Chapter 27

Kara

The office felt strange when I entered the next afternoon.

I’d gone back to the venue the morning after the ceremony to help clean up from the event and make sure there were no issues with the vendors or hotel staff and we’d be welcome back. It had also been helpful to take some time away from Hunter and the others while I tried to collect my thoughts.

I was still furious.

Furious and satisfied.

I should have been insisting on what I wanted the whole time with Hunter. I’d found our sex life fulfilling, and came more often than not, but it always exacerbated our power dynamic.

I cared more for him than he did for me, and I performed that in our sex life.

It was a relief to act like I was only using him for his body. His tongue.

It wasn’t true, but it did make me feel better.

I was somewhat refreshed by the time I arrived. I felt ready for the afternoon of meetings I had planned.

Sean was coming to discuss the school collaboration we’d come up with last night. It was impressive that he wanted to meet with me less than 24 hours later. It showed how serious he was about the plan.

But it was going to be a delicate enterprise. Besides the fact that nothing like it had ever been attempted before, if what Adrian said was true, he could be extremely difficult to work with.

I wanted to sit down at my desk in peace for an hour or so and go over my files, and make an agenda for our meeting.

But there was a vibration of whispering when I entered, and everyone turned to look at me.

“What’s going on in here?” I said, annoyed at the interruption.

“Did you hear about Hunter?” Elle asked quickly?

“No, I was helping with takedown at the venue. What about Hunter?”

“He’s finally been given a seat on the Alpha Council. But we haven’t heard anything about what that’s going to mean for the pack or us—”

I could see why they were worried. Sometimes an Alpha being given a place on the council meant further changes of leadership were imminent, if he might be promoted further to Prince and need his Beta to take over pack responsibilities.

I personally thought Leo was great, but everyone knew that his playboy persona didn’t exactly align with effective leadership.

“I’ll make sure things keep running smoothly,” I reassured.

My knees felt a bit weak. I sat down at my desk.

My pregnancy symptoms were much worse today than they had been last night. I couldn’t figure out why.

Or what I was feeling about Hunter’s promotion.

I was telling the truth, reassuring the other deltas. I wasn’t worried about how it would affect the pack operations. Everything else aside, I knew I would indeed be able to keep things running smoothly by myself, if needed.

But pride and jealousy swirled in me.

I was proud of him. I couldn’t help but be. He’d wanted this for years—had been working toward it for as long as I could remember. But the warm feeling was interspersed with upset that I clearly still cared so much for him.

I’d achieved an illusion of control over him last night, but it was just that: an illusion. I still wanted the best for him, and it put me in a position of no power.

And I was jealous, thinking about Maya and what this meant about their relationship. I knew one of the things that had always held Hunter back in his career was not having a Luna.

If he’d been given a seat on the council, did that mean he’d told them about Maya? That he’d found a fated mate and would soon have a Luna?

I stood, suddenly. It wouldn’t help me to sit here and speculate, and I wouldn’t be able to focus on my work at the moment anyway.

I’d at least go and congratulate him. I had no idea what I’d say, of course, given how conflicted I felt between happiness for him and heartbreak about this latest confirmation of the seriousness with which he was taking his relationship with Maya.

I walked by the break room and heard another wave of whispering. I peered in, wondering if I should go reassure whoever was inside about the pack operations.

It was Laila and Daphne. Their heads were bent close together, and they were talking in hushed voices.

I stepped to the side, not wanting to be seen. I felt baffled by seeing them together. I thought they hated each other. What would make them voluntarily have a conversation?

I shook my head, trying to put it out of mind. I didn’t know everything about the office dynamics. I guessed I’d been pretty distracted lately as well. And I had other things to focus on.

Maya is at her desk outside Hunter’s office when I walk up.

Her eyes looks slightly bloodshot. Maybe she had too much to drink last night. If I was right about Hunter having told the Alpha Council about her, surely he’d mentioned it to her as well, and she’d have good reason to be happy, not distraught.

“He’s not here,” she snapped as soon as she looked up at me.

I blinked.

I’d never yet heard her speak so harshly. I felt almost impressed, in spite of the fact that it was directed at me. In a sense, I just felt that it was good for her that she was begin more direct than I’d seen before. I nodded and walked away.

I’d barely sat down at my desk and opened the files I wanted to review when I heard the door open behind me.

I stood and turned to greet the visitors.

It was Sean, looking formal and businesslike in a plain but well-tailored suit.

He was escorted by Adrian, which I didn’t expect.

I flushed slightly as I clasped Adrian’s hand palm in a handshake after I’d greeted Sean.

We were immediately swarmed by the other deltas, who offered coffee and water and to prepare the conference room.

I wasn’t surprised they were fawning over Sean and Adrian. We didn’t often have important visitors in the office, let alone an Alpha Prince. I didn’t dissuade them from their attentions. The distraction would help redirect them from the gossip and worry of the morning.

I took the opportunity to gather the files from my desk to take to the conference room, then immediately set them back down when I looked at the group of deltas trying to engage Sean and Adrian in conversation. We’d probably have a more productive meeting if I suggested a walk on the grounds rather than staying at the conference table.

I looked across the room toward Maya’s desk as I went to ask Sean and Adrian to accompany me across the room.

It was the same as I’d felt when I looked at her face last night. There was a new anger and resentment growing there. Gone was the sweet ingenue expression she’d always worn up to now.

And her ire seemed to be directed at me.