As I kneeled, Khloe laughed with delight, while Preston frowned and the others looked on as if they were watching a show. Roman showed no emotion, only ambivalence. Only Griffon, leaning back against the sofa with one arm stretched across it and his legs spread wide, looked down at me with a smug look across his face. There was no mistaking who the Alpha in the room was, and Griffon clearly knew it.
I couldn’t help but think of the hundreds of days and nights we had spent together, but suddenly, it all felt like it wasn’t worth it.
I’d thought I could leave with dignity, to escape this place and these people, but I should have known better.
This was the cruel reality of our different social statuses. I had slept with him for five years, destined to be trampled under his feet. Stomped down by his status as an Alpha, wolf, and billionaire. However, I had only a few months left to endure. With this thought, I found a sense of calm. I kneeled, poured the wine, and handed the glass to Griffon. Griffon took the wineglass, his large hand practically engulfing Just as I thought he would take a drink, he raised the glass and slowly poured the red wine over my head. As it slid down the tips of my hair, it stained my pale face, thin neck, and long dress.
Frozen in place with shock and disbelief, I couldn’t make myself do anything more than look down at the wine dripping from me, blinking slowly in astonishment at Griffon’s behavior. “You are so cheap.”
Griffon’s voice was so cold that it made me shiver. Clenching my fists and biting my lower lip, I looked up and met Griffon’s gaze, staring him in the eye.
Any other time, this would have been considered a challenge to an Alpha. However, Griffon didn’t care at all. He simply picked up his handkerchief and wiped his fingers, as though touching the glass I had touched had dirtied him.
His actions were like a knife stabbing into my heart.
I wanted to sink into the floor, never to be seen again.
Even through my shock and mortification, I wanted to ask him why he even cared enough to act this way toward me. He was the one who had dumped me, who wanted nothing else to do with me. But I didn’t dare voice my thoughts out loud. I hadn’t gotten rid of Roman yet. If I provoked Griffon again. I couldn’t afford the Outcome. After tossing the handkerchief aside, Grition got up and left without Griffon…”
Preston, who had recovered from his shock, hurriedly called out To him, but Griffon didn’t even turn his head.
Roman looked at Griffon’s back and asked, “Something wrong with your cousin?” Preston smiled tightly. “He’s the Alpha of the Knight Pack, so he’s under a lot of pressure. Occasionally, he lets his temper get the better of him. Please don’t mind his behavior. He didn’t mean offense. I’ll drink a glass of wine on his behalf as a punishment.”
After finishing it in one gulp, Preston put down the glass and said gently, “You two have fun. I’m going to check on my Alpha.”
He maintained his politeness and manners throughout the conversation, and since there was no reason to keep him any longer, Roman nodded and said, “Until next time.”
Preston nodded, put his shirt back on, picked up his suit jacket, and hurriedly left.
Khloe looked like she wanted to play another game. But seeing that Preston had left, she had no choice but to toss away the cards in her hand and follow him quickly out the door.
Then, Roman and Taya were left in the private room, the silence deafening. Roman was a little frustrated, and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
He had originally hoped that after having some fun, they could discuss the project, but Griffon had abruptly left before he could even mention it.
And there was definitely something going on between Griffon and Taya, though he had no idea what that could be. The Alpha’s behavior toward Taya had been deliberate. Especially after Roman had announced that he’d slept with Taya.
He was no longer in the mood to play. He waved his hand and drove the others out of the private room.
After everyone had left, he narrowed his gaze on Taya.
Taya sat still in her kneeling position, drops of red wine dripping down her face. The deep red of the wine running down her fair cheeks, almost like tears, made her appear stunningly beautiful, yet also deeply sad.
He didn’t care about her feelings right now, though. All he cared about was figuring out just what the hell was going on that he wasn’t privy to.
Roman’s pack needed to get this project with the Knight Pack, needed to rise in the ranks and become more respected among the Midwest packs. One way or something, he would get his answer. “Do you know?
Taya slowly raised her hand and wiped away the red wine on her face before replying faintly, “Yes.”
Roman bent down slightly and studied her carefully. “How?”
“I know I look like Ms. Thorin, so one night while delivering files to Alpha Knight, I added wolves bane to his drink, hoping to seduce him and make him sleep with me. But he wasn’t affected, and he kicked me out right after. Maybe that’s why he called me dirty and cheap.”
Her words dispelled half of Roman’s doubts.
He initially thought there was some kind of sexual, or even romantic, connection between Griffon and Taya.
After all, if a man and woman became involved with each other, something like that was bound to happen.
But he hadn’t pegged Taya as a social climber who had her eyes set on Griffon to earn his love, only for her plan to backfire and earn his disdain instead.
However, Roman was also confused about her intentions, and why she would target Griffon.
Alpha Knight was known to be inaccessible and cruel. If she were looking to achieve a better social standing due to her lack Of a wolf, or if she was looking to get money from someone rich and powerful, how could this girl have been so stupid as to target Alpha Knight?
The only thing that made sense was that she wasn’t actually after those things and harbored some misguided affection for him that would never be returned by someone as cold as Griffon.
Taya added, “I’ve always wanted him.”
There was a dim light in her eyes, glimmering with something like love, which made Roman somewhat believe her.
“So that’s how it is, huh?”
His mind put to ease for the moment, Roman pulled Taya up and made her sit on his lap.
What did he care about her love for someone else? He wasn’t looking for a mate, wasn’t looking to keep Taya around after he got what he wanted from her. She wasn’t a suitable mate material in the first place. A woman with no wolf? .
He wiped the red wine from her face and neck with cold fingers, his other hand straying over her body.
“Baby… I didn’t expect you to be so bold as to try to bait Griffon into sleeping with you.”
Had he been in Griffon’s shoes, he would have taken the bait. Well, he wouldn’t have even needed to be drugged with wolves bane to screw the delicious little Taya.