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Oh, please. This woman was getting on my last nerve.
I turned to Donovan, but a doorway caught my eye. Between the flips and Vivian’s appearance, I hadn’t taken in my surroundings. The hallway to my right opened with two giant, carved wooden doors. Beyond the doors, the entire pack watched.
Only they couldn’t have heard what Vivian just whispered to me. Now they probably thought they had a mad Were in their midst, only I was the mad one.
Way to make a winning impression.
Chapter Sixteen
I stood frozen in the doorway as I took in the dining hall and all the Weres who were now staring at me. Everyone had just seen my exchange with Vivian. I fought the urge to close my eyes and sigh. I couldn’t let on that I hadn’t realized who was watching. A pack leader knew their surroundings. Always.
My father always said that if you couldn’t get a Were to show you respect out of kindness, then you had to make them respect you out of fear. Of course, he said that to my brothers, but I’d always disagreed with the advice. Until I met Vivian. I didn’t mind one bit if she feared me, especially if she was the one behind Bhrunyz’s attacks. Although if I wasn’t already his next target, I probably was now.
Every Were in the room was giving me either a carefully blank look or an expression of horror or fear. There was no salvaging this. From their perspective, I’d just attacked their second because she touched Donovan’s arm. Even for a young Were who might have a short temper, my actions were a little overboard.
I noticed a speck of red on my hand and decided I might as well go for broke. “Damn it. She got blood on me.” I gave Donovan a smile and a small shrug.
Well, that’s one way to do it, he said.
Vivian shuffled down the hall, holding her face in her hands. Hopefully, she was heading straight for the medic. I wasn’t joking about her nose healing wrong. It was going to have to be re-broken if she didn’t get it fixed in the next few minutes.
I watched her retreating form for a second before turning back to Donovan. I know it’s too obvious, but I really think Vivian’s behind everything. And if she’s not, well then she threw household decorations at me. Girl deserved to get hit.
Donovan nodded. But you’ve made yourself a target. Even if not her target, she has allies in that room.
I blew out a fast breath. I know, but I already was one. Even if Vivian isn’t behind the murders, what she did to Ciara will seem like small potatoes compared to what she must want to do to me.
He rubbed his thumb down my cheek.
What do you think?
Seems like you’re doing a grand job of running this show. Why would I step in now?
“Awesome. I totally agree.” I turned to the room. “Anyone have a napkin?” I said sweetly. Either they were going to see the humor or they were going to think I was nuts.
Some of them got to their feet, holding out little white paper napkins. Most were giving me some serious side-eye. And a few looked seriously pissed.
On the whole, I guessed most of Donovan’s pack thought I was officially off my rocker.
Donovan and Ian started laughing hard. It took a second before the rest of the pack caught up, but I was pretty sure they weren’t laughing for the same reason Donovan and Ian were.
I moved into the dining hall. Inside were long, wooden banquet tables. They were old and beat to hell, but looked sturdy. They’d stood long years of pack wear-and-tear, and that meant something. Some of the tables had long benches, and others tall-backed wooden chairs. There was enough room for a few hundred or more werewolves, and it was packed. An empty seat here and there caught my eye, but it was mostly full.
I walked over to a girl whose eyes seemed like they held genuine amusement. Her curly, black hair was tied back in a long ponytail, but little ringlets had slipped free around her face. Her eyes were a deep brown, and she reminded me a bit of Tessa.
I took the napkin from her. “Thanks.”
“No worries. She’s had that coming to her for a long time.”
“Let me introduce my mate, Saoirse,” Ian said. “I think you’ll be fast friends.”
“Oh, good!” I glanced at the empty seat in front of her. “This seat taken?”
“By all means.”
“Thanks.” The rest of the table was full, but as soon as I sat down, there was suddenly enough room for Donovan and Ian.
Saoirse’s necklace caught my eye as I waited for the guys to get settled in their chairs. It was a large silver rose about half the size of my fist. A worm wrapped around the flowering bloom and its head stuck out the center of the rose. Something about it gave me the heebie-jeebies, but who was I to judge someone else’s jewelry. Especially not the first woman in the pack to be nice to me. “Interesting necklace.” There had to be a story behind it.
