Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 104

Chapter 104

“I have to go,” I said, thinking he might forbid it, or argue. “Ronan is fading. The poison is severe. I have to do what I can to help him.”

“Your father won’t help you,” Grayson said. “He’s only saying these things to lure you back to his pack lands.

“Maybe he is playing me, but what choice do I really have? I have to go, for Ronan’s sake.”

Grayson was quiet a moment, unreadable. I had no idea if I had affected him at all with my pleading, if I had convinced him to allow me to travel. For this, I would sneak out if I had to. Ronan was my responsibility now. I had to do whatever I could to try to save him, especially when the only person I was risking by doing so was myself

Looking down at the invitation, Grayson said, “The Gamma doesn’t expect me to attend this ceremony.”

My father probably didn’t believe that Grayson cared for me enough to attend, to watch out for my well-being, especially with how distant we had been in most of our public appearances. Our relationship was confusing for onlookers. It was even more confusing for me, inside of it.

“I’ll go with you,” he said. “That will ruin his plans and put him off-balance. If he does not make good on his promise to hand over that antidote, I will interfere.”

I blinked, surprised. Like my father, I too had thought Grayson didn’t care enough for me to want to help me. At most, I thought he would confine me to the castle and I would have to sneak out.

“You want to help?”

“Yes,” he said simply. He set the invitation aside and went back to his work, like the matter was settled. I started at him for a long moment, confused, before I moved on to see some of my own activities.

Later, I picked up the invitation again and tucked it into my pockets. Clara and I had conspired to meet with Ivory after dinner, when most of the servants would be helping with serving and cleanup.

We waited for her to step out of the kitchen. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw us there, her hands going to her waist, protectively.

“Excuse me,” she said and tried to slink around us.

“Actually, Ivory, we were hoping to speak to you,” Clara said.

“I have nothing to say to you,” Ivory replied.

“It’s about Calvin,” I said.

She stopped.

“We know about your affair,” I said.

“We should do this somewhere more private,” Clara said.

“I have nothing to say to you about that,” Ivory said. “At least not now. I know you conspire against Calvin, but he loves me. Soon, he’ll be mine all the time.”

That wasn’t going to happen. “He’s engaged to Maren.”

“Calvin is going to call that off.”

“He isn’t,” I said, and pulled out the invitation. I passed it to her.

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Chapter 104

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She snatched it out of my hands and read through. “This doesn’t mean anything…” she whispered, as tears rose in her eyes.

“You know it does,” Clara said. “Maren is the daughter of the Gamma. She has influence and power.”

“Calvin is selfish,” I said. “He uses people. He only keeps the ones who can help him.”

Her hands rose to her waist.

“If you are in some kind of trouble…” I said.

“You are wrong! You have to be!”

“Ivory,” Clara said calmly, trying to calm her.

“If he lied to me, I’ll never forgive him,” she said, looking at the invitation again. Her gaze rose to me. “Yoy. You are his ex-fiancé, aren’t you?”

“He cheated on me with Maren,” I said. “It’s a cycle with him.”

“He’s mine and I can prove it,” Ivory said.

“How?” I asked.

Ivory reached into her pocket. “I have pictures. Take them. Show them to him. He won’t deny it, I’m sure of it! Show her too. She should know. If he doesn’t choose me, I’ll… I’ll…!”

She retrieved a small envelope from her pocket and handed it to me. Inside were a dozen snapshots of Ivory and Calvin kissing, cuddling, and… more. Immediately I closed the envelope.

“Show him. Ask him. He’ll tell you the truth,” Ivory said, and seemed for all the world like she believed it.

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