Bethroted to the ruthless alpha

The dining hall was huge. Too huge. The table could fit thirty people, but only six chairs were set out, which somehow made it feel worse - like the empty space was there on purpose, just to remind me I didn't belong.

I'd been married for six hours. I already hated this house.

"You'll sit next to Raulph," Dregor said, pointing me to a seat near the head of the table. He said it kindly enough. At least he was trying.

I sat down. Raulph didn't look at me. That was fine. I didn't want him to.

Parker walked in next, and the room got colder. He moved like Raulph - quiet, controlled - but his eyes were different. Colder. He looked me over like he was checking a price tag.

"So this is her," he said, not really to anyone. "The peace treaty."

"Parker." Dregor's voice had a warning in it.

"What? I'm allowed to look at my new sister." Parker almost smiled. "Smaller than I expected."

I didn't say anything. I was already learning - in this house, giving people a reaction was like handing them a weapon.

Phiona came in right after, like she'd timed it. She was beautiful in that sharp, careful way, like everything about her had been arranged for effect. She kissed Parker's cheek, sat down, and turned to me with a smile that looked warm until you actually looked at it.

"Evelyn," she said. "We've heard so much about you."

"Good things, I hope."

"Mostly." Her smile didn't change. "Tell me - is it true Crimson doesn't even have its own war college? I heard your border guards train with old Frevnent weapons. Must be embarrassing, needing someone else's steel to protect your own land."

The table went quiet. Beside me, Raulph went still, but he still didn't look over.

I smiled right back at her. "We do use Frevnent steel, yes. Funny - I heard you needed a Silver Moon last name before anyone outside your own pack took you seriously. Must be embarrassing, needing someone else's bloodline just to matter."

Something flickered across Phiona's face. Not anger exactly. Surprise. Like she hadn't expected the girl from the lowest pack to actually bite back.

"She's got teeth," Parker said. For the first time all night, he almost looked entertained. It didn't feel like it was on my side, though. More like he was just taking notes.

"Watch it, brother," Scott said, dropping into the last chair like he owned the room. "Keep looking at her like that and Raulph's going to think you're jealous."

"Jealous of what," Parker said. "A Crimson girl with a smart mouth?"

"Jealous that your wife just got beat at her own game," Scott said, grinning, and poured himself some wine like he hadn't just said something insane out loud. Then he turned to me, and his whole face changed - softer, warmer, definitely flirting. "The rumors were wrong, by the way. They said angelic eyes. They didn't mention you've also got a temper." He grinned wider. "Honestly? Raulph doesn't deserve you. I'd have made a much better husband."

"Scott." Raulph's voice, low.

"What? I'm being nice." Scott lifted his glass toward me. "To the first interesting thing that's happened in this house in years."

I felt my face go warm, and I hated that. Not because I believed him - I didn't, not really - but because it was the first time all night someone had looked at me like I wasn't a problem to be managed. I didn't drink to the toast. I wasn't sure yet if Scott was actually kind, or just enjoyed causing trouble.

Phiona wasn't done. She tried again, softer this time, like she was being caring instead of cruel. "It really is impressive, though, how fast you've adjusted. Girls from lower packs usually struggle so much with our customs here. The manners, the - " she waved her hand, " - refinement. I do hope Raulph's patient with you. It can't be easy, marrying so far above your station."

"Enough."

Raulph's voice cut across the table. He didn't say it loud. He didn't need to. The whole room stopped anyway.

Phiona blinked. "I only meant -"

"I know exactly what you meant." He set his glass down slowly. "You've been part of this family two years, Phiona, and you still introduce yourself with your father's title instead of my brother's name. If we're talking about refinement tonight, maybe start there before you pick on my wife."

Nobody said anything for a second. Parker's jaw tightened, but he didn't jump in to defend her. Phiona opened her mouth, closed it again. For the first time all night, she had nothing to say.

I looked at Raulph, waiting for him to glance at me - to see if there was anything behind what he'd just done. There wasn't. He'd already gone back to his food like it was nothing. Like defending me had just been a job he needed to finish, not something that meant anything.

I didn't know what bothered me more. That he'd done it. Or that some annoying part of me had liked it.

"Well," Dregor said, breaking the silence with the tired cheerfulness of a man used to cleaning up after his kids, "shall we talk about the harvest tributes instead?"

The conversation moved on, careful and a little stiff. Scott caught my eye across the table and winked, like we had some private joke going. Parker didn't look at me again for the rest of dinner, which somehow felt louder than if he had.

Beside me, Raulph ate in silence. Close enough that I could feel the warmth off his arm. Far enough that neither of us had to say anything about it.

I kept thinking about the two words he'd used. My wife. Not sweet. Not soft. Just a fact, thrown out like a weapon. And still, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I hadn't asked him to defend me. I definitely hadn't asked to feel anything about the fact that he had.

Careful, Evelyn, I told myself, poking at food I didn't want anymore. That's exactly how this stuff starts.