Chapter 111
Conrad POV
I'm slowly packing a suitcase for this overnight trip with Cordelia as I can't shake this sense of dread. I haven't felt this since I joined the military and was going to battle in a war zone. This time felt even worse because there was no briefing, no orders, and no plan. I just had to do what she had planned and the thought sickened me.
I carried my suitcase down the stairs to see Cordelia at the bottom practically bouncing with excitement.
"As this is going to be more of an intimate night, I should call you by your first name, handsome". She reaches out to grab the lapels of my suit jacket and pulls me close.
I instantly push her hands off and growl. "No".
"Well it is a good thing I have champagne in the limo so you can loosen up a bit. I have prepared everything so we will have an amazing time and you can see how good we are together". I roll my eyes and storm past her.
She is practically skipping as we go out to the Limo. I don't hold the door open. I don't help her in. I don't acknowledge her. I get in, shut the door behind me, and buckle in. She stands outside like a petulant child. Waiting.
"Aren't you going to be a proper gentleman and open the door for me".
"No".
"Well, I'm not getting in until you start acting as you should".
"Even better. I can have an evening to myself". I couldn't give a fuck about this night but she was getting madder by the second. At least there was some entertainment is pissing her off.
Eventually, someone from her pack saw what was happening and came down to open the door. When she gets inside she is dramatically huffing.
"That was incredibly rude of you".
"Don't care. How far until the first stop".
She suddenly gets all excited again. "I have booked us for lunch at the Grand Country Club so we can meet the most elite people in society. Followed by a booking at the Michelin star restaurant in the city and theatre tickets. We will finish the night in the penthouse suite at the grandest hotel".
I roll my eyes. "How long until we are at our first stop".
"About an hour. It will give us plenty of time to talk".
I reach into my inside pocket pull out headphones put them and select a playlist. I have them loud enough to tone her out and close my eyes to pretend I'm somewhere else.
I open my eyes again when the car slows down and notice we have arrived.
The limo pulls up to the front and the doorman comes and opens the door. Cordelia is out first a makes a big show of exiting. I can already hear gasps of people acknowledging her as she gets out.
She tries to take my arm and I pull away. She leans over and whispers to me, "I am a very big social media influencer will over 2 million followers due to my pedigree. I can open many doors for you and our people handsome".
She knows I can't growl at her in public as there are too many humans around but I glare at her to send the message.
We walk in with me behind her as she is the one who made the reservations. As we are led into the conservatory area I suddenly scent wolves. Was this a secret meeting place for the high society of wolves?
The hostess leads us to a table in the middle so we are front and center of the crowd. The perfect place for Cordelia to play the ground.
The wine comes and we order food. She gets a salad. How predictable. I order pasta.
Cordelia starts to make conversation but I keep my answer short. I barely look at her. This doesn't go unnoticed by the crowd watching. She starts saying things like I am such a tease and reaching over to touch my hand.
To my delight, I start to hear whispers around the restaurant.
"He really can't stand her can he".
"Look how bored he is and how desperate she's acting".
"All the social media posts were right. She has no chance to be Luna Queen".
She hears this and turns around to yell at the wolf.
"WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS".
Oh Goddess she doesn't know about Valerie's sites. I look at her faking concern. "You don't know". I pull out my phone and pass it to her.
She frantically scrolls and her face goes whiter as she reads the posts. Clingy Cordy. Ditzy Delia. Pretentious Princess. They were all followed by pictures of our dates where I was clearly not interested and she was off in her own world. Most are shot from unflattering angles of her. There is even one of her purple hair incidents.
Her face goes red when she sees the picture of Lewana. Loving the pictures and moments between Lewana and me. The ones I had blown up and put around the house. The ravishing rogue. Shining surviving star. Warrior wolf. Luna Queen Lewana. That last one set her off.
"How dare these people speak ill of me. Don't they know that I'm going to be Luna Queen".
A few of the wolves in the restaurant start snickering and trying to hide it.
She frantically turns to me. "Do something. They should be punished for disrespecting me like this".
I stare at her seeing the panic in the face. "Seeing as you mean nothing to me and your father is about to lose his position on the council due to his disciplinary hearing on Friday, why would I care if any of them laugh at you".
She freezes. She stands up and I can see her thoughts running through her head as she tries to find a way out. "We should leave now. We can go to the theatre early and have cocktails".
"No. I don't want to. I haven't finished my meal, I want dessert and you said this was a networking opportunity so I intend to meet everyone here. Besides, wouldn't this deviate from your plan to show me how important you can be in my life?".
She sits back down fuming and I just smile at her. Wolves start coming up to talk to me and ignoring her. I have many polite conversations with them and get some contact details for future business plans.
Cordelia just sits there uncomfortably and I know this is torture for her as she is being made to feel smaller by the second. But I love every minute.