Chapter 8

Freya

Ezren looked up at me from his position on the white leather sofa and simply smirked that same infuriating fucking smirk he always did when he was up to something. He didn’t seem surprised by my tone or my question. If anything, he seemed amused.

“Straight to the point as always,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “No small talk? No ‘how are you doing after last night’s drama’?”

“Cut the crap, Ezren. You didn’t call me here for small talk.”

He chuckled and set his glass down on the glass coffee table. “You’re right, of course.” He clapped his hands and a Beta emerged from another room with a garment bag in his hands.

I frowned as the Beta placed the bag on a nearby chair. He unzipped it to reveal a stunning red dress, the kind that would turn heads at any event. When he pulled it out, I could see now the plunging neckline, backless cut, silky fabric…

The exact sort of dress that would get the utmost attention possible.

“What is this?” I asked, although I had a sinking feeling I already knew the answer.

“Since the public already knows about our relationship,” Ezren said smoothly, “I’d like you to be my date for tonight’s election event.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”

“Not at all. The event starts at eight. The dress should fit you perfectly—I had it made based on the measurements from your last gown fitting.”

The fact that Ezren knew my measurements was creepy, but not entirely surprising. He was thorough in everything he did. But the audacity of assuming I would just go along with his plan after everything that had happened…

“No,” I said firmly.

Ezren’s beta glanced between us, clearly uncomfortable with the tension in the room. Ezren nodded at him, and the man quickly retreated, leaving the dress hanging on a hook by the door.

“No?” Ezren repeated, as if the word was foreign to him.

“No,” I confirmed. “I’m not going to be your date, Ezren. And I’m not going to hang off your arm in a scandalous red dress like that just to get you attention.”

“Why not? We’re already publicly linked. Might as well make the most of it.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Make the most of it? My life is in shambles because of last night. Grace has added me to her blacklist—my best friend, Ezren. She won’t even talk to me. Your meddling has dragged me into public controversy that I never asked to be a part of. And Kael is just waiting for me to compromise. And you’re asking me to come to an election event with you? As what, your trophy wife?”

“As my partner,” Ezren corrected. “It would be beneficial for both of us.”

“Beneficial for you, maybe. All I see is more drama, more public scrutiny, and more pain.” I shook my head. “I’ve had enough, Ezren. Many women would kill to be your date tonight, so why does it have to be me? I don’t want to be dragged into your fight with Kael anymore.”

Ezren studied me for a moment, his head tilted slightly to the side. “Is that what this is about? Kael?” His tone had hardened. “You still have feelings for him, don’t you? That’s why you’re so reluctant to be seen with me publicly.”

“What? No!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air. “Did you not hear anything I just said? This isn’t about Kael.”

“Isn’t it? You’ve been marked by him for years, Freya. Even after everything he’s done to you, you still wear his mark.”

“That’s not by choice, and you know it,” I snapped. “I rejected him, but the mark didn’t fade. That’s not my fault.”

“And yet you’re reluctant to be seen with me in public. What other explanation could there be?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could he be so dense? “Maybe because I don’t want to be used as a political pawn? Maybe because I value my privacy and my autonomy? Maybe because I’m tired of men thinking they can control my life?”

Ezren didn’t look convinced. “You’re afraid of how it would look to Kael. Admit it.”

“I don’t give a shit what Kael thinks,” I said through gritted teeth. “I care about what I think, and I think this whole situation is fucked up.”

“So you’re just going to hide away in that manor of yours? Let Kael control the narrative? Let him continue to claim you as his when you’re not?”

“I’m not hiding,” I argued. “I’m protecting myself. There’s a difference.”

“Looks to me like you’re running away from a fight.”

“I’ve been fighting for two years, Ezren,” I scoffed. “Two years of legal battles, of rebuilding my pack, of trying to salvage what’s left of my parents’ legacy. I’m tired of fighting.”

“Then let me fight for you,” Ezren said, stepping closer to me. “Let me help you take down Kael once and for all.”

I looked at him incredulously. “Help me? Or help yourself? Let’s be honest here, Ezren. You don’t care about me or my problems. You care about beating Kael in this election, and I’m just a convenient tool in your arsenal.”

Ezren’s jaw tightened. “That’s not true.”

“Oh, please,” I laughed. “Our entire relationship has been transactional from the start. I help you with your wolf, you help me with my finances. There’s nothing more to it than that.”

“You’re oversimplifying things.”

“Ezren, what exactly am I to you? Because I’m pretty sure I’m not your girlfriend, or your partner, or anything close to it.”

Ezren didn’t answer, which told me everything I needed to know.

“That’s what I thought,” I said. “I’m almost done paying off the debt I owe you anyway using my body, but I think I’m done with that now. So I’ll pay the remaining interest soon once I make the money, and then we can go our separate ways.”

Something shifted in Ezren’s expression at that. “I’ve never asked you to pay me back with money, Freya.”

“But I will,” I insisted. “I don’t want to owe you anything, and I’m tired of using my body to pay you back.”

“I don’t care about the money,” Ezren scoffed. “It’s such a small amount, I probably wouldn’t even notice if it was gone.”

And there it was—the reminder of just how different our worlds were. What was a “small amount” to Ezren was everything to me. It was my pack’s survival, my people’s livelihoods, my own independence.

“I don’t care if you care about it or not,” I said coldly. “I care. I don’t want to owe you anything, not even ‘a little bit’ of money.”

“Is that really what this is about? Money?”

“It’s about independence,” I said. “It’s about not being owned or controlled by anyone, not Kael, and not you.”

Ezren’s expression darkened. “I’ve never tried to control you, Freya.”

“No? Then what do you call this?” I gestured to the dress still hanging by the door. “You assumed I would just go along with your plan, be your date, play the role you’ve assigned me. You didn’t even ask if I wanted to be involved in your campaign. You just decided for me.”

I didn’t give Ezren a chance to respond to that. With a curt “Goodbye,” I turned on my heel and made for the door, determined to leave so I could deal with yet another shitstorm all on my own.

But before I could get far, Ezren followed me. He was quick and stepped in front of me. I instinctively backed up until I felt the wall behind me. He placed one hand on the wall beside my head, effectively cornering me.

“Get out of my way,” I growled, shoving at him. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the money, but you have no right to corner me like this.”

Ezren’s other hand came up to grip my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His gray eyes were stormy and dark, nothing at all like the look of smug satisfaction he usually wore.

“You’ve already paid everything back, Freya.”