TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 53

Fifty-Three

Cameron POV

I watched Evangeline handle my cousin and his ridiculous questions with composure.

She didn’t shrink from the veiled insults about our “unconventional arrangement” or Matthias’s wife’s smug remarks about how easily they had conceived. She stood tall, defended Lisa as her sister, and shut down the council’s probing with careful politeness that left no opening for further interrogation.

She was magnificent.

And every word she spoke made the lie between us heavier.

While Evangeline defended the arrangement by defending Lisa, all I could think about was how uncomfortable Lisa had looked standing at the head of that table while a room full of older Lycans studied her like breeding stock.

I wanted to get her out of there.

We left the council chamber together and returned to the ballroom with our arms close enough to present a united front. Anyone watching would see loyalty and devotion.

Lisa excused herself almost immediately and disappeared into the crowd before I could speak to her.

I tracked her through the moving bodies until she vanished near the refreshment tables. For a moment I considered following her. Then Catherine’s gaze lifted and landed on me.

She had been circling the ballroom all night. Watching everything, and I had the growing suspicion she already knew more than she should.

Evangeline touched my arm.

“Thank you for standing with me there.”

She squeezed my hand before her parents pulled her away to introduce her to someone important. I stood alone in the middle of the ballroom. Too many eyes followed every movement I made, then Kade approached.

Evangeline’s younger brother crossed the floor with the relaxed arrogance of someone who had rarely been denied anything in his life.

“Hell of a party,” he said, gesturing toward the ballroom. “You’ve outdone yourself.”

“Thank you.”

“I wanted to talk about Lisa.”

“What about her?”

“She’s been here for over a month and still isn’t pregnant.” His voice stayed light. “Have you considered the possibility she might be infertile?”

The suggestion landed hard.

“These things take time.”

“Do they?” Kade scoffed. “Or are you enjoying the arrangement too much to let her go?”

“What are you implying?”

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“I’m saying if she can’t conceive there’s no point continuing this contract. Release her and let her move on with her life.”

“And I suppose you’ve volunteered to help her move on.”

Kade smiled. “Would that be so terrible? We have history. She knows me. I could take care of her.”

“Lisa is under contract,” I said. “The arrangement continues until she conceives or the terms are fulfilled.”

“That seems unreasonable.”

“Then it’s fortunate you aren’t the one making the decision.”

“One dance. That’s all it was. And you looked ready to rip my head off. That’s not how a man reacts to a surrogate.”

My wolf pushed against my ribs, eager to show him exactly what happened to men who touched what was mine. Except Lisa wasn’t mine.

“Are you questioning my loyalty to Evangeline?”

“I’m questioning your judgment,” Kade said. “You spend every night with Lisa. You sleep with her. You’re developing feelings whether you admit it or not. What happens when those feelings become stronger than your bond with my sister?”

The accusation hit because it echoed the thoughts I fought every night.

“My loyalty to Evangeline is absolute.”

Kade shrugged.

“I hope you’re right.” 1

He walked away.

Rage and guilt twisted together in my gut.

Lisa wasn’t my mate. She wasn’t mine to claim, yet every instinct in my body treated her as if she were.

“You look like you want to murder someone.”

I turned.

Nadia stood beside me with a glass of champagne,

“I’m fine.”

She studied my face over the rim of the glass.

“Let me guess. Kade said something idiotic and now you’re imagining ways to strangle him.”

“Something like that.”

She laughed.

“For what it’s worth, your reaction isn’t strange.”

“What reaction?”

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“You’re sleeping with the woman,” Nadia said. “Wolves bond through sex. Of course you’re territorial. Biology doesn’t care that you call it a contract.”

The logic was uncomfortable because it made sense.

“I should make him leave,” I muttered. “Tell Catherine and Marcus to take him back to Creek Keepers until after Lisa gives birth.”

Nadia raised an eyebrow.

“That seems extreme.”

“It’s necessary.”

She studied me for a moment, then shrugged.

“You’re the Alpha.”

Movement across the ballroom caught my attention.

The Alpha who had been dancing with Nadia earlier, Desmond, was approaching again.

Nadia saw him and groaned.

“Not again.”

“He seems persistent.”

“He’s irritating. There are dozens of unmated women here. Why does he keep coming back to me?”

Desmond reached us and offered Nadia his hand.

“Another dance?”

“I’m tired-”

“Come on,” he said. “Just one.”

Nadia looked at me.

Refusing an Alpha publicly could become a political insult.

“Go ahead,” I said.

She shot me a look that promised retaliation later, then accepted his hand.

I watched them return to the dance floor.

Franklin appeared beside me.

“You alright?” I asked.

His gaze followed Desmond.

“That Alpha isn’t good for Nadia.”

“Why do you say that?”

Franklin didn’t look away from the dance floor.

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“Desmond and I attended the same military academy. I’ve seen how he handles people who refuse him.”

“You think he’s dangerous.”

“1 think he’s patient,” Franklin said.

There was something else in his tone. Something personal.

“You sound jealous,” I said.

Franklin finally glanced at me.

“Maybe I am.”

That admission was rare.

“You know she won’t make that easy for you.”

“I know.”

He exhaled and leaned closer.

“Speaking of problems, I’ve been looking into Lady Evangeline’s condition.”

My attention sharpened.

“What about it?”

“You remember the surveillance system that covers the private wing?” Franklin said.

I nodded.

“There were gaps,” he continued. “Her camera feeds went dark twice over the last week.”

“You think she disabled them.”

“I think someone did,” Franklin said. “And it made me curious enough to start researching.”

“What did you find?”

“There’s a physician in the northern territories,” Franklin said. “A Lycan specialist. He works with rare degeneration cases. Moon-vein deterioration. Bloodline instability. Things our healers usually call terminal.”

“Can he treat her?”

“He’s known for attempting treatments others won’t.”

Hope stirred before I could stop it.

“Bring him here.”

Franklin nodded.

“I already sent inquiries.”

“Good.”