Maisie

It should have been perfect.

I was the center of attention. Under the spotlight with an amazing guy who seemed really into me. I felt pure delight as Lyon’s hands closed around my waist, lifting me up as he spun me, grinning fiercely as I held his shoulder laughing.

Whenever I can manage it during the turns, I glance around quickly to see if Soren Black is anywhere nearby.

And eventually, yes, I feel someone’s eyes on me . . . I feel him looking. I feel them all looking.

But at some point, I stopped caring.

I didn’t give a rat’s ass about anyone else, or the dozen others who had taken to the dance floor around us. Tonight was for me.

Lyon’s lips against my ear as he told me, "You are simply dazzling, Mace."

A flush rose up my neck and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. "You’re only saying that because of the change in appearance. And because Jenny probably told you to do this."

He pulled back, fingers curling low on my back. His brown eyes were wide, his pupils lightly dilated. "Bright Eyes," he started. "What if I told you that I–"

I was yanked out of Lyon’s grasp before he could finish.

And I found myself pressed against Cole’s chest, his eyes darkened and glazed over with fury. "What are you doing?" I whisper-shouted.

But his eyes were on Lyon. "Get lost, half-breed skunk. She’s mine."

A disquiet rippled through the hall. Everyone had noticed. Of course, they had. Cole was the groom!

Lyon’s jaw clenched tight. "Last I checked, your bride is all the way on the other side of the hall, waiting for you. And last I recalled, Maisie Adams doesn’t belong to anyone."

My glance caught across the hall just then. And I saw Soren. He looked deeply amused.

Panic surged in my chest as my gaze caught something else. Lana. She was crossing the hall in quick strides, her face tight with fury. "Cole, let me go–"

He ignored me, his grip tightening even harder as his eyes flared gold. He pulled a deadly Alpha aura that made me weak in the knees and dizzy at the same time. "I will not repeat myself, half-breed. Get. Lost. Or I will rip out your throat."

The Alpha effect was immediate.

Lyon’s shoulders curved inwards and he shuddered. I saw him try to fight the effect of the command and lose. For a moment, his eyes flickered to mine in silent apology, and then, he was gone, lost in the crowd.

Anger tightened my throat and I struggled against Cole. "You do not talk to him like that. You do not get to touch me like this–"

He leaned into me, nostrils flaring. "This is what you wanted, isn’t it?" He grasped the back of my neck and held me in place. His breath stunk of alcohol. "Look alive, Maisie. You got what you wanted. I’ve officially lost my mind."

And then, in front of the entirety of Ashbourne gathered to celebrate his already concluded engagement, and in front of his fiancée who was only a few feet away...

... Cole Hayes pressed his lips against mine.

***

There were a thousand different ways I imagined tonight would go wrong. But I never imagined this. That I would have Cole’s tongue down my throat, and his fingers dragging through my hair.

My eyes widened.

My body became a vessel of pure confusion. On one hand was the matebond flaring to life, wanting me to give into his touch, his kiss. On the other hand, his hands felt... wrong, in a way I couldn’t explain.

I pressed my fingers against his chest to push him off, but his grip only tightened painfully. His tongue pressed against the seam of my lips, forcing his way in.

I was still reeling from it when Cole and I were torn apart.

Lana stood between us, impossibly beautiful in her dress of liquid gold, with her light hair cascading down in teasing waves. But her face was crumpled, her mascara smudged and tear streaks stained her delicate face.

Her chest heaved and her fingers shook. And for one naive second, I thought she might hold Cole responsible for once.

But really, with my terrible luck, I should have known better.

She came at me. It wasn’t elegant. It was erratic, mad. She moved quicker than I could follow, and I barely dodged the slap. Her fingertips snagged on the corner of my mask instead and tore it off my face.

The hall gasped collectively. Those who hadn’t suspected before now knew it was me. Maisie Adams. Scullery maid turned imposter.

"I warned you," she hissed under her breath. "Keep throwing yourself at him like the slut you really are—"

My eyes blazed. "It’s not my fault you can’t keep your raving mad dog from sniffing after me. "

Murmurs broke out across the hall. An insult to the future Alpha was an insult to the pack. I just wished I could buy one more fuck to give at this point.

Lana’s expression changed. It fell into something calm and calculating within the span of seconds and I felt a chill run down my spine when she asked, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Why do you have the Braxton family heirloom around your neck, Maisie?"

My eyes began to seek Regina in the crowd, but I couldn’t find her. I couldn’t find Jenny, either. Speaking of, I hadn’t seen either of them since I walked into the ball.

I felt walls begin to press in around me instead when I saw the guards closing in on me.

"Jenny—"

"That particular piece was reported stolen over three weeks ago from my mother’s jewelry case," Lana echoed. "Along with several other items that have gone missing from the pack house over the past month."

Dread coiled tight in my gut. "It was a gift from Jenny. I have never stolen a single thing in my whole life."

Lana lips curved cruelly. "So, if I am to understand you, the Park half-breed stole the Braxton heirloom and gifted it to you—"

"That is not what I said—"

She shook her head. "I suppose the easiest way to clear this up would be to conduct a search of your quarters."

Alpha Dante stepped out of the crowd. "It is your engagement, Lana. We’d best leave pack affairs for later—"

"Alpha Dante," Beta Braxton cut in. "I’m very much interested in the outcome of this search, considering the maid has connived to ruin my daughter’s day. Let her have this, at least."

My heart thudded rapidly in my chest. I knew they would find nothing, but behind Lana’s ’hurt’ expression was that conspiratorial smile when she thought no one else was looking. It was the same smile she had when she sent false nudes of me to the school board.

Something was deeply wrong, but Alpha Dante nodded grimly towards Reid. "Search her room. Leave not a single stone unturned."