CHAPTER TEN: ARIA

I was wrapping my hair in a low bun when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in" I half yelled.

"Aria you look amazing but...we need a little touch up" Chloe bounced and held my shoulders.

"No Chloe I'm good. Besides it's just a formal meeting not a ball.." I tried.

"Nuhuh, we need you looking hot, what if your mate's in this pack?" She asked wiggling her left eyebrow.

Chloe tied her frizzy red hair in a high bun, leaving a few strands to frame her face. She had smoky eyeliner and bright red lip gloss that made her small round face pop. Her cute tear drop earrings and glass bracelet complemented her  knee length skyblue sweetheart necklined dress. She looked stunning.

"I don't need to impress anyone Chloe" I whined as she dragged me to my closet.

"Yes yes, who said we were? This is a new start just relax and sit still Miss Vale" she said with finality opening her bag and fishing out some make up as I slumped into my dress chair and stared at my pale face on my mirror.

Fifteen minutes after arguing back and forth with Chloe about everything she was doing, she finally finished and when I stared at the reflection on the mirror, gasped, I didn't know what to say.

My light blonde hair was completely straightened and parted in the middle with two braids from the middle pinned backwards to make a little rose bun. I had smoky eyeliner too and nude lipgloss. Chloe handed me a pair of tiny rose gold earrings that complemented the gold band on my simple knee length black dress. The woman in the mirror looked so natural, so simple, so beautiful.

"Chloe, thank you so much" I whispered.

"You're welcome best. Now let's hurry to this meeting we're almost late" She said giving me a hug.

We walked to the pack house backyard where the meeting was going to be held. The backyard had picnic benches covered in white table cloths with roses sitting in the middle of each table releasing a relaxing fragrance in the air.

The hung fairy lights I saw earlier were lit as they looked like floating stars. There was a podium and a few white cushions up the stage. I guess that was where the alpha and other officials would sit. The whole backyard was decorated so delicately. It was stunning yet simple, like we walked into a fairytale.

As the meeting commenced, the air was filled with anticipation. Dad, Spencer, Chloe's Dad and some other men from Crescent Pack sat on the stage leaving two spots one for Alpha Kael and the other I didn't know who it was for.

Chloe and I sat on one of the benches with a few she wolves from both our pack and Crescent Pack.

Alpha Kael stepped forward and took the podium and I was struck by the raw intensity that emanated from him. As our eyes met, I felt a subtle jolt of electricity run through my body. His piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into my very soul, as if daring me to look away. His short, dark hair was perfectly messy, framing his chiseled features with a rugged elegance.

His tall, muscular build was evident even under the dark, formal shirt he wore, and he carried himself with an air of quiet confidence that commanded attention. Every step he took to the podium seemed deliberate, as if he owned the very space around him, well he did.

As he stood before us all, his authority was palpable. The backyard was silent. He exuded a sense of power and control, as if he were a force of nature that couldn't be contained. And yet, beneath the surface, I sensed a deep vulnerability, like a guarded heart that had been wounded in the past.

Kael's presence was mesmerizing, drawing me in with an otherworldly pull. Even though I was a good distance away from him, I felt like I was drowning in the depths of his piercing blue eyes, unable to look away from the intensity that burned within them.

For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of emotions in his cold gaze, my heat beating faster, but it was quickly extinguished. I blinked fast and looked away. When I looked back up he was looking straight ahead leaving me wondering if I had imagined it altogether just like last night..

"Crescent Pack!" Alpha Kael's voice boomed. My goodness his voice was like a gentle rumble of thunder on a summer's day - deep, rich, and commanding attention. A low, smooth baritone that seemed to vibrate through every cell in my body, sending shivers down my spine.

When he spoke, his words were laced with a quiet authority, as if every syllable was carefully chosen and worthy of consideration. Despite the intensity of his gaze, his voice held a hint of warmth, a deep sweetness that made me want to lean in and listen more closely. It was a voice that could calm storms and yet it also held a subtle edge, a hint of power and control that left no doubt as to who was in charge.

The Crescent Pack howled back in response to him as he continued.

He introduced Raven Claw Pack formally, Dad as the Beta, Spencer the future Alpha, Sable the old Luna and Chloe's Dad Greg the Gamma of Raven Claw Pack to Crescent Pack. He was saying something about his Beta, Second Warrior and some others not being around after our arrival due to an important assignment he sent them on and how they'd be back before the meeting was over.

The majority of the discussion revolved around integrating our pack Raven Claw pack into the Crescent Pack with Alpha Kael emphasizing the importance of unity and cooperation.

I was trying to focus on the important details of our new pack rather than staring at Alpha Kael when Chloe gasped beside me and a growl was heard at the entrance of the backyard.

"Chloe wha..." I started when she turned towards the growl as she breathed at the same time a deep voice said "Mate"