***Cassius***
The carriage ride back from the gathering felt longer than it should have. I sat staring out the window at the city passing by, barely seeing any of it, my mind too full of whispers I'd been pretending not to hear all evening.
The gathering had been hosted by Marquis Bellamy, one of the older noble families with extensive connections throughout the empire. Aldrik had insisted I attend with him, saying it was important for me to maintain appearances and continue building relationships with influential nobles.
But the moment we'd arrived, I'd known it was a mistake.
The nobles had been polite to my face, of course. Complimentary even, praising my appearance and congratulating me on my marriage to such a powerful alpha. But the moment they thought I wasn't listening, the whispers started.
"Have you heard about the second Eberhart omega?"
"The failed one who married into House Ashforde? Of course!"
