Valeria's POV
“How about transferring that mall to Valeria?” Eric’s voice cut through the air, colder than most werewolves. It wasn’t just cold—it had a sharp, slicing quality, like ice ground into thin, jagged blades on a whetstone, ready to cut through with a whisper.
Marcus and Lydia froze, forks suspended mid-air. After a long moment, Marcus forced a smile, his brow creasing into deep lines. “Alpha Eric, you must be joking.”
Lydia quickly added, her smile tense, “Exactly, Alpha Eric. Why should Valeria keep a mall all to herself?”
Her words chilled me. My gaze fell to my hands hidden beneath the tablecloth, tracing the fine fabric that concealed so much beneath its pristine surface.
What did Lydia mean by that? Why shouldn’t I keep a mall? Even after I volunteered to marry Eric, t
