Chapter 167 Engagement Banquet Part 1

Chapter 167 Engagement Banquet Part 1
\[Osiris’ POV\]
I watch and wait while Adeline angrily glares at me, making it clear that she isn’t happy about what I have just said, but even then she doesn’t say a word.
“Whatever,” she huffs, standing up and turning to Becky. “Come on,” she announces. “It’s best to always leave when you aren’t wanted.”
Nodding, Becky stands, but then turns her gaze to mine.
“This is probably what she wants.” She says, only adding to my distrust. “To have you push away everyone that surrounds you so that you’re completely alone.”
“Noted.”
There was no reason for her to be telling me such a thing when I already knew that myself.
Since I was young, that was the exact thing that damned woman always did.
Be it other members of Moon Storm, teachers, coaches, or the like. When it became clear that they were becoming someone that I could depend on, she did what it took to ruin it.
“Not like I’m not used to it.”
Frowning, Becky just stares at me, and I can tell that she wants to say something, but in the end she doesn’t.
Instead, she just shakes her head and then allows Adeline to lead her away.
Remaining silent, I watch the two women as they head out, and once they’re out of sight, I find myself collapsing.
“Fuck,” I growl, running my hands along my face. “What the fuck is even going on?”
‘Isn’t it obvious?’ Sterling asks me, appearing at the worst possible moment. ‘Your stepmother has become desperate.’
‘You don’t say.’
It would take a bout of desperateness for that woman to do what she was doing, and I was more than aware of it.
‘So, what do you intend to do now?’
‘Play along until her ruin.’ I respond.
There was nothing else that I could do right now, and that left me feeling so damn helpless.
As it was, my flame was in the lion’s den, and if I so much as gazed away from the fact that I knew what was happening, I was certain that she would be hurt. Because of that, I had to go along with this ridiculousness.
‘Look at you being helpless,’ Sterling chuckles, enjoying my pain. ‘Never thought I would see the day.’
‘If you aren’t going to be helpful, you should just leave.’ I growl, pushing at him. ‘I’ve already got enough to worry about without your help.’
‘Yeah, yeah,’ he huffs, starting to slowly return to the recesses of my mind. ‘But if you decide that you want to fuck some shit up, let me know.’
‘Not gonna happen,’ I sigh. ‘I can’t do that because I risk putting our mate and pups in danger, but…’
I let my train of thought trail off as I remember that my flame said that I would be receiving an invitation to her upcoming engagement banquet.
‘That doesn’t mean that I can’t irritate them a little.’
‘That’s more like it.’ Sterling laughs. ‘Give them hell for the hell that they’re giving you.’
That’s right. I think, slowly rising to my feet. Even if I couldn’t go and take my flame away right now, it didn’t mean that I would have to wait until the wedding to see her.
Since I would be considered a guest at hers and Ray’s engagement banquet, I could just cause a little chaos then.
I would also be able to see that my flame was alright and that what she assured me was happening was true too. If I could just do that, then I would be able to settle my raging emotions until the day of my stepmother's downfall.
Settling on this, I head to my room, where I grab a quick shower and change into some sweatpants, and as I lie down for the evening, I find myself hoping that the next few days go by fast.
Of course, they don’t. They drag on long and torturous, testing my patience time and time again, but when the day of the banquet finally arrives, I arrive early in hopes of seeing my flame’s face before she gets pulled into a wave of well-wishers who want to suck up to her and Ray. However, that doesn’t actually happen.
Instead, I am ushered inside to the banquet hall that has been set up for the occasion, and when I head inside, I look around only to find that the person I want to see the most isn’t present.
Ignoring the urge to go hunt her down, I move toward a table that sits near the stage and then get comfortable while more guests start to arrive.
It is only once the hall is filled with bodies that the lights around me start to slowly fade so that a single spotlight shines on the stage ahead, and when an emcee emerges with a broad smile on his face, I watch Ray and my flame, dressed in a long off-white gown, step up.
Instantly, anger rushes through me over the two of them acting so intimate, but I try to rein it in since I know that this must happen for their plan to go off without a hitch.
“Please welcome,” the emcee says, letting his gaze travel around the room filled with guests. “The stars of the evening, Ray Dawson and his bride-to-be.”
At the emcee’s words loud applause erupts, and I know in that instant that Jean must have already taken care of the memories of the guests, at least the ones who saw my flame and me together in the past.
It’s strange to see how easily all these people from powerful packs with strong bloodlines can be manipulated, and I find myself wondering just how many people she may have done this to in the past.
‘Stop questioning your allies,’ Sterling murmurs. ‘Right now, you need as many people on your side as you can get.’
‘I’m aware of that,’ I snap, though it doesn’t stop my distrust. ‘But I still am not sure if she is someone I can trust.’
‘She has been helping our mate and pups this whole time.’ He points out as I watch Ray and my flame step to the front of the stage with smiles on their faces.  ‘For now, you should try to have a bit of faith in her.’
‘Easier said than done.’ I sigh, trying to ignore the anger I feel. 'But for now, I will give her the benefit of the doubt.'