Chapter 67: Shades And Parties

Just as I was about to walk away, a familiar pull brushed the back of my senses. I glanced up and saw Sera and Julian moving slowly down the corridor, heads bent close, voices low. I didn’t need sharp hearing to guess what she was bringing up. The bond. The ceremony. Making it official in the pack’s eyes.I’d known this talk was coming.

Back in the main hall, the energy was thick and restless, like the air right before a storm. Laughter bounced off the walls. Conversations overlapped. This wasn’t just a party it was a gathering of power. Old families. Strong bloodlines. People who mattered.

The Ashbournes rarely stayed in the city, so Lincy didn’t recognize most faces here. She stood stiff in her expensive gown, every movement careful. The dress was flawless, probably custom-made, but it didn’t help. Attention kept drifting back to me.

Every few minutes, someone stopped me. A woman with sharp eyes and sharper instincts. A man whose smile carried calculation. Compliments came easy. Approval came easier. They weren’t admiring my dress they were measuring my place.

I was Mrs. Hale now.

Jeffrey’s word had sealed it. In this city, that meant more than blood ties or overseas influence ever could.

I felt Lincy’s gaze burning into my side. She tried to hide it, but discomfort clung to her like a bad scent. Back there, across the ocean, her status had protected her. Grant’s favor had been enough. Here, it meant nothing. This territory answered to one name only.

And it wasn’t hers.

I could tell she wanted to snap. To push. To bare her teeth in front of everyone and see who flinched. But the space around me was packed. Too many eyes. Too many witnesses. She couldn’t find a clean opening.

So I waited.

I didn’t rush her. I didn’t provoke her.

I trusted instinct. It always delivers.

She stormed over, heels striking the floor too hard, voice pitched just loud enough to turn heads. "My bracelet is gone!"

The sound cut through the room.

Grant, who had been seated beside my mother, stood at once. His brows pulled together. "What now?"

Lincy pressed a hand to her chest, breath shallow, eyes shiny. She knew how to perform. "Dad, it’s the bracelet you gave me for my eighteenth birthday. The one Riley used to beg me for all the time. It’s missing."

Ah.

So that was the angle.

I almost smiled.

She thought sentiment would weaken me. Thought old memories would shake my footing. Maybe she hoped doubt would creep into the room, quiet and poisonous.

I kept my voice even. Calm. "Are you saying I took it?"

She gasped, as if wounded. "No, of course not. I’m just saying I took it off earlier, when I went to the restroom. And I noticed your maid, Jane, leaving around that time. She had something in her hands. It could be nothing. I’m sure it’s just a mistake."

She wasn’t accusing me outright. She was letting others do it for her.

I felt the shift immediately. Subtle. A ripple in the room. Curious glances. Quiet judgment. This was my first public gathering since taking my place beside Lewis. Even a whisper could stain that.

Lincy knew exactly what she was doing.

People edged closer, pretending not to listen. She smiled, gracious and composed. "It’s just a bracelet. Worth maybe a million. No reason to make a fuss. I’ll talk to Jane later."

Her words were smooth. The message underneath was not.

Your house isn’t secure. Your people can’t be trusted. Neither can you.

"Then let’s settle it properly."

Lewis’s voice cut through everything.

He rolled forward, the quiet hum of the chair enough to make the crowd part without being asked. No one met his eyes for long. Power didn’t leave him just because his legs didn’t work.

It never had.

Lincy stiffened. "Mr. Hale, it’s really not "

"Ms. Ashbourne," he said, calm and precise, "if something was taken from you, we’ll investigate. Thoroughly."

He paused.

"But if this accusation has nothing to do with anyone under my roof," he continued, eyes sharp, "then you will apologize to my mate. Publicly."

Silence fell hard.

Every gaze locked onto Lincy.

Grant’s face hardened as he stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. "Let’s calm down. We’re all blood here. There’s no need for apologies. Lincy was only worried. This doesn’t have to turn into something ugly."

Lewis didn’t move. He didn’t raise his voice either, which somehow made it worse.

"She didn’t accuse anyone outright," he said evenly. "But every word she chose pointed in one direction. She brought up Riley’s past. Repeated it. That’s how rumors are born. And once they start, they don’t stop on their own."

His gaze swept the room, sharp and deliberate. "If we don’t clear this now, her name will be dragged through this pack for something she didn’t do. I won’t allow that."

Then he turned slightly. "Theo. Bring Jane."

Theo straightened at once. "Yes, Alpha."

He moved fast, disappearing into the crowd.

The wait was short. Too short for comfort.

Two guards returned instead. One leaned in and spoke quietly, his voice tight. "Sir... something came up."

The shift in his tone rippled through the room. Conversations died. People leaned closer.

Lewis’s eyes narrowed. "Everyone, excuse us. Something private needs handling." Then, without looking at me, "Riley. Stay with me."

I followed without question.

Lincy, of course, couldn’t resist. Her heels clicked as she hurried after us. "Looks like they caught someone," she said loudly, feeding the tension. "This shouldn’t be hidden. If someone crossed a line, we should all see it."

Grant grabbed her arm. "Enough. You’re making a mess over nothing."

She shook him off. "What if it’s not nothing? What if it’s serious? We should show concern."

She didn’t wait for an answer.

And just like that, the rest followed.

As we walked, I leaned slightly toward Lewis, lips curving. "This night really took a turn, didn’t it?"

He answered by squeezing my hand, brief but firm.

I pulled away quickly, pretending I didn’t feel it. Lately, he’d been closer. Too close. And every touch stayed with me longer than it should have. It unsettled me in ways I wasn’t ready to name.

We stopped near the old tool shed at the edge of the grounds. It was barely used now. Inside was a narrow wooden bed meant for workers to rest during long days.

The walls were thin.

And the sounds spilling out were anything but subtle.

Low. Desperate. Uncontrolled.

The air shifted.

Lewis’s expression turned hard. "Who thought this was acceptable on my land?" he said coldly. "Theo. Open it."

As Theo stepped forward, Lincy laughed, still blind to what was coming. "Wow. I didn’t know your place hosted secret after-parties. Fancy out here, wild back there."

I lowered my voice, feigning worry. "Lincy... don’t those voices sound familiar? One of them sounds a lot like your future mate."

She scoffed. "Please. You’re reaching. Yenik wouldn’t " She waved a hand. "We’re solid. Don’t project just because you’re bitter."

Then

Click.

The door swung open. Theo shone a light inside.

The power had been cut earlier. No warning. No escape.

The beam landed on Camilla first, sprawled on the bed, eyes unfocused.

Then it moved.

Yenik.

Bare. Disoriented. Still caught in the act. He lifted an arm to shield his eyes, growling low, confused by the sudden light.

Gasps tore through the crowd.

I covered my mouth, stepping back in mock shock. "Oh no... Lincy. Isn’t that your fiancé? You two were supposed to be mated soon, right?"

Silence.

Lincy stood frozen, face draining of color. Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened as reality finally sank its claws in.

Then she screamed.