Betrayed and Saved by Love

Chapter Five: The Birthday 1/2

Third Person POV

The Silver Moon Pack’s grand estate shimmered under the glow of lanterns strung between towering trees, casting a golden radiance over the sprawling courtyard where the celebration was in full swing. The scent of roasted meats, sweet honey cakes, and aged wine filled the air, mingling with the crisp night breeze.

The Pack’s Alpha, warriors, and high-ranking members stood in regal formation as Alpha Luca arrived with his family. His hand rested firmly on Liliana, his daughter, who walked with measured grace beside him. Behind them, Luna Nolwenn, Beta Liam, Harry, the heir to Silver Moon, and Zoé, Liliana’s cousin, followed closely.

Alpha Luca felt immense pride as he surveyed the gathering—an assembly of Alphas, Betas, warriors, and respected allies, all gathered to honor his precious daughter’s eighteenth birthday. But not everyone in the crowd had pure intentions.

He noticed hungry gazes lingering too long on Liliana—unmated wolves eyeing her with interest, some with lust, some with curiosity. A low, threatening growl rumbled from his chest, and instantly, they all lowered their heads, their bodies instinctively bowing in submission.

No one dared defy an Alpha’s warning.

Once they reached the grand stage, Alpha Luca’s voice rang out, steady and powerful.

"I would like to thank everyone who traveled from near and far to celebrate my daughter’s eighteenth birthday. It is an honor to stand before you tonight."

A hushed silence fell over the crowd.

"Unfortunately, my dear friend, His Majesty, Alpha King Aaron Charles, was unable to join us due to an urgent meeting. However, in his stead, I ask you to extend a warm welcome to our esteemed guests—Her Majesty, Luna Queen Melissa, and His Highness, Crown Prince Bastian!"

The moment Luca’s voice boomed through the estate, the crowd parted slightly, forming a small circle of reverence around the newcomers.

Dressed in deep royal blue, Luna Queen Melissa stepped forward with effortless grace, her warm gaze sweeping over the guests before settling on Liliana. The Crown Prince stood beside her—a striking figure, tall, commanding, with piercing blue eyes and an aura that demanded attention.

"Thank you, Luca," Melissa said, her voice smooth as velvet. "It is our pleasure to be here tonight. But please, let there be no formalities. For this evening, we are not a Queen and a Prince—we are simply Melissa and Bastian, here to celebrate this beautiful young lady’s birthday."

Her words warmed the air, and murmurs of approval swept through the crowd. She extended her hand slightly toward Liliana, beckoning her forward.

Liliana, caught in a daze of disbelief, felt her breath hitch. The Queen and Crown Prince were here—for her? She barely knew how to react.

Bastian, watching her closely, took in every detail. The way her emerald-green eyes flickered with wonder, the way the candlelight danced over the waves of her long brown hair. She was breathtaking. Even Ares, his wolf, stirred with rare interest.

"Happy birthday, Liliana," Melissa said warmly. "Eighteen is an important age. It is the threshold to your first shift, to meeting your wolf. If your experience is anything like mine, you may feel fear—but don’t. When the moment comes, don’t fight it. Breathe through it, trust your instincts, and let it guide you."

Liliana blinked, momentarily speechless.

"Thank you, Your Majesty—uh, Melissa," she corrected herself when the Queen gave her a pointed look. "It’s an honor to have you here, to celebrate my birthday and my first shift. And thank you as well, Bastian. Please, enjoy the festivities!"

She dipped into a graceful curtsy, but not before her gaze lingered on Bastian’s for a second too long.

And Bastian?

He held her gaze. Unwavering. Intense.

She blushed.

Bastian’s POV

"Hi. Happy birthday. Congratulations on your special night." The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and internally, I cringed. What the hell was that? Was that really the best opening line I could come up with?

"Oh, real smooth, Romeo," Ares snickered in the back of my mind. "Where did you learn your game? From a book on how NOT to flirt?"

"Shut up, Ares!" I shot back.

"I’m just saying, this is embarrassing."

"I don’t need your commentary!" While I was mentally battling my wolf, Liliana smiled.

"Thank you, Bastian," she said softly. Her voice. Goddess, it was hypnotic. "Would you like something to drink?"

"A beer would be great," I replied.

She nodded toward the beverage bar. "Come with me?"

Before I could answer, my mother conveniently excused herself.

"Well, children, I’ll leave you to it. Enjoy yourselves!"

I barely had time to mutter a farewell before Liliana’s attention was back on me.

"So… what’s your age? Favorite color? What do you do when you’re not drowning in royal duties?"

I stared at her.

No hesitation. No caution.

She was completely unafraid to ask me anything, treating me like a person, not a title.

"Oh… uh…" I blinked, thrown off for a second.

She noticed my hesitation and quickly backtracked. "Oops. Sorry. My parents say I should work on my curiosity—sometimes I embarrass people with my questions."

I didn’t like the way her expression dropped in shame.

"No, don’t apologize," I told her. "It’s refreshing, actually. People usually tiptoe around me. But you? You’re just… you. I like that."

Her expression brightened slightly. "Okay then. So?"

"Alright. I’m 21, I love blue, and when I’m not suffocating under my responsibilities, I like to hike, fish, and play the piano. You?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Silver. But maybe that’s because I grew up surrounded by it. I love the human world—I spend time outside the Pack whenever I can. I also take Taekwondo classes with my friends. Third-tier red belt, by the way."

I raised an eyebrow. "Impressive."

"Oh, and I want to be a lawyer," she added. "For humans and werewolves alike. And Ben—my boyfriend—we've already planned our whole future together."

I nearly missed a step.

A growl built in my chest, so low only Ares could hear it.

"That’s our mate," he seethed.

"We don’t know that," I muttered back.

But I already knew the answer.

As she handed me my drink, she giggled at something. It was warm. Carefree. I didn’t know why, but it made my chest tighten.

She lifted her glass. "Cheers!"

"Cheers," I murmured, clinking my bottle against hers.

Liliana’s world was bright, full of laughter and love.

And yet, in the shadows, I could sense that someone else was watching.

Liliana’s POV

I looked at him…

It was the second time I saw him, but the first time I was only fourteen, and he was turning eighteen. Back then, he seemed like nothing more than a distant figure, a prince surrounded by admirers, polished smiles, and expectations.

I never imagined I would actually speak to him one day.

But now, standing here beside him, I realized how different he was from what I had assumed.

He wasn’t arrogant. He wasn’t distant.

He was just Bastian. And for some reason… I liked this version of him more.

We talked about ourselves and what we liked.

I smiled and added, "And above all, I want to do that with my boyfriend, Ben. We've already planned our whole lives."

As soon as those words left my lips, I swore I heard an almost imperceptible growl.

It was quiet—so quiet I almost convinced myself I had imagined it.

Bastian’s face gave nothing away.

I brushed the thought aside and smiled at him, lifting my flute of champagne.

“Cheers! Huh… I’ll go to my cousins and I have to do some round tables to say hello to a couple of people… Do you want to do something else on your side or do you want to stick with me and my cousins?”

Bastian’s lips twitched into something almost hesitant. “Cheers.” He clicked his bottle against my glass before rubbing the back of his neck. “I can come with you… if you don’t mind?”

Something about the way he asked made me giggle. A prince—Crown Prince of all Werewolves—was uneasy about tagging along with me?

It was oddly endearing.

And for some reason, it made me shy—so much so that I laughed before I could stop myself.

The moment I saw his face fall, I froze.

“Oh no, no! I wasn’t laughing at you,” I said quickly, waving my hands. “It’s just… I don’t know why someone would be bothered by your presence. You’re kind, you have a good personality, and you’re open to others. You don’t act like you’re above us. It’s like… you actually like to be treated like a normal person.”

I gave him a knowing look. “And you don’t put up that ‘Crown Prince’ wall in front of you for everyone to see and stay at bay.”

For a second, he didn’t say anything.

Then—he smiled. It was genuine. Warm. “I’d like to come with you, then.”

Together, we made our way towards Harry and Zoé.

Bastian’s POV

Her words made something in my chest tighten. That was exactly what I wanted—to be seen as more than just my title.

And the fact that she had noticed? The fact that she saw through all of it? That meant everything.

She was something else.

A future lawyer. Kind. Beautiful. An unconditional love for both the human and werewolf worlds.

She was going to be incredible.

Ares howled in my mind. "She already is."

As we approached, Liliana slipped easily between a tall, broad-shouldered boy with dark hair and sharp brown eyes and a girl with auburn curls and striking blue eyes.

She draped an arm over each of them and grinned. “Hey! Harry, Zoé, this is His Highness, The Crown Prince, but you can call him Bastian. Bastian, this is Harry, my little brother-s***h-cousin and future heir of Silver Moon—just Harry is fine. And this is Zoé, Beta Liam’s daughter, my cousin, but honestly, more like my little sister. Also, the biggest shopaholic in existence.”

Harry gave me a measured look but extended his hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you."

Zoé beamed at me. "Hi, Bastian! Thank you for coming for Lini’s birthday!"

"Lini?" Ares practically screamed in my head. "WAIT! SHE CALLED HER LINI?! That’s her nickname?! I LOVE IT!!"

"HEY! CHILL! Stop screaming!" I barked at him.

Ares just snickered in response.

For the first time in a long time… I felt lighter.

Third Person POV

As the little group made their way through the ballroom, lost in their laughter and easy conversation, they didn’t notice the pair of cold, calculating eyes watching them from the shadows—glaring, seething, waiting.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

Years. Years of careful planning, of patience, of waiting for the perfect moment. And now, in a single night, everything was slipping away.

Fury simmered beneath the surface, boiling in his veins, but he refused to let it consume him. No. He wouldn’t back down. He wouldn’t let his ambitions crumble before his eyes.

"You think you can swirl in and sweep everyone off their feet… steal what’s mine?"

His fists clenched at his sides, jaw tightening as he forced himself to remain still, controlled.

"Enjoy your night, Prince. Because I won’t let you have her."

His voice was a low, venomous whisper, spoken only to the shadows around him. But the promise in his words was deadly.

He would show them all.

Just they wait.