Chapter 26
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There’s a part of me that wants nothing more than to rip her to reds. Pin her to remind her that I left the combat program because I couldn’t shift, and iny so–called mate insisted I change my training to something less dangerous. I smile at her because that’s all I can really do at the moment without breaking the laws against the Luna of the City. I turn around, hoping that she is smart enough to move on from someone who doesn’want to complicate the situation.
“Hey, bitch. Did you hear me?”
Hope rarely ever gets me anywhere. She grabs my ponytail and gs me back. I take a defensive stance and prepare myself to subdue her. I pull my head forward and swing her over my shoulder to slam her on the ground beside me.
“Don’t you ever put your filthy mate–stealing hands on me ever again,” I shout in her face. “Luna Poppy Romano.”
The look of absolute shock on her face speaks for itself. I stand up straight, pick up my bag off the floor, and continue walking. For a moment, no one follows me, and I have to rush for the exit before he bodyguards snap out of it. Ivar and I lock eyes the moment I push the double doors open.
“Why are you just standing there?” she screams from behind me
Ivar is by my side before they can get to me. He growls as I turn around to face the group of betas that rushed after me. I wouldn’t know what to do in their position either. I don’t know what orders Santiago has given them regarding his Luna and me. Am I considered his side piece?
“She just assaulted the Luna of the City,” one growls.
“She put her hands on me first,” I counter. “I didn’t even hurt her. I just pinned her to get away.”
“Some fucking Luna. Try taking the Omega from me,” Ivar growls and takes my arm to pull me behind him.
The betas step back. He pulls me along with him as Poppy starts to cry as if I were the one who put my hands on her first. The girls with her start trying to comfort her as Ivar leads me back to the car. He looks over at me as if I were the one who did something wrong.
“Just take me home,” I roll my eyes. We get in the car and head back to the house.
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be hearing from the school next. As I make my way inside, Ivar grabs my arm. I turn around to face him, trying my best not to snap. He sighs and holds up his phone.
“You’re safe. I have small cameras in front of all of your classrooms,” he says and presses play on his screen. It shows Poppy grabbing my hair while I try to get her off. I feel more embarrassed than I did before. “Hey, none of this is your fault.”
“No, but it doesn’t matter. I’m still going to be blamed for it. The entire Luna’s guard is going to be here in fifteen minutes. Send that to me so I can send it to him. We’re not going to be able to keep him out. Play nice until he doesn’t. I am going to make sure all of the cameras in here are working. We’ll greet him in the family room.”
“You know the protocol for this?” he asks.
“I thought I was going to be the Luna of the City. I know the protocol for everything,” I sigh. “I’m sorry I was rude to you this morning, but it’s really none of your business. I understand that you love my grandmother as much as I do, but you have no idea how much I’ve had to endure because of her. I’ve lived alone for a long time, and I like it that way.
“She didn’t call me because she genuinely felt bad about the way she treats me. I’m willing to bet it was your brother who said something, and she wanted to make it right because she upset him, or they argued. It has nothing to do with me. I know her, Ivar. If you’re around us often, you’ll see it yourself.”
“I’m the one who should apologize,” he shakes his head. “I overstepped, and now we’re in deep shit. This could be an act of
war.”
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Chapter 26
“I know” I say quietly. “Tell the guards to take their positions. We’re going to have visitors”
You would have been good at this,” he says when I turn to run the stairs.
Tin really good at a lot of things,” I admit. “But none of them matter because I’m an Omega. They call us unworthy. Branded as undesirable by the Moongoddess herself.”
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“Omegas are the only reason why my race continues to thrive,” says quietly. “The most cherished in our ranks because they’re the only ones who can bring forth the next generation without complications. Some of them have up to three
mates.”
I laugh, not knowing what to say. I head up to the security room to make sure all of the surveillance cameras are recording and have new memory chips. When I come back down with my ablet, Alpha Romano and Santiago are already sitting in the family room. Poppy is seated between them, still crying. I send Santiago the footage before taking a seat beside Ivar.
“You put your hands on the Luna of the City,” Alpha Romano says, with his nose flaring and his eyes glowing red.
“In self–defense. I will not allow her to put her hands on me. I never have. She’s lucky all I did was subdue.her.”
“I didn’t put my hands on you. I wanted to apologize for-”
“Save it,” Ivar growls. “I have the live footage on my phone. If any of you ever come near her again, I will take this to the Alpha King. For whatever reason, Sophia doesn’t want to press charges or allow me to put any of you in your place. You should really consider how generous she’s being, given how difficult you have made executing my King’s orders.”
“You’re not leaving the city, Sophia.” Santiago hasn’t taken his eyes off me once. “I want you to come home with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I am willing to grant you full access to all your accounts if you accept my rejection properly. I don’t want to be with you at all. I refuse ever to acknowledge you as my mate. You are making this harder than it needs to be.”
“You don’t mean that,” he shakes his head and then turns his glare at Ivar. “I know this asshole has something to do with this sudden change in your behavior. The girl I’m in love with would never pull what you have since he arrived.”
Poppy looks down at her hands. Her eyes are shining amber. Her fists are shut so tightly that her knuckles are turning white.
“What happened to me being some power–hungry bitch that doesn’t give a fuck about your pack?” I ask him. Regret instantly crosses his face.
“I didn’t mean that. I was angry that you left this fucking asshole he points at Ivar. The smirk on Ivar’s face only makes him angrier. “I want to talk to you alone. I’ve told you what this marriage is.”
“No, I want nothing to do with you. Accept my rejection, and I will return every-”
“I don’t care about that shit,” he growls and stands up. Poppy flinches away from him. “You can keep all of it. It’s yours. Just come home already. I don’t understand why you’re behaving like this. You’ve always been my good girl.”
“You married this useless bitch,” I finally snap and stand to face him. “Look at her, Santiago. This is your mate now, Your Luna. Your wife. The mother of your heirs. You fucking chose this. Are you fucking dumb? Did you really think that I was going to stand by while you parade this whore around? Because that’s what she is. What she’s always been. A pick me bitch with nothing better to do.”
“You’re talking about the Luna of our pack, Omega. You forget yourself,” Alpha Romano growls.
“F**k her and fuck you too. You did this to him. I’m not part of this pack. I never have been, and I never will be. You made sure of that. It was why I was never sworn in. Why you pushed me away and told your son I never did anything to help you.
“I don’t want a single thing from any of you. I just need you to accept the rejection and let me leave as peacefully as possible. The Lycan prince has nothing to do with it. He’s here on behalf of Major General Helvig’s orders and nothing more. What
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Chapter 26
do any of you even want me here for?”
You’re mine,” Santiago pleads. “You’re my mate. You belong to the
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I don’t belong to anyone. Least of all to you.” I scoff. “You have a uitable mate right there.” I motion to her as she cowers on the couch from Santiago’s alpha command “The only one disrespecting Luna Romano is you. She attacked me today because of this. I mean it, Santiago. Reject me.”
“Never,” he growls, “I will never let you go. You aren’t selling this house, and you aren’t leaving the school. Tell your grandmother she’ll have to kill me before I ever let you go.”
“Everyone in this room knows that she would gladly grant you that wish, Alpha Romano,” I sneer. “I kindly ask all of you to get the hell out of my house now.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
