Epilogue
Sophia lowered her lashes and smiled. It was ridiculous how she enjoyed the smallest compliment from Sebastian. He got her heart beating faster with a few softly spoken words in her ear. Hell, even a look could get her all silly over him. He knew it too, but it didn’t matter if he did. Her husband was everything a woman wanted.
“It’s true,” he whispered and ran his lips along the line of her throat. “You are the most beautiful woman here.”
Her smile broadened, and she looked away from him to the other dancers. Sebastian drew her closer to his chest, and she let him because there was no better place. “You only think that because you love me.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No.” Seriously, she needed to stop blushing. All the bad stuff was behind them, and she was getting spoiled the way Sebastian loved on her. His people, if not love at least they respected her. Some of them seemed even to like her. She was getting greedy though. “There are plenty other decent-looking women here, some way more sophisticated.”
Sebastian had surprised her with tickets to this gala ball for people of a certain caliber. What’s more, many of the guests, decked in their Sunday’s best, were human. Unlike him, she couldn’t pick out if there were other wolf shifters, but Sebastian had admitted the host and others were like her.
“Every eye is on you,” he told her, bringing her attention back to him.
She smirked. “They’re looking at you. Don’t even pretend you didn’t see those women drooling when we walked in.”
“Were you jealous?”
She rolled her eyes, and he chuckled.
“Were you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t mind another man looking so long as he doesn’t try to touch. Then we would have a problem.”
“I bet.”
His gaze swept her from the cute hairstyle she was trying out that night to the low neckline of her dress. She had pulled her hair on top her head and formed a loose braid that tapered down to one side before pinning the end out of sight. When she arrived downstairs earlier that evening wearing a tulle high-low gown with spaghetti straps and a bustier bodice, which she had purchased the last time Sebastian had taken her shopping, Sebastian surprised her with a diamond choker to match the diamond and pearl hair comb her dad had given her. She loved it and knew it was worth a small fortune.
A look of mischief stirred in Sebastian’s expression. “Not only are the men enchanted with my beautiful wife, so are the women.”
“Now I know you’re crazy.”
“Think so?” He tilted his head slightly to the right, and she leaned in to pretend to kiss his chin. Instead, she turned to look where he indicated. Sure enough a woman in an emerald green sequined dress watched them. The woman’s bleach blond hair was piled atop her head with ringlets escaping. At one side, peacock feathers of all things were tucked into the thick knot of hair at the top of her head. If she weren’t at least in her mid-seventies, the hair color wouldn’t be so bad. That didn’t excuse the ill-fitting dress or the feathers, but to each her own.
At first Sophia thought the woman must be staring at Sebastian, but then she gave a little wiggle of her fingers when she spotted Sophia looking. Sophia jerked her head around and stared wide-eyed at her husband. He had the nerve to burst out laughing.
“That’s so not funny, Sebastian.”
He chuckled some more. “Why not? As I said, you’re beautiful.”
“Yeah, but…ew.”
His continued amusement made her smack his arm, and he was unrepentant for thinking the whole thing was funny. If it were a man waving at her, despite what he said about not caring if the guy looked, he would have gone off. The bum should give the woman a look that said Sophia was taken, not laugh.
“Come on, my love,” he coaxed. “Don’t be angry. She’s not doing any harm.”
“Whatever. Is she a shifter?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Well that’s something at least.”
When the music ended, she stepped out of his arms. He seemed reluctant to remove his hand from her waist. She saw a way to make him pay for his teasing.
“I’m going to the ladies room. I hope some man comes and hits on you while I’m gone.”
Sebastian threw his head back and laughed out loud. Several women turned their heads in his direction and cast him longing looks. For a second Sophia considered forgetting about the restroom, but she really did have to pee. She decided not to give in to jealousy or worry. After all, Sebastian was devoted to her. As she strode away toward the hall, her Guard falling into step behind her, she glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, Sebastian’s gaze was locked on her. She put a little extra swing in her hips and imagined she saw his eyes turn golden.
Once she reached the ladies room, she paused. “Any of you have to use the restroom?” she asked Ava, Diana, and Darla.
Ava frowned. “Even if we do we’ll hold it until we’re back home.”
“Really? Why?”
Her head Guard looked like she struggled with tolerance. Their relationship hadn’t improved over the last few weeks. “Because we won’t be caught indisposed if something happens.”
“I guess that makes sense. Okay, well you three can wait out here. I don’t want an audience while I pee.”
Ava glared at her. “You should be used to—”
“Well, I’m not. Wait out here.”
A grumble escaped the woman. “I’ll go in and check everything out first.”
Sophia didn’t argue, and Ava disappeared inside the restroom to make sure all was clear. Within seconds she returned and nodded. Sophia darted inside and hurriedly found a stall. The place was clean, and it smelled fresh. She wasn’t surprised given the high-class gala attendants.
After she finished her business, she stood at the sink washing her hands. Another of the stalls opened, and a woman stepped out to wash her hands two sinks down from Sophia’s. She nodded in greeting, dried her hands, and left. Ava must not have considered her a threat, and she was right.
The door opened again, and Sophia looked up to see the older woman in emerald.
Crap.
Ava couldn’t have known this person was probably gay and interested in Sophia. Of course, Sophia could defend herself from an amorous older lady, but all she wanted to do was get back to Sebastian.
The woman didn’t even pretend to need to use a stall. She set a beaded purse on the sink next to Sophia that looked like it had been cut from her dress. “Hello, darling. I wanted to tell you what a lovely hair comb you have there.”
Sophia tensed but forced a smile. “Thank you. My husband loves it too.”
The woman chuckled. “Oh, I bet he loves a lot more than that comb.”
Sophia’s eyes widened, and she took a step to the left. She prepared to call Ava in just to have a buffer but then thought better of it. Ava would probably ride her for weeks about how she couldn’t handle one old woman.
“Thanks.” She turned to go but paused when the woman pulled something out of her purse. One might expect a compact to powder a nose or maybe lipstick. Instead, she held a small recorder, the smallest Sophia had ever seen. She pressed a button, but no sound came out of the device. Was she recording? “Wha—”
“I’ll make this fast, my dear,” the woman said, still smiling. “If there are any of them nearby they can’t hear.”
Dread washed over Sophia. “They?”
She waggled a finger. “I recognize that comb. It’s one of a kind. Used to belong to a very special woman. She would wear it as a signal.”
“A signal?”
The woman shook her head. “No, maybe it’s a copy. You saw it somewhere? Then again… What’s your name, dear?”
Sophia sighed. “Ma’am, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. My father gave this comb to me, so I assure you I didn’t copy it from anybody.”
“Your name?”
If Sophia didn’t tell her, she might not get out of there wi
thout a scene. What was the harm of telling her anyway? “Sophia.”
The woman gasped and clapped her hands together softly. “I knew it. Sophia Weatherstone.”
“No, Sop—”
“Sophia Weatherstone, one of our most gifted leaders. She was an incredible woman, and she used to wear that very comb as a signal to our group.”
Sophia’s stomach churned. “What group is that?”
“Why the hunters, of course. Sophia was one of the strongest hunters in the history of our group. She had much fairer skin than you, but now I see a hint of resemblance. I’m guessing you’re her descendent. You have hunter blood in you, my dear, and as such you are a sworn enemy of wolf shifters.”
The End
About the Author
Tressie Lockwood has always loved books, and she enjoys writing about heroines who are overcoming the trials of life. She writes straight from her heart, reaching out to those who find it hard to be completely themselves no matter what anyone else thinks. She hopes her readers enjoy her stories.
A Note From Tressie,
I would like to thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to review it and to let a friend know about me. A good review can help an author reach more people, and others will take a chance like you did. Thank you for your help, and happy reading.
- Tress
Also by Tressie Lockwood
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www.tressielockwood.com
Married to the Wolf Page 13