Page 79 of Deadly Wolf Bite

I tell myself to stop caring that he’s insulting her.

“I did not plan this,” I say through clenched teeth.

“But you knew you’d come here to meet Dom,” he says.

“Yes.”

“And you failed to mention that earlier this evening when you were watching us pour drinks down our throats.”

“Yes.”

“That’s a direct violation of your pledge of loyalty to your alpha.”

And there it is. I brace myself for sentencing. If he tries to beat me like he did at the lake house, my wolf won’t let me pretend anymore. I’ll have to fight him. Maybe all the generals too. And those drugs are already wearing off.

“You are no longer trustworthy when it comes to maintaining the security of the asset. Charlie, escort her to the estate and set her up in the guest apartment. Put double guards on her until I arrive.”

I blink, blindsided by his mercy. “What?”

He looms over me, clearly misunderstanding my reaction. “I’m taking her, and I don’t give a shit that she’s your mate, so spare me your empty threats.”

Lexi gasps.

My father steps back, snickers, mood changing in an instant. “There. Cat’s out of the bag. Was that so hard?”

“Is that true?” Lexi asks me.

Her eyes are wide, and I can’t tell if she’s just upset that I didn’t tell her or if the idea of being my mate is somehow disturbing.

“It was,” I say flatly. She reels back like I’ve struck her. I turn to my father. “Take her wherever you want,” I tell him. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

No one stops me as I shove past them and out into the hallway. I don’t stop until I’m inside the bathroom two doors down. Even then, I do my best to shut out the weight of it all. I lean against the sink and let my head hang. Close my eyes. Try to breathe. All that matters is sorting out this mess tonight. I just have to get through this. I can deal with the rest later.

But when I open my eyes and look in the mirror—at the blood coating my chin. My throat. My hands. At the small gash along my arm—I know that Lexi’s betrayal isn’t something I can just wash off. It’s not a cut I can bandage. The wound she inflicted on me is far too deep.

25

LEXI

Fear grips me as I follow Charlie out of the office and back through the rows of cubicles. The lights are still off in the main areas but the ones above the bank of elevators are lit up brightly. Their glare hurts my eyes, so I keep my head down as I wait beside Mia’s father.

Neither of us speaks, but he has to know what I was really doing down there. Then again, maybe he was too drunk to remember what he said to me about the file. Maybe I misread his moment of clarity on that balcony.

Just like I mistook Grey’s feelings for me.

Whatever we had before, it’s gone. Watching him walk away from me just now, willingly leaving me in his father’s hands, was the single worst moment of my life. I don’t know what happens next, but I’m acutely aware of how alone I am in this.

Apparently, even being his mate doesn’t change things now that he knows what I’ve done.

Charlie doesn’t look at me, but I know he hears me sniffle. The silence feels awkward until the elevator dings and the doors open. Rocco steps out. He grunts at the sight of us, mostly ignoring me and nodding at Charlie.

“You off then?” Rocco asks him.

“Taking her to the estate.” Charlie steps into the elevator.

I follow, keeping my distance.

Rocco looks put out. “You got the easy job.”

---