Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers
Chapter 133: Dressed for Deception

Chapter 133: Dressed for Deception

Evaline:

I blinked. "What?"

He turned fully to face me now with that usual unreadable expression plastered on his face. "To a business dinner. You’ll be attending as my assistant."

The last thing I wanted to do was accompany him to a business dinner.

I didn’t care if he was the Rogue Alpha King, the wealthiest shifter in the world, or even the moon goddess’s personal favorite. I wasn’t in the mood to be paraded around like hisnpersonal trophy while pretending the events of the Alpha Gathering had never happened.

"No," I said flatly, folding my arms as I stood across from him in his lavish office. "Take one of your other assistants. Or your secretary. Or your beta. Or any one of the thousand people who would happily follow you anywhere. I’m not your showpiece."

He didn’t even flinch. "This isn’t about that, Evaline."

I scoffed. "Oh really? Then what’s it about? Because I’m pretty sure you made it clear last time what you think of me."

His jaw tensed, but his emerald eyes didn’t leave mine. "I want to make up for that night."

I was stunned that he even acknowledged the Alpha Gathering. Let alone admit fault. For a second, just a second, his expression almost looked... guilty.

But I had learned the hard way not to trust River Thorne. He was a master manipulator. Whatever he wanted, he always got it, no matter who he stepped on along the way.

I opened my mouth to refuse again when he said something that silenced me.

"I’ll pay you a bonus," he said smoothly. "The exact amount of your one month’s salary."

Damn him.

He must have seen the flicker of hesitation in my eyes because he added, "I’m not doing this to trap you, Evaline. You’ll get paid for your time. That’s all."

I wanted to say no... desperately. But I couldn’t afford to. I needed this money. Not for myself but for the life growing in my womb.

I clenched my fists at my sides and took a deep breath before nodding. "Fine. But this doesn’t mean I trust you."

"I wouldn’t expect you to," he said softly, and for once, I didn’t hear arrogance in his tone. Just something else... quiet. Unreadable.

I expected we would head straight to the hotel or wherever the dinner was being held. Instead, River had his driver take a different route, and when the car pulled up outside an elegant boutique with floor-length windows and gold-plated handles, I stared at the building like it had personally offended me.

"What is this?" I asked, already suspicious.

He stepped out first and opened the door for me like a true gentleman, which only irritated me more.

"You are not wearing that to a business dinner," he said simply, gesturing to my blouse and slacks. "Come on."

"I’m dressed fine," I muttered as I followed him inside, but my argument died when I saw the collection of gowns, heels, and accessories that were glistening under the soft lighting of the boutique. This place was luxury incarnate.

A woman in a sleek black dress greeted River like she knew him. Of course she did.

"Alpha Thorne," she said with a smile. "We have prepared the private room as requested."

I turned to him. "You planned this?"

He didn’t answer, just gave me that infuriating look - the one that said don’t fight me on this. And I hated that it worked.

Minutes later, I was ushered into a dressing room with a dozen gowns waiting for me. I tried to argue again, but his voice was clear outside the curtain.

"Evaline," His voice was low and firm, "the place we are going tonight has a formal dress code. You either get changed... or I’ll find a way to have someone choose for you."

"I hate you," I muttered through clenched teeth.

"Noted," he replied, not even sounding remotely offended.

Grumbling under my breath, I slipped into the first gown. It was an emerald satin piece that hugged my curves and shimmered under the lights. I looked in the mirror and blinked. With my silver hair cascading down in soft waves, my amber eyes framed by thick lashes, and the pale contrast of my skin, I looked... ethereal.

Still, I stepped out to show him without saying a word.

He was sitting on a leather chair with a tablet in hand, but the second he looked up and saw me, he froze. His gaze dragged slowly over the gown, and I watched as the hesitation in his expression quickly got replaced by something unreadable.

"It’s nice," he said after a beat. "Try another one."

I didn’t respond. I just turned and went back in.

The next one was a black dress. And it was unlike anything I had ever worn. It was sleek, off-shoulder, and fit like a second skin, with a slit running high up one leg and a subtle shimmer that only appeared under certain lights. It was ample amount of my cleavage and the back had a slightly low cut. I felt exposed. Powerful. Dangerous.

I almost didn’t come out.

But curiosity got the better of me.

When I stepped back into the room, River was no longer lounging. He was standing.

And staring.

I might have mistaken it... but it almost seemed like his eyes darkened as he took me in. His throat worked as he swallowed. "You look..."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Stunning," he said to my surprise. "But not for tonight."

I stared at him in silence.

"You are wearing the navy one. Formal, elegant, professional. The black one..." His voice dipped, almost too quietly. "It’s too much."

Too much for... whom?

But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to know what was behind that look.

I changed into the navy gown, and my makeup and hair were done in less than thirty minutes. I barely recognized myself by the end of it. The woman in the mirror looked nothing like me.

When I stepped out of the boutique, River was already waiting in a new suit - a charcoal grey with silver cufflinks. His hair was perfectly styled, and his presence was effortlessly commanding.

He offered me his arm like this was some fairytale.

I didn’t take it. But I did follow him into the car.

We drove in silence as the city lights blurred past us. My hands were resting on my lap, clenched tightly as I tried to steady the chaos in my chest.

I didn’t trust him. Not for a second.

Even when he said, "I promise I won’t repeat what I did three weeks ago."

I looked out the window as I whispered loud enough for him to hear. "You shouldn’t have to promise not to humiliate someone."

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

When we arrived at the hotel - an elite, five-star monument of wealth and prestige - he turned to me one last time before we exited the car.

"You don’t owe anyone in that room anything," he said quietly. "But tonight, you are here as my assistant. Act like it."

I didn’t know if it was meant to empower me... or remind me of the role I had to play.

Either way, the doors opened... and the night began.

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