Chapter 17

Kayla & Nicholas

Kayla

I panicked a little, standing frozen in place like a statue made of ice—and yet at the same time my face seemed like it was on fire.

Nicholas simply chuckled as he turned to face me.

“I know you’re not the biggest fan of public displays of affection after what your ex did to you, my dear,” he said, just loud enough for everyone to hear, “but how about a kiss for me, hm? So our future children can see the photograph?”

My heart thudded in my chest. Nearby, women swooned at Nicholas’s sweet words, but I knew they were all lies. If we didn’t kiss now, then everyone would start to get suspicious—especially Liam, Vanessa, and Isabella, who were still standing there and watching like hawks.

Finally, I nodded. “Okay.”

Grinning, Nicholas tightened his grip on me and tugged me close. An inexplicable current surged through my body at his touch. I instinctively began to resist the feeling, my body stiffening, but Nicholas seemed to notice. He dipped his head and brushed a strand of hair away from my ear.

“Relax,” he whispered softly into my ear. His voice was smooth like dark chocolate, bittersweet and rich. “They’re all watching us. Waiting.”

And then he was kissing me, his lips pressing against mine with a surprising eagerness. His assault was continuous, one kiss bleeding into the next. The world around us seemed to fade as my senses narrowed to the warmth of his lips, the steady beat of his heart against my chest.

I couldn’t help myself. He tasted like wine poured over the coals of a fire, sweet yet burning hot. I couldn’t pull away, no matter how much I wanted to.

As we kissed and the camera flashed, a chorus of murmurs and delighted gasps erupted from the crowd. Somewhere in the background, I heard Emma’s camera clicking away, immortalizing my shame.

Only once we had both run out of air did Nicholas pull back slightly, but only enough to rest his forehead against mine.

“How does it feel?” he whispered. His breath was warm against my lips, but it wasn’t just that. There was an undercurrent of tension there; a reminder of a moment not too long ago. “How does it feel,” he repeated, “to be kissed solely for the sake of revenge?”

His words sent a jolt through me. I leaned back a little and looked into his amber eyes, but he was smiling serenely at me. I was the only one in the world, perhaps, who could see the flicker of wickedness behind that gaze.

I quickly realized what this had all been. Not just an act to convince everyone of our supposed love, but also a small act of revenge.

Against me.

Because mere days ago, I had kissed him just like this, knowing that he was the brother of my ex. And I had kissed him because I wanted to get revenge on Liam for what he had done.

“You’re… quite the actor,” I murmured low enough so only he could hear.

He smirked subtly, his eyes flicking over me. “Likewise.”

Emma bounded over, practically glowing. “This is the best photo I’ve ever taken!” she exclaimed, showing us the image on her camera screen.

In the photograph, Nicholas’s tall figure embraced me like I was the only thing left on this planet. The sparkles in my deep crimson gown caught the flickering candlelight, making me look like a single flame with the dark shadow that was his form surrounding me.

We looked like the sweetest couple, wrapped up in our own world. Fire and ash wrapped up in one, bound to snuff one another out, eventually. But perhaps only we could see that last part.

“This photo would be perfect for a movie poster,” Emma gushed.

Others crowded around to see, offering their praises.

“You two look stunning together!”

“Such chemistry!”

I glanced at Nicholas, who was also staring at the photo. I noticed he seemed a little dazed, his usual confident demeanor slightly softened.

“Not bad,” he finally said, his voice unusually quiet.

I didn’t know what he was feeling, but I guessed it wasn’t much. After all, he was a playboy, and I was a thorn in his side—and this was nothing more than an unwelcome arrangement.

…

Nicholas

I clutched a wine glass in my hand, swirling the dark liquid slowly as I stood near the edge of the crowd. My gaze was involuntarily drawn to Kayla across the room. She was so captivating tonight. When she spoke with others, a small dimple would appear on her face, and every time she smiled, it seemed like the whole world lit up.

She was beautiful, but the sort of beauty that a flickering flame might possess. It was mesmerizing to look at her, and yet if I touched her, I got burned.

“Alpha Nicholas?” a voice called, pulling me from my thoughts.

I snapped out of it and locked eyes with the elderly man in front of me. It was Alpha Alex from Darkwood Pack, also one of the presidents of the guild, Isabella’s older brother, and currently my biggest enemy.

“Alex,” I acknowledged curtly.

He offered a tight smile. “Enjoying your party?”

“It’s going well,” I replied evenly.

“Congratulations on your recent ascension,” he said, although I doubted he actually meant it. I was still pretty certain that the prick had something to do with my mother’s death, even though I didn’t have sufficient evidence. Not yet, at least. “However, you must know that joining the guild’s elite members won’t be as simple as you think.”

“I’m aware. Although I’m sure nothing I do will help, because it’s clear to me that someone has been obstructing me from joining.” I shot him a pointed look.

He opened his thin old lips, narrowing his eyes at me, then shut them again. Finally, he said, “At the very least, you need a recommendation letter from an elite member of the guild.”

“If that’s the case, then you should prepare the ceremony for welcoming the new member,” I said, raising my glass.

He lifted an eyebrow. “A recommendation letter isn’t that easy to get.”

I leisurely clinked my glass with his. “We’ll see about that.” I took a sip of wine and looked away, silently indicating that the conversation was over.

Alex narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. He walked away without a word.

As soon as he left, Marcus sidled up beside me. He didn’t face me—rather watched the crowd with me—but his mental voice was serious as he mind-linked me. “Alpha, we need to talk.”

“What is it now?” I just wanted this party to wrap up without any further incidents, although that seemed unlikely.

“Our spies within the guild have sent word. They’re beginning to doubt the authenticity of your marriage to Kayla. They’re watching your every move.”

I curled my lip. “So? Let them watch. We have nothing to hide.”

“Still, we should be cautious,” Marcus advised, giving me a meaningful glance out of the corner of his eye.

I nodded absently, knowing exactly what he was referring to. Kayla and I didn’t exactly… get along, and it was bound to come out sooner or later unless we were careful—and ‘careful’ didn’t really seem to be her thing. Or mine, really, at least not when I was around her.

Truthfully, I didn’t care whether I had a Luna during the Alpha ceremony. My strength far surpassed Isabella and Liam’s; they weren’t even a threat, and I would have taken control of Nightshade regardless.

The real reason I wanted a Luna was to run for chairman of the guild. I needed a woman who could work alongside me, playing the role of the perfect upper-class couple. Kayla was undoubtedly the best choice, even if she pissed me off royally sometimes.

But at the same time, I couldn’t deny that she had a way of… attracting me despite how much she pissed me off. Sometimes, she attracted me even more when she was being a self-righteous little troublemaker.

This might be dangerous. Regardless, I would control this relationship. It would work out in my favor in the end, so long as I kept a level head about me.

“Alpha?” Marcus prompted.

“Yes, keep monitoring the situation,” I instructed blandly. I waved my hand and took another sip of my wine, silently indicating that I needed to be alone.

He nodded and moved away.

I scanned the room, unintentionally searching for Kayla’s vibrant figure no matter how much I tried not to.

And there she was, near the refreshment table, talking to a woman I recognized immediately—one of the guild’s informants only known by the code name “Scorpio”.

My eyes narrowed.

As I watched, Scorpio handed Kayla a drink. Kayla grinned and laughed at something Scorpio said, and took the glass without a second thought.

I felt my heart stop in my chest as Kayla lifted the glass to her lips. Scorpio’s eyes flashed menacingly, and I knew instantly that something was wrong with that drink.

Without wasting another second, I moved swiftly through the crowd. But it was too late.

By the time I surged toward Kayla and swatted the glass out of her hands, splashing red wine across her dress and the carpet, she had already taken a sip.