The Mark of Betrayal (by Cooper) novel Chapter 16

Samara

I can’t breathe. I had to get out of that room. Everything in that room reminds me of home.

I check the stalls to make sure no one else is in here, then I go to the sink and splash water on my face.

Why? Why did he create a room in honor of my family? Is this some sick way of reminding himself that he won? That he defeated his best friend? And what about that? He doesn’t know that I know Teddy, but he called him his best friend. He could have called him anything, a previous friend, an acquaintance, an enemy, anything, but he called him his best friend, and he’d looked like he’d meant it.

He even remembered my mother’s and Althea’s favorite flowers and filled the room with them. I don’t even know how he could have gotten them. They’re not in season. My father used to grow the irises year-round in our greenhouses just because he knew my mother loved them.

There’s a knock on the door. “Samantha, are you okay?”

“Busy in here!” I growl back at Roman. He doesn’t push and thankfully, he doesn’t walk in.

Our family crest is hanging above the fireplace. The weight of my grief nearly brought me to my knees when I saw it. But the picture of Teddy, Roman, and Sawyer on the mantle, laughing in front of that same fireplace when Teddy was sixteen or seventeen is what really pushed me over the edge. I was almost desperate to take the photo and touch the picture of my brother when he was happy, when he was alive.

“Why?” I whisper at my reflection.

‘Maybe he didn’t betray our brother,’ Ayla says hopefully.

‘He was there, Ayla. I saw him. He was there with Sawyer.’

I can feel her hopefulness that our mate didn’t betray our family.

‘Maybe we should wait to kill him until we know the truth about that night. You saw him there, yes. But he didn’t kill Teddy, Sawyer did.’

‘Ayla, you shouldn’t get your hopes up,’ I say to her.

I can hear female voices murmuring outside the door and I’m guessing Roman isn’t letting anyone in here while I’m in here. I quickly wash my face again.

I’m going to somehow have to find the strength to eat with Teddy’s smiling face looking down at me. I smile thinking of the filet mignon.

“Try this, Sammie,” he said the first time I joined the family at this restaurant. It was the first filet mignon I’d ever tried and it was love at first bite. I never ordered another steak at this restaurant. My father would joke that I have expensive taste in food, but Teddy just said that I liked the good things in life. I was excited to see that they still have it on the menu.

I look in the mirror one more time, take a deep breath, and put my fake smile back on my face. When I pull the door open, Roman moves, as if expecting me to attack him.

I raise my eyebrow at him, as if he’s being utterly ridiculous. Then I turn and see the line of she-wolves waiting to enter the bathroom.

“Sorry for the wait. There was absolutely no need for it but try to get an Alpha to listen to anyone but themselves,” I say, giving them a conspiratorial look. I see some lips twitch and other duck their heads so their smiles won’t show.

“Let’s go, Samantha. Our salads are on the table,” Roman says, obviously not appreciating my sarcasm.

I turn my fake smile on him and head back to our private room. I take another deep breath before entering the room.

“You could have let them in, you know. Women wait enough to use the bathrooms in public places. You shouldn’t make them wait when there isn’t a reason.”

“I wasn’t confident that you wouldn’t try to take one of them as a hostage.”

“Well, at least you’ve finally realized that I’m not trying to kill anyone,” I say, taking my seat. Before I can scoot myself in, he’s there, scooting my chair in for me.

“That’s not necessary. I can scoot in my own chair.”

“Of course you can. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be a gentleman and help you.”

I force myself to focus on the salad and not on Teddy’s shining, happy face nearby. I take my first bite and it’s yet another wave of memories that flood into my mind. They haven’t changed the recipe for their house dressing in nine years and as I close my eyes, I swear I can hear the laughter of my family around me.

My throat tightens and I’m not sure I’ll be able to swallow the salad down.

“What’s your favorite color, Samantha?” Roman asks me.

My eyes flash open and the sounds in my head disappear.

“What?” I mumble around the food in my mouth.

“Your favorite color? You do have one right?” he asks, taking a bite of salad.

I force my own salad down and look at the irises. “Purple, I guess.”

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