Chapter 20

A gasp rippled through the room, but no one was more shocked than me.

But before I could react, the doors burst open and a disheveled woman strode inside. She wore jeans and a sweater and her hair looked like she hadn’t brushed it in days. But her fiery eyes were determined as she stabbed a finger at Mason.

“Sharon?!” he gasped, stepping back. Sharon? The name was familiar – his ex girlfriend!

“Alphas, Lunas, esteemed guests,” she called out in a voice that trembled, but had power, “I have evidence that that man is a monster!”

Mason growled, “Sharon, what are you doing? Shut up!”

“What you tried to stop me from doing,” she shot back, “Telling the truth. That man stalked me, imprisoned me and abused me the entirety of our relationship!”

The crowd erupted into murmurs, people looking at Mason with disgust on their faces. I watched him struggle to pull his charming mask over his rage.

“Guests, please, don’t listen to her,” he called loudly. “She obviously jealous of –”

Someone pointed over our heads, shouting, “look, the screen!”

I looked up, surprised as the projector screen – intended for a slideshow of photos for the reception – lowered now, nearly knocking over the priest. On it was a collage of documents, and right in the middle… Mason’s mug shot.

“He buried the lawsuit,” Sharon shouted quickly as the images shifted, “But I collected all the evidence!” A succession of police reports for stalking, assault and battery, all with Mason’s name.

“Stop this!” Mason’s snarl sent his men scrambling, but the media room door was jammed shut

“Look what he did to me!” Pictures of her battered face loomed over the crowd. Shocked gasps and outraged whispers rang around the room.

Mason was starting to panic. “Drag her out,” he demanded to his gamma at his side. He ran straight down the aisle at Sharon.

“Protect that woman!” Levi called, and members of White Fang sprang from their seats to surround Sharon in seconds. “That’s not very gentlemanly of you, Mason,” he called mockingly.

Mason’s pack gathered behind his gamma, facing off against Levi’s men. Sharon shook behind them, but she didn’t back down.

“He’s never been a gentleman! It’s all a lie, that’s what he does,” she cried, fueling the crowd to a frenzied roar. “I still have scars from what he did to me!”

Mason backed up, holding out his hands. “The case was dismissed for a reason,” he tried, raising his voice. “Show the part that says you’re mentally unstable! Or my alibis, or…”

But his excuses fell on deaf ears. The whispers weren’t even whispers, no one seemed to care if he heard them.

“He can’t get away with this just!”

“Look at her face, he’s a monster!”

“I heard rumors about his temper, they must all be true.”

“No,” Mason protested, “I’m not a monster. Harper, come on, love,” he looked to me, his eyes desperate.

I didn’t move.

“Come on, you want to marry me,” he pushed, looking around frantically. He grabbed the silver knife and reached for my hand. “Show them you’re not afraid, come—”

Levi leapt onto the dais in a flash, knocking the knife from his hand. “That’s enough,” he growled.

Avery rushed up after him and grabbed him arm. “Honey, what are you doing,” she hissed, “this isn’t our business!” But he ignored her, angling himself between Mason and me.

Levi’s familiar pine and peppermint scent rushed around me and I fought not to lean into it. into him. For a heartbeat, the chaos around me faded and I was safe.

“THE WEDDING IS POSTPONED!” Vera’s voice boomed over the crowd. The command of the former Alpha in her voice subdued the rabid crowd. She began calling out instructions as people rose from their seats. Mason used the moment to slip away without looking back.

Relief unfurled through me. I’d been worried when Sharon hadn’t replied, but who could have known she was preparing this? And I hadn’t had to bind myself to that monster.

I used the excuse of calming the guests to circulate the crowd – and find who I really needed to speak to.

“Alpha Glenn,” I asked quietly, pulling him to the side. His was a central pack, and wouldn’t be easy for Mason to get to. “I… I was hoping to ask if your pack might accept me. Give me shelter I mean?”

Surprise across his face, followed by sympathy. “I can’t pretend I don’t understand after today’s debacle,” he sighed, patting my hand. “I have to discuss it with my Luna, but know that I sympathize, dear girl.”

I squeezed his hand back. “Thank you, a discussion is all I ask.” The light of hope flared brighter in my chest than ever.

I could do this.

The “party” didn’t last much longer after that. I didn’t have anywhere else to go yet, so I headed back to the pack house. I braced myself, fully expecting to find Mason in another rage.

But the house was dark. “Mason?” I called cautiously.

He wasn’t here.

Mason POV

“I cannot believe you let this wedding fall apart!” Vera – I could never call her mother – raged as I was dumped at her feet.

As the former Alpha, only she could have men to command who would dare. Her enforcers. I hated them.

“How hard is it to keep one woman quiet?” she demanded. “I’ve silenced dozens for you! The one mistake I make you cleanup yourself and you fail spectacularly! You incompetence has ruined everything!”

I picked myself up and forced my voice to be calm. “Nothing’s ruined. You postponed the wedding, we can still –”

She laughed cruelly in my face. “Do you really think Levi is letting you marry his daughter now? He obviously doesn’t trust you. The resources from his pack are as good as gone!”

“Harper wouldn’t leave me,” I insisted, but it sounded weak to my ears. “She still loves me, I know she does.” Vera didn’t look convinced.

But Harper had to love me. I’d worked on her too long for her to feel anything else.

I’d planned it all down to the last detail. The White Fang pack had resources we needed, and Levi was known for being a hard-ass in business. He wouldn’t even look the Ridgewood pack’s way.

But then his sexy little foster daughter stumbled right into my territory. Of course I had to use her. Winning her meant securing resources Levi would never give me any other way.

“She’d better,” Vera growled. “You must keep that girl, Mason. By any means necessary.”