Chapter 47

I tugged at the black dress Emma handed me, trying to hide the way my hands shook. It felt like armor and a noose at the same time. She didn’t say anything about how I looked. Just handed it over and told me to be ready. When I pinned my hair back, I could see my face in the cracked mirror. Pale. Tight. Like I was going to execution, not a party.

Richard walked into the room abruptly and froze.

His eyes moved over me slowly, openly taking in the dress. For a moment, he didn't even try to hide it. He drew in a slow breath, voice coming out low and steady. "Amelia."

His gaze lifted to meet mine, controlled but heated. "You look...beautiful. It suits you. Exactly what tonight needs."

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly like he was choosing his words carefully. "They're going to be watching you. Watching us. Be ready."

He gestured toward the hall. "We shouldn’t be late." He turned halfway to leave, fingers tapping against the doorframe. But he hesitated, glancing back.

I turned to the mirror to adjust the neckline, muttering under my breath. The door creaked open again behind me.

He stepped back in, voice low but certain. "Actually—I needed to ask you something."

He stopped short when he saw me turned away, adjusting the back of the dress. His eyes dragged over the curve of my ass, lingering longer than he should have before dragging back up to my face.

His voice softened. "You know what, nevermind."

He held my gaze in the mirror for a moment longer before finally nodding once, firmly, and stepping out, closing the door behind him with deliberate care.

I let out a shaky breath and couldn't help the small smile that curled on my lips in the mirror as I turned back to check my hair.

The reception hall was too bright. Too many eyes. The walls were lined with delegates who didn't bother to hide their curiosity. The fallback leak had everyone on edge. This was the first time they'd seen me since it happened. I felt like an animal in a cage.

I found a corner and tried to disappear. Sipped the drink I didn't want. Heard them muttering.

"Strategist."

"Outsider."

"Power hungry."

I kept my face blank even though my heart thundered.

The Crosthorn ambassador made sure everyone heard his words. "So this is Richard's strategist? The outsider promoted so fast. Tell me, is it true you don't even have a wolf? Or is that just what you let him think?"

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. The air went cold.

Richard’s voice cut the tension. "Watch your mouth."

Clearly, he had composed himself since we last spoke.

The ambassador sneered. "Touchy. Transparency’s important in alliances. Don’t you agree?"

Richard took a step forward. His voice went lethal. "Say one more word and your Pack can take their trade somewhere else."

Silence snapped. The ambassador turned white and backed off. But the room kept watching us. Kept whispering. I felt my face burn. I wanted to scream at Richard for making it worse. For proving them all right.

Adam found me by a pillar later. His voice was quiet but sharp. "They're watching you closer than ever now. Waiting for you to mess up. He made sure of that."

I didn’t look at him. "Go to hell."

He didn't even blink. "Just don’t give them what they want. Or they'll eat you alive. Don't give them the rumor fuel."

I snarked, "Oh great, me chatting with my former mate is going to really help kill the rumors." My voice was dripping sarcasm.

He lowered his voice to something grossly flirtatious." You know, it actually might. I can help make some new rumors."

I recoiled. "Ew. Don't even joke about that."

He let out a cold laugh. "Just trying to be helpful. Or maybe you'd rather Richard think you can't handle this at all."

I clenched my teeth. "Screw you, Adam." He smirked wider, leaning in just enough to piss me off.

"Oh come on, you chatting with your former mate would definitely help the rumors. Show them you're not too devoted to your precious Alpha."

My voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oh sure, that'll really fix everything."

"Relax, Amelia. I'm just trying to help you salvage your reputation. Or would you rather Richard think you're too fragile to handle this?"

Richard POV

Jenny was waiting for me the second I turned. Her mouth was curved in something that wasn't quite a smile. "That was a scene. Threatening an ambassador? You're making friends tonight."

I glared. "Stay out of it."

She didn’t move. "You're not protecting her. You're painting a target on her back. Even your allies see it. They see how you look at her. They see you choosing her over the House."

I ground my teeth. "Get to the point."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you even know who she is? That her mother was exiled? Why those records are sealed? Maybe you should learn what blood you're bringing into this House before you burn it down for her."

My wolf snarled inside me. I forced it back. "Leave. Now."

Jenny didn’t argue. She walked off like she’d already won. I watched her go, hating how right she might be. I thought about Jenny standing there trying to hold it together, and how she got like this. Always having to prove herself, fighting everyone even when she was right.

I knew her well enough to see that's all she knows. She's so used to everyone assuming the worst that she's stopped trying to show anything else.

I locked myself in my office. Papers covered the desk. Old council minutes. Disciplinary files. Everything they'd tried to keep from me. Amelia's mother's name cropped up again and again. Blacked-out lines. "Exiled for treason. Unspecified threat to House stability."

I rubbed my eyes. The words didn't explain anything. They just accused. "Unnatural alliances." "Diplomatic incidents." Nothing real. Nothing clear. But enough to damn her if the rumors spread.

I couldn't believe Jenny was right.

I flipped another page. Notes about deals that collapsed. Sudden violence on negotiations. Scrawled council memos about her mother meeting with outsiders in secret. No details. Just fear.

I swallowed hard. My chest hurt. Was I blind? Or did I just not care? I wanted to believe she was innocent. I wanted it so badly my hands shook.

My wolf paced. Protective. Angry. Confused. It didn't know what to do any more than I did.

My phone buzzed. Elsa’s name lit the screen. A message: "I can help you figure it out. I know what you need."

I stared at it, thumb hovering. Elsa. Just seeing her name made anger twist in my gut. She was my old friend, my old mate, the person who always seemed to know too much about everyone. Someone I'd trusted once and lost in the ugliest way. She always knew exactly how to hit where it hurt. She always showed up when you needed something you didn't want. Always there when you needed something you didn't want. I didn't answer. I tossed the phone across the desk.

I leaned back. Stared at the ceiling. The words on the papers swam. I didn't know what I was going to do if I found the answers. I wasn't sure I wanted to. Because if she was dangerous, I'd have to choose. And I already knew which choice I'd make.