Chapter 311: Dinner Guests and Gossip Girl

Vivian’s POV

I probably should have mentioned sooner just how obvious yet poorly disguised Joshua’s hatred for Frank had become over the last couple of days. The man practically oozed deep disapproval whenever Frank entered the room, which was pretty much always. Today was certainly no exception to that rule.

I didn’t bother hiding my sharp glare this time. Only when I felt a subtle, reassuring prod through our mating bond from Zahliver did I finally pull my eyes away from him. Right. Play nice for now.

"Yup," I said breezily, flipping Frank over onto his back and gently rubbing his tiny, spiky belly. He kicked his little feet in complete satisfaction, his eyes half-closed like he had just found true inner peace on the table. I smiled brightly at the sight. "So, what’s on your personal agenda for today?" I asked casually.

Joshua paused mid-reach for the bowl of eggs, but he didn’t bother looking back at either of us. Suspicious behavior already.

"Not much," he replied coolly. "I thought I might go hunting out in the woods later. Care to join me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, keeping my voice carefully neutral. "What kind of hunting?"

"I’ve always wanted to try firing one of those human weapons guns. You could easily come along as my lookout if you are not into firearms yourself."

Yeah, how about absolute no. My inner wolf snorted in disgust.

Before I could even react out loud, I caught a sudden flicker of solid black flashing through Zahliver’s eyes. I reached out instinctively and rested a calming hand over his arm. No sudden violent movements in the kitchen. It looked like his dark mood had instantly dropped to match my wolf’s irritation.

"Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass," I said politely, my hand tightening firmly on Zahliver’s forearm.

Joshua didn’t miss a single beat. "Zahliver "

"No." The Alpha’s answer was cold and instant, but he followed it up so smoothly that you almost wouldn’t notice the underlying iciness in his voice. "But I will need you home in time for dinner tonight."

Joshua blinked at him in surprise, then slowly walked over to the table carrying the smallest serving of food I had ever seen on a grown man’s plate. He sat down directly across from us, his pale face carefully arranged into a mask of pleasant confusion, though the tight clenching in his jaw and the subtle storm brewing in his eyes gave his anger away.

"Dinner?" he asked. Even I turned my head a little toward Zahliver at that announcement. Yeah... dinner?

"We’re hosting a small gathering tonight," Zahliver answered evenly, taking a calm sip from his mug. "I’d like you to be there."

Joshua clearly didn’t look thrilled about that idea. "I’d hate to intrude on... important pack conversations."

"It’s not a formal pack meeting," Zahliver replied coolly, setting his coffee back down. "In fact, I invited someone you know quite well. Hogan."

Oh. That specific name pulled my gaze sharply right back toward Zahliver. I glanced back and forth between them both Zahliver sitting completely calm and in total control, while Joshua went dead stiff like he had just accidentally walked straight into a trap.

"O-Oh... well then, I suppose I shouldn’t miss it. What time?" he asked, his voice coming out tight, far too calm. For the very first time since his return, I saw him look genuinely rattled under the surface.

Zahliver smiled just enough to seem polite, but I knew that specific smile intimately. It was not a kind one. "Eight-thirty sharp. Don’t be late. We wouldn’t want to start the evening without you."

Joshua’s calm mask cracked just slightly, but the pure resentment boiling underneath was impossible to miss. The heavy tension in the kitchen spiked rapidly like a match dropped straight into a pool of gasoline. I could practically feel the physical hostility coming off him in heavy waves it hit my senses like raw heat radiating off sunbaked asphalt.

"I wouldn’t want that either," he said slowly.

"Would you?" Zahliver said, casually leaning back in his chair, his tone turns razor-sharp.

They stared directly into each other’s eyes in total silence, a cold, lethal standoff that I was certainly not brave (or foolish) enough to interrupt.

Feels like poking a massive bear that’s just woken up, my wolf muttered nervously in my head.

No kidding. And this particular bear was definitely not hibernating anymore.

Without another word spoken, Joshua shoved his heavy chair back and stood up abruptly, his movements jerky with restrained fury.

"I’ll see you at eight-thirty then," he said tightly, and stalked right off toward the front hallway.

I simply couldn’t resist the temptation. "Hey!" I called out after his retreating figure, my voice tinged with mock sweetness as I lifted his completely untouched plate. "You left something behind!"

He stopped dead at the kitchen threshold, his broad back rigid.

"I seem to have completely lost my appetite. Do with it as you wish." Then he walked out into the hall, slamming the heavy front door behind him like an angsty teenager throwing a tantrum. Lovely manners.

I dropped the plate onto the table with an irritated clunk and shot Zahliver a look sharp enough to melt solid stone.

"Care to explain when formal dinner plans became a thing? And why I’m just hearing about them now?" If I had been standing on my feet, my hands would have been firmly planted on my hips.

He actually had the sheer nerve to look sheepish. SHEEPISH.

"I might have... forgotten to mention it to you earlier," he admitted softly.

"You don’t say," I deadpanned, narrowing my eyes.

"But I invited my third-in-command for a reason. And I have good reason to believe he and Joshua are... deeply connected. I found both of their scents lingering together inside Hogan’s private office."

I blinked. My mouth dropped open slightly in sheer surprise as my brain quickly started to piece the whole puzzle together.

Zahliver took my hands gently inside his, pressing a sweet kiss to each of my knuckles before pausing at my engagement ring, his blue eyes locking onto mine, dark and utterly serious.

"I am hoping that getting them both inside the exact same room will finally push one of them probably Hogan into making a mistake and slipping up. To say or do something that confirms what we already suspect between them. That is the exact reason why I’ve kept him strictly on paperwork duty lately instead of letting him out into the field."

I exhaled a long breath slowly. "That is actually really smart. But it still doesn’t explain why you didn’t bother telling me about this whole plan earlier."

"It simply slipped my mind, my love."

I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. "Well, before anything else manages to slip mine, I am officially inviting Aurora and Algebra to this dinner."

He hesitated for a second. "Are you sure about that? Aurora’s condition is..."

"I am completely sure," I interrupted smoothly. "The woman desperately needs interaction with people other than just Algebra, even if it happens to be in a room full of potential pack traitors." My tone was light, but the protective edge was definitely there. By okay, I meant that I was reasonably sure she wouldn’t rip my head off, but I made zero promises for anyone else sitting at that table tonight.

"Your call, Luna," Zahliver said with a slight smile, brushing his soft lips lovingly over my cheek.

"Oh, it is going to be great," I said, brightening up considerably. "Between Aurora’s terrifying dead-eyed stare, Algebra’s persistent curiosity, and your overwhelming Alpha intimidation... someone in that room is bound to crack wide open."

He raised a single dark eyebrow at me. "And what will you be doing during all of this?"

I grinned broadly at him. "Making sure the dining room furniture stays upright and that no one bleeds out onto the damn carpet."

That comment earned me a full, genuine smile from him the breathtaking kind that made my heart flutter wildly and my blood start sprinting through my veins. My wolf chose that exact emotional moment to break into a sudden fit of hysterical laughter in my mind.

What now? I asked her, thoroughly amused.

You are literally the Blair Waldorf to his Chuck Bass, she snickered loudly.

That hilarious comparison made me laugh out loud, and I didn’t even try to stop the noise. Yeah. I guess I kind of was.

"What?" Zahliver asked, looking thoroughly puzzled but still deeply amused by my outburst.

What does that make Fate and Joshua then? I asked my wolf, already knowing she would have the absolute perfect response ready.

Freakin’ Dan Humphrey and Little J.

I completely lost it, wheezing with laughter.

Zahliver tilted his head to the side. "Seriously, love, what is so funny?"

"Oh, nothing at all," I managed to say between fresh bursts of giggles. "But tonight? It is going to be absolutely legendary."