Chapter 5

Skylar.

Capri moved first. She stepped directly into my path before I could get Isla turned toward the dance floor, her earlier smugness gone, replaced by something far more dangerous.

My mind was still catching up to the last five minutes, still reeling from the fact that I hadn’t seen this coming, hadn’t had a single second to prepare Isla or myself. I hadn’t asked Genesis for a guest list, because I didn’t think I’d need it.

“How old is she?” Capri demanded.

“Excuse me?” I said, pulling Isla slightly behind me.

“You heard me. How old?”

“Move.” I said, glaring at her.

“Not until you answer me.”

“That is none of your business.”

“It’s very much my business.” Capri snapped, loud enough that heads three tables over started turning. “You disappeared from Thornwood the same week Jameson rejected you. That little girl looks about six years old to me. Do the math, Skylar, or should I do it for the whole room?”

Whispers moved through the nearest guests, conversation dying as more wolves turned to watch. Somewhere behind me, I heard a champagne glass set down too hard against a table.

My pulse spiked, but I kept my face still. “You’re making a scene at a charity gala over a child’s age. I’d think about how that looks before you keep going.”

“Were you already pregnant?” Capri pressed, stepping closer. “The night of the rejection. Were you carrying his pup and you left without telling anyone?”

Isla’s hand tightened around mine, her small body pressing into my side, and I felt her fear spike through our bond sharp enough to make my wolf snarl beneath my skin. I opened my mouth to tell her to back off, but someone else beat me to it.

“Capri.” Jameson snapped, his voice low. “Stop.”

“Stop? She’s been hiding your pup for six years and you want me to stop?”

“I said stop.”

Genesis appeared at my elbow before I could answer either of them, sliding smoothly between me and the growing cluster of onlookers. “This way,” she murmured, already guiding Isla toward the side corridor with a hand on her shoulder. “Now, Skylar.”

I scooped Isla up onto my hip, ignoring the way half the room had gone quiet, boring holes into my back, and followed Genesis through the nearest door before Capri could plant herself in front of me a second time.

Isla’s small arms wrapped tight around my neck, her breath heavy against my shoulder. “Mommy, why is everyone looking at us?”

“They're not.” I lied, pushing through the door. “Grown-ups are just loud sometimes. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

The corridor beyond the ballroom was blessedly empty, cool stone and low light after the crush of candles and perfume inside. Isla buried her face in my shoulder, and I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, murmuring something soft and meaningless just to hear myself sound calm for her sake.

“I’ve got her.” Genesis said quietly, reaching out. “Let me take her to the car. You look like you need a minute. I am sure the attendees will understand, don’t worry about that.”

I hesitated, but Isla was already reaching for Genesis, more comfortable with her. I pressed one more kiss to her hair and let her go.

“I'll be right behind you.” I promised.

Genesis had barely rounded the corner with Isla when I heard heels striking hard against the floor behind me.

“We’re not finished.” Capri said.

I turned slowly. “I think we are.”

“You think you can just waltz back into this alliance with his pup on your hip and act like none of this concerns you?” Capri’s eyes were wild now, all pretense of composure gone. “You planned this. Building your little empire right at the edge of Thornwood territory, funding this exact gala, knowing exactly who’d be in that room tonight.”

“I planned a company.” I said. “You’re the one who apparently can't stop thinking about me.”

“This isn’t a joke, Skylar. You’re trying to use that child to crawl your way back into a bond that isn’t yours anymore. This isn’t your home anymore.”

“I never wanted your bond.” I said. “I had it for eleven years before you decided you wanted it more than I ever did. You can keep it. I don’t want a single piece of what you fought so hard to steal.”

“Then why show up tonight? Why not just stay hidden in Ravenshollow like you have been for six years?”

“You think I was hiding? I don’t hide, Capri.” I said. “Not from Thornwood, not from Jameson, and certainly not from you.”

“Shut the hell up, Skylar. You don’t hide? Then why disappear for six years? You even left your poor father to suffer, all because you are a coward. Trying to scheme your way back into my family? I will never let that happen, bitch! Are you so desperate for his love that you kept his child? You make me sick!”

“Say that again.”

Capri faltered, just slightly, but pushed forward anyway. “You heard me.”

“I heard you accuse me of scheming while standing in the exact hallway you followed me into.” I said. “Think very carefully about which one of us is actually scheming.”

“I built Moonveil Remedies from nothing while you were busy tanking your own mate’s career.” I said. “I have never once, in six years, tried to contact Jameson. I didn’t tell him about Isla. I didn’t ask him for a single coin beyond what he already signed away. The only person in this corridor scheming for anything is you, and you’re doing a spectacular job proving it in public.”

I stepped past her, done giving her any more of my time than she’d already stolen.

My heels clicked calmly against the stone floor, even though every instinct in me wanted to break into a run and get back to Isla as fast as my legs would carry me.

“This isn't over.” Capri called after me, voice shaking. “I’ll make sure everyone in that ballroom knows exactly what you did. Who even knows if she is Jameson’s child. You probably adopted someone or got pregnant for a low class man, just like you. I’ll make sure everyone knows that.”

“Go ahead.” I said, still walking. “Tell them whatever story makes you feel better tonight. I’ll still be standing here tomorrow, and so will my company, and so will my daughter. Can you say the same about your mating?”

I still didn’t turn around. “Do your worst, Capri. It’s not going to be the first time you’ve humiliated yourself in front of many people.”

I made it two more steps before I heard her sharp intake of breath behind me, and something about the sound made every hair on my arms rise.