Three Lies He Told Me

9 Feeling Flushed

Seraphina POV

The dinner was uneventful. Waiters flitted around setting drinks and food in front of us the moment something was empty. Eli spent most of the reception sitting on my lap talking animatedly. Kael was too engrossed in conversations with his father and Orion to look in my direction. Not that I expected him to. I have no illusions about what this marriage is for either of us.

I smiled watching Asya dancing with a handsome man who had approached her during dinner. She look good smiling as he twirled her around the dance floor. We had bonded over our sh**ty families. I consider her my best friend even though we don't spend much time together outside of work.

I was on my second glass of wine, which would be my last, when I felt a wave of dizziness and heat crawl up my chest. Asya must have noticed because she immediately left the man she was dancing with and moved to crouch at my side.

"Sera, what's wrong? Your face is flushed, and you're sweating," she says.

"Can you take Eli? I think I just need to splash some water on my face. I'm not used to drinking and I think the second glass of wine did me in."

She looks like she wants to say more, but instead she takes Eli's hand. I can't tell that he wants to argue about going with me, but I press a kiss on his head. "Mommy, will be right back. Be good. See if you can sneak us an extra piece of cake."

I get to my feet trying desperately not to sway. I quickly make my way out of the ballroom, grateful for the coolness of the hallway. Although the heat has now moved from my chest and much lower in my body. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm not saying I don't have the same urges every woman has, but this is next level. Thankfully, I find the bathroom quickly.

I'm glad to find it empty when I step inside. I move to the sink and splash my face with water. Asya's right about my cheeks being flushed. If I didn't know better I would think I had a fever. I focus on my breathing as the ache between my legs seems to intensify. I reach for the handle on the sink again just as the sound of the door opening reaches my ears.

A familiar voice I shouldn't be hearing in the women's bathroom says my name gently. I don't answer, praying he leaves, but of course, he doesn't. The sound of footsteps echoes in my ears as the dizziness and need, intensify again.

"Sera, what's wrong," Thomas says, rushing to my side. His hand on my arm disgusts me, but I don't have the strength to push him off. Despite the desire coursing through my body, I make no move toward him. The scene from his bedroom the morning I found him f**king my sister replaying in my brain.

"I'm fine Thomas. Why the hell are you here? Leave, you aren't supposed to be in here."

"I just needed a minute to talk to you alone. I swear to you, I still care about you Sera. The whole thing with Lydia is just me following my father's orders. I really didn't want her, but she insisted if I didn't she would call my father. She would make sure that you and Eli suffered. I did it to protect you," he starts to say.

Bile crawls up my throat. He did not just say that to me. My dress suddenly feels too tight. I pull at the sleeves trying to free myself of the constraints. "Leave Thomas. I don't want to hear your f**king pathetic excuses. I am married to Kael now."

"I can't leave you like this. You look like you are burning up," he says, placing his hand on my forehead.

This time I am able to knock it away, but the movement has me nearly toppling over. He reaches out gripping my hips to steady me just as the door to the bathroom slams open. I swear I hear a growl before Thomas is ripped away from me. I couldn't stop myself from falling if I wanted to. My body slams against the ground and voices erupt around me. This time, when the dizziness consumes me, I don't fight it.

The sound of beeping surrounds me. What the hell happened? One minute, I was sitting at the reception with Eli, and now I'm here, wherever here is.

"I'm telling you Kael. I saw her when I opened the door. She wasn't participating willingly in whatever that a**hole had planned. She could barely stand up straight. I know we are still waiting for the blood work, but I would bet my Beta position that she was drugged," an angry male voice says.

Drugged, Beta position. What the hell is he talking about? Flashes of being in the bathroom and Thomas float through my brain. I try to force my eyes open but they feel stuck together.

"Even if she was, she never should have put herself in that position. It's bad enough that I had to marry her, but now I have to defend her to my father and the elders," Kael says. His voice I recognize. I wish I could tell Kael to f**k himself, but my mouth won't cooperate. How dare he act like this is my fault.

"You are a real a**hole. I get you're still pissed about the whole Lydia situation, but just from what I've witnessed of her so far, I don't think Seraphina is anything like your wh*re of an ex-mate. She sat by your side with her kid on her lap from the moment dinner started until she went to the bathroom. She did nothing to embarrass you. Someone else did this, and you are blaming the victim," he says.

I swear I hear a growl and the room is silent for a moment.

"Go find out if the blood work is done. Also pull all the surveillance from the ballroom. I want to know who set the drink down in front of her," Kael says.