Chapter 6: The Midnight Masquerade
366 Words
Kaelen didn’t just want to protect me; he wanted the world to know I belonged to him. By the next evening, the mansion was transformed. Elaborate chandeliers dripped with ice-like crystals, and the grand hall was filled with people—or rather, his Pack—all dressed in obsidian and silver.
"You look ethereal," Kaelen whispered, his voice grazing my ear as he handed me a delicate silver mask. I was wearing a gown the color of a winter moon, the silk clinging to my curves in a way that made his golden eyes darken with heat.
As we descended the grand staircase, the music stopped. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned toward us. Some looked at me with curiosity, others with a hunger that made me shiver. Kaelen’s hand tightened on the small of my back, his thumb tracing a comforting circle against my skin. The sheer power of his presence was enough to make the room go silent.
"Tonight, we celebrate the Moon," Kaelen’s voice boomed, echoing with an authority that commanded respect from every soul in the room. "And tonight, I introduce the woman who will stand by my side."
He led me to the center of the floor as a slow, haunting melody began to play. We moved in perfect sync, my body pressed against his as if we were two halves of a whole. Every brush of his leg against mine, every lingering gaze, felt like a promise. For a moment, I forgot about the wolves and the danger. There was only the scent of pine on his skin and the overwhelming feeling that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Suddenly, the doors swung open again. Silas hadn't come alone this time. He stood there with a group of elders, their faces etched with disapproval. "A human mate, Kaelen?" Silas mocked, his voice cutting through the music. "You would risk the strength of our bloodline for a holiday fling?"
Kaelen didn't flinch. He pulled me even closer, his eyes turning a brilliant, terrifying gold. "She is no fling, Silas. She is my soul. And if you want to challenge her place, you’ll have to go through me first".
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