Chapter 3 - Shadows In The Night

Throughout the dinner, eyes clung to me like a second skin, whispers trailing in my wake.

I kept my chin high, ignoring the suffocating attention that came with being Alpha Gene’s daughter. This was nothing new. But tonight felt different, charged with an energy that sizzled beneath the surface, an unseen storm brewing I couldn’t quite place. 

While my parents were engaged with the Royal couple, I focused on the extravagant meal in front of me, each delicate dish a masterpiece of culinary art. The Royals had outdone themselves, and they had succeeded in making it count.

As the banquet transitioned into the evening reception, I moved through the glittering crowd, feigning ease while my insides churned. The opulence around me, golden chandeliers, cascading silk drapes, an orchestra playing softly in the background, was a backdrop I had experienced countless times before. Yet, now, unease coiled tight in my chest, a cold serpent stirring in the depths. 

My gaze flicked to the dais, drawn to the commanding figure who stood at its center.

The Lycan Crown Prince. Raul.

His reputation, a legend woven with threads of power and mystery, had always preceded him, but the reality of his presence was overwhelming. Golden eyes scanned the crowd, sharp and all-seeing, like a predator assessing its prey. When they landed on me, time seemed to splinter, the world around us fading into a blur.

It wasn’t just his beauty, although that was undeniable.

No, it was the magnetic pull, the jolt that rocked through my core as his gaze pierced mine. My breath hitched, caught in the sudden storm. His expression changed subtly, interest, recognition, curiosity. Before I could make sense of it, the Prince began moving toward me, the crowd parting before him as though he were the tide itself. 

My heartbeat roared in my ears.

No, no, no! The connection, whatever it was, felt wrong. Foreign. Dangerous.

Then, salvation came in the form of a brief distraction. A couple crossed his path, stealing his attention for the barest moment.

I seized it like a drowning soul grasping a lifeline.

Ducking between groups of chattering nobles, I maneuvered my way toward the edge of the ballroom. My pulse thrummed in my throat. 

The cool night air hit me like a blessing as I slipped out through a back door. Drawing in deep breaths, I tried to steady myself.

“I don’t need this,” I muttered, brushing my hands down my dress as if wiping away the strange electricity Raul had sparked in me. 

But then, Era stirred within me, her voice slicing through my thoughts.

‘Zela, you can’t ignore it. He will find us and claim us. There’s no escaping. The potion holds me down but not him. I’m tied!’ 

My stomach sank. ‘Era, stop, you have to be strong!’ I hissed loudly.

And then I heard it, the soft click of the door behind me, and his scent, rich and unmistakable, invaded my senses. My body stiffened as the man I tried to avoid desperately appeared at my side, moving with the grace of a predator. 

“You felt it too,” he murmured, soft yet commanding. His hand caught my wrist in a firm grip, his golden eyes searching mine, probing the depths of my soul. “Yet you are running from me. Why, mate?” 

I froze in place, my breath caught in my throat.

Mate?!

The world tilted as my mind registered his words. My jaw slackened in disbelief.

Lycans didn’t receive mates from Selene, that wasn’t their way. And yet… 

Observing my confusion, Prince Raul tightened his grip slightly, his gaze never wavered. The moonlight bathed his features, casting sharp shadows over his face.

“Don’t you feel it too?” he asked again, his tone somewhere between amazement and frustration. 

Words failed me, trapped in the chaos of my emotions. The pull between us was irresistible, a bond that went beyond physical attraction, a force that threatened to consume me. My heart warred with my mind. This couldn’t be real. 

Without another word, Raul took my hand and guided me through a side door back into the Palace. My feet moved on their own accord, though my head screamed at me to stop. But the warmth of his touch, the rough power that emanated from him, was impossible to resist.

That night, we became one.

Bound by forces neither of us could fully comprehend, the connection between us ignited something primal, ancient. Yet, as dawn began to creep through the room, my mind was a storm of regret. 

Erico! 

The thought of him shattered the fragile peace I had felt in Raul’s arms.

I couldn’t stay here! I couldn’t face what I’d done!

Quietly, I slipped out of the Prince’s embrace, clutching my dress as I tiptoed across the room.  Era stirred again, halted me for a second. ‘You’re running from more than him, Zela.’ 

I ignored her and shifted the moment I was outside.

My paws hit the forest floor, and I sped through the trees, the wind whipping against my fur. I bypassed the imposing gates which, a moment later, were just a dot behind me.

My heart raced as the shadows of the forest danced around me.

The penetrating scent of the Prince was still on me, it became a thread I was desperate to get rid of. On top of that, Era’s silence felt unsettling, but I couldn’t dwell on it. My goal was to reach the highway, and then Silver Bow. Lilias and Andrea would know what to do. 

The forest was dense, the paths unfamiliar, but I didn’t falter. Twigs snapped beneath my paws, and the rustling leaves seemed to echo my frantic thoughts. The air was heavy with tension, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Raul would come after me. 

The bond was too strong. He’d felt it. He wouldn’t let me go so easily. 

But I couldn’t go back. I wouldn’t. 

I was committed to Erico, we had planned our future perfectly. Last night was just an unexpected encounter that I would erase as soon as possible. But first I had to get the Lycan Prince off my back.

As the first hints of dawn painted the horizon, I emerged from the forest onto the asphalt of the highway. My chest heaved with exertion, my mind spinning. 

Without wasting another moment, I shifted back and pulled on my dress.  It was early, not many cars were on the road.

                But I was lucky, Selene had taken pity on me. A Range Rover stopped and a woman offered me a lift halfway to Silver Bow…