Chapter 45

Sienna’s POV

I’m the first one to my table, sitting down awkwardly, looking at the name cards around me.

Julian was, of course, directly beside me. A smattering of other Alpha’s I rarely spoke to filled the rest of the table.

Lucius was at the table just a few feet away — the second Alpha table — and placed strategically behind Julian so he could listen in.

Then there was Asher, glowering at me from a few more tables away. He didn’t understand why we weren’t sitting together, presenting our unified front.

But there was a reason the Alpha’s sat together. That wasn’t out of the ordinary.

A few of the other Alpha’s sat down, and for a moment, Lucius and I locked eyes, both of us waiting for Julian to present himself.

And we certainly didn’t have to wait long.

Julian slid into his seat, clad in a shimmering red suit — the main color of Nightfall — his shoulders appearing broader than ever.

I couldn’t even bring myself to say he looked good. Any speck of attraction I’d had for him had evaporated long ago.

I can’t believe I almost married him.

“Sienna,” Julian greeted, his voice chilled. I didn’t like that one bit.

“Julian,” I said back, mirroring the ice in his tone with my own. It was immediately uncomfortable to be as close to him as I was, but this had always been the plan.

I had to be on Julian’s mind so he’d eventually snap and come for me in a way he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of.

The other Alpha’s greeted us quietly, definitely aware of the tension already saturating the air.

“Sienna, I hear you have a pretty grand new partnership,” one of the Alpha’s across from me smiled, and I knew — instantly — that he was trying to start a problem.

“I do,” I said, my words clipped. Julian’s hot gaze was burning a hole into the side of my skull, but I wasn’t going to look at him.

“I would know just how grand,” Julian muttered after a moment, though no one said anything.

“Julian,” the Alpha to my left spoke up, catching my attention. “How exactly is your mental health?”

Julian’s eyes widened in surprise, a vein forming at his temple, giving his face that usual swollen look.

“My mental health is perfectly fine,” he responded through gritted teeth.

“Are you sure?” another Alpha pitched in, and I had to stifle a giggle. No way Julian was getting ganged up on by the other Alpha’s.

His downfall was real, and it was happening right in front of me.

“I’m positive. I would know.” Julian took a big sip of his water, placing the glass back down just a little too hard.

The other Alpha’s tried to hide their smiles, averting their eyes.

Oh, they absolutely think he’s lost his mind.

I was loving this.

From up on the stage came a loud clacking, the room silencing quickly. The auctioneer had taken his place, a screen behind him lighting up with the first item on bid.

My eyes drifted over to Julian as the auctioneer welcomed us, his voice becoming a drone in the background of my thoughts.

Julian was already staring at me, his eyes filled with malice.

Jeez, I muttered in my head, looking away like it didn’t affect me at all.

The first few items bid pretty quickly, most of them simple things, a few antiques — nothing that stood out to me.

And then the necklace came up, and my heart clenched.

There it was on the screen, still more stunning than ever. I find myself reaching to my neck, stroking across my bare skin, imagining it there.

If only, I sighed.

I wanted to tune out the bidding to not let myself see who got it, but I hear Lucius call out a bid, and my head snaps up.

He’s bidding on his own necklace?

What was he doing?

He bid, again and again and again — on his own necklace, remember? — and my eyes drifted over to Asher.

Whoa, he looks angry.

That jealousy was plastered on Asher’s face again, and it was directed right at Lucius. I couldn’t deny that.

Asher was jealous because Lucius was bidding on the necklace? Sure, it was weird to bid on your own necklace, but…

I shook my head, catching Julian looking at me again with that death look in his eyes.

“What?” I asked boldly, needing the distraction from Lucius’ weird bidding.

“Nothing,” Julian smirked, thrumming his fingers on the table. His voice lowered so only I could hear him. “Wondering about your own mental health.”

“I’m doing great,” I smiled, noticing Lucius leaning his head over to get a better listen. “Things are turning around.”

“At the cost of my own success,” Julian said bitterly, gripping his glass so tight I was surprised it didn’t shatter.

I wished it would.

“It’s not my fault Robin decided to back out of your partnership.” I said it loud enough so the other Alpha’s could hear, their attention immediately on us.

“Are you blaming her, Julian?” The Alpha next to me asked, disbelief in his voice.

“This conversation doesn’t include you,” Julian snapped, and my lips curved up in an unstoppable smile.

He was losing it.

“That’s rather rude,” the other Alpha across from me said defensively.

“You’re an Alpha and you speak to your peers like that?” another said in disgust. “Robin was right to pull his partnership.”

Julian’s jaw clenched so tight I could see it quivering.

“I’m used to it,” I said with a polite smile. A part of me wanted this conversation to diffuse, because what if one of them brought up the Alpha Ball?

“And didn’t you make a fool of yourself at the Alpha Ball? Coming after this poor girl with some wild accusation?” It’s like the people at this table could hear my thoughts.

“He claimed she didn’t have her wolf,” the Alpha next to me said with a roll of his eyes.

“She doesn’t,” Julian growled, glaring at me.

“Stop attacking the poor thing,” the Alpha across from me scoffed. “Are you obsessed with her?”

It was getting harder to hide my smile.

“That’s ridiculous.” Julian was staring down at the table, refusing to look at anyone. The tips of his ears were burning red.

“Angry the engagement didn’t work out?” an Alpha laughed, and I took the chance to glance over at Lucius, who had just outbid everyone on that necklace.

His face was turned just enough that I could see it, a smirk playing on his full lips. He was enjoying this just as much as I was.

Julian looked like he was about to combust, so when the auctioneer announced the first bidding session was over, he shoved his chair back and stormed off.

“That man has some nerve,” one of the Alpha’s muttered as he stood up, too. I looked to them both, rather grateful for them standing up for me, and nodded.

When I looked over to Lucius and his table, I found he was already gone. Maybe to collect the necklace? I wanted to ask him about it, but my eyes caught on Asher over at his table.

Talking to Mia, who looked out of this world beautiful.

Two can play at that game, Asher.