Page 10 of Arranged Wolf's Nanny
Her father snarled, “You embarrassed me in there.”
“Father…I…I…”
He bared his teeth, and she flinched. “All you had to do was be silent, look pretty, but instead you made yourself look like a fool. Whimpering like some common whore.”
Her throat tightened, painful and choking. “Father, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s likely why he’s so angry. I worked so hard to present you as a gift, as something he might value. But you couldn’t even manage to give the damn male a smile.”
“I…I didn’t know… I was surprised—”
“Surprised,” he scoffed, “do you think I spent all that money on your hair, your clothes, your jewelry, your education, foryou? Foolish girl. You always knew this was coming.Surprised.” He practically spat the last word, and she watched his hands, shoulders quaking as she awaited the inevitable strike.
But John’s nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath, his gaze moving past her into the darkness beyond, eyes narrowing as he considered.
“Rick is one of the proudest males I’ve ever known. He won’t be happy to have this forced on him.” At this, his face twisted into an ugly grin. “The great Frederick Reinhardt. Not as untouchable as he likes to pretend he is.” He looked back at her, disdain twisting his features, “But it certainly won’t do toinsulthim. I’ve poured considerable investment into making you worthy to stand at a male like Rick’s side. And what do you do? Show nothing but ingratitude and immaturity.”
“I’m sorry, Father,” she whispered, staring down at her feet, her jaw set in determination not to cry. Not to show weakness. Her wolf growled just below her skin, and she silenced it.
He eyed her critically, smoothing back his hair, “I think I’ll send you home to prepare. You’ve embarrassed yourself quite enough. I won’t have you ruining everything now with melodrama.”
She nodded. Home. Home was good. She could see Katie, she could come to terms with this, she could make her father proud.
In her mind’s eye, she saw her bedroom window. She saw the woods beyond. The lure of the mountains.
She could…she could…
No.
She couldn’t.
She had failed once. She wouldn’t be foolish enough to fail again. What her father would do to her…
The door to the bar crashed open, and Rosalia jumped, her heart skipping.
Felix, Alpha of the Iron Walkers, stalked out into the cool night air. His rugged face was set with grim determination, his jaw tight. His clothes were rumpled, as if he’d been in a tussle.
Rosalia swallowed.
He probably had.
“Felix,” her father said with smooth grace, any hint of aggression melting away into cool, political calm, “is Rick not with you?”
Rosalia didn’t miss the flash of rage that sparked across Felix’s eyes. Silently, she willed her father to be silent. Not to goad him. He was reaching too far, demanding too much. Felix wouldpunishhim—
“John,” Felix said, his voice emotionless, “Rick is currently in his room cooling off. That was quite the bomb you dropped.”
Her father feigned concern. “Oh, was it? My apologies, Felix, I had no intention of—”
Felix raised a hand, “Let’s drop the political bullshit, yeah? That’s Rick’s game. Not mine.”
Her father considered him for a moment before nodding. “Understood.”
Felix paced, his enormous muscles bunching. It occurred to Rosalia how out of place he looked here, in his formal clothes, surrounded by opulence and ugly refinement. He should be in the woods somewhere with his pack, being the wolf he truly was.
“I can’t pretend I’m happy about this,” Felix said. “It is not my way to force anything on my people. Least of allmarriage.”
“Be that as it may,” her father replied, “a marriage of alliance between shifters is a tradition as old as the mountains. Rick knows that. He respects it.”
