Chapter 66


    Making my way to the restaurant I handed the name cards to one of the waitresses who quickly raced


    around cing them out following the seating arrangements. Valen came out of the kitchen with a


    garment bag slung over his shoulder and smiled when he spotted me. He was dressed in a ck suit,


    looking handsome like always. Vrian was also dressed in a suit and was ying with Casey with


    some other children that had arrived early when Valen approached me,ing up behind me. He


    nestled his face into my neck which earned a curious stares when his hand went to my hip to tug me


    back against him.


    “You’re not wearing that,” he growled and looked down at my uniform.


    “And I am not wearing that, if it is a dress,” I told him as he draped it over my arm as I rearranged some


    of the decorations.


    “Ah, well, good thing it’s not. I know you don’t wear dresses because I have yet to see you in one.


    Although you will have to wear a dress eventually,”


    “And why is that Alpha Valen?” I asked. “Because usually the groom wears a suit to a wedding, so for


    one day you will have to suck it up and wear a dress,”


    “I like how you assume I will marry you. What if I want to keep my name?”


    “We can hyphenate it,” he chuckles, kissing my jaw while I pull a face at the thought.


    “Fine Sce it is,” Iugh.


    “Good choice because I wasn’t changing mine to Valen Summers,” he says and I swat his arm with my


    hand.


    “Go get changed,” he says, giving me a nudge toward the rear doors that led to the back where my


    apartment was. I sighed, taking the garment bag and heading for my apartment. I changed quickly into


    the white pants suit before running the brush through my hair and tying it up. Looking in the mirror, I


    pursed my lips before walking into Zoe’s room and rummaging through her make -up bag and taking


    some of her cosmetics.


    I did a rush job of my makeup knowing people would be already arriving and I still had to ce a few


    things out on the tables and check the seating arrangements again. Last thing we needed was for rival


    Alphas and outside Alphas being seated together. Looking in the mirror onest time, I felt like an


    imposter and sucked in a sharp breath. Trying to find the courage to go out there and face not only my


    father but all those Alphas who were here for the announcement.


    After today everything will change, I would no longer be Everly, the rogue, but Luna Everly, and that


    thought scared me as much as it excited me. How over the years I had changed. From having nothing to


    bing a Hotel owner, and soon once more, to Luna. Our vige was growingrger, and that


    responsibility hung heavily over me. Valerie’s voice came to mind; whenever the health and safety


    people would mock our attempts to get this ce running.


    Micha was the worst. Zoe ckmailed him into helping fix the wiring in the ce. He walked around and


    checked the ce out. He then burst outughing in our faces. He found it hrious.


    ” I am not wasting my time; you will never get this ce up and running, ” he mocked with a shake of his


    head. Vrie refused to hear it. She stepped forward, and I saw the fear in his eyes while she held none.


    The woman was fearless.


    Micha had taken a frightened step back at the look she gave him. He dared not challenge her. There was


    something with the way she carried herself;


    she  did not fear pack wolves. No, Vrie was her own pack, and she let us be a part of it; she protected


    us, and this was home. True Alphas preserve their home and those that live in it; she was our Alpha.


    Micha visibly gulped as she got up close and sneered as she looked him up and down. She said two


    words as she snatched the tool from his hand. Two words that always stuck with me.


    Micha challenged her, and she loved a challenge.


    “Watch me, ” she said before turning on her heel and walking to the power box. She shut the power off


    and undid the screws holding the cover over the exposed wires. I shook my head at the memory and


    smiled to myself. It kind of became our mantra.


    Fueled by everyone trying to knock us back. The day before we got the official notice and were told we


    could open our doors, we sat in the restaurant admiring our handy work. The ce looked fantastic.


    We were sipping our beers covered in paint and god knows what else. Valerie was leaning against the


    counter, watching us. She always watched us. She always let us know how proud she was of what we


    had aplished.


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    “We actually did it, ” she said, and we nodded. All of us were exhausted, yet our spirits were good.


    “You will never do it. That is what I will tell you girls from now on,” Vrieughed.


    “Watch us,” we said collectively with augh. ” That’s my girls, and they will watch, and you will show


    them what us rogues are made of,” she said proudly. It became our mantra and when I fell behind in my


    night sses, trying to juggle kids, work, and school, I felt defeated. Valerie wandered over to me,


    cigarette between her lips where I sat sulking, looking at my failed test. My bag was between my feet, I


    had opened the letter before leaving and was supposed to leave for ss. I sighed and rested my head


    against the brick wall, feeling like I had let her down.


    “What are you looking at?” she asked. “My stupid test, I failed,” I grumbled.


    “Let me look,” she said, snatching the paper from my hands. She peered at it and sighed.


    “Might as well throw in the towel, you’ll never do it, ” she clicked her tongue, and I squinted my eyes at


    her. The corner of her lips tugged in the corners. ” Should probably quit this ce too, barely made a


    dent. The ce looks like crap,” she said,


    motioning around to all the work we ved our asses off doing all day.


    She dragged back on her smoke and raised an eyebrow at me. I pursed my lips, and she smiled. She


    crumpled the paper and tossed it into the bin, and I snatched my bag up off the ground.


    “Watch me,” I said, using the words I heard her say many times over. The challenge brought on. She


    smirked. “Oh, I am,” sheughed. Two words and they always put a fire in my belly.


    So, with that, I headed to the restaurant. Vrie handed this ce to Vrian and me; this was my


    home, and now I was not only fighting to keep it running, but I was also fighting for the rogues, our vige


    built from nothing. So nothing my father could say or do could touch me.


    We beat the odds; we built an empire, and I won’t let one Alpha intimidate me. If Valerie taught me


    anything, it was to know my worth, and the only one who got to determine that was me, not my father,


    not my mate, not those who tried to suppress me. I no longer had to prove anything to anyone because I


    proved it to myself, and there is no feeling that is more empowering than knowing your own value.


    Reaching the doors, I was bombarded instantly as those brought in to help cater scrambled withst-


    minute alterations and tasks. I had walked in halfway through the opening speeches, clipboard in hand. I


    looked over the guest lists before walking out the back to check the kitchen to see if the chefs needed


    help. The ce was packed, and Kalen was addressing those that attended. I had been to plenty of


    these growing up, and I knew Valen nned to make the announcement at the end of the night.


    A few hours in, and everyone was mingling. I watched the Alphas mingle among each other. Looking


    over at the table Valen was at, he nodded to the chair beside him, but I shook my head. I still hadn’t seen


    my father and was waiting for it. Kalen, I knew, wanted to keep things civil as long as possible, so I kept


    my distance, bidding my time. But when amotion happened toward the back of the room. I


    recognized my father’s voice instantly.


    “You fucking idiot, you spilled it all over me!” he said, standing up. I tilted my head to the side, and I saw


    Valen stand and look in his direction along with a heap of other Alphas. My server fumbled, trying to


    clean up the mess. Zoe also went over to help, and I noticed Marcus lingering in the background as she


    approached. Difficult patrons were something we dealt with on the regr. This was nothing and an easy


    fix for her.


    “Do you have any idea how expensive this suit is?” My father growled at Sarah. Zoe ces her hand on


    Sarah’s shoulder.


    “May I know what  the issue is, Alpha?” “Yes, this idiot spilled wine on my shirt,” “idents happen,


    Alpha. I am sure we can


    organize dry-cleaning or possibly a fresh shirt, ” Zoe answers quickly while tidying up the table. My father


    sneers, and Zoe nods for Sarah to go, and she rushes off,ing toward the kitchens.


    “You ok?” I ask her, touching her arm as she escaped into the kitchen, looking rather shaken.


    “Bloody prick, he bumped my arm as I was pouring, ” she said. I nodded to the kitchen, and she sighed


    with relief while I leaned against the frame. I chuckled when I saw Macey a few tables away, watching


    Zoe. Ready to crack the Alpha with a bottle if needed. She knew who he was, so did Zoe, and not once


    did she stammer. She spoke professionally and did her job while my father


    ranted about lowly rogues. We had heard it all, and it no longer fazed us. There wasn’t a name he could


    come up with that we hadn’t heard once or twice before.


    “As I said, Sir. We can offer to have dry cleaned or reced for you,” Zoe told him.


    “I want her fired; I want to speak to the manager,”


    he demanded.


    “You are speaking with one Alpha,” Zoe told him before waving Macey over. I will give him one thing: he


    knew how to cause a scene, as everyone watched with eager eyes. Marcus looked like he was about to


    drag Zoe away from the threat. Oblivious at the back, the kids were ying and stuffing their tiny faces.


    “This is Macey, also another manager here,” Zoe said, introducing them. Macey started with polite words,


    ever the professional, well, until he started ranting at her and making a fool of himself. I noticed Ava


    shrink in her seat. Embarrassed by our father’s behavior. Those on the other tables whispered amongst


    themselves, and I saw the woman from Valen ‘s hotel was also seated at my father’s table, agreeing and


    nodding to everything he said.


    “Sir, if you don’t calm down, I am going to have to escort you from the premises,” Macey told him.


    And she would if needed, she had a bat behind the counter, and she wasn’t afraid to use it and had done


    it many times. Though this was slightly different from the everyday usuals we dealt with, this was a room


    full of Alphas, but that wouldn ‘t stop her.


    “Escort me? Who the hell do you think you are? I want to speak to the owner,” my father demanded. Zoe


    looked over at me, and I nodded to her. She turned back to my father.


    “She is on her way, Alpha, ” I heard Zoe say as I made my way through the tables. Valen went to stand to


    come with me. But I motioned with my hand to stay where he was. I didn’t need him behind me. I could


    fight my own battles, and this


    was my hotel, my workers, and he was my father.


    My father sat down while he waited, arms folded across his chest. Macey and Zoe stepped away, and I


    took their ce.


    “Is there a problem, Alpha?” I asked. My father looked at me before his eyes went to those seated at his


    table, mouth opening and closing like a fish. My mother just stared unblinkingly at me while my father


    stumbled for words. Ava, however, snickered before covering her mouth, trying to stifle herughter.


    “Ah, yes. I wanted to speak to the owner,”  my father finally says with a wave dismissing me, clearly, over


    his shock at seeing me. And yet, standing in a room full of alphas, he would still try to deny knowing me.


    That was fine. They were about to find out.


    “You’re looking at her,” I tell him, motioning to myself. If seeing me hadn’t shocked him, then finding out I


    was the owner definitely did.


    “But  you’re  a  rogue-whore,”  he sneered.


    “No, I am rogue, and that word will not be tolerated in my hotel, Alpha, or should I say, father?” I asked,


    smiling down at him.