Chapter 13 Campaign grounds

Chapter 13 Campaign grounds
CHAPTER 12
BLAIR POINT OF VIEW
"This is what I do for a living, Ronan,” I announced confidently. “Run your brother's campaign. You're a business mogul,you can help out with votes.”

He stared at me for a while, but as usual, he didn't say a word. I couldn't tell what that meant. A yes? Or a no?

Either way, I told him to take me back to where he had brought me from. I would be leaving this evening whether anyone liked it or not. I hate this place as much as I hate the Nightshade pack now.

After a few minutes, we finally arrived at the spot where his bike was parked. He handed me the helmet.

“Won't you go see your father?” Ronan asked softly. I shook my head. “No, I'm not ready for that reunion right now. Take me to the campaign grounds, I need something to take my mind off everything happening.”

Ronan didn't say a word,he just hopped on his Harley, turned on the engine, and signaled me to hop in, which I did.

As he drove me out, I kept thinking of my father and my cousins. Our house was just a stone's throw away from this playground, but I'm not ready to see their faces. Those fake smiles or those guilty expressions. I'm not ready to hug them and pretend that I'm not hurt.

Though I heard my dad remarried. He waited for years, hoping the moon goddess would give him another mate since his first died, but she didn't. Or perhaps she had plans to, but he was tired of waiting and hoping, so he took in another she-wolf.

He sent emails and even physical letters to me, which I read, but I pretended not to have seen them. He sent the Alpha's king's advisor to come over to the pack, but each time he came, I made sure to avoid him by all means. I didn't go,well, they didn't need me there.

I was out of his sight, so it was okay for him to remarry without fear that I'd get mistreated by his new wife.

A few minutes later, we arrived at the gate, and Ronan stopped his bike in front of the pack hall.

“No one is allowed in here, Mr. Ronan,” one of the Alpha's agents said immediately after Ronan parked his bike.

I walked forward. “Tell the Alpha Blair Knowles is here,” I said to him, and his eyes flicked to my face immediately.

I noticed his initial hesitation—of course, just what I’d expected.

The name makes everyone nervous. Blair Knowles is no longer the girl who avoids people to escape mockery for the death of her mother; she's now the one everyone tries not to have a case against.

Because you'll always lose once it's against me.

The man shuddered back for a second, then walked over to his colleague.

They whispered a few words to each other and then spared me another nervous glance.

Of course they needed to. Having not just the Luna of the Nightshade pack, but also one of the most sought-after attorneys standing here felt surreal.

The next moment, both of them hurried back. “Sorry, Ms. Blair, for stalling you here,” he said, his lips curving into an anxious smile. “You can go in now. Welcome to the pack, ma'am.”

I ignored the compliments and walked into the hall with Ronan.

We took the back route so we wouldn't disrupt anything they were doing.

Once I walked in, I settled in the back seat. The pack hall wasn't what I remembered.

It's nothing like what it used to be a few years ago. The old stone and wood meeting room has been replaced by something straight out of a corporate headquarters.

Now there are sleek glass walls, polished steel beams, and bright led lights that hum softly overhead.

Massive digital screens line the front wall, displaying the pack campaign slogans.

I glanced across the rows, each one occupied by pack members hunched over tablets, laptops, and piles of data sheets.

I remember a few times when I came into this pack hall—not that kids weren't allowed, but I didn't love being seen. I'd rather sneak in here in the middle of the night or very early, or when the hall was locked up.

Locked up doesn't mean that I can't come in; Ronan can open any door. I really don't know how he does that, but he opened the doors for me each time I needed to sneak in here.

I sat at the back and listened to the lady managing the campaign do her job.

Mediocre as usual, but I chose not to interfere.

It's not my place to do so, I just watched in internal disgust at how mediocre the whole setup and plans were.

With this?.......I shook my head. They'll surely lose the elections with this.

Quite unfortunate that Dominus would have the presidential seat again.

It would be such a landslide victory.

I was halfway lost in thought—half irritated, half unimpressed when movement near the front of the room caught my attention.

And then I saw him. It was Darius. He was standing near the main stage, tall and composed in a way that an Alpha president should be. The sharp lines of his carefully sculpted face and high cheekbones were striking.

The black shirt he wore was rolled up to his elbows, the sleeves hugging his forearms.

Years have been kind to him. Cruel, maybe, because no one had the right to look that devastatingly gorgeous.

He hadn’t noticed me yet, and I told myself I didn’t care if he did. But the second his head turned, the very moment those eyes locked with mine… something in my chest fluttered.

His expression didn't shift that much his lips only twitched. Darius was always too controlled for that, but I saw the flicker of surprise on his face, the muscle that jumped in his jaw, and the way his fingers stilled around the tablet he’d been holding.

I forced myself to look away, to pretend my heart hadn’t just done that stupid, traitorous skip.

I sat a little straighter, crossed my legs, and pretended to be indifferent.

Ronan leaned toward me. “You good?”

I nodded. “Yes, I am. I'm just disgusted by the mediocrity.”

Ronan chuckled.

Darius watched us from the stage, his eyes never leaving me for even a second.

And somehow, I was glad Ronan didn't notice it.

However, after a few minutes, I was tired of watching them embarrass themselves, so I stood up.

“People won't vote for a single president,” my voice rang out as I walked to the front.

Everyone turned at once, their eyes fixated on me instantly.

The campaign manager, who goes by the name Chloe, turned to me, her face marred by a deep frown.

Of course she knows me,we were called to the bar on the same day.

“The Alpha is married, he is not a single man, Miss Blair,” Chloe forced a fake smile opposing what I have just said.

“Well, it doesn't look like it. I do not see his wife anywhere near him,” I said, intentionally turning around. “And all the interviews I'm seeing on the screen are solo interviews. There's no one with his alleged wife.”

Chloe exhaled. “The Alpha asked that I do it that way.”

“Oh, wow.” My eyes widened slightly, then narrowed to Darius. “Is that so, Alpha?”