Chapter 17 What ? Celeste shot up from her chair , her fiilly purple dress hommeing along with her . Her curls quivered as if they ton were affronted . Daddy , my friends say the Steele heir is super ugly ! he whineid , her voice high pitched and grating Across the table , Ash scoffed loudly , clearly impressed by her theatrics . August , the youngest , barely stifled an eye roll . Insolence ! Sit down ! Drogos booming voice reverberated through the room, startling everyone : My fork froze mid air . Did he really just raise his voice against precious princess ? I blinked , half expecting to wake up Celestes lips trembled as she slowly sank back into her chair , he pout firmly in place . Rumors are just rumors , Roman said , his tone sharp as his gaze shifted to her . Youll meet Dante Steele at the Blue Moon Festival ball thenight after tomorrow . Ill personally ensure you satisfied with the arrangement . I will not allow any injustice to befall you ? Satished ? My frown deepened as his words settled in . This wasnt how things were supposed to unfold . If Celeste married Dante , wouldnt that mean her and Jaxons future … their future betrayal wouldnt happen ? My chest Lightened . The shift in dynamics left me uneasy , and suddenly , the food on my plate looked revolting . Everyone must be dressed appropriately , Roman continued , rising from his chair with a slow , deliberate motion . This alliance must succeed for the survival of our pack . We cant affor any more losses . He coughed into his handkerchief before excusing himself and leaving the room . One by one , the others followed , though I stayed behind , lost in thought . My hand mechanically pushed an olive around my plate , the weight of my worries pressing down on me . A quiet cough snapped me out of my trance . I looked up to find Aiden standing over me , his expression awkward . Thank you … for this morning , he said , scratching the back of his neck . This morning ? Lechoed , my brows furrowing . For sending Arthur , he clarified , clearly uncomfortable . You know , to check on me . O The butler . I offered him a polite nod . Youre welcome. Anyways his wounds had already healed as far as I could see . Typical Alpha healing abilities . There wasnt a bandage in sight , except for the old jagged wound that ran down his cheeks , which had been there for as long as I could remember . I expected him to leave after that , but he lingered . Most of the adults had already filed out , leaving only Aiden , Sebastian- who was still stuffing his face with shawarma and Jaxon . The latters presence burned at the edge of my awareness like a smoldering ember . 1/3 11:38 Tue , Jan 14 Chapter 17 I could feel Jaxons glare boring into me from across the room . Frustration bubbled within me . If they werent going to leave , then I would Pushing back my chair , 1 stood and headed for the door . The soul of two sets of footsteps trailing behind me made my jaw clench Are you sure youre okay ? You barely ate . Aidens voice called after me I halted abruptly , spinning on my heel to face him . I was already completely frustrated and overwhelmed with everything that was happening . Why do you care ? He frowned , taken aback . Excuse me ? My patience snapped . Listen , I said , my voice low but sharp . know you dont like associating with me , and honestly ? 1 dont care anymore . Lets just stay out of each others way , alright ? His frown deepened , his silver eyes hardening . When did I ever- He paused , visibly struggling for words . Youre the one who why did you even talk to me this morning , then ? I barely registered his jumbled response , only catching the last part Ive already apologized , I said , my tone colder than I intended I wont make the same mistake again . With that , I turned on my heel and strode away . Why was he acting like he cared all of a sudden ? Lethia . My thoughts churned as I climbed the stairs . This was the same man who had ignored my cries for help in the past . The same brother who had believed Anas lies over me when she accused me of poisoning I clenched my fists as bitter memories yesurfaced . Even though the war had ended with our packs victory , it came at a heavy cost . Two of the elder Alphas , including my father , had perished alongside Roman . Only the Armani Alpha and his eldest son had survived . Jason , Jaxons brother , had fallen in battle . Ash , my other brother hadnt survived either . And Lethia … she had followed soon after . The circumstances of her death were still a mystery , though everyone had their theories . Most pointed their fingers at me , accusing me of taking revenge for years of cruelty . They threw me into the dungeons , searching for proof they never found . I had mourned every loss , cried for every soul . But now ? Now I saw them for what they were cracks in a broken family . So why was I even dwelling on them ? The best course of action was clear : finish my education , save as much money as I could , and leave this pack within two years . By then , the chaos would truly erupt , Oh , and save Marcelene and her family along the way . But one thought lingered , gnawing at the edges of my mind : If Celeste really married Dante , would Jaxon let me leave ? Or live ? 11:38 Tue , Jan 14 Title: Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation In CrushReel's ongoing romance novel, "Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation," a young woman finds herself without a home after a heart-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of four years. Following state policy, she is unexpectedly matched with a billionaire spouse, forever altering the course of her life. Amidst themes of love, resilience, and newfound wealth, readers are drawn into a world where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. 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