Chapter 164
Freya’s POV
Without a word, Jasper reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crisp handkerchief, offering it to me across the table. The gesture was so unexpected that I stared at it for a moment before accepting it.
"Your brother sounds like a pragmatic wolf," Jasper commented, his tone casual though his eyes held an uncharacteristic softness. "What happened to him after your family's... difficulties?"
I dabbed at my eyes with the handkerchief, taking a deep breath to compose myself. "I don't know," I admitted. "We were separated when my family was accused. I haven't seen him since."
My fingers tightened around the handkerchief as another wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm me. "He was the heir to Riley Enterprises. He should have taken over after our father. Instead, he just... vanished."
Jasper studied me for a long moment, something unreadable passing across his features. He seemed on the verge of saying something important, then appeared to reconsider.
"Eat," he repeated, his voice a fraction gentler than before. "We have a long evening ahead."
I nodded, carefully folding the handkerchief and setting it beside my plate, grateful for the momentary kindness from the Alpha who was using me as a pawn in his game with Thorne.
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The Howling Hall was the grandest venue in Silverstone territory—a sprawling structure of stone and glass built into the side of a hill overlooking the city. As our car pulled up to the entrance, I felt my anxiety spike, my wolf pacing restlessly beneath my skin.
"Remember," Jasper murmured as he helped me from the car, "you are Mia Porter tonight—a talented designer recently hired by Stone Group. You have nothing to hide and nothing to fear."
His hand rested lightly at the small of my back as we ascended the steps, a clear signal to everyone watching that I was under his protection. The massive doors swung open, revealing a glittering crowd of wolves dressed in their finest attire.
The moment we entered, I felt dozens of eyes turn in our direction. Beta wolves instinctively sniffed the air, trying to place my scent, my pack, my bloodline. Thanks to the heavy perfume Vanessa had applied and the lingering trace of Jasper's scent mark, they seemed confused—able to detect that I was a Beta, but unable to identify anything more specific.
"Alpha Stone," a distinguished older Beta greeted Jasper with a respectful nod before turning curious eyes to me. "And who is your lovely companion this evening?"
"This is Mia Porter," Jasper replied smoothly, his hand still resting possessively on my back. "She's a recent addition to Stone Group's design team. Her work has already impressed our most demanding clients."
The Beta's eyes widened with interest. "How fortunate for Stone Group to discover such talent. Welcome, Ms. Porter."
As Jasper guided me deeper into the hall, I overheard whispered conversations:
"She looks familiar... where have I seen her before?"
"Must be quite talented if Alpha Stone is personally introducing her..."
"So young to be working at Stone Group... I wonder what connections she has..."
Jasper leaned close, his breath warm against my ear. "You're causing quite a stir," he murmured, satisfaction evident in his voice. "Just as I expected."
Before I could respond, a group of Beta executives approached, eager to meet the mysterious new designer who had captured their Alpha's attention. Jasper introduced me smoothly, embellishing my credentials with just enough truth to make the fiction believable.
I played my part, smiling and responding graciously to their questions about my design philosophy and background. The years of social training from my family hadn't completely abandoned me, and I found myself falling back on the polite, engaging persona I'd cultivated in my former life.
The evening progressed smoothly, with more wolves approaching to introduce themselves. I was just beginning to relax when a sudden hush fell over the room. The crowd near the entrance parted, and the scent hit me before I saw them—mint and metal, the unmistakable presence of Alpha Thorne Grey.
My entire body went rigid. Next to him, elegant in a silver-gray gown that mirrored my own in an eerie coincidence, stood Kaelin Brooks.
Jasper tensed beside me, his surprise evident only to someone standing as close as I was. He quickly masked it with a cool smile.
"Well, well," he said, loud enough to carry across the now-silent room. "It seems Grey Moon Pack is also interested in our little gathering, even without an invitation."
Thorne's expression remained impassive, but his eyes scanned the room systematically—searching. When they landed on me, I saw the shock register, a flash of gold illuminating his irises for a split second before he controlled it.
Panic flooded my system. I turned away sharply, my instincts screaming at me to run, to hide, to escape those penetrating golden eyes.
"I need to leave," I whispered urgently to Jasper. "Now."
Jasper's hand caught my elbow, his grip firm but not painful. "Are you going to run from him forever?" he asked, his voice low and challenging. "If he won't let you go, let him see that you've moved on without him."
His words penetrated my fear. I hesitated, caught between flight and confrontation.
"Let him see that you're respected here," Jasper continued. "That you're a valued designer for our group, not a servant in his manor."
I glanced up to see Thorne still staring in my direction, his face now a mask of controlled fury. Beside him, Kaelin looked shocked, her expression morphing into something between disgust and rage as she recognized me.
My wolf, which had been cowering moments before, suddenly straightened her spine. "No more running", she seemed to say. "We are not prey."
"You're right," I said, taking a deep breath. "I won't run again."
Jasper's smile was triumphant as he placed his hand on the small of my back. "Then let's go greet our unexpected guests, shall we, Ms. Porter?"
The walk across the ballroom felt endless. Each step brought me closer to Thorne—to the Alpha who had sentenced me to exile, who had hired me as a servant in his own home, who had awakened feelings in me I'd fought desperately to suppress.
Jasper's presence beside me was both reassuring and calculated. I knew he was using me as a pawn in whatever game he was playing with Thorne, but at this moment, our interests aligned.
We stopped a few feet from Thorne and Kaelin, the four of us creating an island of tension in the sea of curious onlookers.
"Alpha Thorne," Jasper greeted, his tone perfectly balanced between courtesy and challenge. "This is an unexpected pleasure. I wasn't aware you'd received an invitation to our little business gathering."