Archie's POV
Hmph, absolutely! Alisha is just obsessed with money! I should have realized it sooner and simply used wealth to sway her to my side!
Bad girl! She had time to linger with Louie and Gray, yet when I asked her to accompany me to the grand banquet hall, she refused without hesitation! Her audacity knows no bounds!
If only I had offered her a hefty sum, perhaps a billion, and instructed her to cease all contact with Louie and Gray! Surely she would have complied, or maybe I should have gone as far as ten billion!
"Bro, stop dawdling! If you wait for Louie and Gray to catch up, you'll regret it! Don't waste time; take Alisha inside now. There are plenty of people in there. Use this opportunity to show your love and concern for Alisha, and then maybe Alisha will forgive you," my wolf started to chatter.
"Huh! Who cares about her impression of me?" I replied with an air of indifference.
"Who was about to get into a fight with Louie and Gray in the treatment room just now? And who's got his claws wrapped around Alisha's waist now?" my wolf reminded me.
"Hey, watch your tone! I just can't stand how they look at my Luna! So blatantly, asking for trouble, it's like they're deliberately provoking me!"
"But they do show us respect! When you passed by, they either stood up to bow or raised their glasses as a sign of respect. I think these guests who can enter the VIP room are quite polite!" my wolf countered.
"They would earn my respect if they could take their eyes off Alisha! I'm not pleased," I retorted irritably.
"Why? We agreed that coming here is to make others from different packs realize Alisha's prestigious position and show that she's your one and only Luna. The more people see her, the more successful our plan will be!" my wolf persistently advised.
Though I knew my wolf had a point, I still felt annoyed. "Well, we can stay away from those rude and uncivilized men. Let's head to the group of she-wolves in the center; they look more polite!" I found a good solution.
"But they seem to be having an intense discussion. Weren't you always averse to chatty and noisy she-wolves? You've always preferred to stay away from them at parties, right?"
I shrugged, "True, they can be annoying and boring, but compared to those impolite men, they're more tolerable. Plus, since they love gossip so much, I should let them know about Alisha's importance in the Golden Crest. They'll probably spread the news soon enough."
As I answered my wolf's question in my mind, I kept Alisha close to me and gracefully made our way towards the gathering of she-wolves.
My wolf's incessant chatter echoed in my mind, "Usually, as soon as you appear, these she-wolves flock to you like butterflies to a flower. But why haven't they noticed you now? Even the few who have caught sight of you seem to gaze at you with strange and almost regretful expressions. I wonder, what could they be discussing?"
Ignoring my wolf's pointless speculations, I guided Alisha towards the group of she-wolves in the center of the banquet hall. The room was filled with lively conversations and laughter, but my attention was solely on Alisha. Despite my earlier irritation, I wanted her to feel cherished and valued in this unfamiliar setting. It was crucial to display our relationship before the crowd, asserting that she was my Luna and mine alone.
However, I couldn't help but notice Alisha's distant and displeased expression. Her mood perplexed me. Could she be thinking about Louie or Gray?
"What's on your mind? You seem a bit distracted," I asked her, feigning nonchalance.
"It's none of your concern," Alisha retorted unceremoniously.
"I haven't even started to punish you, you're already irritating me again? Is it because I stopped you from mingling with Louie and Gray, and now you're throwing a tantrum?"
Alisha glanced up at me and then cast a disdainful look at the she-wolves in front of us. With a hint of sarcasm, she replied, "And what gives you the right to say that?"
I was about to reprimand Alisha for speaking to her husband in such a manner when one of the she-wolves ahead burst out in a sharp voice, "Is it true that the Golden Crest is selecting a suitable she-wolf for their Alpha?"
"Absolutely! It's rumored that whoever bears a child may have a chance to become the next Alpha!"
"Oh, my! That's quite surprising!"
"Does that mean I have a chance too?"
"Poor women. They're looked down upon and disrespected by their mother-in-law."
Upon hearing this, my brows furrowed, and I noticed Alisha's face turning pale. She clenched her fists, biting down on her lip. I couldn't help but pull her closer, wanting to be her support and comfort, but she turned her head away from me.
I knew Alisha must be angry, so I tried to explain, "It's Stephenie's fault, but rest assured, I came here this time for..." Before I could finish, another skeptical voice chimed in, "But their Alpha is impotent. No matter how many women they bring him, it's useless!"
The words hit me like a slap, and I felt a surge of rage. What the hell was this woman talking about? How dare she spread such lies and disrespect towards me? My wolf growled in fury, and my temper flared to a dangerous level. I wanted to teach this she-wolf a lesson in manners, to show her the consequences of spreading baseless rumors.
Before my anger could be unleashed, I heard a burst of unbridled laughter coming from behind me. Who had the audacity to mock me like this? I turned around to see who it was, and to my surprise, it was Louie and Gray. They had somehow appeared behind me, and Gray seemed to have overheard the vile rumors. He was laughing openly, tears almost streaming from his eyes. While Louie tried to hide his amusement, the slight shrug of his shoulders betrayed his true feelings.
I couldn't believe that I had been humiliated in front of these two men. It was infuriating, and I wanted to roar in anger, but then I noticed Alisha at my side, unable to suppress her laughter either.
This was too much to bear. I felt like my pride was crumbling, and I was ready to explode. How dare they laugh at me like this? My frustration intensified as I considered how my reputation had been tarnished. However, seeing Alisha's amusement softened the edges of my anger. Her laughter was like a soothing balm to my wounded pride.
I haven't seen her smile for a long time.