Page 7

I smile and turn to face Calliope, our pack Seer. She may be old enough to be my great-grandmother, but she’s more spry than most in our pack and she’s the closest thing to family that I have here. I take a few steps to my right and give her a quick hug.

“It’s better if I stay back here,” I murmur, watching as the young pups frolic. “Austin…”

I stop and remind myself to keep my decorum. Calliope serves as a surrogate grandmother to me, but she doesn’t need to know how bad it is between Austin and I. If she’s a Seer, she probably already knows.

“Austin has accepted you as his future Luna. If he is mistreating you, that should be brought up to Council or to our Alpha,” she says firmly, turning my face to look me in the eye.

I meet her gaze head on and she grins. Few people make eye contact with her because she’s a Seer. There are so many rumors about her abilities—even I don’t know the full extent of them. But I do know that I’m not scared of her.

“There’s no need to involve the Council, Callie,” I whisper softly. “And certainly not Alpha Malaki. I’m just whining. I’ve felt more alone than usual of late.”

Her expression softens and she pulls me into another hug. “Come, child. You can sit next to me instead.”

I resist, but only for a moment. Arm and arm, I walk toward the logs that are set around the fire. I can feel the stares as I get closer, the whisper of comments, but with Callie by my side, I try my best to rise above it.

“Hold your head up high, girl. You’re going to be the mate of their future leader,” Callie says under her breath, squeezing my arm encouragingly.

I try. I really do. But the weight of the stares feels suffocating. A rumble from the attendees makes me turn around, just in time to see Austin walk in, surrounded by his inner circle. It’s been three weeks since our disastrous encounter in the healing room, and I’ve barely seen him.

I look him over and smile softly when I see that he appears to be fully recovered.

Our eyes meet for a brief moment, and he glares at where Callie’s hand is on my arm.

“Austin,” she greets him, her voice booming through the gathered crowd. He blinks and then shifts his gaze to her.

“Seer.” He nods, making his way to his seat. We both watch him as he settles into the chair that is always reserved for him.

With his father, Alpha Malaki, and his mother, Luna Elizabeth, growing older, Austin often represents his family at these events. When he does, he sits in the Alpha’s chair.

But that’s not what my eyes are fixed on. Instead, I eye the smaller chair that is next to his.

The Luna’s chair.

Traditionally, when he is representing his father, I would also be expected to sit next to him at the event. But the first time I tried, he told me to wait in the back instead. He explained that it would be more useful for the pack not to be distracted by me because we were only intended, but not yet mated. I felt the rejection in my soul.

Now, I watch as another male sits next to him, his head tipped close as he discusses whatever business he has with him. My chair is being used as a way to have an audience with Austin and it feels like a slap in the face.

Callie mutters something under her breath and drags me forward.

“Greet him,” she hisses at me under her breath, “And hold your head up high while you do it.”

I stare at her in horror. Making a scene at a public event is the exact opposite of what I would want to do or what Austin would want me to do.

But we’re already standing awkwardly in front of him and if we don’t say something, people are going to notice. I take a deep breath and Callie gives me a little shove, forcing me to stumble. Austin looks at me with narrow eyes.

“Hi, Austin,” I say softly, “Happy Bonfire.”

He stares at me, his silver eyes piercing right through me as he purses his lips. The silence between us stretches on and I hear the tell-tale whispers start up among my packmates.

Embarrassment starts to rise in my cheeks. This is humiliating. After a very long minute, Austin finally nods his head at me.

“Happy Bonfire, Yelena,” he says, simply, turning away from me to continue his conversation.

It’s a benign greeting, but he delivered it so coldly that it feels like I was slapped. I turn to run away but Callie is blocking my exit.

“Dry those tears, love, we’re not done here,” she says, stepping around me to face Austin head on.

“Austin,” she calls out, her loud voice drawing the attention of our pack again. I cringe as the spotlight extends to me, once again. Whatever Callie has planned, I’m know I’m going to hate it.