Della rejoined the party, remembering to walk with a slight limp, in case she ran in to Jaden Montgomery again. She thought about telling her parents about what had just happened, but decided to keep it to herself for now. After all, she couldn't be certain she wouldn't be rejected a second time.
"Looks like someone had some work done," a snooty voice from behind her said, and Della turned to face the unlucky bitch that dared to insult her. She came face to face with Luna Janna Jeffries, from Autumn Moon pack. Della silently cursed. Punching a Luna in the face would not be a good move, so she held back.
"What do you mean, Luna?" She asked, her feigned innocence deliberately obvious.
"I mean a certain part of your body seems to be, enhanced, dear." She was joined by two of her "friends," who were really just part of a group of leeches trying to bask in the glory of her status. It was pathetic, really.
"I don't know what you mean, Luna. It sounds like maybe you need to have your vision checked." She smiled sweetly. "Or perhaps you need your brain enhanced, insulting the undefeated combat champion."
"Is that a threat? Are you threatening the Luna?" One of her groupies asked, "Who do you think you are? You're just a rogue!" The three of them laughed disdainfully, then turned and walked away.
"Entitled ass bitch," Della muttered, and she knew her words were heard, she saw the falter in the Luna's steps as she considered escalating the confrontation. She apparently decided against it, continuing to walk across the floor like it was her own personal runway.
She knew their personal attacks were born of jealousy, but it didn't make it any easier to control her temper. She wished the bitch would fall flat on her face, in front of everyone. The vision was enough to make her rage subside a bit. She knew she shouldn't let them get to her, truly she didn't care what they thought. But Della had a natural instinct to fight against bullies.
She wished it was time to leave. She was tired, and missing Jax terribly. She just wanted to lie down. She made her way into an empty sitting room right off the main ballroom area. She kicked off her shoes and lay down on the comfortable couch, not caring if her hair got messed up or her dress got wrinkled. She just wanted to take a nap.
She mind linked Jared to let him know to keep an eye on her, the fact that her assault had probably occurred at a gala like this one, in this very place, not lost on her. Then she allowed herself to drift in to sleep. As Della succumbed to the embrace of slumber, the world around her faded into a pleasant hum, filled with laughter and music that seemed to swirl like a gentle breeze.
She dreamed of Jax, her sweet pup, the way he snuggled in to her with so much trust. She rolled on to her back, dreaming of the times she had fallen asleep on the couch with him pressed in to her shoulder.
Unbeknownst to her, a shadow loomed near, a figure whose presence carried the weight of a heavy secret. Jaden, the Alpha King, stood over her, his piercing gaze fixed on her sleeping form.
The moonlight entering the window danced across her features, accentuating the beauty of her angelic face. He was entranced, captivated by her vulnerability, the way her chest rose and fell rhythmically as she dreamt. In that moment, his obsession deepened, wrapping around him like a blessed curse.
His thoughts spiraled into darker territories, fantasies where he could carry her off, far from the prying eyes of the pack and the constraints of the world. He imagined what it would be like to keep her close, to have her all to himself, to bend her will to his own. Yes, beneath the surface of his admiration lurked something more sinister, a need to possess her, to claim her as his own, regardless of the cost. He could lock her away, kept only for him, and in time she would see it was for her own good. That she was where she belonged.
Just as he leaned forward, contemplating how he would put his dark thoughts in to action, a voice shouted to him from the door. The sound jarred him from his reverie, and he straightened, casting a wary glance toward the entrance.
"Jaden," a familiar voice called, carrying urgency. It was Jared, Della's brother, his tone betraying a hint of concern. "Eva needs to talk to you."
Jaden's brow furrowed, reflecting his annoyance. Eva? What could she possibly want? The thought of having to shift his focus from Della, even for a moment, gnawed at him. He knew the bond between siblings was strong, but in that moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that whatever Eva wanted was of little consequence compared to his growing obsession with Della.
"Tell her I'll be there in a moment," he replied, his voice low, a growl barely contained beneath the surface.
"Jaden, it's important," Jared insisted, his voice more insistent. "She really needs to speak with you." Eva had noticed her brother enter the room and sensed something, something that told her to get her brother out of that room before something terrible happened.
Jaden hesitated, his gaze drifting back to Della, who lay oblivious on the couch, her dreams seemingly peaceful. The sight ignited a fire within him—a primal urge to claim what he believed was rightfully his. He turned back to Jared, not masking his frustration.
"Fine. I'll be there," he snapped, pushing past Jared and out of the room, his mind racing with questions. What could Eva possibly want to discuss? What could be so urgent that it pulled him away from the one person who had captured his interest so completely?
As he walked through the crowded ballroom, the laughter and chatter faded into a dull roar, overshadowed by his thoughts. Della haunted his mind, her image flickering behind his eyes like a beacon. He could feel the pull of destiny, the weight of the choices that lay ahead.
She had to be his. By choice, or by force, she would be his.