Chapter 26
This situation had spiraled out of control, and attempting to explain it now would only make things worse. That was the only thought pounding in
Aveline’s head.
Alistair turned just enough to glance at her, his face blank. His eyes lingered for a moment–sliding downward, deliberately slow–taking in her bold curves before he turned away and continued walking, not bothering to stop.
The crisp, cool scent of him brushed past her nose, making her wolf instinctively tense.
Jaxson stepped out from the bend in the Light Story hallway just as a familiar voice reached his ears.
He turned instinctively, drawn by the sound, and spotted a figure that seemed familiar yet somehow different.
Narrowing his eyes, he took a step forward, intending to get a better look.
But before he could move far, Lirael came rushing out of the corridor and flung herself at him, clutching his arm tightly.
“Jaxson, what are you staring at?”
Jaxson’s jaw tightened slightly, irritation flickering in his eyes. “Nothing.”
Aveline trailed behind Alistair, but he made no effort to acknowledge her presence. Frustrated and desperate, she moved ahead of him, blocking his path by spreading her arms wide.
“Alpha, I meant every word I said. Please, just give it some thought.”
Alistair tilted his head and studied her, his gaze drifting lazily across her frame. “You do make quite the impression. But throwing yourself at me in front of everyone? If I add you to the team now, won’t people assume I’m playing favorites?”
The mocking coldness in his tone made Aveline’s wolf shrink back involuntarily.
Aveline’s cheeks burned with embarrassment–he had misunderstood everything. A wave of frustration hit her, and the irritation showed clearly on
her face.
“It wasn’t what you think! That happened by mistake!”
From where he stood, Alistair couldn’t help but notice her curves. His throat moved as he swallowed hard and quickly looked away.
Though his wolf was drawn by the fated mate scent emanating from her, urging him to claim their mate.
“Ms. Russell, you’re very skilled at leaving a mark on a man. But I’m not fond of women who are too forward.”
Alistair didn’t care to understand who Aveline truly was. Yet, in just two encounters, she had left an impression on him that he couldn’t quite shake. One thing was certain–Aveline was a clever woman who knew how to attract male attention.
At those words, Aveline’s hands curled into fists at her sides, her body rigid.
Being misunderstood by her mate, her wolf whimpered pitifully in her consciousness.
When she finally spoke again, her voice had lost all warmth. “Alpha, I take pride in what I do. I’ve worked hard to get here–I’m not the kind of woman you’re trying to make me out to be.”
Aveline had given it her all, done everything expected of her, but no matter how much she tried, Alistair’s assumptions about her refused to change.
She exhaled slowly, steadying her breath as she fought to preserve her dignity. That, too, had value.
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Betrayed by Her Ex, Marked By the Alpha King
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Chapter 26
“I won’t bother you again.” With those words, ignoring her wolf’s protests in her consciousness, she turned and left without looking back.
Alistair’s eyes followed her retreating figure, narrowing faintly, before he turned and stepped back into the private lounge.
The moment he re–entered, Maren turned toward him. “Where’s Aveline? Didn’t she leave with you?”
They had exited almost at the same time–yet now Aveline was nowhere to be seen.
Alistair shrugged off the question. “Not sure. Looks like she decided to go.”
Maren blinked, slightly puzzled, then leaned closer to speak in a low voice. “Alpha Alistair, Aveline’s not just talented; she was once at the top of her field. If she hadn’t stepped back for family reasons, she’d be on par with you today. One of the company’s most reliable core patents is still hers.”
Alistair shot her a dry look. “Really? I thought her specialty was wearing tight dresses and clinging to powerful alphas.”
There was clear mockery in his tone, and Maren quickly caught on to the misunderstanding.
Maren’s face turned solemn as she spoke hurriedly. “Alpha Alistair, Aveline only wore those clothes because I insisted. She came dressed in a white shirt and jeans.”
To prove it, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out the clothes, offering them for him to see.
Ahstair’s thoughts drifted to the first time he saw Aveline–dressed modestly, confident but understated. Compared to that version of her, the sultry dress had seemed completely out of place.
And now he realized that the outfit hadn’t been Aveline’s choice.
Still, neither he nor his wolf could deny that she had looked absolutely stunning.
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