Page 65 of For the First Time
Adam was a liar.He was a manipulator.He tore segments of the truth and painted them in lies.
His access to the media was abuse in itself.He said whatever he wanted, and people simply assumed it was true because he was in a position of authority.He was in a role of trust so why would he lie?Why would he betray constituents?
I clung tighter to Atlas.“I love you.”It was a confession.A plea.Whispered quietly yet I knew all three of them heard.“Don’t let him take you from me.”
“Ah, pet.No one’s taking you from me.You’re mine.”
“Ours,” Oaks agreed.
“Yours,” Everett amended.“We’re yours, Eve.”
Chapter Sixteen
As much as I lovedHannah, I wasn’t really feeling up for this gathering.
Most of that was because I was still in a bad mood from Adam’s speech earlier in the week.It was like a cloud that constantly hung over my head, casting me in a shadow of bad moods.
Not even the quick phone call with Bartholomew had helped, considering he basically said there was nothing we could do about Adam’s speech, that it was actually very smart on his part to attempt to sway the court of public opinion so early, and that he would reach out to me in the next few days about what he thinks we should do.Apparently, if we now gave a speech, it wouldn’t look as convincing.We would look like we were copying him or simply trying to save face.
Bartholomew admitted that he thought Adam would try something like this, but only after all the paperwork had been filed and notified, the case officially in the first step.At this point, a clerical error could make the whole thing come to a stop before it started.Although that was unlikely.It was still possible.
Of course, there was also the fact, completely unrelated to my disastrous work life, that my pack was meeting Hannah and hers for the first time.I was so nervous aboutthatpart of this gathering that my stomach was threatening to dispel the homemade puff pastries I’d made for breakfast.I didn’t think the raspberry filling would taste as good a second time.
I was sitting in the passenger seat, Everett drove, while Oaks and Atlas sat in the back, the latter leaning forward so his hand was rubbing my arm in a comforting gesture.
“We don’t have to stay long,” I told the car, or whoever was still listening to me ramble.“Whenever you guys want to leave, just let me know.You don’t have to fake nice or anything.”
Everett didn’t so much as glance over at me, but I saw the side of his face pull up in a smirk.
“Not that I don’t think you’d like Hannah or her pack.Or Koda and hers.They’re all very nice.”Turning in my seat, I looked between Oaks and Atlas.“Do you have enough space in the back?I can move my seat.”
A hand came down on my thigh, forcing my attention forward again.“They’re good and you need to face forward.Safer.Also, take a deep breath.This is all going to be fine, Babygirl.We can woo your friends.”
Right, exactly.My friends.Not my family who would suddenly see me as valuable because I had a pack.Myfriends.The ones I’d chosen.Sure, they’d be happy for me, but they weren’t going to cast me aside because I ‘had an omega’ now.If that was true, they wouldn’t have invited us in the first place.My friends were not my family.My value was more than just the fact that I found a pack.My friends enjoyed my company when I was a solo beta.
Why was I nervous then?As if I’d knock on the door to Hannah’s place and she’d suddenly act differently.Suddenly treat me like a beta instead of just Eve.Ridiculous.And disrespectful to Hannah.
