Not the Bride He Wanted novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The Story They Tell

By Tuesday, the post had four thousand shares.

By Tuesday afternoon, the wives of the Lake packs were sitting in my hall drinking my coffee and not looking at me.

The Queen's reception was a tradition.

Three days after a King's wedding, his Queen received the Alphas' wives and daughters and let them decide what they thought of her.

They'd already decided.

I could see it in how they held their cups.

Tilde stood beside me in a borrowed dress with her arms folded.

"The one in green is Iron Range," she muttered. "She asked the housekeeper if we lock up the cutlery."

"Because of me?"

"Because of the drugging. Apparently you're a poisoner now."

"I'm a midwife."

"Same skill set, if you think about it."

I laughed before I could stop it, and the woman in green turned to stare.

Magnus had ridden out at dawn to settle a fight between two packs on the Wisconsin line.

He'd left a note on my pillow in square black letters.

It's your hall. Use it.

The doors at the far end opened.

My stepmother came in first in her pearls.

Kirsten came in behind her in a soft pink sweater, leaning on Aksel's arm.

The room went quiet.

"I'm sorry," Kirsten said to nobody in particular, in her small voice.

"Mother said I should come. I didn't want people to think I was hiding."

The woman in green set her cup down and went to her.

Two others followed.

Within a minute, my sister was sitting on the good sofa by the window with a ring of women around her, dabbing her eyes.

I heard pieces of it from across the room.

"Something in her tea at supper..."

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