Dinner Party

When Lacey walked in, Julien sat at the head of the long dining table, and Scar was sitting kitty-corner from him to his right. Their heads were together, obviously enjoying a private joke, and she wondered if they were laughing about her. Julien looked up and his mouth nearly fell to the floor when he saw her.

Scar looked her over, her lips curling in disgust. “What is she doing here.”

Suddenly, everyone’s eyes were on her.

"Lacey! I’m glad you could join us!” Julien quickly closed the gap between them, and then looked at the pack filling the room, all dressed in their finest attire. It was clear that they were having a dinner party, and no one came for her. “Everyone, this is my new pledge and your future Alpha Queen, Princess Lacey Taregon.”

A rumble of welcome resonated throughout the room, but Lacey noticed that few met her gaze.

“Lacey, I’m glad you’re here. Maybe you can help settle an argument between Scar and me.” Julien led her to a seat at the table to his left.

Lacey smiled. “Oh? What’s the debate?” She doubted if anything she said would matter, but she thought she’d play along.

Julien held the chair for her, giving her a clear view of the whole room. He leaned over and breathed deeply as she sat, inhaling her scent. “You look lovely tonight.” And this time, he didn’t take her hair down.

“Thank you,” she replied as he pushed in her chair.

Across the table Scar was fuming.

“So, what’s the debate about?” Lacey took a sip of her wine and her stomach grumbled loudly from not having eaten anything in two days.

“Well….” Julien picked up his glass of wine. “Scar says that the rogue Wildcats are some of the fiercest warriors in the world—”

Lacey laughed, but took a sip of her wine to cover it, regaining her composure. “Please. Continue.”

“But I say that they are a bunch of Pansies without leadership, rogue and wild,” Julien continued. Then he looked into her eyes, lifting an eyebrow. “Since we fought them together, I’d like to know your thoughts.”

Scar took another sip of her wine, snarling in discontent.

And Lacey loved every minute of it. “Well, I think you’re right.” A rumble of agreement resounded around the room. “They are wild, undisciplined, and untrained animals.”

“They are a force to be reckoned with!” Scar drank down the rest of her wine and then held up her glass for more, motioning for the waiter standing against the wall.

Lacey raised her eyebrows. “Really? Well, then, tell me how Julien and I were able to fend off nine of them just before we were pledged?”

“That’s a lie!” Scar yelled, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

Lacey calmly shook her head. “No, it isn’t.” Unable to resist, Lacey reached over and gave Julien’s hand a gentle squeeze, playing along. “Isn’t that right, Julien?”

He lifted her hand to his lips, and Scar threw her napkin onto the table and walked out. “Yes, that’s right.” Then he released Lacey’s hand as soon as Scar was gone and looked into her eyes. “Would you come with me, please?”

Lacey’s heart sank. Although she had won the battle, the war was far from over. At that moment, she realized that Julien had used her to get rid of Scar, for some reason. Now, he was getting rid of her, too. But Lacey smiled, letting nothing on. “Why, most certainly.” Then she looked out over the pack. “It was lovely to meet you all.”

They all said welcoming words once more and then went on with their party.

Julien escorted her out of the dining room by her elbow. “I told you to stay in your room until I came for you,” he said, his voice low as he escorted her up the stairs.

“No, you told me to come to dinner and to be on time,” she corrected. “You told Gwen that I was to be locked up again as a punishment for disrespecting Scar. But, as usual, you haven’t brought me any food. So, I came to dinner.” She stopped and looked directly into his eyes. “I haven’t eaten anything in two days and I’m hungry.” She let him lead her back to her room. Just outside the door, she said, “If you are going to keep me locked up in my room forever, then you have to feed me.” Then she walked inside and slammed the door closed, leaving him in the hallway alone.

Inside her room, she walked over to the window and looked out at the shifters below. A few looked up and waved. Others averted their eyes and ran for the forest, phasing when they reached the tree line.

How she longed to run free again. She had just become pledged and she has spent most of the time alone in her room, for one reason or another. At that moment, she knew she had to leave. She couldn’t stay locked up in her room for the rest of eternity at the hands of a madman.

So, she got out her tablet and started thumbing through, trying to find Wyatt’s number. Maybe he and some of the Silver Pack could come and rescue her. But just when she had found his number and was about to message him, the door opened. Julien came in carrying a tray, smiling.

Lacey gasped, holding the tablet behind her back, trying to hide it.

“What the h*ll?” He set the tray on the small, round table and then ripped it out of her hands. He looked down and the realization of what she was about to do registered as his lips contorted into something sinister. When Julien raised his eyes, a hurt look was prominent there. “You were trying to call another man to come and rescue you?” He walked over to the window and threw it out, causing it to smash against the pavement below, breaking it into a million pieces… along with her heart.

“No!” Lacey broke down, sobbing into her hands. He had just taken her only lifeline away from her. She plopped down onto the bed in a heap as big, ugly tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Don't you even think about calling a man to save you from me! I'll kill him!" Julien yelled over her sobs. But she ignored him, continuing to sob on the bed as he paced back and forth like a caged animal. Then he stopped short. "And don't even think about leaving! You're mine!" With that, he walked purposefully out the door, slamming it closed behind him.

It was just her luck. Her mate didn't want her to leave, but he didn't want her either. As she sobbed, she wondered how this was going to end, thinking that it may quite possibly end with her death. But she would rather die than bow down to anyone... including her mate.