Chapter 194

Chapter 194: A Seed of Doubt (Scarlett's POV)

Chapter 194: A Seed of Doubt (Scarlett's POV)

The private dining room of the Moon Silver Restaurant felt suffocating as I stared at Alexander, my tears still flowing freely. My heart hammered against my ribcage, the image of his face inches away from Celeste's burned into my mind.

"How could you?" I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion.

Alexander's ice-blue eyes softened as he approached me cautiously. The faint smell of

moon-blessed wine clung to him.

"Scarlett, please," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "It wasn't what it looked like."

I stepped back, putting distance between us. "I know what I saw, Alex."

He ran his hand through his dark hair, a gesture I'd seen countless times when he was uncomfortable. "The moon-blessed wine... it affected me more than I

realized. In that moment,

I... I mistook her for you."

My tears paused momentarily as I processed his words. "You... thought she was me?"

Alexander nodded, maintaining steady eye contact. "The lighting in here, the wine... I would never intentionally hurt you, Scarlett."

A small voice in my head questioned if this was possible. Could he really mistake Celeste for

me? We looked nothing alike.

Before I could voice my doubts, Lucas stepped between us, his golden eyes flashing with

protective energy.

"It was clearly a misunderstanding," Lucas affirmed, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Alexander has had too much to drink, waiting for the gathering to start."

He turned to Alexander, his expression hardening slightly. "Perhaps you should leave now to greet the potential suitors I've arranged for Celeste. Your presence is required to welcome

them, as the son of the Alpha King's Beta."

Alexander hesitated, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before shifting briefly to the

private room where Celeste remained. Something unreadable flashed in his eyes.

"Of course," he responded finally, straightening his posture. "I'll see to it immediately."

As he turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of his face-the carefully composed mask of duty

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Chapter 194. A Seed of Doubt (S...

that so many admired. But underneath, I detected something else. Something that made

wolf whimper anxiously inside me.

When he disappeared down the hallway, Lucas squeezed my shoulder gently. "Are you

alright?"

I nodded weakly, wiping away my tears. "I need to speak with Celeste. Alone."

Lucas's brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"Yes," I insisted, summoning my determination. "There are things sisters should discuss

privately."

He reluctantly agreed, leaving me to face Celeste on my own.

(Alexander's POV)

my

I strode down the hallway of the Moon Silver Restaurant, my wolf seething beneath my

controlled exterior. The lie about being drunk had slipped from my lips so easily, but the truth

was far more complicated.

I hadn't mistaken Celeste for Scarlett. Not even close.

The moment I'd heard about Lucas's plan to find Celeste a mate-possibly Matthew Sterling-

something had snapped inside me. The thought of her with another wolf, especially one under

my command, had ignited a jealousy I hadn't expected.

I touched my jaw where Lucas had struck me, the pain barely registering compared to the

turmoil in my mind.

"Four years," I muttered under my breath. "Four years in Moon Shadow Prison, and now she's

ready to move on so quickly?"

My white wolf growled in frustration. For years, I'd maintained my distance from Celeste, bound by duty and pack politics. I'd watched her suffer, unable to intervene without jeopardizing everything.

And now, when I finally acted on impulse, she looked at me with those cold, violet eyes-so different from the warmth they once held for me.

I straightened my jacket, forcing my emotions back under control. The gathering demanded my attention. Lucas's potential suitors needed to be greeted with the proper respect due to their pack status.

But beneath my composed exterior, anger continued to simmer. Not just at Celeste, but at myself, at the circumstances that had torn us apart, at the choices I'd made.

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I would play my part today. I always did. But something had changed, and I wasn't

sure I could

ignore it any longer.

(Celeste's POV)

I remained seated at the table, my silver-scarred wolf perfectly still beneath my skin as the door opened again. Scarlett entered alone, her emerald eyes still glistening with tears, though her sobbing had stopped.

She approached cautiously, as if I might attack her at any moment.

"Celeste," she began, her voice soft and trembling. "I want to apologize for my reaction earlier. Alexander explained everything."

I raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. "Did he now?"

She nodded, taking the seat across from me-the same seat Alexander had occupied minutes

before. “The moon-blessed wine confused him. He... he thought you were me."

The absurdity of this claim almost made me laugh. Would she really believe something so

ridiculous?

"I see," I replied, keeping my expression neutral. "And this explanation satisfies you?"

Scarlett nodded again, more firmly this time. "Alexander would never betray me. We're meant

to be together-everyone knows that."

My silver-scarred wolf stirred beneath my skin, sensing an opportunity. After years of suffering

while Scarlett remained protected and coddled, I couldn't resist planting a small seed of

doubt.

"It's interesting, though, isn't it?" I mused, my voice deliberately casual. "Alexander is a warrior

of the highest caliber, trained from childhood. Warriors develop exceptional tolerance for

moon-blessed wine."

I traced the rim of an empty bottle with my finger. "It takes far more than this to truly impair their judgment."

Scarlett's emerald eyes widened slightly. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing at all," I said with a slight shrug. "I'm merely pointing out facts. Believe

what makes

you comfortable, Scarlett."

My words hung between us, the implication clear despite my innocent tone. I watched doubt flicker across her face before she masked it with renewed

confidence.

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"Alexander loves me," she stated firmly. "We're going to be marked soon."

"Ah, yes," I replied softly. "The marking ceremony that's been forthcoming for quite

some time now. Curious, isn't it? How long has it been delayed?"

Scarlett shifted uncomfortably. "There have been valid reasons for the

postponements. Pack

politics, mainly."

I nodded sympathetically. "Of course. Still, it must be difficult, remaining unmarked

for so long

when the claim has been declared publicly."

I leaned forward slightly, my voice dropping to an intimate whisper. "Remember,

Scarlett, what

you can't have is always the best. Once you have it... well, desire has a way of changing,

doesn't it?"

Her emerald eyes filled with fresh tears at my words. The blow had struck true, hitting a fear I

suspected had been lurking in her heart all along.

Without another word, she rose from her seat and fled the private room, the door slamming

behind her.

remained at the table, a mixture of satisfaction and emptiness washing over me. After years

of being powerless, of enduring humiliation and pain while Scarlett thrived, there

was a

certain justice in turning her perfect world upside down, even if just for a moment.

But the victory felt hollow somehow. My silver-scarred wolf whined softly inside me, sensing

that this path offered no true healing, only more pain-for everyone involved.

(Lucas's POV)

I spotted Alexander in the main hallway of the restaurant, adjusting his jacket as if

preparing

to greet the guests I'd invited. My golden wolf surged with protective rage as I remembered the

scene I'd walked in on.

Without hesitation, I charged forward, my fist connecting with his jaw for the

second time today. The impact sent a jolt of pain through my knuckles, but I didn't

care.

"What game are you playing?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous to avoid attracting attention from nearby staff. "First you agree to mark Scarlett, then I find you about to kiss Celeste?"

Alexander recovered quickly, wiping a fresh trickle of blood from his lip. His white wolf's aura pulsed around him, powerful and controlled despite my attack. "Lower your voice," he warned, glancing around to ensure no one had witnessed

our exchange.

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"This isn't the place."

"Answer me," I insisted, my golden wolf bristling beneath my skin. "Do you want

both sisters

as mates? Is that it?"

The idea was absurd, impossible, yet the only explanation that made sense to me

in that

moment.

"Don't be ridiculous," Alexander replied coldly. "You know that's not possible."

"Then what?" I pressed, stepping closer. "Have you any idea what Celeste might do if she

thinks you're actually interested in her? After everything that's happened?" Alexander's ice-blue eyes hardened. "Did it ever occur to you that Celeste might

have interests

of her own? That perhaps she doesn't need you arranging matches for her?"

His words caught me off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"Matthew Sterling," Alexander stated flatly. "Your sister has feelings for him." His

expression

unreadable. "Which makes your matchmaking efforts today rather pointless,

doesn't it?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "If she had feelings for him, I would know. I'm her

brother."

A bitter laugh escaped Alexander's throat. "Are you? When was the last time you

actually

talked to her-really talked to her-about anything other than pack obligations or

accusations?"

The question stung more than I wanted to admit. When had I last had a genuine conversation

with Celeste?

"I arranged for Matthew to work here today," Alexander continued, his voice deliberately

casual. "Serving in the private dining section where the gathering will be held."

He smoothed his jacket, hiding any evidence of our confrontation. "I wanted to observe

Celeste's reaction when she sees him. To confirm my suspicions." Understanding dawned on me. Alexander hadn't been drunk at all. He'd been testing Celeste,

provoking her, trying to determine where her affections truly lay.

“This is absurd,” I muttered, though my confidence was shaken. "Celeste would

never choose a second-rank wolf like Sterling."

"Wouldn't she?" Alexander challenged. "After being abandoned by everyone else?

After four years of silver torture while we all went on with our lives?"

His words hit their mark, stirring uncomfortable truths I preferred to ignore.

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I straightened my shoulders, my wolf bristling with renewed purpose. "We'll see

about that."

Without another word, I turned and left, my mind already racing with adjustments

to my plans for the gathering. If Alexander thought he could manipulate this

situation, he was sorely

mistaken.

I would ensure Celeste found a suitable mate today-someone appropriate for her

status, someone who would keep her firmly connected to the Winter Pack's

interests. Someone who definitely wasn't Matthew Sterling.

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