The Ball
1056 Words
The sun was just beginning to set, its warm glow casting soft gold across the cobblestone streets as we exited the hotel. My heart thudded beneath the bodice of my gown. Each click of my heels echoed my pulse, and the gold accents of my dress caught the light like they were trying to calm me. But there was no calming the anticipation swelling in my chest.
We were looking for a magical cab—something large enough to handle four elaborately dressed women. Maria’s two-seater coupe wasn’t even a consideration, and the capital’s enchanted transport service offered plenty of strange options for nights like this.
Then we saw him.
A werewolf, tall and absurdly well-built, stood at the curb holding a sign in shimmering gold ink:
Seryna.
My stomach tightened. I stepped forward. "Why does your sign say my name?"
He bowed. "By royal command. His Majesty has arranged for your transport as a reward for graduating at the top of your class."
Behind me, the girls exchanged stunned glances. I followed his gesture.
A carriage waited at the curb—silver and gold, open-topped, glowing with enchantments. Four winged unicorns snorted, feathers glittering like stardust as they pawed the ground.
I gasped. "It’s beautiful."
Maria
This was too smooth. Too perfect. My wolf Calista growled low in my chest.
I eyed the driver carefully. He wasn’t just a driver—his stance was too rigid, too clean. Military. Warrior. Not some palace errand boy. The way he held himself screamed Beta.
And then, just as I was about to dismiss it, I caught it.
He looked at Nerissa.
Not a glance. A look.
Nerissa tilted her head, studying him back with open curiosity. A smirk tugged at the edge of her lips. Then she turned away—but not before I saw the gleam in her eyes shift, her expression just a breath more thoughtful than playful. It suddenly dawned on me—perhaps this was one of Nerissa’s pranks I’d heard so much about.
But something else pricked at me, cold and quiet. Why her? Why all of them? Seryna was brilliant, yes—but her friends had been offered the same treatment, the same invitation. It was too coordinated. Too convenient.
Still, when I saw the glow in Seryna’s eyes, the way she pressed her fingers to her heart and whispered that it was all too much, I swallowed my suspicions and said nothing. This was her night. So I buried my instincts and stayed sharp. Just in case.
Seryna
We climbed into the carriage. The unicorns flapped their wings, lifting us off the ground. Cobblestone streets shrank below, rooftops sliding past like pieces on a board. The sky was a painting of rose and flame.
Then I saw the palace.
It wasn’t just a palace. It was the palace—massive, sprawling, impossibly grand. Towers bathed in gold. Gardens stretching for miles. A lake reflecting the sky like glass.
My breath caught. This couldn’t be real.
We landed on a broad marble platform, and the driver—the strange, silent werewolf—opened the door with a bow. As we entered, he gave a nod to a palace servant who stepped forward to escort us.
The entrance doors were enormous, golden wolves etched into their surface, their eyes gleaming with sapphires and opals. Inside, light shimmered on floating chandeliers and ivory floors.
And then—the ballroom.
My breath whooshed out of me.
Twinkling lights danced above like fireflies. A glass dome revealed the first stars of night. Shifting murals moved on the walls, and at the far end of the room, two thrones sat—one regal and golden, the other smaller, more intricate, made of platinum.
"Wow," Liora whispered beside me.
I couldn’t even answer. I was frozen.
Our names were etched in gold at the table. My legs moved on autopilot. Somewhere above, I felt a gaze burn into my skin.
Caius
She was here.
From the balcony, I watched her enter. The ballroom faded. The lights, the guests, the crown on my head—none of it mattered. My world narrowed to the girl with curls like raven silk and a presence that silenced everything in me.
Kael stirred. She’s here. Our queen.
I exhaled slowly. "We reveal ourselves tonight," I whispered. "But we tread lightly."
Kael growled in agreement.
Before I could descend the stairs, a sharp, too-sweet voice dragged me back.
Celeste.
She sauntered toward me in a red dress tighter than skin, her perfume cloying, nauseating. "You still haven’t danced with me, my King," she purred, pressing herself too close.
My smile didn’t reach my eyes. "Celeste, there’s a difference between boldness and desperation. You’ve long since crossed it. Touch me again, and you’ll be escorted out."
Her expression shattered. She spun and stalked away, blonde head bobbing with frustration. Her father had long tried to arrange a match between us, and though she was pretty, something about her always rubbed me the wrong way. If she ever had a chance, it vanished the second I found Seryna. She's nothing compared to my mate.
Trumpets sounded.
"Now announcing His Royal Majesty, King Caius, Supreme Alpha of the Twelve Territories."
I descended with purpose and a singular target—her.
Seryna
The trumpets had announced the arrival of the Wolven king, but my mind was elsewhere—because the scent hit me like a thunderclap.
Coconut. Dark chocolate. My knees nearly gave out. My fingertips tingled. My wolf surged.
Mate.
Rose howled in my chest. He’s here!
I clutched the edge of the table, my skin humming like it remembered his touch, though he’d never touched me. My breath caught. My heart galloped like it knew exactly who was coming.
I turned, scanning the room—wild and desperate. The laughter, the music, the glittering lights all faded as my senses narrowed to one truth. And then—
I saw him.
He stepped through the archway as if he’d been carved from moonlight and command. Golden-brown hair tousled just so, jaw sharp as a blade, his white-and-gold uniform molded to a frame built for war and worship. His eyes—those eyes—amber fire locked to mine across the ballroom.
Time didn’t stop.
It collapsed.
It was him.
My mysterious mate.
The King.
- Writer
