Reed’S POV.
Snakes.
Fucking snakes!
They were trying to kill her!
Thank God I opened the gifts first, God knows what could’ve happened. I’m so upset right now that I can’t even think straight. I’m driving like a maniac back to that banquet hall. I’m going to find whoever sent those gifts. I’m going to make sure he or pays for causing Aloradistress. This is just madness.
This is where the battle line has been drawn.
When I arrive at the venue, I park in the driveway and alight from the car. Some people are already leaving since Alpha Jayce and Luna Aloraalready left. I don’t know where I’m going to start, but I have to start from somewhere. I start walking towards the hall, but stop when I spot LLoyd. That’s when it occurs to me that LLoyd has been nowhere to be found since this ceremony began.
The audacity of this man.
“LLoyd.” I call as I walk over to him. The repulsive smell of cigarettes reek from his body and breath and it makes me take two steps back. I caught lightly and pinch my nostrils. “You left your duty post to go smoke?” I ask, irritated. His gaze darkens.
“Why do you make it sound like smoking is a crime?” He asks casually as he takes out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his suit jacket. I watch in awe as he opens the packet and takes out a cigar stick from it. He attempts to light it, but I don’t let him. I seize the cigar stick and the rest of the packet from his hand.
“It’s not a crime to smoke, but it’s definitely an offence to ditch your duty to smoke. How many hours has it been? Four? You’ve been smoking for four hours? Your poor lungs!”
“Are you trying to castigate me?” He asks, clearly annoyed.
I’m happy he’s annoyed because even I am annoyed. I am ready to give him a piece of my mind tonight.
“I’m trying to say that while you were out there having the time of your life, your Luna almost got bitten by snakes. Maybe if you were there to check those gifts more properly, those snakes would’ve never reached her.”
“I heard they didn’t. You opened the gifts before showing them to her. She’s safe, so what’s with the fuss?”
The nonchalance in his voice amuses me.
He doesn’t care a single bit and I am not surprised at all.
I chuckle and shove both hands in my trouser pockets because I’m tempted to punch him hard in the face right now.
“You don’t care, do you? Whether she got harmed or not, it doesn’t bother you a single bit.” I’m smiling bitterly as I ask that question. He chuckles and looks around for a while before turning to look at me once more.
“She had you, Alpha Jayce and all the other guards to protect her.” He chuckles. “If the snakes managed to get to that stage even after all that security, what makes you think my presence would have made a difference?” I am simply in awe as I watch him talk.
I want to cripple that cocky look on his face with my fists.
Whenever he’s around Alpha Jayce, he pretends to be the most diligent person in this entire castle, but I know what’s in his heart.
LLoyd is not the pure and dedicated servant he claims to be. I don’t trust him one bit.
“You amuse me, you know that right?”
“I’m full of surprises, aren’t I?” He dares to chuckle.
“Do you have any idea how pissed Alpha Jayce will be if I were to tell him what you’ve been up to all night? You could be punished.”
“So you’re going to tell me now? That’s such a girl move, don’t you think?” The more he talks, the more amused and irritated I get.
If I don’t get away from here anytime soon, I’m going to throw a punch at him. He’s stepping on my very last nerves.
I take two steps closer to him with a very dry smile on my lips. I hate the smell of cigarettes coming from his breath. It’s choking me, but I have to pass my warning.
“I’m not surprised by what you did today, LLoyd. You don’t care about Alpha Jayce, you don’t care about the Supreme Luna, but you pretend like you do in the presence of the Alpha. I can see right through you and let me assure you that the time will come when I will expose your true nature to Alpha Jayce. So watch your back, because I’ve got eyes on you.” I step back and give him a tight smile. If looks could kill, I’d be dead and buried by now.
I’m not afraid of LLoyd one bit. He might be one rank ahead of me, but that’s not enough reason for me to fear him. He’s a sketchy person. He’s selfish and he’s good at hiding it, but I’m Reed, I have a gift for reading people’s true natures.
“Don’t start a war you won’t win, Reed. I’m warning you.” I don’t say anything to him. I calmly shake my head and walk away. I find the nearest trash can and throw the packet of cigarettes in it.
The next person I have on my list to warn is that good for nothing bastard called Jovan.
I can bet my life he’s the one who sent those snakes.
When I get into the banquet hall, I spot him seated on a table for five with four other guys. They are drinking and laughing like something didn’t go wrong in this hall a while ago.
I walk over to the table with an eternal frown masked on my face. When I arrive, they all turn to look at me.
“What do you want?” Jovan asks in a bored tone. His face looks very inviting for punching.
“Leave us.”
Two words from me and the sound of chairs screeching on the tiled floor floods the entire banquet hall. The four other guys quietly rise to their feet and walk away. It’s just Jovan and I now at the table. I pull out a seat and sit opposite him. I place both hands on the table and intertwine my fingers, my eyes not leaving his face.
“You must think you are some powerful man in this castle.”
“I am.” I say proudly. “Didn’t you just witness my display of power? Smooth, wasn’t it?” I flash him a smile. He scoffs and drinks more wine from his glass. My eyes have still not left his face.
Once he sets his glass down, he leans on the backrest of the chair and loosens his tie.
“How is your bite coming along?”
“It’s healing. I can see your bruises healed already. Your black eye however still looks ugly.” He rolls his eyes and shoots me a deadly look.
“Why are you here?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” I lean forward and give him a serious look. He looks uncomfortable.
Afraid, if I may say.
He doesn’t like the fact I’m sitting this close to me.
He’s scared of me.
“I think you know why I’m here.”
“You think I sent those snakes?” He asks and chuckles.
“I know you sent those snakes.”
“You think I’ll stoop so low.”
“You are stooping way lower now that you are trying to deny it.” He bangs the table hard, the glass and bottles dance for a while. The entire hall goes dead silent. Everyone is looking at us.
“You’ve done what you know how to do best, drag attention to yourself. Bravo.”
“I’m done talking with you.” He tries to stand up, but I pin his hand on the table. He tries to seize it, but he can’t even bulge. He looks at me in shock.
“How…”
“How is this possible?” I ask with a sly smile. “How is a mere Omega able to stop you from moving?” He doesn’t say anything. He keeps looking at me with horror filled eyes. The smile on my face fades. “You’ll find out why this is possible in due time. For now, I want you to know something. I know you did this. You tried to harm Luna Alora.” He attempts to seize his hand once more, but I hold it tight. The glasses and bottles on the table rattle and everyone is still looking at us. They must be wondering what’s going on. “I’m warning you Jovan, if you ever try to pull a stunt like this again, I won’t take it easy with you….”
“Let me go…”
“If you don’t shut up. If you don’t cease resisting me. I will pull your tongue out of your mouth, drag it around your neck and strangle you with it.” His body tenses. He stops resisting. “Now that’s better.” There’s fear in his eyes. He looks like he’s going to melt anytime soon. “Like I was saying, if you dare try to harm Luna Alora again, I will kill you and I don’t care if you are the late Alpha’s whoreson, I will fucking kill you!” I let go of his hand. He quickly pulls it away and pushes his chair backwards. He tries to rise to his feet, but he loses his balance and falls back to the chair. I give him an amused look.
I had no idea my words were going to scare him that much.
He finally manages to stay on his feet when he stands up and rushes out of the hall at the speed of light. I chuckle and cross my arms over my chest.
I should do this more often.
I’m about to stand up and leave as well when my cell phone starts ringing in my tux jacket. I take it out and answer the call.
“Alpha Jayce.” I call calmly.
“Can we have a drink together?” His raspy voice comes through.
He sounds worried.
I quickly rise from the chair and head out the hall. I hope everything is alright.