in Nathan’s spotlight, enjoying the attention she stole after Aria’s fall from grace. She’d been at the top.
And now?
Now she was wobbling and she hated it.
Inside the venue, Sophia’s steps lost their usual confidence. She kept scanning the hall, clearly looking for someone.
Aria’s POV
I stood tucked beside a tall indoor palm tree, Lana balanced against my hip, my wolf ears twitching beneath the glamour spell I wore. My brow furrowed as I watched Sophia drift through the entrance alone.
Why was she by herself?
Where was Nathan?
Had the mighty Alpha Nathan actually bailed on her?
Curiosity nipped at me, but I shook it away. Nathan wasn’t the type to attend every social gathering. He had Alpha duties, business deals, pack politics... he had a thousand excuses.
Still, something was off. And my wolf felt it too, pacing in the back of my mind.
A faint scent of tobacco curled into my nose.
“Hey, lady, no date?” a strange voice piped up behind me.
I turned, startled, and blinked at a portly man whose eyes widened when he saw my face... then promptly dimmed when he noticed Lana in my arms. frёewebnoѵēl.com
“Oh. A mom,” he muttered, like that somehow made me rotten fruit.
My wolf growled inside me.
“What do you want?” I asked, irritation seeping into my voice. My senses were already on high alert. rangers hovering near my cub always put my wolf on edge.
Rowland had stepped aside to ease himself, I was alone at that moment.
Instead of backing off, the man puffed up, his chest heaving, trying to look important.
“It’s nothing,” he snapped. “Just asking! A mom—what a waste of time.”
I’d been minding my business. He’d approached me. And now I was a waste of time?
The sheer audacity.
I let my gaze go cold as I glared at him. He rubbed his hand as if trying to get rid of goosebumps that had formed. Then he waved his hand dismissively.
“Great! Just my bad luck!” he muttered, turning to leave.
But he didn’t get two steps before a large hand landed on his shoulder.
