Chapter 71
It’s an awful thing, to look at someone’s face and not recognize the person that they are. Whoever Emanuel used to be to me seemed like a lifetime ago, I had no idea who this man was standing in front of me right now.
Nevertheless, I opened the envelope and read the invitation.
Word by word my breaths got caught in my throat and the room started spinning out of control.
‘Alpha Emanuel Jaxon, please join us in celebrating the yearly Hunters Ball hosted in honor of our proud tradition and your victorious efforts in the annual Hunt. As you know from previous years there has never been any interference on our part regarding which chosen mate you decide to bring. However, in rue of recent events, Hazel has asked that you bring your most recent mate, Iliana Lind, as your guest to the palace. This is a non-negotiable term for I am sure that my mate is eager to meet her old friend.
-King Darian Hayes’
It felt like I was underwater and no matter how hard I swam I couldn’t reach the surface. My lungs were filled with anything but air and my heart weighed heavier than lead.
They weren’t here because of Darian, they were here because they thought it was what I wanted.
Iliana came for my sake.
“Emanuel I-“I stammered.
钊
He was watching me, waiting for me to say something or maybe he didn’t care at all about what I had to say. Maybe he’d already made up his mind, he seemed eager enough to protect Iliana from me that he must have me painted as the villain in this story already.
“I didn’t…” I defended and handed him the invitation. A loud sigh brushed off my lips and I scoffed in defeat. “… I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Sure.” He took the invitation and stepped back. The first thing he did was grab her arm and pull her close like he was afraid I’d steal her from him.
I rubbed my hands on the dress and tried to control my shaky breathing but I couldn’t fathom how they, in their right minds, could think that I had anything to do with this.
What kind of a monster did they peg me out to be?
Everyone was there the night of the Hunt. Everyone saw me with Emanuel, and we were happy, I didn’t choose to leave him, I was forced into a position I never asked for.
But I saw it on their faces, how nothing I said would change their minds or repaint the picture they had made up.
They didn’t trust me and honestly, I couldn’t blame them too much for that. Both of them almost lost their lives tonight and after reading the invitation I could see why they put that blame on me but Darian didn’t do this to hurt them, he did it to hurt me.
“Things worked out for you two, I’m glad. I hope you continue to protect each other,” I said.
Emanuel nodded slowly.
“Fate had other plans that night,” he squeezed Iliana’s arm and I saw the shadowed smile that she was trying to hide.
Fate…that bitch is getting on my nerves.
“Just promise me one thing,” I asked before they left. Their car drove up and the driver stepped out to hold open the door for them.
The rain poured down and made a soothing sound as it hit their umbrella.
“What’s that?” Emanuel asked, talking over the rain.
Thunder roared behind them and soon a strike of lightning would paint the sky in a beautiful purple color that made the storm inside my exhausted mind
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Chapter 71
settle for a while.
I looked at them, hoping in silence that they would continue what they had and stick with each other. Two kind souls deserved each other, they wouldn’t ever do anything to harm the other and that’s all I could ask for the people that I loved.
“Promise me you’ll never come back here,”
Iliana’s lips parted in a deep breath and some emotion flashed in Emanuel’s eyes but was gone just as quickly. Whatever he and I had was gone with it, I knew that now but I could still protect them from further harm.
The Alpha’s Hunt
