Chapter 8-Make Haven Look Foolish
Rue’s POV
The satin of my dress hugged my frame like a second skin, smooth but suffocating. As I stepped into the soft lit VIP room, a hush of silence met me.
No chattering guests, no orchestra playing, just that kind of heavy stillness that presses on your chest, the kind that warns you: you’re not just here to be seen, you’re here to make waves.
The dress wasn’t just chosen for beauty. It was armor. My hair was pulled into a sleek, twisted bun, showing the delicate lines of my neck and the glint of diamond studs. My eyes were lined in smoky black, my lips a deep wine.
I looked like someone who belonged in the room, even if my stomach twisted with nerves.
Cole stood near the tall window, the city lights painting a silver outline over his dark suit. He had the calm, unreadable expression of a seasoned diplomat, his hands in his pockets, one brow lifted as he studied me.
“You okay?” he asked softly, his sharp grey eyes locking with mine.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I replied, exhaling.
“You’re not alone,” he reminded me, stepping close. His cologne was warm and earthy, familiar. “Just remember that.”
I nodded, but we both knew the truth: I hadn’t been truly safe since the day I ran from Half Moon Pack, from Aiden.
Cole had kept my identity buried from the public all these years, for one reason: protection.
To the rest of the world, I was simply “a guest of the Blood Claw Alpha.” No name. No face on the Tonight, though, the mask would start to slip.
press
circuits.
When we stepped out of the VIP room, the full chaos of the banquet hit me like a wave. Flashbulbs snapped. Cameras stuttered and clicked. The crowd, already pulsing with energy, surged toward Cole the moment they saw him.
Reporters shouted questions over one another, their voices overlapping like static.
Cole handled it with smooth charm, shaking hands and smiling with diplomatic ease. I kept close, one hand on his arm, eyes forward. My heels clicked softly on the polished marble, and the crowd’s curiosity followed me like smoke.
Inside the ballroom, the atmosphere shifted, less chaos, more scrutiny. Every face that turned to me held a question. Some curious, others skeptical, a few openly hostile. And then there was her.
Haven.
She stood at the center of a cluster of admirers, her pale blonde hair swept into elaborate waves, pinned with crystals that glittered under the chandelier light. Her gown was clinging to her like plastic wrap. She looked like a doll, expensive, delicate, breakable.
But her eyes were pale blue and sharp with jealousy, locked onto me like claws.
Cole was quickly surrounded by political allies and ambitious Betas. I excused myself, murmuring something about needing a drink. I wasn’t thirsty. I needed space, somewhere her gaze wouldn’t follow.
The bar was quieter, tucked away in the corner like a forgotten secret. I made it halfway to the counter when I
1/3
+25 Bonus
heard it
“Rue?”
Her voice was sugar-coated but loud enough to hush the nearest guests. She wanted an audience.
I turned slowly, lifting my chin.
Haven approached with theatrical grace, her heels clicking with each step, her painted smile tight. “I was just telling someone how tragic it was when Aiden had to let you go.
My expression didn’t change. “That’s funny. I remember leaving because Aiden couldn’t keep his vows.”
A ripple of whispers swept through the nearby guests.
Haven’s eyes flashed, but her tone stayed sweet. She pulled a crisp hundred-dollar bill from her clutch, holding it out between two perfectly manicured fingers. “Well, if you ever need help… I’m here for you.”
More murmurs. More eyes on us.
“And of course,” she added, tilting her head with mock innocence, “I don’t blame you for taking my ring back then. I would have given it to you willingly.”
That line hit its target. Some guests gasped. Others shifted awkwardly. A few looked directly at me, waiting for a reaction.
I felt my wolf stir, ready to bare her teeth, but I didn’t let her. I stayed still. Calm. My silence was its own power.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed movement. Aiden stood just feet away, tall and unreadable, watching. Dressed in a dark suit, his expression was carved from stone, sharp jaw clenched, shoulders tense.
He stepped forward. “Haven. Enough.”
But she ignored him.
“If you needed money, Rue, you could’ve asked instead of stealing…”
“That’s enough.” Another voice cut in, firm, low, and dangerous.
Cole appeared beside me, his arm slipping protectively around my shoulders.
“And what gives you the right to judge her?” he asked, his voice calm, but his stare was a blade. “Rue has more grace in her little finger than some manage in their entire lives.”
Haven blanched.
A young server came rushing through the crowd, breathless. “Miss Haven! Someone found your ring. It was under your table.”
There was no mistaking the wave of discomfort that spread through the guests. Haven laughed awkwardly, taking the ring, but she was already unraveling.
I tilted my head. “Interesting,” I said lightly. “That’s not the ring you bragged about. The real one has the jeweler’s crest etched inside. That’s a fake.”
The whispers turned sharp.
Several people near us glanced knowingly at each other. In a room full of wealthy wolves, luxury fakes were a
cardinal sin.
23
Haven ook Toolish
+25 Bonus
“If you needed money, Haven,” I added with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes, “you could’ve asked me. No need to wear counterfeits.”
Gasps. Some guests even chuckled quietly. Haven’s felt embarrassed. A flicker passed through his face, his jaw clenched, twice. I knew that sign. Then I twisted the knife.
“Then again, if you’d married a real Alpha with real wealth, maybe you wouldn’t have to.’
Aiden’s eyes snapped to me, glowing faintly with the fury of his wolf. He looked like he wanted to speak or shout, but the words caught in his throat. His fingers curled into fists.
I turned, walking away, back straight and head high, the sound of whispers trailing me like perfume.
The cool corridor beyond the ballroom was blissfully quiet. I took a breath, finally letting my shoulders drop.
But I wasn’t alone.
I felt his presence before I heard him..
Aiden stood at the far end of the corridor, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His eyes, dark and unreadable, pinned me in place.
The years had changed him. His face was harder and sharper, like stone left too long in the wind. His suit fit like it had been made for war, not celebration. And even now, his presence filled the hallway like a storm about to break.
He walked toward me, slow and steady. His steps didn’t echo, but I felt every one.
“This is your new game?” he said, voice low, only for me. “Parading around like someone you’re not… just to get my attention?”
ENJOYING THE BOOK?
Give it a rating to show your support!
D
ப
Comments
Support
Share
+ 25 Bonus
