Chapter 86 In Love Long Ago
Aelira’s POV
“If you truly doubt me, should I give her a kiss now?”
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Daelor’s tone is lighthearted, almost teasing, yet my heart momentarily skips at his proposition. Trying
to maintain a guise of modesty, I secretly pinch him beneath the table, hoping to go unnoticed.
Elder Quillon chuckles, his aged face crinkling with mirth. “Perhaps a scent–marking would be more
persuasive, young Alpha. That’s how we did it back in my day.”
My eyes widen in horror. Scent–marking is a deeply intimate act between mates or those intending to mate, involving the rubbing of neck glands against each other. In werewolf culture, it’s practically a
prelude to intimacy.
“I don’t mind the idea,” Daelor replies smoothly, turning towards me with a playful glint in his silver–gray
eyes.
My face flushes with embarrassment. “Daelor,” I whisper urgently, “don’t.”
He leans in closer, his warm breath tickling my ear. “It’s just a performance, remember?” he whispers,
his voice barely audible to anyone but my wolf’s sensitive ears. “Just play along.”
Before I can protest any further, his hand moves to the small of my back, drawing me near. The fresh
pine and nighttime scent of his wolf wraps around me as he buries his face in the crook of my neck, not quite touching his scent glands to mine, yet creating the illusion for onlookers.
“There,” he says, pulling back with a satisfied grin. “Are you convinced now, Elder Quillon?”
The elderly werewolf scoffs, his bushy eyebrows knotting together in disbelief. “The young wolves of today lack a sense of decorum. In my era, such displays were meant for private moments.”
I silently pledge to never again engage in Daelor’s antics. This is becoming far too personal and
bewildering for my taste.
“Well, I, for one, am convinced,” Dr. Nyven Leyric remarks, his eyes sparkling with barely contained
amusement. “If Daelor wasn’t so evidently enamored with Ms. Sunmere, I’d volunteer myself as an
option, Elder Quillon. Your granddaughter deserves a companion who truly values her.”
Elder Quillon dismisses him with a wave of his hand. “At least she’s promised to him and not some
random she–wolf. The pack council would have my head if I attempted to pair my granddaughter with
a mated Alpha.”
A wave of relief washes over me at the elder’s seemingly approving reaction to our deception, though I
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Chapter 86 in Love Long Ago
can still detect a trace of skepticism in his gaze.
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“Excuse us,” Daelor says, resting his hand on my shoulder. “The bidding meeting is about to commence, and I must escort Aelira to the refreshment area.”
As the others start to move toward the meeting room, I seize my opportunity to slip away. “Actually, I
think I’ll look for Oriana. You go on ahead.”
Daelor appears ready to protest, but after a moment, he nods. “George will stay nearby if you need
anything.”
I can’t leave fast enough, my heart still pounding from our forced closeness. The cool air of the
hallway greets me like a breath of fresh air as I step away from the gathering.
“Water, Ms. Sunmere?”
George Leach, Daelor’s notably efficient assistant, appears next to me with a glass in hand. I gratefully accept it and take several sips to steady my nerves.
“Thank you, George. I’m just going to find my friend.”
I make my way through the elegant venue, admiring the architectural details while searching for
Oriana. As I round a corner, I nearly bump into two women who are deep in an argument.
“I told you he has a girlfriend!” Mary Briarhallow’s triumphant tone echoes as she faces off against
Lisa Cain. “You should’ve seen your expression when Daelor introduced her!”
I instinctively step back, eager not to intrude on their heated discussion. Unfortunately, my movement
draws Mary’s attention.
Lisa flips her perfectly styled blonde hair, her voice laced with contempt. “A girlfriend is hardly
pertinent. Daelor wouldn’t settle for someone so common.”
Though her face is obscured from my view, her tone clearly indicates she’s talking about me. A small part of me bristles at the insult, but the rational side acknowledges her point.
I don’t measure up to someone like Daelor Briarhallow. I am carrying another wolf’s child, still
technically mated, and I bear enough emotional baggage to sink a ship. It’s crucial to remind myself
that this is all merely an act.
Before I can slip away unnoticed, Mary catches sight of me. “Aelira! There you are!”
She rushes towards me, linking her arm with mine as if we share a close friendship. The sudden
change in her demeanor is startling–wasn’t this the same girl who had been openly hostile just moments ago?
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Lisa swivels around, her striking blue eyes narrowing upon seeing me. Her wolf’s scent sharpens with
irritation, though her expression remains calm.
“Why aren’t you wearing the bracelet?” Mary insists, giving me a slight shake. “The silver moonstone, one that Grandma Elowen gave you!”
I blink, taken aback by her sudden fixation on the bracelet. “I-”
“It’s a family heirloom, you know,” Mary continues loudly, clearly making a point for Lisa to hear. “Grandma only gives them to females she accepts into the family.”
So that was her strategy. She is using me to retaliate against Lisa, parading me around like a treasured trophy to intimidate a rival she obviously despises.
Lisa’s impeccably shaped eyebrows arch in disbelief. “Elowen gave you a bracelet?”
I nod hesitantly, feeling uneasy about being caught in the crossfire of their rivalry.
“And you’ve been to the Nightshade Pack compound?” Lisa presses, advancing closer. “You’ve met Daelor’s grandmother?”
“Yes, I have,” I respond, finding no reason to fabricate that detail.
Lisa’s expression shifts from genuine surprise to skepticism. “You’re conspiring with her, aren’t you?” She gestures contemptuously toward Mary. “She convinced you to do this.”
Mary bursts into a sharp laugh. “She doesn’t need my assistance! Daelor is utterly infatuated with her.
Even Grandma gives her a thumbs up, and she’s notoriously selective.”
“How could his family possibly accept someone who’s in the midst of breaking her mate bond?” Lisa challenges, her emerald eyes flashing with fury. “It’s inappropriate at best, scandalous at worst.”
Mary pulls out her smartphone and proudly shows a photo. I recognize it instantly–it features me beside Elowen Briarhallow in her private quarters at the Nightshade Pack compound.
“Grandma was fully aware of the mate bond severance,” Mary claims triumphantly. “She knows everything about Aelira’s history and still gives her approval. That should indicate your status, Lisa.”
Lisa’s facade slightly crumbles. She turns to me, her voice strained with emotion. “You disclosed your past to the matriarch of the Briarhallow family? About your divorce proceedings?”
I hold her gaze firmly, my wolf surprisingly composed. “Yes, I did.”
“I can’t believe it,” Lisa murmurs, mostly to herself. Her face twists with genuine anguish. “This can’t be
real.”
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<Chapter 86 In Love Long Ago
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She retreats slowly, her wolf’s scent revealing her anger and pain. “You’re lying. All of you. This is some elaborate prank at my expense.”
Without another word, she pivots and storms away, her graceful figure fading into the hallway.
Mary claps her hands gleefully. “Did you see her expression? Priceless! She’s been pursuing Daelor for years, convinced that her status and family ties would eventually win him over.”
I can’t help but grin at Mary’s childlike enthusiasm. Despite her earlier hostility towards me, she genuinely seems pleased by this turn of events.
Noticing my smile, Mary’s demeanor abruptly shifts to serious. “Don’t get too comfortable, though. You may have Grandma’s approval, but you’re not the first.”
Her comment surprises me. “What do you mean?”
Mary looks around to make sure we aren’t being overheard before leaning in closer. “Daelor had a crush on a she–wolf,” she whispers. “Someone he has cherished for over a decade now.”
“What?” I manage to whisper, taken aback by this shocking revelation.
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