Chapter 1

AVA

I balanced the tray of confectionaries on my palm and made my way out of the kitchen into the sea of people in the great hall of the Golden Claw pack house.

Everyone was dressed in their temple’s best.

Radiant bright colors of gowns and evening wear and black and white tuxedos filled the hall.

A part of me was jealous that I wasn't here as a guest but rather as a worker and another part was glad I could secure a job like this. Far away from home and the people that despised me.

It was only for three nights but it was a huge break from the constant hatred I received from my family and the whole pack at large.

As soon as I stepped into the crowd, half my tray was already gone. My cupcakes seemed to be the people's favorite tonight.

“When is he coming out?” I overheard a beautiful girl ask in the crowd. She was dressed in a long backless cocktail dress that accentuated her beautiful back and buttocks. Her flowing black hair covered her face so I couldn't see what she looked like.

“I have no idea but this is the fourth time I’m retouching my makeup!” Another girl with bright blue eyes groaned.

“It's worth it, he's hot, plus you could totally become his Luna,” a third girl smiled but I could tell it didn't reach her eyes.

I rolled my eyes at them as I continued through the crowd.

It was the welcoming party of the Prince and heir to the throne of the Golden Claw Pack and the King of Alpha was throwing his son a welcoming party that doubled as a search for a wife party for him.

It was why there were about a thousand girls in attendance in their best attires, waiting for the prince to choose one of them.

Gross. Not only was that odd to me, it was complete ridiculous. I understood that these women wanted security of some sort and I didn't blame them but waiting in line like a priced wolf for some arrogant fool to choose you was not my idea of security.

I got to the end of the crowd and went outside the halls where there were a huge amount of women of lower status talking and laughing. Some of them with their father's and some men were in attendance.

I had only four cupcakes on my tray now. They must really love my cupcakes.

Two hands made a grab of cupcakes on my tray and I had just two left. I was about to go back in to get some more when I heard my name.

“Ava!” I heard my step sister call out for me. I groaned internally. I had been trying to avoid her all night but of course that was impossible. She enjoyed making me miserable. I turned to find her walking towards me with anger in her eyes.

“Something wrong?” I asked with raised brows.

“Yes. Where is my drink?” she spat.

“I told you I'm not responding for drinks, Liz,”

“You're in the kitchen aren't you?”

“Look, I have work to do and I don't have time for this.” I said about to turn back towards the house when she pushed me.

‘What the fuck?’

I started to fall when I felt a pair of hand catch and steady me.

A sigh of relief escaped me.

The hands that had helped me were still wrapped around my waist. A hand stretched and plucked the last cupcakes from the tray.

I glanced back only to find the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. He was dressed in simple clothing. Almost too simple, he didn't look like he belonged here or like he was meant to be at the party at all.

He let go of me and I watched as he bit into the cupcake and groaned.

“So, that's why everyone has been raging about it. Delicious,” the beautiful man said, his voice deep and seductive like a calm tidal wave.

“I'm Cane,” he said extending his frosty hands for me to shake.

“Ava,” I said, staring at his frosty hands.

“Oh, shit. That's right.” He chuckled and then cleaned his hands on his worn out jacket.

“Sorry. Maybe we can leave the hand shaking for another time?” He asked.

I chuckled. For such a big and tall man, he was incredibly cute.

“It's okay. I can get you some more cake if you want,” goodness, he was handsome.

The kind of handsome that made you think of sex, champagne and late nights rendezvous.

“Would you?” He asked.

“Y….yeah of course. It's the least I can do after you saved me from falling.” I nodded.

I couldn't see my face but I was convinced I was bright red.

‘Someone's in love’

My wolf, Spark, sang a song. I ignored her, she was such a sílly asshole sometimes.

“Then I'll be waiting patiently for you,” he said. His words sounded personal. Like he wasn't jus talking about the cupcake.

Or maybe by my mush brain wanted it like that.

His gaze didn't leave mine and I took the time to study his piercing golden eyes, prominent nose and sharp jawline.

“Everything okay?” He suddenly asked and I snapped out of my staring contest and quickly looked away in embarrassment.

“Yeah, everything is uhh fine. Thank you. I will go get them now,”

I scurried back to the kitchen and brought out a generous amount of cupcakes. I placed some inside a paper bag just in case the guests stole everything on the tray before I got to him..

Just as I suspected, I had only 2 cupcakes left in the tray before I got to him.

“You're back,” he said, turning to look at me.

“Yeah, here you go.” I handed him the bag of cupcakes.

“Whoa thanks,” he smiled at me and my heart almost melted.

“You're welcome,”

He took one bite and moaned, his eyes rolling back.

Okay, he was definitely trying to seduce me or I wasn't as powerful against the charms of random men as I suspected.

“Delicious.” He moaned.

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“Did you make this?” He asked.

“Actually, yeah.”

“That's amazing,” he smiled, his eyes glued to mine as if he was trying to cast a spell on me.

I wonder if it would be weird to tell him to stop smiling because he was making my body feel weird.

“Thank you.”

He was quiet for a while as he ate another round of cupcakes. He seemed to be enjoying himself, his eyes never left mine once.

“You have no idea what you've done for me. Haven't had a thing to eat all day.” he said after taking the last of the third cupcake.

“Oh, I'm so sorry. Why not?”

“Money problems,” he shrugged.

Ah, of course. I looked him up and down again and realized something. He was so handsome that I forgot that he was wearing clothes that I could only describe as from the slums. They were even worse than the clothes I wore and I only wore hand me downs from other maids in the pack house.

“I can get you more food before you leave,”

“You must be some kind of benevolent angel,” he grinned.

Jeez. Why was everything about him so seductive?

“Far from it. I'm just a lowly servant girl,”

I chuckled as I watched the sea of people moving around and laughing and just having a good time.

“So, what do you think of the prince?” He asked. “Are you one of the girls crazy over him?”

He asked out of the blue

“Why? Are you some kind of spy for him?”

“God no, not a big fan of royalty. I'd never spy for someone like that,”

“I see. Well, since you aren't a spy, then I guess I can speak freely.” I said.

He looked at me intrigued.

“I have no idea who the prince is but I bet he's just as arrogant as his father and brother and I wouldn't blame him if he was. If a bunch of beautiful women were all anticipating to become my Luna too, nobody would be able to tell me what to do.”

The man threw his head back and laughed.

The sound was beautiful, hot. I felt it in parts of my body that were too intimate to speak of.

It was a wonder no other women were staring at him. I was completely enthralled.

“You're hilarious,”

“Why, thank you.”

“But you're right. The prince is probably an arrogant fool.”

“I know. He probably has never heard no in his life. Not my type. I want a man who's been through the mud and seen things outside luxury. Not that I have a chance with him anyway,” i chuckled.

When Cane didn't laugh, I turned to look at him. He was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head.

“Ava!” I heard the chief chef call out for me.

“Shit!” I groaned. “I'm sorry I have to go.” I said to Cane.

“I'll get you some more cupcakes and maybe something else later,” I said not waiting for a response from before bolting towards the chef.

The head chef, Mrs Dominguez instructed me to join them in the kitchen since one of the assistants had sustained an injury.

I spent the next hour helping out in the kitchen and listening to gossip from the maids about the prince. It seemed it wasn't only the Ladies in attendance that were awaiting his arrival.

Mrs Dominguez once again walked up to me and instructed me to go serve again.

As soon as I stepped out of the kitchen with a tray of drink this time, I noticed something.

The entire place had become quiet and the crowd was staring towards the podium.

I was pretty short, so I couldn't exactly see until I walked to the middle of the crowd.

I gasped when I saw Cane walking towards the podium to the king.

“Welcome home, my son,” the king said and hugged him.

The tray of drinks in my hands fell to the ground and my stomach twisted in pain

What the fuck?