Page 33 of The Silent Mate

All exceptone.

Dread wound tight at the base of my spine, my features hardening as the realization hit. Anger crept up my neck.

“Ah,” Roman drawled, not bothering to stand from his seat to greet us. He leaned one elbow on the armrest, lounging back in his throne-like chair. “You’re late.”

My jaw cracked from how tightly I clamped my teeth together. He hadn’t called me here to dine with the party.Iwas not a guest.

Roman’s attention flashed to Aria, and my blood began to boil, simmering beneath an impassive surface. His eyes trailed down my mate’s body, taking in every curve and inch of skin. She wore an exquisite white dress with gossamer skirts that flowed to her ankles, reminiscent of the nickname I’d given her.Little dove.

My brother looked ready to devour her, and I wanted to kill him for it.

“Though, with a mate as beautiful as sweet Aria, no one could blame you for arriving late to every obligation.” His words dripped with saccharine poison, but he offered Aria a smile as he gestured toward the single open seat beside him. “Come, sit.”

Aria’s mouth hooked into a frown, and she didn’t release my hand. “There’s only one chair,” she murmured with a furrowed brow.

Roman cocked his head to the side, as if bewildered by her response.

“Of course there’s only one.” He chuckled, looking to the otherIntonat NoctePack members around the table. Every member of his inner circle laughed alongside him.

Aria’s fingers gripped me with bruising force, and I swept a soothing thumb over her knuckles.It’s okay,I wanted to tell her, knowing that the worst was yet to come.Don’t let his words upset you.

Roman laughed again. “You don’t expect a monster to eat at the same table as his master, do you?”

Roman’s taunting echoed between my ears, and the bloodrose to my cheeks. Typically, I’d let his insults roll off my back, but, at this moment, he sought to harm more thanme, and his words met their mark.

Aria stiffened beside me, her lips parting in utter disgust.

Not at me, I realized. AtRoman.

Her claws protruded from her fingernails, slicing into my palm. She trembled, palpable ire radiating from her.

But my brotherwantedthis reaction. He wanted a reason to punish us, and I refused to give it to him. I refused to let Aria sacrifice herself to defend me.

“How could you say—” She began.

I silenced her by squeezing her hand, subduing her trembling. Her face turned to me, and I shook my head, a barely perceptible twitch.No, little dove.

My heart ached for her, for the humiliation she’d endure because of me this evening. But I forced myself to begin the shameful walk to Roman’s side, nonetheless. First, I walked Aria to the open seat beside him, pulling the chair out for her to sit.

She stared at me, a mixture of horror and anger filling her vibrant blues. For a moment, I thought she’d refuse, but I held her gaze and willed her to read the words I couldn’t speak.

Trust me. Please.

Tension consumed the dining room until, at last, Aria lowered into the chair. Her hands clenched the edge of her seat, even after I pushed her chair back into place at the table. I felt Aria’s gaze follow me as I stepped back and took up my position.

I struggled to keep my head high as I moved to Roman’s flank. He liked for me to stand behind him at these official dinners. Like a loyal guard dog on display.

For decades, I’d bowed my head and accepted my fate. Roman saved my life from our father, after all.I owed him. But, something changed the moment I laid eyes on Aria, and everyinstinct in my body—every fiber that wove through me—recoiled at the idea of submitting.

It was almost as though she’d awakened the parts of me that had gone dormant since the attack. Her presence reignited the fire I’d snuffed out long ago…

In one, startling moment, I realized I wanted to kill my brother. I could do it easily. Demand a duel so that no one would dare question my authority when the life sputtered from his lungs. He could not beat me. Not in single combat, nor any other form of combat. And yet…

I was not worthy of calling myself Alpha. I could hardly call myself a male. An alpha did not hesitate to claim his mate. An alpha did not cower when fingers brushed a battle scar. An alpha required a voice.

Fighting to keep my fists from shaking, I turned to stand behind Roman’s left shoulder. My brother and the rest of theIntonat Noctewarriors had already focused their attention elsewhere, though a pair of bright blue branded me in place. I avoided Aria’s gaze, all too aware that meeting it might rekindle that flame of desire to becomemore.

More than a guard dog. More than a monster.

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