Chapter 3 – Eyes of the Rival Alpha
1740 Words
The Black Hollow Pack House glittered beneath golden candlelight.
Music echoed through the grand hall while nobles, Alphas, and dignitaries from neighboring territories filled the room with expensive laughter and political smiles. Crystal chandeliers shimmered overhead, reflecting against polished marble floors as servants moved gracefully between guests carrying silver trays of wine.
Tonight’s banquet was meant to display strength.
Stability.
Unity after tragedy.
At least, that was what Alpha Kael had told everyone.
Lyra stood beside him near the throne platform, her silver gown flowing around her like moonlight poured into silk. Diamonds rested against her throat while delicate chains wrapped around her wrists—the ceremonial jewelry of Black Hollow’s Luna.
She looked every bit the perfect Luna.
Elegant.
Untouchable.
Empty.
“Smile,” Kael muttered beneath his breath without looking at her.
Lyra’s expression remained calm. “I am smiling.”
“Not enough.”
Her fingers tightened slightly around her wine glass.
The irony almost made her laugh.
For days, Kael barely spoke to her unless necessary.
But tonight he suddenly cared about appearances again.
Pack leaders approached one after another offering condolences for his brother’s death and praising Black Hollow’s resilience.
Kael handled every conversation flawlessly.
Strong voice.
Confident posture.
The perfect Alpha.
Meanwhile, Lyra noticed something disturbing.
Selene stood only a few feet away holding the child while several noblewomen surrounded her with sympathy.
“Oh, poor dear…”
“You’re so brave.”
“And the pup is precious.”
One of the older women even touched Selene’s cheek affectionately.
“The Moon Goddess will reward your strength.”
Lyra looked away.
She shouldn’t feel bitter.
Selene had suffered a terrible loss.
None of this was truly her fault.
Yet every time Lyra looked around the hall, she felt herself fading further into the background of her own life.
“You seem distracted tonight.”
The unfamiliar deep voice startled her.
Lyra turned slightly.
And froze.
The man standing behind her was massive.
Taller than nearly every warrior in the hall, with dark silver hair falling carelessly around sharp features that looked almost too dangerous to belong to any ordinary Alpha. His black suit carried subtle silver embroidery resembling ancient runes, and his golden eyes—
Moon Goddess.
Those eyes felt predatory.
Like a wolf studying prey.
Or something far worse.
Lyra straightened automatically. “Alpha…”
A slow smirk touched his lips.
“So you do know proper greetings.”
Kael immediately turned at the sound of the stranger’s voice.
His entire body stiffened.
“Darius.”
Ah.
So this was him.
Alpha Darius of the Nightfang Pack.
The feared rival Alpha whispered about throughout the northern territories.
Some called him savage.
Others called him cursed.
There were even rumors claiming entire rogue packs disappeared after crossing him.
Darius’s gaze never left Lyra.
“Kael.”
The tension between the two Alphas thickened instantly.
Kael stepped slightly closer to Lyra possessively.
“I wasn’t aware Nightfang accepted invitations.”
Darius took a sip of wine lazily. “You invited every northern Alpha. Refusing would’ve been rude.”
“You’ve never cared about being rude before.”
A dangerous amusement flickered in Darius’s golden eyes.
“And yet here I am.”
Silence stretched sharply between them.
Several nearby guests began subtly moving farther away.
Smart wolves.
Darius finally turned toward Lyra again.
“You didn’t introduce me to your Luna.”
Kael’s jaw tightened slightly.
“Luna Lyra, this is Alpha Darius.”
Darius bowed his head just enough to remain respectful.
“An honor.”
Lyra inclined her head politely. “Welcome to Black Hollow.”
For a moment, Darius simply stared at her.
Not at her dress.
Not at her title.
At her.
The intensity of it unsettled her immediately.
Most men looked at a Luna with admiration or political calculation.
Darius looked at her like he was trying to unravel something hidden beneath her skin.
“You look unhappy,” he said suddenly.
Kael’s expression darkened instantly.
Lyra blinked.
“What?”
Darius tilted his head slightly, studying her face openly despite the surrounding guests.
“The room is celebrating,” he said calmly. “Yet your eyes look miserable.”
The bluntness of the statement shocked her speechless.
Kael stepped forward immediately.
“Careful, Darius.”
But Darius ignored him completely.
His gaze remained fixed on Lyra.
“Tell me,” he murmured, “does Black Hollow simply not deserve your smile?”
Lyra felt heat rise unexpectedly to her cheeks.
Not from attraction.
From embarrassment.
No stranger had ever spoken to her so directly before.
Especially not in public.
“I assure you I’m perfectly fine, Alpha Darius.”
“Hm.”
The sound carried clear disbelief.
Kael’s patience visibly snapped.
“You’ve greeted my Luna,” he said coldly. “Now move on.”
For the first time, Darius finally looked at Kael properly.
And smiled.
It wasn’t a friendly smile.
“If I didn’t know better,” Darius drawled lazily, “I’d think you were nervous.”
Several nearby wolves immediately looked away.
Kael took one dangerous step forward.
“You should.”
The air thickened with Alpha dominance so heavily that weaker wolves nearby immediately lowered their heads.
Lyra inhaled slowly.
Moon Goddess.
Not here.
Not tonight.
Before the tension could worsen, another Alpha approached nervously.
“Alpha Kael, the western delegates are requesting a meeting regarding trade routes.”
Kael didn’t move immediately.
His dark gaze remained locked onto Darius.
Then finally—
“Excuse me,” Kael said stiffly to Lyra.
Not Darius.
Lyra watched him walk away with the delegates, leaving her standing beside the one man in the hall who looked completely unbothered by challenging Black Hollow’s Alpha publicly.
Darius swirled wine inside his glass casually.
“He’s possessive.”
Lyra kept her expression carefully neutral.
“He’s my mate.”
Darius glanced at her.
“Interesting answer.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
A faint smirk appeared again.
“You didn’t deny it.”
Before she could respond, several noblewomen approached excitedly.
“Alpha Darius,” one purred sweetly, “we didn’t realize Nightfang’s Alpha would attend tonight.”
Another touched his arm boldly.
“You disappeared from the Winter Gathering last year.”
Darius looked thoroughly unimpressed.
“I was bored.”
The women laughed anyway.
Lyra took the opportunity to step away quietly.
But she felt his gaze follow her across the room.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
Aware.
—
Hours later, the banquet grew louder with wine and music.
Kael remained occupied with pack politics while Selene entertained sympathetic noblewomen near the fireplace.
Lyra finally escaped the suffocating hall entirely.
Cold night air greeted her the moment she stepped onto the western balcony overlooking Black Hollow territory.
The moon hung enormous above the mountains, silver light spilling across endless forests below.
Peaceful.
Silent.
Unlike the chaos inside her chest.
She rested her hands against the stone railing and closed her eyes briefly.
“You hide often.”
Her eyes snapped open immediately.
Darius leaned lazily against one of the balcony pillars behind her.
Of course.
“I didn’t hear you approach.”
“Most don’t.”
Lyra straightened carefully. “Shouldn’t you be inside charming noblewomen?”
Darius scoffed softly.
“They were irritating.”
Despite herself, Lyra almost smiled.
Almost.
Darius noticed.
His gaze sharpened instantly.
“There,” he murmured. “That expression suits you better.”
Lyra looked away toward the forest.
“You speak strangely for an Alpha.”
“And you lie badly for a Luna.”
Her brows furrowed slightly.
“What lie?”
“That you’re fine.”
Silence stretched between them.
Wind swept through the balcony, carrying the scent of pine and winter rain.
Darius stepped closer slowly.
Not enough to touch her.
Enough for her wolf to become aware of him.
Strangely aware.
“You stand in a hall full of people,” he said quietly, “yet somehow you look completely alone.”
The words struck far too deeply.
Lyra swallowed carefully.
“You know nothing about me.”
“No,” Darius agreed. “But I know loneliness when I see it.”
She finally looked at him properly then.
And suddenly understood why other Alphas feared him.
It wasn’t just strength.
It was the way he observed people.
Like he saw things others tried desperately to hide.
“You’re very bold,” she murmured.
“I prefer honest.”
Lyra laughed softly under her breath.
“That sounds like something dangerous people say.”
His eyes darkened with amusement.
“Dangerous people usually lie more.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
The tension between them felt strange.
Not romantic.
Not yet.
But alive.
More alive than anything she’d felt in days.
Then Darius suddenly asked, “Why did your mate leave you alone tonight?”
The question stunned her.
“That’s inappropriate.”
“So is ignoring your Luna at a political gathering.”
Lyra stiffened slightly.
Darius noticed immediately.
Ah.
There it is.
He had guessed correctly.
Something dangerous flickered behind his golden eyes.
“Interesting.”
Lyra turned sharply toward him. “You should stop analyzing other people’s marriages.”
“And your Alpha should stop taking you for granted.”
The brutal honesty of the statement left her speechless.
Before she could recover, the balcony doors suddenly opened behind them.
Kael stepped outside.
The moment he saw Darius standing near Lyra, his expression darkened instantly.
“What are you doing here?”
Darius didn’t move.
“Talking.”
Kael looked at Lyra.
“You left without saying anything.”
Something inside her nearly laughed at the hypocrisy.
“You seemed busy.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
His gaze shifted coldly toward Darius.
“I think the banquet is ending for Nightfang.”
Darius smirked faintly.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Kael.”
“Leave.”
For one dangerous second, Lyra thought Darius might refuse.
Instead, he slowly pushed away from the pillar.
But before passing her, he paused beside her shoulder.
Close enough for only her to hear.
“You deserve to be looked at,” he murmured quietly.
Then he walked away.
Lyra stood frozen beneath the moonlight.
Behind her, Kael’s voice turned sharp.
“What did he say to you?”
She stared out at the dark forests below.
And for reasons she couldn’t explain…
Her heartbeat hadn’t calmed since Darius arrived.
- Writer
