Page 47 of Entwined
There’s a little too much interest brimming in her eyes,and I shift, stepping slightly in front of Vaelor. His fingers tighten around my waist, a quiet reassurance as Amara’s eyes flicker to mine.
“You causing trouble, my Amara?” The deep voice, lower than anything I’ve ever heard, is filled with a rumbling power that reminds me of the kind of cold fire that turns everything it touches to ash in mere seconds.
Trepidation fills me as a man wearing a black-on-black suit approaches, his height towering over both my mates. His eyes are locked on Amara, and he curls an arm around her hips, yanking her off-balance. She stumbles in her heels, a hand flying out to catch herself against his chest. Her head only comes up to just below his shoulder as he pins her to his side, the height difference almost comical.
“I’m not causing anything, Elias,” Amara says, her tone bored, but her eyes flashing with resentment.
His impassive gaze slides over us, lingering on Vaelor. “Excuse me, but Amara and I need to have a talk.” He doesn’t wait for a response, urging her away, her low curses drifting back to us.
Connor watches them for a beat before turning to his mother. “Interesting couple.”
Marcia looks after them with a frown. “Amara is a new acquaintance, but has been especially helpful with a few projects of mine.” She turns to face us fully. “She requested an introduction to you tonight.” A pause. “Vaelor, specifically.”
My stomach goes tight. “Why would she want to know Vaelor?”
Her frown deepens. “I don’t know, but I’m wondering if perhaps I should have asked extra questions.” She looks across to where the couple disappeared through the open patio doors. “I haven’t met Elias before tonight, but…”
Another couple approaches our group, and the conversation shifts to something more neutral. I find myself looking for the mysterious couple, but they don’t reappear again.
About an hour later, Vaelor leads me to the side of the ballroom, the two of us taking a moment to hide while Connor is occupied with his familial duties.
We’ve only been standing there for a few minutes when someone calls my name, sending dread slithering through me. I look up just as my mother and grandfather approach, their expressions grim.
“What are you two doing here?” Vaelor grumbles. My grandfather’s eyes flare with anger.
“We were invited. Same as anyone else,” he says stiffly.
Vaelor doesn’t blink. “I meanthere, standing in front of us.”
“We do not need permission to speak to my granddaughter,” Frederick declares, the tone enough to have me bowing my head, curling in on myself to hide from his displeasure—a lifelong habit that’s hard to break.
“Of course you don’t. Is she here?” Vaelor makes a show of looking around. “Because I know you can’t mean Felicity. After all, you disowned her. Left her to flounder on her own with nothing, and never even bothered to reach out to see if she was okay.”
His anger burns through my chest, and I turn, pressing my front against his side. “It’s okay,” I murmur. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
My mother lets out a too-loud laugh before pinning a coy look on Vaelor. “She’s right. We need to put the pastbehind us. After all, it all worked out, didn’t it?” Her gaze slides over me with indifference, but I barely notice. These people haven’t been a part of my life for over two years, and, to be perfectly honest, I haven’t missed them at all. Not when my mates have filled every single part of my life up with them, barely giving me space to even breathe.
“Felicity,” Frederick snaps patronizingly, as if trying to revert me back to the girl who cowered under his rule. “You’ve done well, forging a position for yourself within the Thornton family. Now, you can do your part in helpingyourfamily.”
I smile pleasantly. “No, thank you.”
Air hisses out between my mother’s teeth. “You smug little bit?—”
“Excuse me,” a voice interrupts, “but I know you’re not addressingmyfated daughter right now with that kind of vile language. Especially not under my roof.”
My grandfather is thrown, but recovers after a beat. “Geoffry,” he says, his tone ingratiating. “I’ve been trying to lock you down for a meeting, but I haven’t been able to get through. Some kind of miscommunication with your assistant, I’m sure.”
Geoffry’s expression doesn’t twitch. “No mistake, Frederick.” He turns to look at me and Vaelor. “You two go on. I’ll see these guests out.” He reaches out, brushing his knuckles against my cheek, affection lighting up his cool eyes. “I believe Connor was looking for the two of you.”
I touch his hand. “Thank you, Geoffry.”
His relationship with Connor and Vaelor might be strained, but we found common ground early on. He’s been teaching me about the history of shifters and the part his family played in it.
After years of shifters being targeted by other supernaturalraces and killed off by ignorant humans, I can understand why he is pushing Connor so hard to continue the family legacy, even though his son is never going to just fall into line.
My wolf isn’t politically inclined, and nothing Geoffry does is going to change that, no matter how hard he tries.
Geoffry clears his throat, waving us off. “Off with you now.” He tips his chin at Vaelor, their eyes clashing—not hostile, but not friendly either.