Chapter 14: Chapter 14 First meeting with my cousin
Aria’s POV
I pushed open the restroom door, smoothing down my dress as I stepped back into the hallway.
I’d barely taken three steps when fingers clamped around my arm like a vice, yanking me backwards.
"What the—"
"You bitch!"
I spun around to find Vanessa glaring at me, her face flushed with alcohol and fury. Her blonde hair was disheveled, and she reeked of champagne and expensive perfume.
"Let go of me," I said coldly.
Her grip tightened. "Stay away from Damian. Do you really think a pathetic human like you belongs with the Alpha King? You’re nothing but a novelty—a pet he’ll get bored of."
"We have history.He always comes back to me"
I wrenched my arm free, studying her with cold amusement.
"A human? I’m Vincent Smith’s daughter. You know, the one whose family could end your pack’s business dealings with a phone call."
"So what? You may have money, but you’ll never be one of us. You can’t give him what a real werewolf woman can—"
"And yet," I interrupted softly, "he chose me as his date tonight. Not you." I stepped closer.
"Tell me, how did that flirtation work out for you? Because from where I’m standing, you’re the one cornering me in hallways while he’s waiting for me inside."
Her face flushed with humiliation and rage.
"Face it, Vanessa. Human or not, I’m the one on his arm tonight."
I turned to walk away.
Then I heard the sharp click of her heel.
Before I could react, she stepped down hard on the train of my dress.
The sound of tearing silk cut through the air like a gunshot.
I stumbled forward, catching myself against the wall as the back of my dress split open, exposing my entire back.
Cold air hit my skin.
I looked down at the ruined fabric, then slowly turned to face Vanessa.
She was smirking, her expression triumphant.
"Oops," she said sweetly. "How clumsy of me."
Something inside me snapped.
I closed the distance between us in three strides and slapped her across the face.
The crack echoed down the empty hallway.
Vanessa’s head whipped to the side. She stumbled backwards, nearly losing her balance in her heels.
For a moment, she just stood there, stunned.
Then she screamed and lunged at me, nails aimed at my face.
Before she could reach me, someone stepped between us.
"That’s enough."
A tall figure caught Vanessa’s wrist mid-swing, holding her back effortlessly.
I blinked.
It was a man I didn’t recognize—tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit. His dark hair was swept back, and his amber eyes were fixed on Vanessa with open contempt.
"Let go of me!" Vanessa shrieked.
He didn’t budge. Instead, he shrugged off his suit jacket with his free hand and draped it over my shoulders, covering the exposed skin.
He turned back to Vanessa, his expression hardening. "Miss Vanessa, I suggest you leave. Now."
"She attacked me!" Vanessa’s voice was shrill, tears streaming down her face.
"After you destroyed her dress." His tone was flat, emotionless. "In a private hallway where there are no witnesses to support your version of events."
Vanessa’s face went red. "I didn’t—it was an accident—"
"Was it?" He released her wrist but didn’t step back. "Because it looked pretty deliberate to me."
She sputtered, mascara streaking her cheeks.
He moved closer, his voice dropping to something low and dangerous.
"I suggest you apologize. Now. Unless you want this incident reported to Crescent Moon Pack’s council. I’m sure they’d be very interested to hear how you assaulted a guest under their protection."
Her face paled.
"I... I’m sorry," she whispered, not meeting my eyes.
"Louder," Lucas said coldly.
"I’m sorry!" Vanessa’s voice cracked. "I’m sorry, Miss Smith."
I stared at her, my anger still simmering. "And the dress?"
She blinked. "What?"
"The dress you destroyed. It was custom-made. Worth at least a hundred thousand dollars." I kept my voice level, businesslike. "I expect compensation."
Vanessa’s mouth fell open. "A hundred thousand—"
"That’s the market value. If you’d prefer, I can have my lawyer send you an itemized invoice."
Her face flushed with fury and humiliation, but Lucas’s cold stare kept her from arguing.
She fumbled for her phone with shaking hands, tapping furiously at the screen. Moments later, my phone buzzed with a notification.
I checked it. Wire transfer. One hundred thousand dollars.
"There," she spat. "Happy now?"
"Ecstatic," I said dryly.
Lucas nodded toward the exit. "You should leave, Miss Vanessa. Before you make this worse for yourself."
She shot me one last venomous glare, then turned and fled down the hallway, her heels clicking frantically against the marble floor.
The silence that followed was deafening.
I let out a long breath, my hands trembling slightly as I clutched Lucas’s jacket tighter around my shoulders.
"Thank you," I said quietly. "For stepping in."
He smiled slightly. "It’s what big brothers do."
I blinked. "Big brothers?"
"Lucas Smith. Victor’s son." He extended his hand. "We’re family now, Aria. Whether you like it or not."
I stared at him, then took his hand. His grip was firm, reassuring.
"Harrison mentioned you." My chest tightened. "Thank you."
He gestured down the hall. "We need to get you changed before anyone else sees this. My father has a private suite upstairs—emergency outfits for situations like this."
I raised an eyebrow. "Situations like this?"
"You’d be surprised how often dresses get ruined at pack events." His smile widened slightly. "Politics and alcohol don’t mix well."
Despite everything, I almost laughed.
"Come on." He offered his arm. "Let’s get you sorted."
I hesitated, glancing back toward the ballroom.
Damian was still in there. He’d notice I was gone.
"He’ll understand," Lucas said, reading my thoughts. "And frankly, if he saw you like this, he’d probably tear Vanessa apart. Better to handle it quietly."
He had a point.
I took his arm, and we headed for the elevators.
Comments