I skip down the hall away from Travis’s office, my body húmming with a giddiness I’ve never felt before. My cheeks burned as I replayed our conversation, silently excited that Travis cared enough about me to see how I was feeling or be jealous in the first place. Our night together, although fuzzy in some areas and forced upon us, had been the best sex I’d ever had. I wish it had been the first time because it felt so good.
I wouldn’t be foolish enough to think he wanted more, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t allowed to want more. I wanted him, and I’d never wanted someone before, so I was unsure what to do next. We aren’t automatically together or dating just because we had se. Plus, I had to put my son first. Travis’s earlier words floated into my thought train. He already accepted Reece but said he wouldn’t claim him as Heir. How would that affect my son or his relationship with future half-siblings? Half siblings!? Why was I even thinking this when nothing had changed? Sex doesn’t mean love, commitment, or a solid relationship. I’m not some teenage girl who doesn’t understand the difference. I needed to get him out of my mind right now.
“There you are!” My stepmother’s voice seethes down the hallway, slicing through my inner monologue. I look up to find Cassie and my stepmother stomping toward me. I put all thoughts of Travis in the back of my mind, gearing up for a fight. My stepmother pointed her finger toward me, and I noticed a considerable chip on the side of it. Amber usually never lets her nails get scruffed up. Focus, Rue, that’s not important right now! “You stupid bitch! How did you manipulate my Stevie to allow you back into the pack and name your bastard as Heir?!”
My mouth drops open, “What are you talking about?”
Cassie steps up to me, her canines curling her upper lip, “That bastard will never have my
rightful place as the Heir! What did you do to convince your father?”
I moved back to give myself some space, “I don’t know what you are talking about. Father never told me anything like that.”
Both women glared daggers at me, their anger turning their faces red. My stepmother fanned herself, and tears glistened at the corner of her eyes, “I took you under my wing, treated you like my own flesh and blood, and you repaid us by whoring around!”
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“If that wasn’t bad enough, you don’t even remember the guy from six years ago who sired your bastard son!” Cassie yelled in a mocking tone.
I let my anger surface as I grabbed Cassie’s arm, “If you insult my son one more time, I’ll beat the Botox right out of your fake as fuck face!”
Cassie whines, trying to get out of my grasp but failing to do so. Tiny pops of fear in her expression made me want to threaten her more.
“You can’t even deny it! I bet the boy’s father was married, and that’s why you met him in that hotel!” My stepmother screams. If she were any louder, the whole world would hear her lies. I gulped back the panic.
“Not only a whore, but a home wrecker! How do you live with yourself?” Cassie taunts, finally yanking her hand free when my grip loosens, “I just feel bad for your son, it must be so sad to have a slut as a mother!”
“That’s it. I’m fucking done!” I say, grabbing onto both of their wrists and dragging them toward the door, “You both need to leave now!”
Cassie grabs my hair and yanks my head back, successfully throwing me to the floor. I scramble to try to stand up, but my stepmother slams her heeled foot into my stomach. As the air leaves my body, I roll away from a front kick from Cassie. I grab her ankle and pull her to the ground with me. Cassie extends her claws and slashes at my face, but I dodge them easily. I’m a trained MMA fighter with years of experience, while Cassie is nothing more than a spoiled bitch. I can beat her any day, even without my wolf. She tries to slash at my face again.
I shove her arms away and straddle Cassie, pinning her arms and torso under my body weight. I raise my fist to pound into her perfectly crafted face when a hand engulfs mine. I felt my rage boiling over, my eyes zoned in on Cassie’s perfectly manufactured face, ready to ruin it. The hand doesn’t release me when I shove my fist forward. The grip successfully stops my punch. My head snaps in the owner’s direction, snapping and snarling at the intrusion. Cassie was my prey, and I would do anything to destroy her, even going through this innocent person.
“Enough, Rue.” Travis’s voice is gentle yet firm. It fluctuated with that alpha dominance that didn’t leave room for discussion, yet it didn’t hold the command for submission as I expected. I forced my body to release some of the battle-ready tension.
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I glare at Cassie, letting her see the feral fury that she unleashed, “Don’t ever talk about my son ever again, or I’ll kill you.”
Cassie looks pitifully up at Travis, and her chin trembles, “Thank you. My stepsister is crazy! Thank you for saving me.’
“I didn’t do it for you.” Travis rolls his eyes, “I don’t even know who you two are.”
“I’m Alpha Sinner’s wife, and this is my daughter, Cassie. We came here to talk to Rue, and she attacked us for no reason!” My stepmother patted her eyes with a handkerchief as if she were crying. I had to look away, not wanting to see the accusation in Travis’s eyes. He would believe them exactly like everyone else always does. I’m the liar, the homewrecker, the slut, and no one would think otherwise.
“I highly doubt that. Rue doesn’t fight for no reason.” Travis’s tone remains neutral, but my eyes find his. I search the icy pools for any sign of doubt and find none.
I let Travis help me off Cassie as she and my stepmother bristle with indignation, “How dare you! My husband will not stand for the way you are treating me!”
Travis cracks a smug grin, “I’m sure Alpha Sinner and I could talk things out peacefully as our families go way back. Now get the fuck off my property before I have someone escort
you off.”
My stepmother balks and steps forward to continue.
“Come on, Mother,” Cassie pleads, pulling her mother’s arm. I stare daggers into the back of their heads as they make their way toward the exit. Travis’s light grip on my hip is the only thing holding me back from chasing after them to finish what I started. Both of us knew I could break his hold, but there was something comforting about his touch on the
small sliver of exposed skin above my athletic leggings.
“Are you okay?” Travis asks once they are gone. His voice was laced with concern, but my emotions were all over the place. Travis believed me. He actually believed me over my stepmother and Cassie. Not only that, but he defended me against them. I was floored; however, none of that changed the face he stopped me from hurting Cassie.
I glare at him, “You overstepped.”
He chuckles, a spark of amusement dancing in his eyes, “You would have killed her, and I
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can’t be hiding a body right now.”
I shove away from him, heading toward my class, “I don’t need your help! I can hide the bodies myself.”
“Don’t doubt you could. Doesn’t mean a beautiful princess like you should have to!” Travis
calls after me.
I give him a little wave of my hand and sashay my hips, “I’m a Queen, sir.”
