Chapter 1- A Successful Night

Ten minutes before midnight, the grand hall of the Eclipse Moon packhouse buzzed with energy, filled with whispers and the clinking of champagne flutes.

The air was thick with excitement, as the rich scent of expensive colognes swirled around sharply dressed unmated Alphas and Alpha’s sons. They moved through the crowd like predators, their eyes shining with a hunger that clearly had nothing to do with the fancy hors d’oeuvres on the table. An electric tension hung in the air, hinting that the night was about to unfold its mysteries in a clash of power and desire.      

It was the night before my eighteenth birthday, the moment I was about to find my fated mate.

I leaned against the bar, arms crossed, watching the posturing spectacle with a smirk tugging at my lips. Beside me, Andrea and Lilias were in stitches, barely able to contain their laughter as we surveyed the so-called crème de la crème of werewolf society.

                “Did you see how Victor from Silver Fang Pack adjusted his tie for the tenth time?” Andrea whispered, her voice brimming with mockery. She mimicked his exaggerated movements, and we burst into giggles. 

Lilias, my full blood witch friend, grinned slyly, tossing her dark curls over one shoulder. “He’s probably been practicing in front of a mirror for hours, hoping to charm his way into your heart, Zela. Or, more likely, your family’s influence.” 

                I snorted, my silver eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Little does he know, none of them will recognize me tonight. Thanks to your potion, Lilias. You are a genius.” I raised an invisible glass to her, and she responded with a dramatic bow. 

                “Ah yes, a potion so potent it could fool even the nosiest Alpha,” Lilias teased. “Consider it my birthday gift to you, darling.”

                Andrea chimed in, twirling the hem of her sequined dress.

“Honestly, Zela, if they knew the real you, they’d drop their jaws faster than a rookie wolf in his first shift. But this is way more fun. Watching them chase ghosts is pure entertainment.”

                We laughed, the sound blending with the orchestral music that filled the room. My gaze flicked to the grand clock hanging above the main entrance. Eight minutes to midnight.

                “Do you really think I don’t know that they’re here just for what I represent?” I asked, my tone more seriously. 

Andrea placed a hand on her hip and arched a brow.

“Oh, come on, Zela. You know the answer to that. They’re power-hungry vultures, circling for the grand prize.” She gestured dramatically at the gathering of Alphas. 

                “They’re like overgrown toddlers fighting over the last piece of candy,” Lilias added with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Except this candy happens to have political sway, royal connections, and… oh, impeccable taste in friends.”

She winked at me, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Beneath the teasing, there was truth in their words.

My father’s position as the special emissary to the Werewolf King had painted a glowing target on my back, a prize to be claimed, a name to be elevated. But none of them saw me for who I truly was.

Not the girl with a hidden love. Not the girl who just wanted to carve her own destiny.

Andrea leaned closer, her eyes glinting with mischief.

“Speaking of candy, do you think any of these Alphas would survive one day without their precious status? Bet you fifty bucks one of them cracks under the pressure and tries some cheesy pick-up line.”

I chuckled, shaking my head.

“You’re too cruel, Andrea. Let’s just hope none of them faints when I don’t go weak at the knees for their charm.”

Lilias, who was now playfully swirling a cocktail in her hand, smirked.

“No fainting, but I’d wager a few bruised egos by the end of the night. Honestly, they think a mate bond is just another tool for conquest. It's laughable.”

“Not for us, though,” Andrea quipped, flipping her hair dramatically. “We’re here for the show and the free drinks.” She raised her glass, and we clinked our imaginary ones in unison, laughing yet again.

The grand clock struck a heavy chime, signaling five minutes to midnight.

The laughter in the room faded slightly as the gravity of the moment settled over me. My friends noticed the shift, their expressions softening.

Lilias placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, it’s going to be fine, Zela. Whether the clock reveals your mate tonight or not, you’re still in control. You’ve got us, and you’ve got Erico.” Her voice was steady and reassuring.

I nodded, my heart swelling at the mention of Erico.

He was the one who truly saw me, who didn’t care about my lineage or the weighty expectations that came with it. My mind wandered to the first time we met, in the bustling streets of Eclipse Moon. Jonas, my childhood friend, had introduced us, and from the first moment, my world seemed to shift. Now, after two years of stolen moments and secret meetings, the thought of announcing our engagement filled me with a bittersweet mix of excitement and fear.

Andrea’s voice snapped me back to the present.

“Zela, you know your dad suspects something, right? That man has eyes like a hawk.”

I sighed.

“I know, and that’s why I agreed to go with him and my mom to the Royal banquet after my birthday. It’s a way to keep him distracted while I figure out how to tell him about Erico.”

Lilias frowned.

“He’s not the most flexible wolf, is he? But you’ll manage. You always do.”

The grand clock chimed again, this time louder, signaling two minutes to midnight. The murmurs in the room turned into an almost reverent silence as everyone waited for the moment of truth.

Andrea gave me a nudge.

“Showtime, Zela. Ready to keep the Alphas guessing?”

I smirked, holding my head high. “Born ready.”

Lilias and Andrea flanked me as we walked toward the center of the room, where the assembled Alphas and sons of Alphas had formed a loose circle, their excitement noticeable.

All gazes were on me, a mix of awe and barely veiled greed.

And then the clock struck midnight, this was the moment all had been waiting for.

I closed my eyes, letting the magic of the mate bond, if it even existed for me, wash over the room. When I opened them, I was met with a sea of confused faces.

No one stepped forward. No one felt the pull.

Andrea whispered under her breath. “Lilias, your potion worked like a charm.”

Lilias grinned, whispering back, “Of course it did. Did you ever doubt me?”

As the Alphas exchanged puzzled looks and murmured amongst themselves, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of triumph. For once, I was free from their expectations, free to carve my own path, even if only for a little while longer.

Turning to my friends, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Well, ladies, I think it’s safe to say this was a successful night.”

Andrea beamed. “And it’s only the beginning. Happy almost-birthday, Zela.”

Lilias raised her glass. “To freedom and love, on your ow terms.”

We clinked our glasses once more, the sound a small, defiant harmony in the grand hall of power and pretense.