Chapter 7 : Know Your Place

**Noah POV

I had pulled Aria with me into the stall the moment I heard the bathroom door open. The Bergmann heir quarreling with a guest in the women's bathroom would be too juicy for the habitual gossipers of high society circles to ignore.

We crashed into the stall with more force than I had intended and found ourselves in a very compromising position.

I was seated upon the toilet with Aria seated on my lap. Her dress had slits that ran all the way up her thighs, so I felt the enticing warmth of her legs on me.

My heart beat faster as the alluring scent of the women on my lap engulfed me. I had been able to ignore it before, but right now it was utterly impossible to focus on anything but her.

Her skin, her eyes, her lips, the rhythm of her heartbeat…everything about her was pulling me in, urging me to taste her. All previous precautions and opinions of her had vanished when we entered this secluded world of proximity and lust.

Her lips parted slightly, and I could no longer contain myself. I leaned forward and crashed my hungry lips against hers, as though they held the only substance in the world that would sustain me.

Aria gasped in shock at the sudden display of my desire. I thought she would pull away, but instead she responded to the kiss, her lips moving slower than mine as though she were still uncertain.

The bathroom door opened and closed again, signaling the departure of the intruder.

Aria placed her hand around my throat and pushed me away. She glared into my eyes with a mixture of lust and anger, as though debating in her mind whether to continue or end this.

SLAP!

The side of my face stung, no doubt complete with a red mark in the shape of her hand. Aria got off me and kicked open the stall, leaving me alone without another word.

***

What was wrong with me? Why was I so overcome with lust for a wh*re and spy who was so obviously trying to take advantage of being amongst the rich and wealthy?

She must have been using a false identity, so that she could blend in with high society and not be a pariah from the slums. Surely my father was aware? Surely he did his research on who she was before inviting her and wasn't just fooled by her pretty face?

Her gorgeous face…the face of a goddess.

I shook my head and reminded myself not to be fooled again as well.

I returned to the main hall where my father was giving a speech to introduce his new fiancée to his guests. Whoever she was, the engagement announcement had been awfully sudden.

"I'm sure many of you have made some small talk with the illustrious Miss Avaroux," my father's voice boomed proudly from the stage. "But allow me to formally introduce her to all of my guests and to the entirety of Romulus City! Arianna, my dear?"

The old man reached out and gestured for my new mystery stepmother to join him on stage while the photographers furiously clicked their cameras.

The woman walked on stage, took his hand, and smiled at the crowd.

I could not believe my eyes. Surely it must have been the trick of the light or the flashing cameras, because there was no way that it could be her! My father surely wasn't that naive, especially after reading the report I gave him on Tony's escape.

And yet there she was, standing elegantly by his side, smiling and waving as though what had just happened between us in the stall never occurred.

Aria, the part time prostitute, part time spy from the slums.

Disbelief rose within me. This was infuriating.

She was trying to infiltrate our ranks by seducing my father and becoming the most powerful woman in the city. She had to have enthralled him somehow, because there was no way that she was not after his money, or somehow intending to endanger the pack.

I couldn't let my father go through with this. I had to somehow talk him out of it.

He knew where I stood with regards to this marriage. I had told him the night before that I wouldn't be attending his engagement party or his wedding. I made a point of not indulging the man in his deluded exploits and keeping my distance as much as possible from him.

But then he threatened me with banishment if I went through with that plan.

"It's important that the entire city sees the Bergmann pack as a united front," he had said over the phone. "If you cannot comply with that, then you have no place in it."

My father finished his speech and the crowd applauded. Photographers violently clicked their cameras, not wanting to miss a single frame of the city's most powerful man with his new fiancée.

I walked over to him and hugged him as though nothing was wrong, offering congratulations before whispering in his ear.

"Father, could we talk in private?" I whispered so that only he could hear.

His eyes were skeptical, but his smile remained for the sake of the cameras and his guests.

He nodded and gestured towards the elevator.

He gave Aria a kiss on the cheek, which caused a pang of anger in my chest, and the two of us walked to the elevator.

"What is it, Noah?" he sighed once the elevator doors had closed. "Dragging me away from my bride and guests, it better be a good reason."

"Yes, about your bride." My mouth tasted bitter as I said that word. "Did you even read the report I gave you on what happened the night that Tony escaped? Or have you simply left it in the pile of garbage where you think I belong as well?"

My father glared at me but remained composed.

"I read your report, Noah. Nothing went unnoticed or ignored," he answered calmly.

"Then why? Why do you continue to be fooled by this wh*re? She's obviously a spy for the Hanson pack, she's using a false identity! You saw the slum that she's from! You know that she is not Arianna Avaroux! " I exclaimed, letting go of some of my frustration.

"Asking your Alpha why he does the things that he does is the very reason why you are not yet ready to take over my position!" Henry said, a hint of anger in his tone. "Do you think I don't know things? Have I not been playing this game of politics and feuds, espionage and warfare for longer than you've been alive, boy?

"Where do you think she got her false identity from? Why do you think I invited so many journalists, including those who are on the Hansens' payroll?" he continued.

"Whatever your plan is, then, why not tell me? For what reason do you include her in whatever this is and not your own son?" I fumed, controlling my voice so as to not openly shout at my father.

"I have made my judgments and decided how things will unfold. This is my business, and if you do not approve then you know where the door is!" my father said firmly.

The elevator door opened and my father stepped out.

"Go up to the roof for some fresh air, Noah," he said. "Then rejoin the party once you've come to your senses."

I felt my blood boil like a kettle about to scream. I stepped out of the elevator as well, my fists clenched so hard I thought they would bleed.

"Come back to my senses?" I yelled in rage.

My voice echoed over the balcony and down to everyone in the main hall. Hushed whispers followed as they realized just who was arguing.

"I am not the one that needs to come to my senses, Dad!" I fumed. "I'm trying to protect you and the pack from that wh—"

"GET OUT!" Henry roared. The entire room went dead silent. "You may be my son, but you will know your place!"

Breathing heavily, I looked around and saw that everyone on the lower floor was staring at us. I had made the very scene that I had hoped to avoid.

Before I could say another word, I felt a small gentle hand slip into mine. The skin was cool and calming, like the ocean breeze on a summer morning.

"Calm down, Noah," a familiar, feminine voice whispered in my ear. "Let's go outside before things get worse."

***

Chris Hansen POV

I chuckled to myself at the sight of an Alpha and his heir arguing at what was clearly meant to be a political stunt. An engagement party so soon after our packs had crossed fangs and claws—the old man was definitely playing at something.

Luckily, the Bergmann boy decided to make a scene. The tabloids and magazines would be filled with this by tomorrow morning.

I was not complaining; it was very entertaining and cast a great distraction to prevent my presence from being noticed.

"Sir," one of my informants greeted me, joining me at my table, "are you sure you don't want to talk outside?"

"Too many plebeians outside for my liking," I said. "Besides, the best way to remain covert is to blend in. What do you have for me?"

Following my example, the informant took a sip from a glass of champagne before giving me the information that I paid him for.

"Their story seems to be legit: Arianna Lupa Avaroux, only child of the late Gaspard Avaroux," he said, "She seems to have been in hiding since her father's murder, and now with her marriage to Henry Bergmann she will have the resources to retake her fortune."

"Hmm," I mused, draining the last of my drink. It seemed ever so convenient that Henry would have such a powerful and influential ally just waiting to take his hand in marriage, and one that could bolster his wealth and power to new heights.

No…that was just what he wanted us to think.

"He's up to something. Keep tabs on him, as well as his future bride," I ordered my subordinate. "Henry would never be so obvious with his plans."

He bowed his head as I left the table and headed outside. I got into the limo that was waiting for me and loosened my tie.

"How did it go?" Cameron, my Beta, asked me as he drove.

"The usual amount of fanfare for a Bergmann shindig," I sighed, pouring myself a glass of whiskey. "How about you? Any word from Tony yet?"

"He's still laying low, but he's getting anxious," Cameron said. "Getting shot with silver nitrite by Noah Bergmann will do that to someone."

"I'm surprised he's not dead," I laughed. "Whatever healer he hired, we'd benefit from having her as part of our pack."