chapter 78
Tori's POV:
Hannah's hasty introduction still echoed in my ears, her seemingly innocent suggestion that we "get to know each other" laced with an undercurrent of malice I couldn't ignore.
"So, Tori Sullivan," Garrett's voice slithered closer as he edged toward me, his cologne overwhelming my sensitive nose. "I've heard... interesting things about you."
I stared at the man before me, immediately deciding I wanted nothing to do with whatever scheme Hannah had concocted.
"I'm sorry, but I have friends waiting for me inside," I said firmly, not bothering with pleasantries as I moved toward the balcony doors. "I need to get back."
Garrett smoothly stepped into my path, blocking my exit with his broad shoulders.
"Why rush? Hannah mentioned you might appreciate some... company." His gaze traveled down my body, lingering in ways that made my wolf Tracy growl defensively.
"It's not every day an Omega like you gets invited to a Grayson event."
The implication in his words hit me like a slap.
My stomach turned as I realized what Hannah had done—she hadn't just introduced me to a random guest; she was trying to set me up as some desperate Omega looking for attention from any willing male.
The sheer cruelty of it stunned me. I'd known she disliked me, but to go this far? To essentially offer me up like some commodity to a stranger?
Tracy snarled in our shared consciousness, her anger mirroring my own.
My fingers curled into fists at my sides as I struggled to maintain my composure.
"You misunderstand, I'm only here to attend a party," I said coldly, straightening my spine. "I have no other intentions, and I certainly don't want to get entangled with you. Now if you'll excuse me—"
His hand shot out, gripping my wrist.
"You should be grateful for my attention. An Omega with your... history doesn't get many offers."
I stared at his hand on my wrist, then raised my eyes to meet his.
"This is Grayson territory," I said quietly, each word clear as crystal. "Are you really sure you want to touch me here?"
He laughed, the sound grating against my nerves.
"What, you think they care about an Omega? " His grip tightened.
My stomach lurched with disgust as he leaned closer, his free hand reaching for my neck.
The nauseating scent of his cologne mixed with something sour in his natural odor made me recoil. I jerked away violently, twisting my wrist to break his grip.
"Don't touch me," I hissed, my lip curling in revulsion.
"I promise to be gentle," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "Consider this a gift."
In that moment, Tracy surged forward in my mind, our instincts perfectly aligned.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the cup of hot tea from the nearby table and flung it directly into his face.
Garrett's eyes flashed with fury as he wiped tea from his face, his features contorting with rage.
"You little bitch," he snarled, his Beta nature emerging as his canines elongated. "Hannah was right about you—wild and dangerous. I'll teach you respect."
As he lunged forward, I braced myself, desperately looking for anything else I could use as a weapon.
Two months, I thought suddenly. My mandatory restriction from shifting had ended exactly two weeks ago.
I didn't care anymore about the social catastrophe of shifting at a formal Grayson event. I refused to be a victim again.
As Garrett closed in, I felt the familiar burn begin in my spine, the precursor to transformation.
Tracy surged forward in our shared consciousness, eager for release after years of suppression.
A low growl rumbled from my chest—not human at all—as my eyes began to shift, my vision sharpening as silver replaced brown.
The first bones in my hands began to crack, preparing to reshape themselves.
"Back. Off." My voice had dropped to an inhuman register, the words barely intelligible through partially transformed vocal cords.
Garrett's eyes widened momentarily before his expression twisted into a cruel smirk.
"An Omega thinking she can challenge me?" He laughed, the sound grating against my enhanced hearing. "Know your place, little wolf. You're nothing but—"
I didn't let him finish. Tracy's rage fueled my movements as I surged forward with unexpected speed.
My partially transformed hand connected with his chest, sending him flying backward with force that surprised even me. He crashed into the balcony's glass table, shattering it into a thousand glittering pieces that caught the moonlight like falling stars.
The sound of breaking glass echoed through the night air, cutting through the music and conversation inside.
Suddenly, all activity at the doors ceased as dozens of shocked faces turned toward us. Garrett lay sprawled among the glass shards, his expression stunned as he struggled to process how an Omega had just thrown him across the balcony.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the gathering crowd.
"She attacked him!"
"An Omega just took down a male..."
"Did you see that?" a woman gasped.
"Her fur... it's silver-white!" another voice exclaimed.
"An Omega with Arctic coloring? That's impossible..."
Then the atmosphere changed.
"What is happening here?"
The regal, commanding voice cut through the murmurs like a silver blade.
The crowd parted immediately as Elizabeth Grayson glided onto the balcony, her white-gold hair gleaming under the moonlight, her presence silencing every whisper.
Tracy retreated within me, our shared panic forcing the transformation to reverse.
Painful cracking sounds filled the air as my bones reshifted, fur receding into skin, leaving me standing there in my now-rumpled dress, feeling like a child caught misbehaving.
Elizabeth's piercing gaze swept over the scene—Garrett sprawled among glass shards, the shattered table, my disheveled appearance.
I lowered my eyes, unable to face her directly, waiting for the inevitable judgment.
"Oh my goodness, Tori!" Fiona's voice cut through the tense silence as she pushed to the front of the crowd, her hand protectively cradling her barely-visible pregnancy.
Her eyes widened with exaggerated shock. "What happened? How did you end up out here alone with Garrett?"
The emphasis she placed on 'alone' was unmistakable, dripping with insinuation. Her concerned expression didn't reach her eyes, which gleamed with malicious delight.
"I—" I started, but words failed me as I spotted Hannah lingering at the edge of the gathering.
Her lips were curved in a satisfied smile, eyes bright with triumph as she watched her plan unfold.
Something cold and painful twisted in my chest as our eyes met briefly.
I would never understand how she could hate me so completely—her own daughter.
What kind of mother orchestrated public humiliation for their child? What had I ever done to deserve such calculated cruelty?