“I’ve embarrassed myself?” I said, my voice trembling. “You’ve humiliated me, Lucian. You’ve let her humiliate me. In front of everyone.”
He crossed his arms, his jaw set in that infuriatingly dismissive way. “Just apologize, and we’ll end this. Stop making everything a spectacle.”
I took a shaky breath, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “You want me to apologize? Fine.” I turned to Talia, my voice dripping with venom. “I’m sorry, Talia. Sorry that you’ll never be anything more than a pathetic shadow, clinging to someone else’s mate to feel important.”
I turned to leave, each step heavier than the last. My chest felt hollow, my mind swirling with despair, but I didn’t let the tears fall. Not here. Not in front of him. But then, her voice cut through the air like a dagger, venomous and deliberate.
“Leaving already?” Talia sneered, her words laced with mockery. “What a weakling. Like mother, like son. Not surprised the poor child couldn’t even survive.”
I froze.
The air around me thickened, my wolf clawing to the surface. My hands trembled, fists tightening as her words replayed in my head. My Kael. My precious boy. She dared—dared—to insult him.