Midnight Mate of the Alpha Heir

I wasn’t supposed to be here. Not at the Eclipse Mask Ball. If anyone found out who I really was beneath this mask, it wouldn’t just ruin the night, it would also ruin me. Being a hybrid already made me a target. Half-human, half-wolf, and fully despised. The humans looked at me like I was a mistake. The wolves called me an abomination. And Lucien… he never missed a chance to remind me I didn’t belong. The King Alpha’s heir. Tall, ruthless, with a smile that made girls swoon and a glare that cut me to pieces. He lived to humiliate me and to turn my weakness into entertainment for everyone else. Mixing human and wolf blood was the greatest sin in their eyes, and I was the proof of it. But tonight, behind the mask that gave me anonymity, I could pretend that I belonged. The ballroom glittered like it came right out of a dream. There were crystal chandeliers spilling light over the walls, violins weaving through laughter and the pulse of drums. Masked faces twirled in beautiful dresses. And me? I moved around cautiously, praying no one would see through the disguise. Someone mistakenly poured red wine down the front of my dress, the cold splash soaking through silk in an instant. I hissed under my breath and slipped through the crowd, straight toward the washroom. I passed through a side door and heard some strange sounds. My eyes narrowed as I leaned closer peeking through the crack. The lead cheer leader was riding one of the basketball players… her cries were loud enough to make me flush with disgust. What the hell? Some decency, please. I spun to retreat, only to slam into someone. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t… ” The words died on my tongue as my eyes lifted. It was Lucien that I bumped into. That arrogant, infuriating, impossible-to-ignore asshole. My stomach sank. His eyes flicked down, lingering where the neckline of my dress dipped far lower than it should have. “Well, well…” He smiled slowly. “What’s your name, little beauty?” Panic surged. I wanted to run before he realized, but I knew better. Fleeing would only make him suspicious. Though my perfume masked my scent well, I hoped it would be enough. Forcing my breath to steady, I did the only thing I could think of: I flirted back. The reaction was instantaneous. His hand slid around my waist, pulling me flush against the wall. My back hit the cold stone, and I froze, breath catching in my throat. He leaned closer, lips brushing against my neck, and I shivered involuntarily. Why did he have this effect on me? I hated him. I wanted revenge on him, on the Blacktons, on everyone who had tormented me. And yet, every nerve in my body was alive in a way I didn’t understand. Every fiber of me ached under his touch, even before he actually touched me. “You shouldn’t be here spying on two people f*****g,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. “I… I’m just…” My words faltered. Lies tangled with truth. He chuckled softly, that deep, knowing sound that made my teeth grit. “Just relax,” he said. “I’m not going to snitch on you, little beauty...” The words were poison. Sweet, tempting poison. I could feel my cheeks heat up immediately. Lucien’s hand shifted and started roaming around my breasts, pressing me tighter against the wall, and my fingers dug into his back. His lips traced a line along my neck, teasing, light, dangerous. My heart hammered, and for a moment, I was utterly lost. I hated him. I hated that I felt this way. And yet… I wanted more. A laugh rang out from behind him, cutting through the tension. “Lucien, you’re onto another girl already? All in one night?” one of his friends drawled, mockery dripping from every word. Lucien’s shoulders stiffened. His head turned just enough to catch them in his glare, but his expression stayed unreadable. His attention shifted back to me. Then, with a voice that brooked no argument, he snapped, “Go back” He commanded briefly, his attention snapping away from me. I exhaled slowly, relief flooding through me. I smoothed my dress, stole one last glance over my shoulder, and returned to the ballroom, my pulse still racing from the closeness of it all. The music and dancing carried me away. For a while, I lost myself in the rhythm, letting the lights and laughter blur around me. And then… he returned. This time, with another girl. His hands on her waist, playful, intimate, the same effortless charm he always carried. He was such a flirt. My stomach twisted with jealousy and irritation. My heart refused to settle. It raced, still replaying what had happened earlier, the heat of him against me, the way my body had betrayed me without permission. I tried to drown it in the music, to disappear into the swell of strings and laughter, but then it struck. A sharp, stabbing pain tore through my chest. “Ugh!” The cry broke from me as my hand flew to my heart. The world tilted on its axis. Fire surged through my veins, merciless and wild, until my knees nearly buckled beneath me. What was happening to me? The ballroom blurred, colors bleeding together. Laughter, music, light, all of it dissolved into the searing pain that burned hotter, deeper, until it felt like my heart itself was on fire. And then beneath the agony, I felt a raw magnetic pull. It coursed through me like a command I couldn’t ignore, primal and inevitable. I gasped as my senses sharpened beyond anything I had ever known. And then I knew. The truth slammed into me like a storm. I was marked. My wolf, hidden, half-buried, a side of me I had never fully claimed howled in shock, confusion, fury. The pull started leading me to my mate. Who was it? My eyes locked on him, my pulse stumbling in disbelief as I got to where the scent was the strongest. No. Not him. “You’re mine.” His voice was low, a growl that slithered straight into my bones. It wasn’t loud enough for everyone, but I heard it clearly. The pain eased, but what replaced it was worse. Mate! Mate! Mate! The word pounded in my skull like a drum, relentless and terrifying. Lucien’s lips curved into that arrogant smirk I loathed. His eyes locked onto mine, stormy with possession and curiosity. It was official. The bond had chosen him. My mate. And in that single, brutal heartbeat, my world flipped upside down.