Chapter 4
Skylar.
The Moonlight Alliance Gala filled Ravenshollow’s grand hall with more candlelight than I’d seen in one room since my own mating ceremony, and for one uncomfortable second, standing in the entrance with Isla’s small hand in mine, I hated the coincidence.
Silver banners hung from the rafters, each stamped with the crest of an allied territory. Moonveil’s crescent moon logo sat near the top of the display, right beside the alliance’s own seal.
“You look like you’re about to bolt.” Genesis murmured beside me, adjusting the strap of Isla’s dress before it slipped off one shoulder.
“I’m considering it.”
“The sponsors’ board is watching you from across the room. Please smile.”
I smiled, but it felt like baring teeth.
Isla tugged at my hand, craning her neck to take in the chandeliers, the ice sculptures, the string quartet tuning near the far wall. “Mommy, this is the fanciest place I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s supposed to be.” I said, crouching to fix a strand of hair that had escaped her braid. “You remember what we talked about. Stay close to me or Genesis.”
“I know, I know.” She rolled her eyes with the exact same dramatic flair Audrey used, which meant I had officially lost that battle years ago.
We made it exactly eleven minutes into the reception before Genesis went rigid beside me.
“Skylar.”
I followed her gaze and felt my whole body go still. Jameson stood near the champagne table in black, and even six years and an entire life away from Thornwood hadn’t dulled the way my chest recognized him before the rest of me caught up.
Beside him, Capri wore deep red, a mated wolf’s confidence sitting on her. Neither of them had spotted us yet.
“We can take the side entrance.” Genesis said quietly. “Skip the receiving line entirely.”
“I’m the lead sponsor, like you said. I’m not hiding at my own event.”
“Skylar, your daughter is right here.”
“I know.” I said, and kept walking toward the sponsors’ table instead of away from it.
It took less than five minutes for Jameson to find me anyway.
“Skylar.”
I turned, my expression cold. “Alpha Shaw. I didn’t realize Thornwood was invited this year.”
“We’re a founding territory of the alliance.” He said. “You know that.”
“I know a lot of things,” I said. “Doesn’t mean I have to enjoy running into them at a gala.”
Capri stepped up beside him, her arms crossing, eyes raking over me with the kind of assessment that used to make my skin crawl and now just made me tired. “You’ve done well for yourself. This whole event was funded by your company, I hear.”
“Thank you. I’ve heard a lot about you two as well.” I said. “One of them about your Council bid failing spectacularly last spring.”
Jameson’s jaw tightened. Capri’s smile didn’t change, but I could tell she was furious.
“You always did enjoy other people’s failures.” She said.
“Only the ones people bring on themselves.”
“Careful.” Jameson said, low. “You’ve made your point. It’s best if you leave it.”
“I haven’t even started making my point.” I said, turning to face him fully. “But I’m sure you’d rather I stop before I get to the part where your Council seat fell apart the same year your mate started making enemies.”
“That’s not fair.” Capri snapped, making people glance at us.
“Fair?” I repeated. “You want to talk about fair, in front of me? Please, Capri. You deserved what you got. Both of you.”
I watched the guilt flicker across Jameson’s face.
“You don’t get to lecture me about fairness.” I added. “Not while you’re standing there beside my vomit. Thank you so much for picking my trash, Capri. We have to keep the earth clean, and you are doing a great job.”
“Must be nice,” Capri said coldly, “building this whole little empire out here where nobody asks questions about who you actually are or where you came from, because you are scared of what that would do to your reputation. You can’t run away forever, Skylar. You are a coward.”
“It is nice, actually.” I said. “Everyone here knows exactly who I am. My name’s on half the banners in this room. You should try building something yourself sometime, instead of just marrying into other people’s titles.”
Capri’s mouth opened, her face twisting in anger. Genesis, to her enormous credit, kept her face perfectly neutral, though I could feel the satisfaction radiating off her anyway.
Jameson’s eyes flicked past my shoulder, and whatever he saw made his whole posture change, shoulders squaring like he’d caught a scent on the wind.
“Is that?” He started.
I turned in time to see Isla break away from Genesis’s side, dress swishing around her knees, weaving between guests.
“Mommy, look what I found!” She called, holding up a small chocolate truffle shaped like a crescent moon, utterly unbothered by the people surrounding her. “Can I have it? The lady at the table said I could ask you first.”
I crouched automatically, reaching for her, my whole focus narrowing to my daughter’s face.
“Of course, baby. Just one, though, and don’t stain your dress. It’d be hard to wash off later.” She nodded, giving me a bright smile.
It wasn’t until I straightened again that I registered the silence.
Jameson hadn’t moved. He stood frozen, staring down at Isla, his eyes wide. I knew I couldn’t lie my way through this. She had his eyes, his jawline, she was his replica.
If I lie, I’d have to explain why my daughter looks like him. If I don’t lie, he might try to take her away from me. And I wasn’t going to let that happen.
Capri followed his stare down to my daughter’s face, and whatever she saw wiped the smugness clean off her own.
Around us, a few guests had already started to notice something was wrong, conversations trailing off mid-sentence as heads turned toward our circle.
Isla, oblivious to all of it, tugged my sleeve and pointed at the string quartet. “Mommy, can we dance?”