She Is Mine

That same night, the pack lay under a soft blanket of moonlight, casting a gentle glow over the gathering of families seated around ten large tables.

Voices and laughter floated through the cool air, mingling with the scent of freshly prepared dishes, creating a comforting buzz.

Katie sat with a small group of children, smiling as two young girls beside her gazed up with wide, curious eyes.

One of the girls leaned in, her gaze fixed on Katie’s hair. “Your hair is so long and shiny,” she said, almost in a whisper, reaching out tentatively as if to touch it.

Katie’s smile warmed. “Thank you so much,” she replied, her tone gentle and encouraging.

The girl’s lips twisted into a thoughtful pout. “I wish mine would be like that when I grow up. I don’t like having short hair.”

Katie chuckled softly, tilting her head. “Oh, but your short hair is lovely. And someday, your hair will be even longer and shinier than mine.”

The girl’s face brightened as she touched Katie’s hair in wonder. “Really?” she asked, her fingers brushing the soft strands.

On Katie’s other side, a second girl chimed in, her eyes wide with admiration. “Do you know you’re really pretty?” she said with the kind of frankness only a child could have.

Katie laughed softly, brushing a strand of her own hair back. “That’s very sweet of you to say. You’re also very cute.”

The little girl grinned proudly, as if confirming something she already knew.

“I know!” she said with a confident nod. “I don’t get why my mom said I shouldn’t talk to you. You’re so friendly. But don’t worry—I’ll talk to you because now you’re my best friend.

Katie’s heart softened, and she reached out, giving the girl’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Thank you. That means a lot to me. But it’s important to listen to your mom.”

The girl wrinkled her nose in defiance, then giggled as she sprang to her feet. “I don’t want to!” she declared, laughing as she darted away into the moonlit park.

Katie watched the girl walk away, her small figure blending into the lively crowd. A gentle smile lingered on Katie’s lips for a moment, but it faded as her gaze fell to her plate, the untouched food now cold and uninviting.

She reached for her fork, the simple act feeling heavier than it should. Her hand paused mid-air as her thoughts circled back to the girl’s words.

Is that how bad the pack actually thinks me to be?

The question gripped her, sharp and unrelenting. It gnawed at her chest, each repetition deepening the ache that spread like a cold wave through her body.

Her fingers trembled slightly, and her throat tightened, making it harder to breathe. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision, but she fought against them, refusing to let them fall.

She raised her eyes and let it roam over the crowded untill it landed on Jerome who was seated at a table with the same woman she had seen him with earlier that afternoon when she returned from her walk.

The moment their eyes met, a strange tension sparked. It was one of those moments when you look at someone, expecting them to look away, but they don't.

Instead, Jerome's gaze held hers firmly. And before Katie could avert her eyes, he raised his hand and motioned for her to come over.

Her heart thudded. For a brief second, she considered pretending she hadn’t seen him, but his intent was clear.

Gathering herself, she stood, picked up her plate, and moved toward his table, every step heavy with the weight of curious stares.

When she reached his side, Jerome turned to the woman seated beside him. His voice was calm but authoritative. “Stand up.”

The woman hesitated, glancing between Jerome and Katie, before rising reluctantly. Jerome then motioned to the now-vacant seat. “Sit.”

Katie hesitated for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing on her chest.

Then, without a word, she lowered herself into the chair, her pulse thrumming as she braced for whatever was coming next.

As Katie settled uneasily into the seat Jerome had offered—or rather, commanded—her to take, the tension at the table was palpable.

The woman who had been displaced lingered for a moment, her lips curling in a sneer, before letting out an exaggerated, disdainful huff.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered, her voice sharp enough to cut through the surrounding chatter.

She stalked away with a flick of her hair, clearly waiting for someone to call her back.

No one did.

The silence that followed her departure was brief, broken by a low chuckle from one of the men at the table, a broad-shouldered brute with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

“Well, well, General,” he drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. “Didn’t know you were the type to bring a lady to the table. You going softhearted now on the ladies hmm?”

The remark was met with a chorus of laughter. Katie’s face burned, her fingers tightening around her spoon as she tried to will herself invisible.

Jerome, however, didn’t even flinch. He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair with the air of someone utterly unimpressed. “Soft?

I don’t waste my time on cheap shots, Marcus. You might want to try the same sometime.”

The table erupted again, and Marcus raised his hands in mock defeat, grinning. “Ouch, General. You wound me.”

Before the laughter had even fully died down, another man, younger and wiry with a perpetual smirk on his face, chimed in.

“Oh, come on, Jerome. You can’t blame us for being curious. A woman like her? If it were me, I’d be down to my last coin just to keep her smiling.

Katie glanced down, her embarrassment deepening.

She wanted to shrink into herself, to escape the attention that was now fully on her.

Jerome tilted his head, his lips curling into a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“And that’s why you’re perpetually broke, Quinn. You throw your money at fleeting amusements.”

The laughter came again, louder this time, as Quinn pretended to clutch his chest. “Cruel, General. Very cruel.”

Katie hoped the conversation would steer elsewhere, but another man at the table, older and more serious-looking, leaned forward.

His expression was harder to read, but his words carried a sharper edge. “So, what’s the deal, General? Is she your new... hookup I can't believe you finally picked a lagyy?”

Man lady Agatha really got this right by sending you this hot bitch.

Katie stiffened, her stomach twisting. She couldn’t decide whether the man was serious or simply baiting Jerome.

Either way, her humiliation grew by the second.

Jerome’s expression still did not change, though his tone cooled. “Hookup?

You think I’d lower myself to something so pedestrian? No. She is just a piece of thrash I got from Greogry's pack.

The emphasis on the last word made Katie’s heart stutter.

The air at the table shifted, the teasing atmosphere darkening slightly.

But it wasn’t enough to deter the boldest of the group, a man with sharp features and a reputation for irreverence. He leaned back in his chair, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

“Well, General,” he said, his voice almost casual, “if you’re not planning to do anything with her, maybe you’d let the rest of us have a taste. Share the spoils, you know?”

The table fell deathly silent. The grin froze on the man’s face as Jerome’s fist came down on the table with a resounding slam, rattling plates and glasses.

The force of it silenced not just their group but drew the attention of several nearby tables.

Jerome rose to his feet slowly, his imposing frame towering over the seated men. His voice, low and dangerous, carried through the now-quiet room. “She. Is. Mine. My property. My woman.”

Katie’s breath caught in her throat. The possessive declaration sent a ripple of shock through the table.

The men exchanged wide-eyed glances, and the bold one raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Whoa, General, calm down. We didn’t know you liked her I just thought she was just a plaything for you as usual!”

Jerome’s icy gaze swept over them, silencing any further comments. Without another word, he reached for Katie’s hand, his grip firm but not harsh.

She barely had time to grab her plate before he was pulling her to her feet.

“Let’s go,” he said curtly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Katie stumbled slightly as he led her away from the table, her face aflame with embarrassment.

The men at the table remained frozen, their stunned expressions lingering long after Jerome and Katie had left the room.