Chapter 5

I stirred in my sleep, my body sore from the business of last night. Suddenly my eyes shot open, when I heard my bedroom door open, and in walked Quinn.

I glared at her and shut my eyes. “Sign of bad luck. I open my eyes and I see the adulterous stepmother of mine.” I groaned sarcastically.

Quinn glared at me and she opened my curtain window. “You should get up. It's time for breakfast.”

I peered at her. “You never care if I eat or not. Is this your guilty consciousness getting to you?”

Quinn studied me, and I squirmed uncomfortably under her intense gaze. “Did you have sex last night?” Quinn asked.

I shot her a surprised look.

“Hmm. Seems like you did.” Quinn said and I looked away.

“I have no idea what you are talking about. Get out of my room.” I said and Quinn walked towards me.

She didn’t look convinced. “We’ll talk about this later,” she said. “For now, you have a pack function to attend, so come down for breakfast,” Quinn said and walked out of the bedroom.

I stared at my closed door and I wondered why all of a sudden, Quinn was so nice to me. I'd find out at breakfast.

 I got up to shower with the events of the previous night running through my mind. Wouldn’t it be nice if that was all I had to think about?

A short while later, I went to the dining room where Kevin, my stepbrother, was seated at the tablet at Quinn’s right hand. But what caught my attention was Alex.

 “What are you doing here?”I clenched my fists in rage.

“Don’t make a scene,” Quinn said. “Just sit and have breakfast quietly.”  

“I refuse to share a table with this bastard,” I said. “Get him out of here. Or rather, I wouldn’t want to disturb your happy family, so I’d rather have my breakfast in my bedroom.”

Alex stood and held my hands. “Eve, let's talk in private.”

 

Kevin’s gaze shifted from me to Quinn, to Alex.

 

“What’s going on here? Is there something that I don't know about?” Kelvin asked. He and Alex had been very good buddies and that's how he and I met.

 

I kept my focus on Alex. “Let go of me. I have nothing to say to you.”

 Alex simply stared at me.

“I asked you not to make a fuss at breakfast,” Quinn said. “Why can't you obey simple instructions, hmm?”

I stared at Quinn in disbelief. “Maybe I would have yesterday when I still respected you. But not after my discovery last night.”

Kevin straightened in his chair and addressed me, “I can take anything you do, but I won't accept you insulting my mom, Evelyn. Just sit down if you are asked to.”

I shot him a glare. “You stay out of this,” I said and looked at Quinn. “Or would you like for me to tell your son about your shameful acts?”

 “Shut your trap,” Quinn said, banging her hand on the table.

I chuckled at Quinn’s discomfort. She obviously didn’t want her son knowing about her escapade. I pulled out of Alex’s grasp. “I am going to check on my father,” I announced to the room, then turned to the kitchen maid. “I'll have breakfast in my bedroom, Sophia,” I said and turned to walk upstairs.

 “Prepare yourself,” Quinn called out. “Your engagement is in four days.”

I paused and looked back at her. “Excuse me?” I asked, my eyes strained and narrowed.

Quinn folded her hands. “You heard me. Prepare for your engagement ceremony in four days. Bring the omega you slept with last night.”

I gaped at her.

“What do you mean, the omega she slept with?” Kevin asked. “Her fiancée is standing right in front of her.” He shifted his gaze from his mother to me. “What is going on, Eve?”

“Alex cheated on me with your mother, and I caught them in the act, so our engagement is off.”

Kevin turned to his mom with disbelief etched into his features.

“Your mother is a despicable woman,” I added. “One who sleeps with her stepdaughter’s fiancée. That’s how dirty and disgusting she is. Now, you must understand why I refuse to cower under her authority?” I said, looking Quinn directly in the eye.

“Evelyn Carson!” Quinn yelled as she sprang from her chair. “Shut up.”

“Let's talk about this in private,” Alex implored. “It can be solved.”

I curled my lip in disgust. “Bold of you to assume I’m still interested in being your wife. You think because I have no wolf and am deemed a worthless omega that I would settle for a man who doesn’t know the line between family and sexual relationships?”

“Oh, come on now. Get rid of your pride. Nobody will want to marry someone who already slept with a man,” Alex said.

“Pfft.” I scoffed. “You're finally showing your true colors. I wish I'd never been with you. ” I turned to Quinn. “And about that engagement party. Fine. Set it up. I’ll bring him home that day. Ensure you send out invitations. I'd rather be married quickly to this stranger than marry a cheat.” I nodded toward the kitchen maid. “Sophia, breakfast to my bedroom, please,” I said, then left the room.

 Kevin turned to Quinn and asked, “What was she talking about, Mom?” I heard Kelvin say.

“Shut up, and eat your breakfast,” she said.

I know she's planning to get rid of me but I would make sure she's thrown out before she can even achieve her aim.

I'll prove to her that the Alpha's blood runs in my veins.

#

Three days passed since I and Quinn had fought over the engagement ceremony. Immediately after their argument, I uploaded a profile on a dating site, expressing my need for a contract husband just for the engagement ceremony. I continuously pressed the refresh button on my computer but had no bites, and I was running out of time. The engagement ceremony was tomorrow.

While I was in the bathroom, a notification bell sounded on my computer. I rushed to it to check the message. It was from an anonymous commenter and said, “I’m free tomorrow. How much would I be paid? Hit me up.”