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She levels one last heavy glare at me before turning abruptly on her heels, leaving me alone.
I stand there for a full minute, holding the mug in my hand. It’s hot against my skin, but I barely feel it.
It’s not until I’m certain she’s not coming back that I turn toward the sink.
Turning the mug upside down, a rivulet of sweat streams down my neck as I blankly watch the tea swirl down the drain.
14
Pleasantries and Shit
Noah
“So, tell me how this all works,” Rill demands as he falls into his chair. “I’ve been on the edge of my fucking seat all day.”
There’s a deafening silence as the rest of the guests, also in the process of sitting around the large dining room table, stare at Rill with a mixture of horror and revulsion.
Except for Elizabeth, of course, who lays her delicate, smooth hand atop her mate’s giant scarred paw and shoots him an admonishing glare.
“Let everyone sit down first, Rill.”
I shift my eyes to my mother, where Oli is pushing her chair forward next to me, her face twisted in a knowing I told you so expression.
She was less than pleased when she discovered that while she invited Marcus Catmint and his daughter, Joanna, to the dinner, I’d covertly invited Wyatt, Rill, and Elizabeth.
“Why would you invite them?” she asked earlier, storming into my room when she noticed the betas were setting the table for eight.
“Because they should be here,” I told her dryly. “Wyatt’s your golden alpha, remember? He was trained for this. And just because Orion’s gone doesn’t mean the Cypresses shouldn’t be involved, so I invited Elizabeth and her mate.”
And as much as I hate Rill, both Wyatt and I know he’s right about one thing—there’s no way that Goldenrod can go on like this forever. Whether we like it or not, he’s right—the real world’s coming for us. It would be stupid to exclude the one alpha who understands it best.
I don’t think Mother quite sees it that way, though.
“This is going to be a disaster, Noah,” she predicted earlier with a dark expression.
And so far, that prediction has proved to be spot on. As soon as everyone had arrived, the air felt heavy with the scent of impending catastrophe.
“Wyatt,” Mother greeted her oldest son like he was the beta who polishes her shoes. “Where’s Camilla?”
He scoffed and shot her a side-eyed glare. “She’s obviously not coming here.”
Mother appeared baffled, huffing, “I don’t see why not.”
Wyatt opened his mouth, most assuredly on the verge of losing his temper, until I stepped in. “I think she’s a bit spooked, Mother. None of us Sages treated her very well, did we?”
She only shrugged and rolled her eyes, muttering something about resilience and harboring ridiculous grudges before moving on to the next guests—the Catmints.
Wyatt turned toward me, shaking his head slowly. “She’s acting even stranger than usual. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“No,” I replied simply as I watched her impart a similar sulky greeting on the Catmints.
Although Joanna was initially a bit starry-eyed as she took in the house, she and Marcus wore matching shocked expressions when Elizabeth, Rill, and a cadre of dirty, uninvited alphas appeared on the doorstep soon after them.
“Who are these alphas?” Mother asked, holding her hand out to Rill with a strained forbearance.
“My guys,” Rill said in an off-handed manner.
Mother stood, mouth agape, but he ignored her as he reached out to shake hands with me and Wyatt.
