THE ALPHA KING’S PRIDE

CHAPTER THREE

The air in the ballroom changed the moment the trumpets sounded. Silence swept through the grand hall like a chilling breeze. Heads turned toward the golden double doors as the royal guards formed two lines on either side of the aisle. Even Luna straightened in her seat with stiff elegance.

“All rise to welcome His Majesty, King Thorne of the Crescent Moon Pack, and Her Majesty, Queen Solara,” the herald announced.

The king and queen entered like figures from a painting, tall, graceful, and wrapped in moonlight. King Thorne’s presence radiated quiet power, while Queen Solara moved with a serene confidence that captivated the room. The guests bowed or lowered their heads as they passed, including our maids and servants dressed in subtle hues that wouldn’t outshine our betters. I kept my gaze low, the tension in my shoulders making my backache.

Behind them came their children.

“Presenting Her Highness, Princess Amelia of Crescent Moon.”

The room stirred with admiration and awe as the princess stepped forward in an emerald gown that shimmered like morning dew. Her curls were pulled back into a half-up twist, revealing opal earrings that glowed softly beneath the chandeliers. She smiled easily, not stiff like most royals, almost mischievous. And then I saw her face. My breath caught in my throat. It was her. The girl from earlier.

The one I’d met at the drinks table. The one who joked about how boring everyone looked. The one who made me laugh minutes ago, my fingers clutched the fabric of my dress. I hadn’t recognized her as royalty. She felt normal, kind, and real. But she was a princess. And I was the maid who had fetched a drink for Luna, like the servant I was. I didn’t have time to linger in that shock before the final announcement followed.

“Presenting His Royal Highness, Prince Lucas of Crescent Moon.”

The air thickened. The prince entered like a shadow draped in gold. Black formal wear hugged his tall, commanding frame, the golden accents gleaming like tiny flames in the candlelight. His face was unreadable, sharp, composed, and detached. People watched him with awe, reverence, even fear. He moved down the aisle with measured steps and took his seat beside his family. Then his eyes lifted. And found mine. I froze. Everything else, the music, the chatter, the glittering gowns, blurred and faded around me. I couldn’t look away, even though I knew I should. Something inside me cracked open.

Mate.

My heart thudded painfully in my chest. The voice had come from within me, clear, strong, and full of joy. My wolf, she spoke.

After years of silence. After all the pain and emptiness and hopelessness, wondering if I’d lost her forever, she was speaking again.

"He’s our mate," she whispered, almost breathless with wonder.

I staggered slightly, gripping the edge of the table to steady myself. No. This couldn’t be real. Across the room, Prince Lucas’s expression didn’t change. He was perfectly calm, almost indifferent. If I hadn’t felt the bond spark between us like a lightning strike, I wouldn’t have known anything had happened. But I felt it. And he had too. I could sense it in the way he subtly straightened in his chair. The stillness.

The tension in his jaw. Like he was controlling every breath, every twitch of his fingers. But I had no control at all, and I was trembling. Not just because of him, but because my wolf, silent since I was a child, was alive. "He saw us". She said gently. He knows. I wanted to run. To disappear. To wake up and find this was a dream, some twisted fantasy. Because of the prince? The heir to the Crescent Moon throne? He couldn’t be my mate. I was a maid. No one. A background shadow. I wasn’t made for royalty. I wasn’t even made for normal. I could barely breathe as I stepped back from the edge of the room and turned away from the royal dais. My fingers were shaking so hard I had to clutch the tray tighter, so I wouldn’t drop it.

Minutes later, when no one was watching, I whispered to Mia that I needed to talk. She followed me out of the side of the ballroom, down a servant hallway where no one would hear us. I leaned against the wall, chest still heaving. My heart hadn’t slowed down since the prince looked at me.

“What happened?” she asked, her tone low but urgent.

“You look like you’re going to pass out.”

I hesitated, then said it.

“My wolf spoke to me.”

Mia gasped. “What?”

“She woke up. Just now. In the ballroom. She said, "Mate.”

Mia’s hand flew to her mouth.

“Who?” she demanded.

“Who did she say it about?”

I swallowed hard. “The prince.”

Her eyes widened. “The prince? The future Alpha?”

I nodded, and she blinked at me in stunned silence.

“Lina,” she said softly, “that’s, that’s incredible.”

“No. It’s terrifying.”

“But your wolf. She’s back. That’s a good sign. Isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what it is.” I looked at the floor.

“I thought she was gone forever, she'd been silent since the accident.” Mia leaned in, lowering her voice even more.

“Maybe his presence stirred her. They sometimes say a mate’s nearness can trigger a response in the wolf, even a damaged one.”

“Why now?” I whispered. “Why him?”

She didn’t have an answer. Just squeezed my hand.

“You’re going to be okay.”

“No, I’m not,” I said.

“If Luna finds out, or anyone else”

“She won’t,” Mia cut in.

“We’ll keep this between us.” I nodded quickly, then took a deep breath. I had to pull myself together. I couldn’t fall apart now, not in front of all these people. Not with Luna already watching me like a hawk. We returned to the ballroom, slipping back into our positions. From the corner of my eye, I saw Princess Amelia look in my direction. There was recognition in her gaze, a flicker of warmth that made my chest tighten. She leaned toward her mother to say something, and Queen Solara smiled faintly in response.

Amelia’s eyes didn’t linger on me long. But I saw the corners of her lips twitch just enough to suggest she remembered me, too. And maybe she knew. The rest of the evening passed in a haze. My heart didn’t settle. I kept my gaze low, serving and listening, but my mind was still back at that moment when our eyes had locked. Prince Lucas didn’t look at me again. Not directly. But I could feel him. Every time he moved. Every time he shifted in his seat.

The bond between us tugged softly at my core like a thread made of light. And I didn’t know whether to follow it or cut it entirely. Because how could I be his mate? How could he be mine? I’d spent so many years trying not to hope. Trying not to believe the stories other girls told about fated love and magical bonds. And now, when I had finally accepted that I was no one. The moon goddess gave him? I didn’t know whether to fall to my knees in gratitude or beg for it to be undone. All I knew was that my wolf was awake again, and nothing would ever be the same.