MATED TO FATHER, FAT Chapter 46: THE VIPER AND THE GHOST

Chapter 46: THE VIPER AND THE GHOST

LILA CROSS

The dress made me look fat.

Not actually fat because I was not fat, I was perfect, but fat in the way wedding dresses always managed to make perfectly thin women look like overstuffed pastries. Too much fabric, too much tulle, too much everything drowning out my perfect body

I ripped it off and threw it at the nearest maid, the fabric hitting her in the face. "Next one, you incompetent fool."

She scrambled to pick it up while another maid approached with a different dress, this one with lace sleeves and a sweetheart neckline that looked like it belonged on a grandmother.

"Are you trying to make me look like a virgin bride?" I snapped, snatching it from her hands and holding it up. "This makes me look like a thirsty bitch about to suck a man’s cock for validation."

The maids exchanged glances but said nothing because they knew better than to respond when I was in a mood.

I threw the dress on the floor and kicked off my shoe, the heel flying across the room and hitting one of them in the shoulder.

"I am sorry mi lady," she whimpered, her hand going to where the shoe had struck.

Mi lady.

The words made my blood boil and I grabbed the other shoe and threw it at her head. "Mi lady?" I advanced on her while she cowered. "I am Luna to be, or is it because that bitch Amaris is now soon to be Luna you all are calling me mi lady instead?"

They were doing it on purpose, downgrading me, making me second place before the wedding even happened.

I turned to Maya, my personal handmaid who had been with me long enough to know when to speak and when to shut up. "I want a dress like the one Amaris wore yesterday."

Maya’s eyebrows rose slightly. "The black ball gown?"

"Yes the black ball gown," I hissed, pacing the fitting room. "Don’t you see how everyone was staring at her? That bitch didn’t even let anyone notice me." I stopped pacing and looked at Maya. "She stole the spotlight. Did you see how Rowan was staring at her? Like he wanted to eat her whole."

"But you are more beautiful than her," Maya offered in that placating tone that usually worked.

"Shut your bitch mouth up and don’t patronize me," I snapped, whirling on her. "She looked like a moon goddess in human form and you know it."

I loathe that I had to say that but it was true. Amaris had walked into that engagement party wearing that dress and every eye in the room had gone to her, stayed on her, worshipped her like she was some sacred relic instead of the weak little breeder she actually was.

Even Rowan had looked at her differently and that was a problem.

"But she won’t shine for long," I added, more to myself than to Maya.

The fitting room door opened and a man walked in without knocking, without announcing himself, with the kind of confidence that said he owned every space he entered.

He was handsome in that dangerous way some men were, probably mid thirties, dark hair and sharp features and eyes that looked like they spot your weaknesses the second they landed on you. He carried himself like a predator, I know one when I see one.

This man would fit so well in my harem.

I could already picture it, him on his knees worshipping every part of me, his mouth on my wetness licking and making me cum over and over again while I sat on my throne of perfectly manipulated men who existed solely for my pleasure.

Just thinking about it was making me wet, I could fuck him right here and now and I would hold no regret.

Then he turned fully and my smile died.

I recognized him instantly.

"What the fuck are you doing here Victor?"

Victor Hale smiled at me, the expression predatory and amused. "I am so glad you recognized me. That means I don’t have to introduce myself."

I crossed my arms, suddenly very aware that I was standing in my undergarments with wedding dresses scattered around like casualties. "When Rowan told me you never died I thought you would be wise enough to stay dead. Turns out you don’t really know how to use your brain."

He moved closer with that same casual confidence he always exude, his hand reaching out to lift my chin and force me to meet his eyes. "Coming from you, that sounds almost funny."

I shrugged his hand away and stepped back. "What do you want?"

Victor looked around the fitting room, taking in the mess of discarded dresses and cowering maids. "I came to wish you a happy married life in advance."

"You could have sent that as an email," I shot back. "What do you really want?"

"I should be asking you that," Victor countered, his eyes finding mine again. "I know you don’t want to be second place Luna."

I laughed, the sound coming out more nervous than I intended. "Who says I am?"

"Well," Victor drawled, moving to pick up one of the rejected dresses and examining it with mock interest, "people are talking about Amaris. Her ethereal beauty. Her grace. Her presence." He dropped the dress and looked at me. "I mean, nobody is even saying a word about you."

The truth of it hit like a slap and I forced my expression to stay neutral. I could not show weakness to a man like Victor. "I don’t care what people think."

Victor laughed, the sound maniacal and sharp. "You do. That is why you still keep your little harem of men who fuck you as an underground secret."

My blood went cold. No, it turned dry instantly and I couldn’t hide the shock on my face. My eyes widened.

How the hell does he know about my Harem?

"I don’t know what you are talking about," I managed, but my voice had gone thin.

"Of course you do," Victor moved closer again, his hand finding my chin and this time I did not pull away because I was too shocked to move. "Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me."

He pulled me closer and kissed me, soft n my lips almost like he just wanted to taste me to fulfill a primal curiosity, and I let him because my brain was still trying to process how he knew, who told him, what else he had discovered.

"As for what I want," Victor murmured against my mouth, "I will be in touch."

He turned to leave, pausing at the door to look back. "All these dresses are ugly by the way. If you really want to beat Amaris’s standard, go elsewhere."

Then he was gone.

I stood there staring at the closed door, my hands shaking with rage and fear.

"That fucking bastard," I breathed. "How did he know about my harem?"

The harem was my insurance policy, my way of making sure I always had options, always had men who would do what I wanted because I gave them what they needed. Cole was the main one, the one I had loved before Rowan came along with his political advantages and Alpha heir status. But there were others, carefully selected men who knew how to keep their mouths shut and how to make me feel good.

They fucked me good. They live together in an underground house I had built in the Ironcrest pack and we get to explore all kinds of sexual desires.

Now Victor knew.

I could not tell Rowan that Victor was back because if Victor exposed my secret Rowan would call off the wedding and I would lose everything I had worked for. Luna position gone, political power gone, all of it dissolved because I liked having multiple men at my disposal.

I needed leverage.

I needed to find out Victor’s secrets, level the playing field, make sure he understood that threatening me was a mistake. Otherwise he would have the upper hand and I would spend my entire marriage waiting for him to destroy everything.

I turned to Maya who had been standing frozen during the entire exchange, her eyes wide.

"Not a single word about this to anyone," I commanded, my voice dropping to ensure the severity of my threats.

She bowed immediately. "Yes my Luna."

"Now go get my men ready," I continued, already planning how to extract information from them on who ratted out our secret all while they made me cum, "I am horny as fuck. All this wedding shopping is exhausting."

Maya scurried out and I looked at myself in the mirror surrounded by rejected wedding dresses.

Amaris thought she had won by looking beautiful at one party, by catching Rowan’s eye for a few seconds, by making people whisper about her ethereal fucking beauty.

She had no idea what she was up against.

I had been playing this game since before she even knew it existed, had perfected the art of manipulation while she was still locked eating scraps. I had built empires of men who would kill for me, destroy for me, lie for me.

One pretty dress did not make her a threat.

It made her a target and I was very, very good at eliminating my targets.

Freya knows that.