Denied by Destiny Trapped in the Shadows of the Mate Bond novel Chapter 508

But as I still have the burn on my arm from the oven…I won’t take the risk.

“Do we have a marking ceremony date in the diary yet?” Dad asks out, trying to steer the conversation on to the topic of the evening. The entire reason we are here.

I love Dad’s attempts to diffuse the tension but if he knew the truth, it would be the last thing he would ask.

“Not yet, Callie needs to visit Clear Waters pack.” Kaia responds, her eyes looking to the hallway where Knox moves back in, a glass of whiskey for Dad and Ares, which they both clink together.

“Ah speak of the devils!” Kaia declares out, all eyes turning towards the hallway but mine remain on the glass of champagne in my lap before they move up to Jaxon.

Who is still watching me, slowly sipping on his tumbler. The ice rattling as he lowers the glass down, placing it on the windowsill.

Everyone stands up, thankfully blocking me enough so that I can move to the back of the room.

I can’t look at him, my entire body is trying to move towards him, like a magnetic pull…it’s the baby, recognising I was near their father. It has to be.

Edging myself closer and closer to the corner of the room. Away from Jaxon and away from Jace, I close my eyes…trying to recollect myself.

“Ares!” I call out to him in the mind-link, blind panic starting to come back to me.

I open my eyes as he moves with precision towards me, his eyes locking on me with concern.

“What’s wrong?” He responds through the mind-link.

“I can’t be here.”

“You have no choice. They won’t find out…”

“Hello, you must be Cleo?” I’m pulled out of the mind-link as Callie moves over towards me, guilt spreading through me as she makes the first move, a friendly smile upon her face.

“I’ve heard so much about you.”

“You have?” My brows furrow at her words, I was a fraud. Letting this beautiful, charismatic female be kind to me when I hold her mate’s child in my belly.

She was dressed in red, with large gold hoop earrings that added a warmth to her eyes.