The Werewolf Prince and I (24 page)

Rebecca’s smile faded. “Excuse me?”

“The vote to vouch for her loyalty.”

Rebecca’s face became inscrutable. “I simply assumed it was irrelevant, considering---”

“For the sake of protocol, mmm?” Domenico’s smile was devastatingly sexy.

“Of course. I apologize. I only thought of saving everyone time regarding this matter.” She tossed Misty a look that blamed her for her very existence, but Misty was too depressed to care.

Domenico and Rebecca
knew
each other. Rebecca hadn’t been lying all this time. Maybe they were even lovers? She had been confident that Domenico would believe in her no matter what, but what if he chose to believe Rebecca over her? What if he felt Rebecca was more trustworthy perhaps because she was Lyccan as well and he probably knew her longer than he knew Misty?

“Per Lyccan laws, this woman may be awarded with clemency if her innocence is vouched by a minimum of two representatives who are at least directly related to their pack leaders.” Rebecca sent Domenico a look of sham sympathy. “I’m sorry, Domenico. But you do understand that you cannot be the one to vouch her, right?”

Domenico’s eyes became icy. “That isn’t stated in the law.”

“But if you have the utmost confidence in her, surely you would not need to lend your support?”

Bitch
, Domenico thought, striving to keep his expression cool even though a sliver of panic sliced his chest.

He would exact his vengeance on Rebecca for this,
Domenico vowed to himself even as he scanned the faces of the people around him. What he saw was enough to tell him that no one would vouch for Misty. The evidence weighed too heavily against her. He was counting on one man, but who else would vouch for Misty if Domenico was out of the picture? Worse, the man he was counting on was not even present.

“Then I will vouch for her,” a small voice from the back said.

Domenico stiffened. This was unexpected and he hated surprises. Could this be a trap?

Rebecca straightened. “Present yourself.”

The crowd parted, revealing a young meek-looking girl. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as she ascended the stage with small measured steps and t

Misty gasped. “Penny?”

Rebecca glared at the girl. “You are?”

“Penelope from the Buenaventura pack, granddaughter to the pack leader.”

Misty couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Penny was a
princess
?

Rebecca’s lips tightened. A silent threat in her voice, she asked, “You are absolutely sure that you would like to risk everything to vouch for this woman?” The words “that you barely know” were apparent on Rebecca’s face.

“I may not have known her for a long time, but I know her well enough to know with all my heart that she is the victim here,” Penny mumbled.

Although it did not show on his face, Domenico was quietly amazed at the young woman’s decision to vouch for Misty. He had never expected for Misty to befriend the famously introverted princess of the Buenaventura pack. She was so shy that few people even knew what she looked like, in spite of her royal status.

The doors at the back burst open again, this time with much fanfare when a voice asked, “Am I too late?”

Heads swiveled to the doorway, and Domenico finally let himself relax at the familiar voice. Misty was
safe.
He would never have forgiven himself if there was even the slightest chance that Misty would come to harm. There should never even have the slightest chance of it, and he would not commit the same mistake again.

He was beginning to understand Matteo’s concern over the risks he was taking with Misty and despised the fact that it took almost losing Misty to make him realize it.

“Jayme?” Filippo choked as a tall guy swiftly made his way to the stage.

Misty’s eyes widened when she saw who it was.

It was the guy at the rooftop!

People around her appeared shocked at his presence, which confused her. Why? Was he human like her?

She blushed when the man winked at her. “I heard through the grapevine and came here as fast as I could.” Then he looked at Mr. Cavalier. “Hello, Father.”

Father?

He was a prince like Domenico then?

Filippo was still shaking his head. “You
never
participate in such matters.”

So that was why they were all surprised
, Misty realized and blushed harder when Jayme’s gaze returned to her.

Domenico’s fists clenched at his sides. The pup better not try anything if he did not want to have every bone in his body broken. Misty was his. He willed Misty to look at him even though he could not yet afford to look at her. To do so would mean he doubted her and he did not want anyone thinking that.

But Misty didn’t look. She was too entranced at the exchange of words between Jayme and Rebecca.

“Rebecca, Rebecca,” Jayme was murmuring, wagging a finger at the other woman. “This is beyond you.”

Rebecca’s face hardened and her body became poker stiff underneath her black lace dress. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jayme shrugged. “We’ll see. But in case you’re wondering, I vouch for her loyalty as part of the Cavalier pack.”

Rebecca’s eyes gleamed. “That is not accepted. It is your pack that she has committed an offense against.”

Jayme shrugged. “Then as grandson of the Valencia pack leader.” He smiled at Rebecca, one that had invisible fangs. “I hope you didn’t forget I am connected to the Valencias as well.”

Rebecca looked like she had just swallowed poison.

Misty was still dazed. She had spoken to royalty and she hadn’t even known? All this lacked was---

“Then for the minimum of two votes,” Rebecca began stiffly.

“Did you really have to say ‘minimum’?” Another female voice piped from the back. This time, the noise from the crowd was deafening.

Rebecca visibly gnashed her teeth. “Please present yourself.”

Misty bowed her head. It was official. She absolutely had zero radar for detecting royal presence.

When the crowd parted, Misty was not even surprised to see the woman from the restroom sashay up the stage, her earlier misery nowhere to be seen. Instead, Misty saw a young woman brimming with confidence, one aware of the power in her hands – and knew exactly how to wield it.

The woman blew Rebecca a kiss. “Matilda, daughter of the pack leader of the Fontabella.”

“It figures.” Rebecca apparently couldn’t resist making the dig.

Misty was scared that would hurt Matilda but the other woman did not even bat an eyelash. Apparently, her brief display of weakness was an aberration.

Matilda just tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Sourgraping just makes your wrinkles show more, old gal.”

“I am
not
old!”

“Ancient then,” Matilda said airily as she continued walking. She only stopped when she stood next to Rebecca, and her stance said it all. Matilda was begging for comparison, and it was clear for everyone to see that she was so much more beautiful and sexier and – worst of all –
younger
than the other woman.

Rebecca’s face was stony. “Anything else?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Matilda cooed. “Do you know that I’m what people call a walking lie detector?”

Rebecca took a step back. “Is that so?”

Misty wondered if she imagined the tiniest hint of tremor in Rebecca’s voice.

The whole room was spellbound at the unfolding drama.

Domenico noticed the beads of sweat forming on Rebecca’s forehead and smiled.

“I don’t like using my skills but this once, I would. I can smell lies even miles away. It smells…” Matilda sniffed. “…like you do.”

And before anyone could react, Matlida’s hand swiped something from Rebecca’s pocket.

“Give that back!” Rebecca screamed, but Jayme held her back easily.

Matilda tossed a scrap of paper onto the table.

Misty gasped.

The note!

She had remembered leaving it in her locker before going to Mr. Cavalier’s office and wondered if she had somehow misplaced it when her frantic search for the note afterwards produced nothing but more doubts about her loyalty.

Matilda looked at Rebecca with disgust. “People like her don’t like taking risks. Stupid, really. She should have burned it.”

Noise filled the hall once more, most of which Misty didn’t understand because everyone seemed to be talking in their own language. It sounded very much like Latin and Russian combined.

Domenico finally allowed himself to glance at Misty. She sensed his gaze immediately and turned to him.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

She nodded, feeling weak and tired all of a sudden. She wished he would put his arms around her but he didn’t.

“This will be all over soon.” Domenico ached to take her in his arms but knew he should not – or at least not just yet. Because the game was not yet over and he still had moves to execute if his grand plan was to succeed.

Filippo cleared his throat. “In light of recent events, the case for exile against Misty Wall is dropped. The fate of Rebecca Findley is in your hands, Domenico.”

“Domenico, please,” Rebecca murmured. “For the sake of what we shared before---”

Misty stiffened at the implications of Rebecca’s words, her eyes unconsciously seeking Domenico’s face for reassurance. But what she saw in Domenico’s face made her step back in surprised hurt.

They had been lovers.

Damn, damn, damn. Domenico had been hoping this could end without Misty knowing the past he had shared with Rebecca. A stupid meaningless fling, truthfully, but he knew Misty would not like or understand it.

“It will be my eternal regret that I had wasted a second of my time with you.”

“Bastard,” Rebecca screamed.

Domenico’s eyes held a warning. “Another word and you will be exiled.”

Whitening at the threat, Rebecca was reduced to glaring at Misty with loathing.

Domenico was not satisfied. “On second thought, I think you do deserve to be---”

Aghast at what Domenico was about to do, Misty whispered, “
No
.”

Domenico had known Misty would protest. He knew he was being ruthless, manipulating Misty even though she was hurting, but it was too big an opportunity to pass up.

“What is it, darling?”

Misty flinched, but Domenico pretended not to notice it. Later, he would fix it between them. Later, he would please her and they would forget everything that happened and everything would be all right between them again.

“Not exile. It’s too harsh.” Matteo had once told her that exile was worse than a death sentence for Lyccans. It meant existing without a pack and pack was the lifeblood of every Lyccan.

“Are you sure?” Domenico asked.