“Wolf politics are tough to navigate. I had to make my sacrifices as well to be where I am.” Fallon’s hand moved, as if by instinct, to run through her red tipped hair. “I won’t lie to you. Me and the boys showing up here tonight was no coincidence. I’d heard you backed out of the trials. I hoped those rumors were untrue.”
“I’ve been deemed unfit by the Council.”
“By some members of the Council, yes.” Fallon stressed that point.
“Well, those members have spoken, and I am unfit. I can’t defend my right by fighting, and I don’t want to have someone lay down their life for me just to make a few old wolves happy.” How could Giselle ask anyone to step into an arena and make the ultimate sacrifice for her?
Fallon’s smile hardened into the mask of authority she wore in public. “That’s part of being an Alpha. It’s not all ordering people around; sometimes it means going into battle and inspiring others to take up your cause.”
She might have been human once, and she was certainly the coolest wolf Giselle had ever met, but at that moment, Fallon was an Alpha through and through. Absolutely inspiring. If a human could make that transition, then the possibilities were there. Still, though, she’d have to ask someone to be willing to die for her. She knew Richard would; he’d already offered. But even with his support, the idea of him or anyone dying for her just didn’t sit well in her mind.
“If you ask me, Giselle, you have a natural nobility within you. You’re honorable in your intentions and reasons. I think you’d do very well in the role if given the chance.”
Such high praise almost made her want to call up a champion. She appreciated the vote of confidence, but she’d already set her mind to other tasks. Just past the archway that Fallon had been leaning against was the door to her father’s bedroom. That was where honor and duty were calling her, though she wished she could have both. “Thank you, Fallon. Your words mean the world to me.”
“They’re true words. I like you. And you remind me a lot of Alyssa. So how could I not want to pull for you?”
Giselle nearly blushed with all the praise she was receiving, but it would not sway her decision. “If circumstances were different, or maybe if I were older, I’d consider it, but I’ve been called to a different task now.”
“Oh?” Fallon’s face contorted in confusion.
“My father needs me.” Giselle walked past Fallon and opened the door. Inside, Orion Silverman lay still as death in the bed against the far wall.
Fallon nodded solemnly. “You have more honor within you than you take credit for. I know you’ve set your mind against it, but the tournament will last three days. You have until the end to call forth a champion.” She put a hand on Giselle’s shoulder and squeezed. “I have to get back before I’m missed. Go be with your father. And please think about what I’ve said.”
Giselle turned her eyes toward her father. If given the choice, she’d have both – but the prospect of healing her father meant more to her than a title. Even if Alphas like Fallon felt she was right for the role.
Chapter 31
Giselle blinked, and somehow it was time to get ready for the grand reception before the trials – a night she had dreaded as it meant more pretending and playacting to wolves who had already dismissed her as unfit, as well as meeting with wolves who would soon fight and die in combat over a title.
However, as she was Orion Silverman’s daughter, she had to go to at least this and the crowning banquet at the end of the trials.
Di and Taylor were over the moon, spending the entire day on spa treatments to make themselves radiate even more beauty than they already possessed. When it came time to get dressed, it might as well have been Christmas with all the squealing and oohing and ahhing they were doing.
“How are you not more excited for this?” Taylor asked, as she put the finishing touches on Giselle’s outfit.
The girls had chosen to work with the cream and pewter tones of the party décor and work them into each of their outfits.
As always, Taylor and Di created magic with their designs.
Taylor wore a slender mermaid style crème dress with a light dusting of sparkles, topped with a faux-fur white shrug.
Di sported an off-the-shoulder, floor-length satin crème brûlée-colored sheathe circled by a shimmering silver belt.
And for Giselle, they’d chosen something a little more risqué: skin-tight and knee-length pewter with peek-a-boo lace at the shoulders, stomach, and around the hem. Paired with glittering heels, even she felt she looked fierce.
Di had set her hair in a simple yet elegantly tied side ponytail with a glittering clip to hold the loose knot in place.
If her mood hadn’t been soured by the reason for the event, she’d have gladly strutted down the red carpet. It was hard to not feel confident and Alpha-like when you knew you looked that good.
“I’m excited. Sort of. I just want to enjoy the fun parts and forget the rest,” Giselle said.
“Are you sure you’re doing okay? I know you and Damien just...” Taylor said.
“We’re fine,” Giselle answered. “And he’s not going to be here tonight, so that makes it all that much better.” She breathed a sigh of relief.
“I know you’re fine,” Taylor said, with a consoling pat on the back. “And so is he.”
Just thinking about him made her heart ache. Giselle had come to terms with the fact that their break up was inevitable, but she’d hoped she could have enjoyed what they had a little longer. It had been nice being so close to him. Magic or no, Damien was a good guy. And when the dust settled, she hoped they’d find that closeness again.
But that would take a while longer to happen, a fact that made her stomach churn with guilt and anxiety. She still had her plans in place. And that meant stirring up a whole shitstorm of dust that could take years to settle. Damien might have said he’d help, but she saw how much it pained him to do her bidding. He knew the sacrifice she’d have to make. And he alone knew what might happen. She still had no idea.
Her mind had played out so many worst-case scenarios: death; trading places with Orion; losing her wolf.
The list went on, each one terrible and frightening. She nearly lost her nerve thinking about it. But then, all it would take was one look at her father, seeing how sad he looked, a shell of a man, cursed because he’d wanted to start a family.
That fortified her resolve and pushed her to do what she could to appease the cosmos and wake her father.
Neither Di nor Taylor knew what was in store. They’d be off enjoying the trials. When next she saw Damien, she’d make her sacrifice, and pray to the gods they accepted it.
“Hello, Giselle.” Di snapped a finger in front of her face. “We lost her. Damn it, girly, wake up.”
“Sorry. Lost in thought.” Giselle stood and walked to the mirror to inspect her sister’s handiwork.
“Don’t think about him. Tonight’s about meeting new people,” Taylor said. “So let’s not dwell on those we already know.”
“You’re right, of course,” Giselle agreed absently, as she admired the way the dress clung to her hips. She really did look fierce. She was supposed to make an appearance, and in this outfit, that’s exactly what she’d be doing. “I’m interested in seeing a few familiar faces, though,” Giselle said, her thoughts turning to the Alphas who’d attend, and Fallon, her new favorite. She could easily pass time chatting about vampires and her friend Alyssa.
“You think Ace and Jay will be there?” Taylor asked, knocking Giselle out of the way so she could continue preening in the mirror.
Hearing her cousins’ names snapped her back to reality. “I hope not,” Giselle said defensively. She’d hate to see one of her own taken down in the arena. She might not have known them long, but Ace was family.
Taylor hissed and turned on Giselle as if she’d insulted her. “What? Why not?”
Distracted by boys and the chance for some eye candy, her sisters seemed to have missed the plot.
Giselle glared straight at Taylor, saying, “Those who come here are planning to fight to the death. I don’t want to see either of my cousins fighting and dying for a title.”
Reality struck hard, and Taylor hung her head shamefully after Giselle had finished. “Sorry. I forgot.”
“But if Vivian has any say, Ace will be there,” Giselle added, remembering her aunt’s desire to see the title pass to her eldest son.
“There’s a wolf I’d be happy to fight,” Di said, clenching her fists.
“You? Fight Momma Bitch?” Giselle asked.
“Hell, yeah,” Di said confidently. “She’d put her boys on the chopping block. She’s their mother. How could she do that?”
Giselle felt the same way, but understood that a mother would do anything for the advancement of her children. “When you see her, you be sure to tell her that.”
Di looked as if Giselle were calling her a liar. “I will. And you’ll be there to watch.”
“Will I now?” Giselle laughed. “You going to pull her into the arena yourself?”
“Don’t tempt me,” Di said angrily, closing her tube of lipstick.
“Seriously, though. We’re supposed to be on our best behavior. No picking fights,” Giselle said.
“Which is why we’re your dates.” Taylor laughed. “We’re supposed to keep you in line.”
“Good luck with that. I plan on causing all kinds of scenes,” Giselle joked, but her sisters didn’t seem to understand the punch line. Rather than laugh, they looked horrorstruck, as if she would really do something that stupid.
“Scout’s honor,” Giselle said with as serious a look as she could muster. “I’m not going to do anything tonight. Best behavior and all that. I promise.”
Still they looked as if she were about to unleash hell. It was only Martina knocking at the door that pulled their attention away.
“Ready, girls? Let’s get this night started.”
Giselle heaved a big breath and reminded herself to be calm and play nice. Just as she’d promised.
Chapter 32
“Breathe,” Giselle reminded herself as she walked through the tents into the transformed ballroom.
Light music played from speakers set all around the room, loud enough to break any silence but soft enough not to disturb conversation.
Arm in arm with her sisters, borrowing their strength, Giselle strolled in as confidently as she could. It helped knowing she and her sisters were dressed to impress, a fact that spread like wildfire through the entire tent.
She’d not been announced as she entered, yet all eyes seemed drawn to her the moment she crossed the threshold into the room. A collective breath hushed, and Giselle again reminded herself to lift her head and walk proudly.
“Damn,” Di exclaimed, taking the words straight out of Giselle’s mouth.
Apart from the tension she felt having everyone staring at her, the splendor of what they’d created was breathtaking. Everything looked gorgeous, even better than it had when they’d been setting places and arranging the table décor.
Twinkling lights and the added ethereal glow from the special lamps lit the walls of the tent up like the night sky and set the tone for the following night’s truly full moon.
Giselle scanned the faces of those closest to her, hoping to spot someone familiar and friendly so she could ease into this event. Her sisters had missed the tension of the Council dinner where they’d passed judgment on her. They had no idea who was here and who they should be respectful to.
So many faces. So many wolves. None of them recognizable, at least from where she stood, and that amped her tension up to eleven.
She needed Richard or Fallon to show themselves; at least then she’d know she had allies around.
“Are we going to stand here and wait for people to come to us? Or are we going to mingle?” Di asked, but her eyes were trained on a handsome dark wolf with piercing blue eyes across to her right.
Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news again, Giselle held her tongue rather than remind her sister that half the people here tonight would not be around come the end of the trials. It almost wasn’t worth making new friends just yet.
Even if she did speak up, by the looks of Di’s glazed over expression, it wouldn’t have mattered. She let go of her sister’s arm and was just about to push her in her new crush’s direction when a familiar but unfriendly voice called out to her.
“I half expected you to hide in your den, little wolf,” Vivian cackled.
Giselle gritted her teeth, reminding herself of her promise not to make a scene, and slowly turned to face her aunt. “I have no reason to hide.”
“Of course you don’t. Being rejected by your people is not shameful in any way at all.” Vivian’s voice was sickeningly sweet despite the poison she spewed.
“Usurping your husband’s position and putting your children on the chopping block isn’t either. But then, I knew you’d be first in line. Glad you could make it.” Giselle responded in kind, matching Vivian’s tone.
Behind her, Giselle heard the half snickers escape her sisters’ mouths.
Lips parting to reveal her perfectly white teeth, Vivian’s face contorted with a wicked smile. Frightening in the way she looked both pleased and murderous, Vivian’s tone betrayed neither. “Fearless little werewolf. Pity you’re unable to show your mettle in the arena.”
Speechless for the moment, Giselle struggled for the right retort and came up empty, settling for, “Rain check?” and a smile.
“I look forward to it.” Vivian snapped her jaw. “When you’ve finally cut your teeth, little werewolf, come and see me. I’ll teach you the meaning of fearless.”
Vivian sauntered away without a second look back.
Giselle’s heart was pounding. She would love nothing more than to allow her wolf the chance to come forth and shut that woman up, but the truth was, she was outmatched. Vivian was untouchable. And the bitch knew it.
“You okay, Elle?” Taylor whispered in her ear. “You’re shaking.”
Giselle blew out a breath. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Then let’s go be fine somewhere else. People are starting to stare.” Taylor tugged at Giselle’s arm, but she didn’t budge. “Let’s walk.”
That woman had burrowed deep under her skin with hardly more than a few nasty words. And all Giselle could do was lob a few empty threats her way. Humiliated and disgraced in the first five minutes she’d been there. To say the night had gotten off on the wrong foot would be an understatement.
“You want me to put that bitch in her place?” Di said with a smirk. “I promised I would... didn’t I?”
If anyone was going to do it, it would be Giselle, but the irony was not lost on her that it was she who now would play voice of reason to her sister. Vivian might be a force to be reckoned with, but Martina’s rage would be ten times worse if they caused a scene. “We promised we’d be good.”
“Just saying. You can’t rough her up. You’re already on Martina’s shit list, but I’ve got brownie points stored up for just such an occasion.” Di winked at Giselle, and it was exactly the thing she needed to relax. Her sister would never do something that out of line. She might play tough, but she was a rule follower. The offer, however, was enough to soothe the trembling rage that had Giselle nearly vibrating where she stood.
“Let’s grab something to drink.” Di took hold of Giselle’s arm and led her toward the bar they’d set up on the far end of the ballroom.
“Wait. There’s Ash.” Taylor stopped the girls in their tracks and waited as Asher and his brothers entered the tent.
Giselle might have been nervous coming into a room filled with the toughest of the tough wolves and Grand High Poobahs, but not Asher.
He strolled in as calm as if he were walking into Mr. Harper’s class. How was he not sweating bullets?
His brothers too – they all walked in as if they owned the place, heads held high and dressed to the nines.
Ashe
r spotted them and came straight over. “I thought we’d meet outside first?” He might not have looked flustered, but Giselle caught the little note of it in his voice.
Thank the gods. For a minute there she’d thought he might be a robot. Anyone with any sense should have been nervous walking into a den packed this full of deadly creatures.
“We had to make an entrance,” Di said proudly.
Smiling slyly as his eyes made their way down Giselle’s body, Asher looked more wolf than man, with his prey in sight. “Yeah. I’ll bet you did.”
Forgetting where she was and who might be watching, Giselle slugged Asher in the arm. “Don’t be such a pig.”
Di snorted and quickly covered her face to mask the sound. “Might want to take a step back before she murders you.”
“Was it something I said?” Confusion played across Asher’s features, making him look like a scared pup who’d been swatted with a newspaper for piddling on the rug.
“You’re being a guy,” Giselle threw at him, and then realized her own nerves and anger might have made her a little too touchy. “You’re supposed to be a gentleman tonight. So maybe try less undressing us with your eyes and more escorting us to the bar. I need some water.”
Asher and Taylor exchanged looks that ended with a shrug from her sister. He then tried his silent question with Di. She wasn’t playing his game, though. “You heard the lady. Escort away.”
Still looking utterly confused, Asher did as instructed and offered an arm to whichever girl took hold first.
Giselle was just about to hook her arm through his when she felt a tap on the shoulder.
“You guys go ahead. I’ll be right there,” she said, and turned around before they answered her. Jay stood smiling behind her. His mood had improved greatly since the last time they’d seen each other. A drink in hand, already halfway gone, he looked as if he was enjoying his evening.
“No hard feelings, little wolf,” Jay said, as he slugged down a gulp of his drink.
“Of course not,” Giselle lied. Her run in with his mother had soured her mood towards his family.
Fearless Little Werewolf Page 19
