Without giving Jaxson’s office a second glance, Aveline composed herself and walked toward the legal department, as if she hadn’t seen a thing.
Inside, Jaxson happened to glance toward the hallway mid–flirt. His heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of Aveline walking past.
A sharp breath lodged in his throat, and his smile instantly vanished, replaced by a grim scowl.
“You need to leave. Now,” he said curtly, the warmth in his voice gone.
Lirael blinked in confusion, lips still curved in a teasing smile. “What’s gotten into you?”
His grip on her wrist tightened unintentionally, making her flinch in discomfort. But before she could press further, Jaxson stormed out of the room, his steps purposeful and tense.
He caught up to Aveline, softening his voice. “Aveline, why are you here? What you saw back there… it wasn’t what it seemed.”
Aveline cut him off with a calm flick of her wrist. “Relax. I get it–just work, right? You two enjoy yourselves. I’m just here to handle the paperwork and go.” Her tone was so casual it almost sounded like indifference, but the message was clear–she hadn’t come to spy.
Still, Jaxson stood stiffly, the tension in his body betraying his guilt.
From the doorway, Lirael peeked out and noticed their strained exchange. Her manicured fingers curled into fists, while her eyes narrowed with suspicion and irritation.
With deliberate elegance, she strutted toward them with a syrupy smile on her face. Tossing her curls, she purred in Spanish, “Jaxson, you were amazing last time. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Honestly, working with you is the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Then, shooting Aveline a smug glance, she added with a wink, “Sweetheart, I’ll be waiting at the hotel. Got a surprise for you–brand–new lingerie, just how you like it.”
Of course, Aveline knew Lirael was being deliberately provocative.
She knew full well Aveline spoke Spanish, and yet she flaunted it right there, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear.
Truly, the woman had no shame.
Jaxson’s jaw tightened, his expression darkening as he turned to respond–but Aveline cut in again.
“Really, Ms. Smith? Aren’t you bold? Maybe I should remind you–Alpha Jaxson is still my mate, at least on paper. And yet here you are, throwing yourself at him without a shred of shame. Where I come from, women like you have a name–homewrecker, or worse, a tramp.”
She spoke in clear English, loud enough for everyone to hear. The moment the words left her lips, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned toward her
in shock.
Everyone in the pack knew the Alpha and Lirael were close, but no one had expected them to flaunt it so brazenly–and right in front of their Luna, no
less.
And Lirael trying to stir things up in Spanish, thinking Aveline wouldn’t understand? That level of arrogance was almost laughable.
Lirael, fluent in English despite her act, hadn’t anticipated Aveline firing back so sharply and so publicly.
Her face flushed deep red. With everyone staring, she wished she could melt into the floor.
She stumbled over a feeble lie. “Sorry, didn’t catch what you said.”
Aveline chuckled coldly. “Oh, that’s no problem. I’ll be happy to say it again–in Spanish this time.”
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Betrayed by Her Ex, Marked By the Alpha King
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Chapter 14
Then, without blinking, she pronounced “homewrecker” and “tramp” in perfect Spanish.
Aveline’s calm demeanor only made Lirael’s humiliation feel more severe.
Surrounded by members of the Thornpeak Pack, Lirael felt like the ground was slipping beneath her.
She’d always been cherished in the Stormwasteland Pack, used to being adored and protected, never once enduring this kind of public
embarrassment.
Her face twisted with rage, and with a shrill voice, she screamed, “You frumpy old bitch! Who do you think you are? I’ll kill you-” She lunged forward, her hand raised to slap Aveline.
But before she could land the hit, Aveline caught it mid–air with a grip of steel, and without hesitation, slapped her–once, twice. Then she yanked
Lirael’s hair and didn’t stop.
Slaps rang through the hallway, mingling with Lirael’s high–pitched shrieks, shattering the stunned silence of the office floor.
Meanwhile, Jaxson’s face contorted in panic. “Aveline! What the hell are you doing?” He charged forward and shoved her with force.
The sudden push caught her off guard. She stumbled, and her head slammed into the wall with a sickening thud. Pain exploded across her skull as the world tilted slightly around her.
