Ch. 22：Milla's Attempt to Frame Me

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“So, I guess I should mingle with the rest of the guests, right?” I asked Olivia and Leo, who stood next to me.
“Lottie, you are going to be the Alpha of the Moon Crest Pack soon. It would be best for you to let them know you. It would then be easier for our pack to cooperate with them if they knew about you,” Leo said matter-of-factly.
I let out a sigh. I didn't really like this type of event. It was tiring to talk with so many people and having to smile throughout the whole time. But Leo was right. Even though the Moon Crest Pack is the second-strongest pack, it would be good to know other Alphas from other powerful packs. It would help with our operations, as Loe had pointed out.
Before we could move from our standing spots, some Alphas already came to us and surrounded us.
“Alpha Charlotte, I’ve heard about your reputation as being a powerful female Alpha. I’m sure the Moon Crest Pack will become even stronger under your leadership,” one of them said.
I wasn't familiar with most of the Alphas in front of me, and I was unsure how to address him until Leo whispered softly in my ears, “Alpha Kane from the Dusk Howlers Pack.”
I smiled at Alpha Kane. “Thank you for your confidence in me, Alpha Kane. I will be sure to make the Moon Crest Pack stronger and not let you down. And I do hope the Moon Crest Pack and the Dusk Howlers Pack can have a successful cooperation in the future.”
Alpha Kane smiled brightly and clinked his glass with mine. I had no choice but to drink the wine in my glass.
This went on for quite some time. They knew I wasn't only Hayden’s ex-Luna since I was able to come to this meeting. Some knew I was the heiress of the Moon Crest Pack and used the chance to introduce themselves to me and talk about cooperation.
I was trained by my dad on how to talk to people and was good at it, but as I’d said, it was tiring.
After speaking to so many Alphas and even Betas, I felt tired, and Olivia, who stood beside me, noticed it. We excused ourselves, and she led me to a corner with sofas for us to rest.
“Goddess, I guess I’m getting old now. I felt tired just by talking to that many people, and my feet are killing me,” I groaned.
Livie laughed and patted my hand, “You are twenty-two years old; how can you feel old? You are just not used to it after three years of being caged in the Red Claw Pack. You’ll soon get used to it, especially when you become the Alpha of the Moon Crest Pack.”
“Can't I ask Leo to attend these events in my stead?” I tried to get out of future similar situations.
“I think Leo most probably dragged you against your will if you ask him to attend on your behalf,” Olivia laughed.
She then looked at my feet. “Sore feet?”
I nodded as I leaned back lazily on the sofa. “It’s been a while since I wore heels.”
“From now on, you can only wear heels and no flats! You have to get used to it!” Olivia said with twinkling eyes.
Her words made me speechless. What if I was wearing casual clothes? Did I need to wear heels too?
“No matter what clothes you wear, you need to wear heels. Or you can wear heels when you are at home to get used to it,” she said as if she could read my mind.
I could only shake my head helplessly at her.
“Charlotte!” I heard Milla’s angry voice and saw her coming toward us.
Here we go again...
“Why are you here? This is a meeting for powerful Alphas. A slut like you have no place here,” she mocked.
“A slut? If Charlotte is a slut, then what does it make your brother, who claimed her as a mate? And I think there’s something wrong with your brain. Char is a powerful female Alpha of the Moon Crest Pack,” Livie shot back before I could say anything.
I nearly laughed out loud, hearing Olivia’s words. She was so savage, and her words were spot-on. If I were a slut, then what would that make Hayden? Wouldn't it be humiliating for him to have a slut as a Luna for three years?
“You!” Milla’s face turned red from her anger as she couldn't refute Livie’s words.
“Guards!” Milla suddenly yelled at the guards, which made me raise an eyebrow, waiting to see what she would do next.
The guards came hearing her call.
“Throw them out!” Milla pointed at us. “They sneaked in here without having an invitation! And she tried to steal my bracelet! Luckily I was able to stop her and caught her while doing so!”
Hearing Milla’s confident words, the guards had no choice but to obey her. They looked at Livie and me and said, “Ladies, please leave the venue.”
I stood up calmly and smiled. Olivia was already fuming beside me, but I caught her hand, stopping her from saying anything.
I reached inside my purse and took out the invitation to the meeting, showing it to the guards.
Before the guards could take the invitation from my hand, Milla grabbed it and tore it to pieces.
“This slut is not qualified to be here! She even produced a fake invitation!” Milla kept trying to get me to be thrown away from the meeting, and there were already so many people gathering around us.
I couldn't stand her insulting me as a slut repeatedly, and Olivia was ready to lash out, but I saw a majestic man standing behind Milla.
“Milla,” I said her name calmly. “Why don't you ask the Alpha King behind you whether I’m qualified to be here or not?”
Milla turned around and was shocked to see the Alpha King standing behind her.
But Milla being Milla, of course, would talk badly about me to anyone, especially the Alpha King, as she was determined to make me leave this place.
“Alpha King,” her voice became soft and respectful. “This woman sneaked in, and she even had a fake invitation. And she was trying to steal my bracelet when I wasn't looking. Luckily my instinct was sharp, and I stopped her before she could take it. She’s a thief and an intruder. She shouldn't be here,” Milla said with an aggrieved but righteous expression.
The corners of my lips couldn't help but curl up as I waited for Milla to make a fool of herself.
Everyone was looking at the Alpha King, waiting to see his reaction.
He stepped up and looked at Milla. “Really? She used a fake invitation to get into this meeting?”
“Yes, yes! She knew this was an important event and couldn't get an invitation, so she produced a fake one,” Milla nodded and gave me a smug smile.
“And she tried to steal your bracelet?” the Alpha King looked at the bracelet around Milla’s wrist.
As if she had found a strong ally, Milla raised her hand to show him and every one the bracelet I had supposedly tried to steal.
“Yes, as you can see, my bracelet is a diamond bracelet. She must want this beautiful diamond bracelet, so she tried to steal it!”
I looked at it and sneered inwardly. It was just an ordinary diamond bracelet made up of one one-carat solitaire diamond surrounded by melee diamonds. Why would I steal such a cheap bracelet?
The Alpha King stayed silent as if pondering about Milla’s words.
“Alpha King, you shouldn't let a woman like her be in this meeting. It will only lower the class of this meeting!” Milla, being the fool she was, kept trying to convince the Alpha King to throw me and Olivia out.
“So you are saying she sneaked in using a fake invitation and tried to steal your diamond bracelet? And that she does not deserve to be here?” the Alpha King repeated Milla’s accusations about me.
Milla nodded fervently, and some of the crowd had already been whispering and gossiping about me.
The Alpha King finally stepped toward me and smiled.
Milla was behind the Alpha King, so she couldn't see the smile on the Alpha King’s face.
She turned excited, thinking the Alpha King would get angry, and threw me out.
But the Alpha King’s subsequent words and actions made the crowd fall into silence.
“But how could it be? I was the one who personally invited Alpha Charlotte,” he said and took my hand before placing a light kiss on the back of it.