Page 6 of The Alpha's Temptation

“Watch your tone,” he growled, eyes glowing. “No one else speaks to me that way.”

I stomped toward the door, the blood boiling inside me. “Well, I do.”

“We leave bright and early tomorrow morning,” he said. “Be here in three hours, or I’ll drag you out of your bed myself.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Livia,” he growled. “Don’t test me.”

“No promises,” I called over my shoulder. “No freaking promises.”

Wedding this and wedding that. I didn’t want to go at all, and I hadn’t been planning on it anyway. I’d go for the politics of it all, but as soon as I had a chance to slip away, I was going to watch the games at the festival.

Not just any games, but Mortal Combat.

Because seeing two competitors fight to the death was way better than some boring wedding.

CHAPTER 4

LIVIA

“There will beseveral possible suitors for you who are attending the royal wedding and the games, Livia,” Dad said, calling over his shoulder five steps ahead. “I think you should get to know them a little better. Maybe you’ll meet a nice man, possibly even your mate.”

Beside him, Caelan’s jaw twitched, and I smirked. “Maybe I will.”

Caelan drew his tongue across his teeth. “Nobody good enough for her.”

“And how do you know who’s good enough for me?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“Nobody that I will allow you to mate,” he clarified, shooting me daggers with his glare.

“You don’t get toallowme to form a bond with my fated mate,” I taunted, acting like this was a totally normal conversation and nothing deeper so Dad didn’t catch on. “If I find him, who knows what will happen? Maybe I will leave this pack to be with him.”

While every muscle in his body tensed, he averted his glare to the forest in front of him and continued walking through the thicket of Dreadmire. Even though I couldn’t shift, Caelan andDad and the warriors who were attending with usinsistedon walking through the forest.

I hated it, like usual.

“She’s right,” Dad said. “If she finds a mate, then she finds a mate.”

Though I had said it, and while IexpectedDad to want to dump me off to be someone else’s problem, his words still hurt. I knew I was an embarrassment to him because I couldn’t shift, and probably to Caelan as well, butLycos… he didn’t have to say it aloud.

“You think you can find me someone suitable?” I asked Dad.

“Yes, I will introduce you to a few once we arrive.”

I smirked so hard that I knew Caelan couldfeelit burning into his back. “Sounds good.”

His hand was twitching, his back muscles rippling through his shirt. “You can bring one to the wedding as a date,” he said. I raised my brows, and he continued, “I’ll be bringing one as well. I have a meeting set up with The River Pack.”

My nostrils flared, and I gritted my teeth, fuming. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. Nice girl, smartand strong.”

Lycos, he knows exactly where it hurts, doesn’t he?!

“I don’t want to go to the stupid wedding,” I growled, now completely pissed off because my little fun was over. I crossed my arms and stomped after them. “Please, let me go to the games. I wanna watch the fighting.”

“You want to watch the fighting?” Dad said.

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