Chapter2
856 Words
In the main hall of the Black Ridge pack, there was plenty of excitement. Laughter and the clinking of glasses reverberated off the stone walls, blending with the gentle music of a string quartet. Hadassah walked into the hall on Victor's arm, her chest throbbing as the whole room seemed to watch them. Her pale blue dress glistened beneath the light of the chandelier, and her father's passing approval from across the room failed to ease her anxiety.
Victor leaned down slightly. “Smile,” he murmured, his voice devoid of warmth. “They’re watching.”
Hadassah barely managed a smile, but it felt more like a grimace. Her hand pressed against Victor's arm, unnatural and stiff, as they approached the center of the room where an elevated platform had been set up for the official announcement.
The hall itself was not grand—vaulted brick ceilings, elaborately carved deep gray wolf sculptures on every wall, and black banners with the crest of the Black Ridge pack hung in neat patterns. Yet, despite its grandeur, the space felt cold to Hadassah, almost oppressive.
“Hadassah,” her mother whispered as they passed, her sharp tone breaking through the buzz of the crowd. “Keep your head high. You’re representing the Crescent Moon pack tonight.”
Hadassah nodded mechanically, her gaze darting to Clara, who stood near their parents. Clara shone in an emerald gown, her face an ideal mask of feigned interest. But not even a slight constriction around her supraoptic nerves revealed her true feelings.
Upon Victor and Hadassah's arrival at the platform, silence fell over the crowd. The Council of the Black Ridge pack sat waiting at the far end of the hall under their Alpha, Evan. Hadassah’s eyes flicked to Evan as he rose to speak, her breath catching at the sight of him.
He was imposing; his silver hair gleamed in the light while his piercing gray eyes swept over the crowd with a commanding presence that made her pulse quicken. He was attired in fine clothes—a black tunic with silver embroidery in the pattern of the pack's crest. When Evan looked at Hadassah's finger, she tightened her grip on Victor's arm.
“Greetings,” Evan uttered calmly, his booming voice echoing down the hallway. “Tonight is a historical point of entry—the merging of two powerful packs. Let us rejoice in this bond that will fortify our partnership and ensure our future.”
His words were measured; his tone formal, but Hadassah detected an undercurrent of weariness, as though he carried the weight of his pack’s survival on his shoulders. When he stepped back, applause erupted in the hall, and the ceremonial proceedings began.
Victor and Hadassah were paraded past the crowd as their pack masters exchanged tokens of friendship. As rituals unfolded, Hadassah couldn’t shake the feeling that she was an actor in a play she hadn’t chosen to join.
When formalities ended, the atmosphere shifted. Guests mingled informally as laughter and conversation flooded back into the room. Hadassah found herself by the refreshments table, sipping a glass of sparkling wine and trying to ignore the weight of her engagement ring.
“Wow, that was a great show,” said a deep voice from behind her.
Hadassah spun sharply and felt her heart race as she made eye contact with Evan. Up close, he was even more striking; his features softened by an aura of contained strength while his gray eyes seemed to penetrate her defenses.
“Alpha Evan,” she replied evenly despite a sudden palpitation in her chest. “I wasn’t expecting to meet you so soon.”
His lips curved into a faint smirk. “And yet here we are.”
Hadassah straightened her posture, refusing to let intimidation overcome her. “Thank you for hosting us. Your pack’s territory is... impressive.”
His gaze lingered for a moment before he replied, “And you—soon-to-be Beta’s wife—do you find all of this impressive?” He gestured to the grand hall around them with a hint of mockery in his tone.
Hadassah shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether he was joking or playing games. “It’s... overwhelming, to be honest.
Evan’s smirk softened into something more genuine. “Honesty—a rare trait in a room like this.”
Before she could respond, commotion near the entrance drew their attention. A servant rushed toward Evan and bent low to whisper something in his ear. His expression turned impassive as if carved from stone; his likable smile vanished, replaced by solemn conviction.
“Excuse me,” he growled, no longer seeing Hadassah as he headed toward the source of disturbance.
Watching him go left a nagging void in Hadassah's heart. Shaking her head, she recalled reality: Evan was Alpha of a rival pack while Victor was engaged to her. Whatever strange connection she felt toward him was irrelevant.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur; Hadassah smiled and nodded along in conversations she barely remembered while her thoughts revolved around Evan and how his presence seemed to dominate all nearby space.
- Writer
