After One Night with the Alpha Chapter 224

Elle's POV

I found myself in a quiet alcove with Alex, finally away from the suffocating tension of that room.

"What a fucking bitch," I muttered, the crude words slipping out before I could stop them. "I swear, going out today, I must have stepped on every piece of bad luck possible."

Alex's face was flushed with indignation. "How dare she speak to you like that? You're an Alpha Brad's mate, for crying out loud."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions churning inside me. "Alex, listen to me carefully. You cannot tell Brad about what happened in there."

Alex looked at me incredulously. "But Mrs. Rayne—"

"No," I said firmly, cutting him off. "Think about it. Lucas just returned to the Rayne family today. If Brad gets into a fight with his grandmother over this incident, who do you think benefits? Lucas and his faction, that's who. This isn't the time for internal conflicts."

Alex's expression shifted as he processed my words. "You're thinking about the bigger picture."

"Exactly. I need to focus on the real threat here, not get distracted by Hamilton family drama." I straightened my shoulders, feeling my resolve strengthen. "From now on, I'm keeping my distance from anyone with the Hamilton name. They're nothing but trouble."

---

By the time we returned to the main ballroom, the evening was winding down. Lucas's birthday celebration had been an undeniable success – he'd basked in the attention, his vanity clearly satisfied by all the congratulations and well-wishes. I watched as he worked the room, practically glowing with self-importance.

I spent the next hour helping Victoria say goodbye to the last of the guests, playing the perfect hostess despite my exhaustion. By the time the final car pulled away from the estate, I felt like I could barely stand.

That's when Brad appeared at my side, his warm hands finding my temples and beginning to massage gently.

"You look exhausted," he murmured, his touch immediately easing some of the tension. "And I heard what happened with Calista. I'm going to make her pay for speaking to you like that."

I turned in his arms, placing my hands on his chest. "Brad, no. Please don't do anything."

His amber eyes flashed with protective anger. "Elle, she insulted you publicly. She questioned your position in this family. I can't let that slide."

"Listen to me," I said urgently. "Lucas just came back today. If you start a fight with your grandmother over the Hamilton family, who wins? Lucas does. We can't give him that advantage right now."

Brad's jaw clenched, but I could see him considering my words.

"Besides," I continued, "I've decided to just avoid the Hamilton family entirely from now on. Sometimes the best response is no response."

A soft knock interrupted us, and the butler appeared with a respectful bow.

"Mrs. Elizabeth has prepared a late dinner in the private dining room," he announced. "She requests that the family join her for this meal together."

Brad and I exchanged glances before making our way to the intimate dining room. When we arrived, I saw that Lucas and Mira had already seated themselves at the table. Lucas looked pleased with himself, while Mira wore an expression of cold determination.

Victoria was wheeled in moments later. Her sharp gaze immediately fixed on Mary, who was standing behind Lucas's chair. The silent standoff was palpable.

"Mary," Victoria said icily, "you may stand by the wall."

Mary's face flushed, but she moved to comply. That's when Lucas spoke up.

"Excuse me, Victoria, but my mother can't even sit down when we're in private? She's already been excluded from the public events – isn't that enough humiliation?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Lucas, you clearly don't understand proper etiquette. The elders haven't been seated yet, and you're already sitting. Furthermore, you brought an outsider to the family table without permission."

Mira's face tightened at being called an outsider, but she said nothing.

Lucas's voice rose defensively. "If we're talking about outsiders, what about Elle? She's human, but she gets to sit at this table. Why the double standard?"

The tension in the room spiked immediately. I felt Brad tense beside me, but before he could respond, Elizabeth's voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Enough."

Everyone fell silent as Elizabeth entered the room, her presence commanding immediate respect.

"Mary Hamilton is not formally bonded to this family," she said with cold authority. "Therefore, she has no place at this table. Miss Collins," she turned to Mira, "you also have no formal connection to the Rayne family, so you will also wait outside."

Elizabeth's gaze then shifted to me. "Elle is my grandson's recognized mate and carries the next generation of our bloodline. Her place at this table is unquestionable."

Lucas's face went red, but he didn't dare argue further with Elizabeth. "Mira, Mary... perhaps you should wait in the sitting room."

Mira's face turned an interesting shade of green as the reality of the situation hit her. Lucas wasn't the powerful Alpha she'd thought she could manipulate – he was just a weak man who crumbled the moment real authority appeared.

As she passed my chair, Mira leaned down and hissed in my ear, "Don't get too comfortable. You won't be sitting there much longer."

I met her gaze steadily but said nothing. Brad's hand found mine under the table, his fingers intertwining with mine in a show of support.

---

Once the "outsiders" had been dismissed, Elizabeth took her seat at the head of the table. Lucas and I waited for the elders to be seated before taking our own places.

"I've been thinking about living arrangements," Elizabeth announced as the first course was served. "Since Brad has chosen to live independently, I believe Lucas should do the same. Independence builds character."

Lucas perked up immediately. "You mean I get my own place?"

"Indeed. I've decided to give you the downtown penthouse – the three-story unit worth approximately one hundred million. It should suit your needs perfectly."

Lucas's eyes went wide with greed and excitement. A hundred million dollar property was more than he'd dared hope for.

I noticed Brad's expression remained carefully neutral, but when Lucas glanced his way, something in Brad's amber eyes made Lucas shrink back in his chair. Even now, Lucas was afraid of his older brother.

After dinner concluded, Brad and I were the first to leave, citing my need for rest. As we walked toward the exit, I caught a glimpse of Lucas and Mary practically skipping down the hallway, their arms full of gifts and their faces bright with triumph.

As Brad and I finally left the estate, I couldn't shake the feeling that tonight had been just the opening move in a much larger game. Lucas had gotten his first taste of Rayne family wealth and privilege, and I could already see it going to his head.

But what he didn't understand was that in this family, nothing came without a price. And Brad was very good at collecting what was owed.