Rejected By My Mate, Claimed By His Rival

Chapter 7

Aurelia’s POV

I knew this was going to be complicated.

But as I stand in front of Julian’s mansion later that evening, staring up at the grand estate that practically screams old money, I realize I might’ve seriously underestimated just how tangled things are about to get.

"Intimidated?" Julian’s voice is smooth beside me, teasing.

I scoff, crossing my arms. "By this? Please."

A blatant lie.

Everything about the Adams estate is overwhelming. The towering iron gates, the pristine stone pathways, the enormous chandeliers glowing through massive windows.

This is a world I don’t belong in. A world where people like Sierra and Julian were born into power, and people like me—omegas, nobodies—are only meant to serve.

And yet, here I am, about to walk inside as Julian’s girlfriend.

Fake girlfriend, I remind myself. This isn’t real.

"You sure?" Julian smirks, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Because you look like you’re about to run."

"I am not about to run," I snap.

Julian leans in slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "If you bolt, at least wait until after dinner. My father would be so disappointed."

I blink. "Wait—what?"

He pulls back, all nonchalance. "Dinner. With my family. I thought I mentioned that."

"You absolutely did not!" I hiss, panic rising in my chest.

Julian just grins. "Whoops."

"Whoops?! Are you kidding me?!"

I’m going to strangle him. Right here. Right now.

Julian chuckles, grabbing my wrist before I can turn around. "Relax, sweetheart. You’ve already handled Sierra and Drake today. My family is nothing."

"Nothing?" I echo. "Nothing?! Your family could literally ruin my entire existence with a single phone call!"

"Which is why you need to convince them that we’re madly in love," he says easily.

I groan, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Why do I have a feeling this is going to be a disaster?"

Julian only winks. "Because it probably will be."

Before I can protest any further, he tugs me toward the front door.

And just like that, it’s too late to back out.

—

The inside of the Adams estate is even grander than I expected. Everything is polished marble and gold accents, like something straight out of a palace.

I barely have time to take it all in before a voice rings through the entrance hall.

"Julian, you’re late."

I turn just in time to see a tall, broad-shouldered man approaching us. His features are sharp, his presence commanding, and there’s a coldness in his eyes that immediately sets me on edge.

Julian, however, seems completely unfazed. "Good to see you too, Father," he says, utterly casual.

Father.

This is the Alpha of the Adams family. The man who practically owns half the pack’s wealth.

And he’s currently watching me with a look that makes me feel like an insect under a magnifying glass.

"And this," Julian continues, pulling me closer, "is Aurelia. My girlfriend."

For a long moment, there’s silence. Then—

"Interesting," Julian’s father muses, his gaze never leaving mine.

I resist the urge to fidget.

"Welcome to our home, Aurelia," he finally says, though there’s a distinct lack of warmth in his tone.

"Thank you," I reply, forcing myself to sound polite.

"Come," he says. "Dinner is ready."

I exchange a quick glance with Julian, who only smirks like this is all some sort of game.

And maybe for him, it is.

For me?

It feels like walking into a lion’s den.

—

The dining room is massive, with a long mahogany table set with fine china and silverware that probably costs more than my entire house.

At the head of the table sits Julian’s father. To his right, an older woman with elegant features and calculating eyes—Julian’s stepmother, I assume.

And further down—

Sierra.

Of course.

She’s staring at me like I just murdered her puppy, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Oh," she drawls, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "You’re still here?"

I force a smile. "What can I say? Your brother is just so charming."

Sierra’s eye twitches.

Julian hides a laugh behind his wine glass.

His father, however, merely steeples his fingers together, watching me intently. "So, Aurelia," he says smoothly. "Tell me—how did you and my son meet?"

I freeze.

Shit.

We never planned a backstory.

Julian, of course, jumps in effortlessly. "Oh, it was fate, really," he says dramatically. "I saw her at the coming-of-age ceremony and knew instantly that she was the one."

I barely resist the urge to snort.

Julian’s father raises an eyebrow. "Fate?"

"Absolutely," Julian continues, draping an arm over my shoulders. "You should’ve seen the way she looked at me. Like I was the most fascinating man in the world."

Now I do snort. "Yeah, that’s definitely what I was thinking."

Julian smirks, squeezing my shoulder.

His father doesn’t look convinced. "And what of your family, Aurelia?" he asks, his tone deceptively polite.

I stiffen. "My father is a gardener."

Sierra laughs under her breath. "You mean was a gardener."

My stomach twists, but I keep my expression neutral. "I suppose that depends on whether Julian holds up his end of our arrangement."

The room goes silent.

Julian, to his credit, only grins. "Of course, sweetheart," he says smoothly. "I always keep my promises."

His father watches us for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he leans back.

"Well," he says. "I suppose we’ll see how serious you two really are, won’t we?"

Something about the way he says it sends a chill down my spine.

I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this.

—

After dinner, Julian walks me out to the estate’s courtyard.

"Well," he says, shoving his hands in his pockets. "That went better than expected."

I give him a deadpan look. "Your father hates me."

"Nah," Julian says. "He just doesn’t trust you."

"Gee, I wonder why," I mutter.

Julian smirks. "Relax. You held your own in there. I’m impressed."

I roll my eyes but don’t argue. Because, honestly?

I am a little proud of myself. I faced down the most powerful family in the pack—and I didn’t break.

Maybe, just maybe, I can do this. Maybe, just maybe, I can win.