?Chapter 331:

    “You’ll make the world see the strength of Viper blood.”

    “Yeah, and I’ll probably trip on the hem and fall t on my ass,” I muttered under my breath, ring harder at the dress like it was the enemy.

    The knock on my door was sharp, and my father’s gruff voice followed.

    “Jasmine, are you ready?”

    I rolled my eyes. “Almost, Dad. Just give me a few minutes.”

    Dad. Mom. The names sounded weird. Don’t me me, I was used to calling the Thanes those names, and now my parents were different people.

    There was a beat of silence, and then his deep chuckle. “Five minutes. Don’t make mee in there.”

    Trust me, three days were enough for me to study their personalities. Dad was someone so strict.

    As soon as his footsteps faded, I let out a groan and flopped back onto the bed. The ceiling stared back at me, and for a split second, I imagined Ryder’s face there instead. His stupid smirk, the way he’d cock his head when I was mad, like he thought it was cute.

    “Fuck you, Ryder,” I muttered, mming my hands over my face. “Why the hell can’t I get you out of my head?”

    The truth was, even though I felt betrayed and furious, I missed him. I missed the way he made meugh, the way his arms felt like home, the way he’d look at me like I was the only thing that mattered. But then I remembered why I left. He lied.

    That thought was enough to get me moving. I slipped into the dress, muttering curses as I tried to zip it up, and shoved my feet into a pair of heels that felt like torture devices.

    “Okay, Jasmine,” I told myself in the mirror. “You’re not here for him. You’re here to remind the world who the fuck you are.”

    The party was already in full swing when I walked in, my mother by my side. She looked regal, every inch the queen she was, and I tried to channel even an ounce of herposure.

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    “Smile,” she said softly, squeezing my arm.

    I forced a tight-lipped grin and stepped into the throng of people. It was loud, the room filled with chatter and the clink of sses. The smell of expensive perfumes mixed with the sharp tang of power and dominance.

    This was something different. I knew I had yed Luna for Ryder, but trust me, this was something way different.

    The fact that I was going to stand before these people—by people, I meant Alphas from different packs, top influential people—was a whole new level of pressure.

    “Are you sure we’re ready for this?” I whispered to La.

    “We’re more than ready. This is our fate. This is what I’ve waited for all my life. This is the time, Jasmine,” La whispered, and trust me, this was the first time she was sounding so serious, aside from her usual snarky, sassyments.

    The crowd—every eye was on me. All attention was fucking on me, and trust me, I thought I forgot how to walk. My legs felt heavy, and the heels I wore weren’t helping.

    By the moon goddess, making a fool of myself would only attract words, whispers and… Darn this! I miss Seraphina. I miss how she would walk me down.

    Compose. Beposed. I tell myself as I close my eyes and then open them again. Each step I take is like the queen I am, but the truth is, I don’t have a throne yet.

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