Betrayed by the Beta, Loved by the Alpha

17. Another League

Eden’s pov:

After that tedious training session, I went back to my room for a quick but well-deserved shower.

The water did wonders to my aching muscles, but little to calm me down.

With Hunter as our training supervisor, I couldn’t recall the last time Sebastian or Clarissa had even crossed my mind. I couldn’t say the betrayal stung any less yet, because heavens knew that it had hurt royally.

But it felt like I had moved on… or would be able to move on soon at the very least.

So long as they didn’t make trouble for me, I would have no reason to even look at them.

But tonight, we were going to celebrate Susie’s birthday, and meeting them was inevitable. Hell, I believed they might go out of their way to be nasty to me too.

Once I was fresh, and smelled like my favorite shower gel – namely, rose – I was ready to go down to the kitchen.

The cake awaited me, and I was ready to add the final touch to it, and make sure it looked as divine as it should taste… and lo and behold, who did I see in the kitchen, grabbing a sandwich?

This is exactly my kind of luck, I all but growled to myself, doing my best not to glare at Sebastian.

Ignoring him totally, I soon busied myself with the cake.

Cindy overlooked the small details, in absolute awe of everything.

“Oh this looks so cute,” she said one too many times, and I would only smile and nod at her, far too in the zone to give her a proper response.

When I was finally done, she didn’t hesitate to squeal, “You got skill – real skills, lady!”

“Thank you,” I smiled at her, even as I admired my work, feeling proud of this year’s birthday cake.

Susie hadn’t made up her mind on any theme, and Luna Emily had told me to surprise them. I just hoped this angel-like statue atop the cake would win their favor. It represented Goddess Selena in my opinion. The piercing amber eyes, on the other hand, which were on the right side of the cake, attracted one’s vision to the small wolf’s face.

“I can’t wait to have some,” Cindy was almost drooling, and I had to fight back a blush, seeing as I wasn’t used to praise.

“You can and will wait,” I winked at her playfully, bumping her elbow with mine.

Sebastian approached us at that very moment, looking every bit the confident Beta’s son he was.

“You’ve been ignoring us, Eden,” he let out, his smirk as nauseating as ever.

A fleeting image of Hunter crossed my mind, and I realized at once that I had been stupid all along to like Sebastian. Indeed, he lacked finesse, and the regal looks that made one a man and not a boy.

“No s**t, Sherlock,” was the sarcastic reply I offered.

“What happened?” His frown was as fake as his concern, and I felt bile rise in my throat.

“Don’t act dumb. It doesn’t suit you,” my smile lacked warmth, and was taunting at best, and I knew it would make him sing…

Heavens, his true colors weren’t pretty!

“I never thought just a thank you would get to your head,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes at me.

I didn’t like what he was implying, and was ready to give him a piece of my mind, when Hunter walked into the kitchen.

I hadn’t heard him come in, but now that I caught sight of him, it felt like he ate up the space, making me breathless, lowkey claustrophobic.

“Sounds like something that would get to yours,” his voice was icy, and his ever-present scowl was hard to ignore.

Hunter had no business being here, seeing as the Alpha wing had their own kitchen, but who was I to question my future Alpha?

“You don’t understand, Hunter,” Sebastian tried to argue, ready to defend himself. “She’s being…”

“It’s Alpha Hunter to you,” was all the response he got – sharp, commanding, unyielding.

“Huh?”

To say Sebastian was taken aback would be the understatement of the century. He could have been struck by lightning, and he wouldn’t be making the priceless expression on his face.

Then, Hunter’s hazel eyes focused on me, and I suddenly wanted to disappear, his scorching gaze doing things to me that should be illegal.

“Are you done, little wolf?”

His voice was definitely softer, and had the knack to make me want to melt. Also, I couldn’t help but notice that, for the first time ever, he used my nickname in front of an audience.

Being seen felt good. I couldn’t deny this. It felt exhilirating even.

“Yes, just finished actually,” I nodded eagerly at him, my smile almost too bright, my eyes crinkling with mirth.

“Great. You don’t mind if I lead the way then, do you?” He retorted, in his usual level tone of voice that was pure seduction, and sweet velvet.

“Sure.”

I was ready to lift the cake when he went to take it from me. Our hands brushed, and for one fleeting moment, time stopped for both of us.

My breath hitched, and my heart did its best, galloping as if there was a fire somewhere.

Hunter, on the other hand, looked at me as if I were his prey… and I wasn’t quite sure I minded. Hell, I was sure he would make the chase worthwhile too.

“Let go, little wolf,” he drawled after a beat, dampening his lips in a way that made me feel delirious with need.

Heavens, what was wrong with me? I was no hungry vixen, and yet my raging hormones seemed to enjoy doing me dirty at that moment.

“I promise I won’t drop it,” the smirk that followed his statement had me almost in tears.

He didn’t feel a thing, I thought to myself dejectedly.

Of course he doesn’t feel a thing, a part of me argued. He’s out of your league, and you should know better. You’ve already been burnt once. No need to chase after someone who’s never going to give you the time of the day.

The tears stung my eyes, and I had to tip my head back to avoid making a fool out of myself.

But the show needed to go on, and I wouldn’t miss Susie’s birthday for the world. Ergo, I plastered a smile on my face, and soon followed him outside.

Luna Emily’s voice was the first to ring out, clear and joyous, “Happy birthday to you…”

I didn’t hesitate to follow suit, and soon my smile wasn’t there for show only.