Ruthless Deception| ✓

》22

"How are you feeling?" Jay asked me as I walked into the kitchen. Today was coronation today. Everyone was on edge today. "I'm fine," I truthfully say with an exhausted sigh. It hasn't been the best morning ever. Thankfully, when I did my morning routine before lazily making my way to the kitchen, Evander was nowhere to been seen. "Are you nervous?"I asked him seeing that he was going to take our father's position today. Something he has been preparing for years. He should be nervous. "Yes," he says without a second thought and I grinned at him. "You're going to do great things with William," I convincingly stated.

"I know," he proudly smiled. They both have worked extremely hard for this. "Where is Seb?" I asked. Sebastian and Ethan are the royal gamma's sons. Since Sebastian is the oldest he will be the one taking his father's place today. "With his parents, they're having a moment," he shrugged and gulped his coffee.

_♤_

My dress was beautifully made just for me. It made me feel good about myself as I was covered in diamonds as the stone fabric hugged my body perfectly like a second skin, showing off all the curves I had to offer. The open part that started between my collarbones and ended below my belly button showed off the curves of my breasts without exposing too much. The long dress was considered absolutely perfect and I felt like it was too beautiful to be worn by me but then I chose to be selfish.

There was a knock on my bedroom door and I turn around to see Renee dressed in a white floral and diamond dress. It was coronation day, all pack members were told to wear white since it symbolized purity, the moon, and new beginnings. She looked absolutely beautiful. "You look amazing," we both way at the same time. We laugh at the coincidence before sobering ourselves. "Are you excited about tonight? There is going to be a dance afterward," she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I guess...you know I love to dress up fancy," I winked at her before turning around and applying the last coat of mascara before we walked outside. Renee and I walked down the stairs and it felt like a reoccurrence as Evander stood at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes slowly raking my body up and down, settling on the curves of my body and maybe the exposed skin I was showing off. Nevertheless, my skin felt heated and my heart fluttered and I bloody hated it. I'm supposed to hate him, a lot. What's wrong with me?

"Do you think it looks good with these white heels?" Renee asked, completely oblivious as Evander and I continued to stare at each other. I noticed he was wearing a white tuxedo and I couldn't help but admit that he looked incredibly hot in tuxedos. It's my favorite thing to see him in now. "Hm?" I asked, turning my attention back to Renee as we walked down the stairs. "White heels?" She repeated and I nodded," it looks fine," I assure her, and I wasn't lying.

_♤_

The coronation was one of the happiest events the pack has ever had. Everyone was so happy to finally see Prince William become King. Now we were at the small hall with live music playing, mates dancing and others sitting around the table like myself, Renee and Iris. I felt bad that I disliked Iris but she was truly an amazing person. She had a positive and happy aura and she knew all the right things to talk about. However, her dress was off-shoulder showing off the two small dark teeth marks. I didn't feel hurt or depressed when I saw it anymore. That was an addition to being his mate but now that I'm rejected, I'm not supposed to feel hurt.

So someone tells me why I feel annoyed and hurt every time I saw the mark or her and Evander chatting away all day?

"Iris, do you mind if I dance with Rieka for a bit? I have something to talk to her about," Evander spoke, taking me by surprise. Iris stays quiet and they both oddly shared a look which made me more confused. "Of course," she finally says with a huge plastered smile. Evander stood and walked in front of me, his hand out for me to take. "What makes you think I'll dance with you?" I asked, not caring that Iris and Renee heard me. "Stop being stubborn, doctor knight," Evander suggested. I thought about it and I wanted to know why he wanted to dance in the first place so I huffed and annoyingly placed my hand in his. Evander guides us to the middle of the dance floor as another slow song started. "I thought we made a deal, remember?" I remind him as my hand rope around his neck and his gently placed on my hips.

"I know but I had to ask you an important question. Does the name Chansler mean anything to you?" Evander bluntly asked as we moved around slowly, copying the movement of the people around us. However, this question took me by surprise seeing that it was the name of my birth father. "How do you know him?" I asked, becoming more and more confused by the second. "I don't, I've just heard your name, and his in the same sentence around the castle, that's all," he simply answered and shrugged his shoulders. My eyes narrowed up at him and I wondered why the hell he was lying. "You're lying, why?" I asked as I studied his features, almost forgetting what I was asking when I looked at his eyes for too long.

"I'm seriously not," he bluntly said. No one ever speaks about him. That was twenty years ago and the only ones that know about him besides my family are the king. Well, the previous king. "You're lying, Alpha Evander," I repeated as my heart continued to thump harshly in my chest. "I'm not though, this was a mistake," his hand dropped from my body and before I can realize what was going on he was already pushing past people to leave. I frown, replaying the conversation over and over. How the hell did he know my father?

When I realized I was frozen in the middle of the dance floor during a slow song, I carefully made my way back to the table. "Beta Jayden," I grinned at my brother before pulling us together and giving him a very tight hug. "I'm so proud of you," I admitted truthfully. "Thank you, sis," he commented as well pulled away.

Evander Rowan

Any words in the book would be an understatement for how I felt watching her all night. It was like the ball all over again. God, I didn't think I knew what jealousy felt like until I met Rieka. She managed to make me weak and jealous just by dancing with another male that night. And the part that shocked me that it wasn't even the mate bond. I still couldn't keep my eyes off her and I wanted to always be around her. But I can't let those silly thoughts get to me, right?

The more I thought about Chansler the more I became confused. I knew her parents knew him well but this crap went down when I was a little toddler and Rieka wasn't when born yet. So how the hell are they involved? She was connected to him somehow and how do I find out how without hurting her pretty little head?

Rieka Knight

"Hey, guys!" Our heads turned to William who was approaching us with two wine bottles in his hands. "I've booked some club that Renee really likes to ourselves, let's go!" He cheered taking us all by surprise. "What?" Jayden and I say at the same time. "Come on! I'm being serious. The entire club is booked for the night and all drinks are free," William annoyingly answered. Mikey did mention that he was working alone tonight. I was too busy to question it when he said see you later as well. I zoned out while everyone agreed and picked themselves up as we made our way to the exit for the actual after party.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

•••

Sorry, this chapter was all over the place, what do you think about it though?

All I can say for the next chapter is that something is about to go down ;)