THE GALA BEGINS

The ballroom was too bright, too loud to be perfect.Katya stood at the edge of the crowd, her fingers gripping the silver fabric of her gown. The gown hugged her waist so tight she could barely breathe. She told herself it was the gown. Not the nerves twisting in her stomach like snakes.

Around her, couples spun across the polished floor. Laughter echoed off the high ceilings. Ice sculptures shaped like wolves glittered under the crystal chandeliers, slowly melting in the warmth of too many bodies pressed together. The air smelled like pine branches and expensive wine, mixed with something else, something wild that human guests would never notice. 

Hundreds of them, dressed in silk and diamonds, pretending to be civilized.

Katya scanned the crowd again, searching for one face. Aleksei. Her fiance. The man who was supposed to mark her tonight in front of everyone.

But he wasn't here.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress, trying to calm down. The fabric was cold and slippery under her palms. Everything felt wrong. The dress,the room,The way people kept glancing at her and whispering behind their champagne glasses.

She'd been standing here for twenty minutes, alone, while everyone else was dancing and celebrating.

Where was he?

"There you are."

Katya turned. Her younger sister, Svetlana, glided toward her through the crowd. Svetlana looked perfect, as always. Her dark hair was pinned up with diamond clips, and her red dress clung to her curves like it was painted on. She carried two glasses of champagne, bubbles rising in golden streams.

"You look like you're about to pass out," Svetlana said, stopping in front of her. She held out one of the glasses. "Here. Drink this."

Katya shook her head. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You're pale as a ghost." Svetlana pushed the glass into her hand. "Liquid courage. You'll need it."

Katya stared down at the champagne. The bubbles popped softly against the rim. "I don't need courage. I just need Aleksei to show up."

"He'll show up." Svetlana's voice was sharp. "He always does, doesn't he? You've had him wrapped around your finger since we were kids."

Katya looked up, surprised by the bitterness in her sister's tone. "Lana—"

"Must be nice," Svetlana continued, her smile not reaching her eyes. "Having everything handed to you. The perfect match. The perfect life. Meanwhile, the rest of us just get to watch."

Katya's throat tightened. "I didn't ask for this. You know that."

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Svetlana lifted her own glass in a mock toast. "Tonight is your big night. The whole pack's watching. Don't mess it up."

Before Katya could respond, Svetlana turned and disappeared back into the crowd, her red dress flashing like blood between the dancers.

Katya stood there, holding the champagne, feeling more alone than ever.

She lifted the glass to her lips and drank.

The champagne was cold and sweet, with a bitter aftertaste she didn't recognize. She drank half of it in one long swallow, hoping it would settle her nerves. The alcohol burned going down, spreading warmth through her chest.

Maybe Svetlana was right. Maybe she did need courage.

The music plays Couples moving together like they were one person, perfectly in sync. Katya watched them and wondered what it would feel like to dance with Aleksei like that. To have him look at her the way some of these wolves looked at their mates like they were the only person in the world.

But Aleksei had never looked at her that way.

Their parents had arranged this match when they were children. It was about political marriage, about uniting the Morozova and Baranov packs. It was never about love.

Katya finished the champagne and set the empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. Her head felt lighter already. Good. She needed to stop thinking so much.

"Katerina."

The sound of her full name made her spine straighten. She turned, and there he was.

Aleksei Baranov.

He stood a few feet away, tall and broad-shouldered in a black suit that made his sea-blue eyes look even colder. His dark hair was swept back from his face, and his jaw was tight, like he was grinding his teeth.

He didn't smile.

"Aleksei." Katya's voice came out steadier than she felt. "I was looking for you."

"I'm here now." He didn't move closer. Didn't reach for her hand the way a fiance should hold . "We need to talk."

Her stomach dropped. "About what?"

"Not here." His eyes flicked to the crowd around them, then back to her face. "Later."

"But—"

"Later, Katerina."

The way he said her name felt like a door slamming shut.

Katya swallowed hard. "Everyone's waiting. Your father,My parents. They're expecting—"

"I know what they're expecting." Aleksei's voice was low, tight with something she couldn't name. Anger? Fear? "Just... give me an hour. Can you do that?"

She wanted to ask why. I wanted to demand answers. But the look in his eyes stopped her. He seemed almost... desperate.

"Okay," she whispered. "An hour."

Aleksei nodded once, then turned to walk away.

But before he took two steps, his gaze caught on something across the room. Katya followed his line of sight and saw Svetlana standing near the windows, watching them. The moment Aleksei's eyes landed on her sister, something in his expression softened.

Katya's breath caught.

No.

She must have imagined it. The champagne was making her see things that weren't there.

Aleksei disappeared into the crowd without another word, leaving Katya standing alone again.

Her head was starting to feel strange. Fuzzy. The lights seemed brighter than before, the music louder. She blinked hard, trying to clear her vision, but the room tilted slightly to the left.

That's when she saw him.

A man standing on the opposite side of the ballroom, near the entrance. Tall. Broad. Dark hair. He wasn't dancing or talking to anyone. He was just... watching.

And he was looking right at her.

Even from across the room, she could see his eyes. Amber eyes are sharp and intense.

Something jolted through Katya's chest. Recognition, maybe or Something she couldn't explain.

The man's gaze held on to her for a long moment. The noise of the gala faded. The people around her blurred. There was only him and those burning amber eyes.

Then someone stepped between them, blocking her view. When the person moved, the man was gone.

Katya shook her head. The champagne. It had to be the champagne.

But the fuzzy feeling in her head was getting worse. Her skin felt too hot, like she was standing too close to a fire. The room spun slowly, a lazy rotation that made her stomach lurch.

She pressed a hand to her forehead. Sweat dampened her palm.

Something was wrong.

Katya turned and pushed through the crowd, aiming for the doors. She needed air. I needed space. I needed to get away from all these people and their staring eyes.

A few wolves glanced at her as she stumbled past. She heard whispers.

"Is she drunk?"

"Poor thing. Probably nervous."

"Where's Baranov? Shouldn't he be with her?"

Katya ignored them. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, on not falling in these ridiculous heels.

The doors seemed a mile away.

Finally, she burst through them into the cold night air. Snow was falling in thick, soft flakes. It landed on her bare shoulders and melted instantly, leaving cold trails down her skin.

Katya gasped, sucking in freezing air. It helped a little. The spinning slowed.

But the heat inside her didn't fade. If anything, it got worse. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Her hands trembled.

What was happening to her?

She stumbled forward, away from the doors, away from the light and music. Her heels sank into the snow with each step. The monastery grounds stretched out around her old stone buildings, frozen gardens, paths lit by flickering lanterns.

In the distance, she saw the bell tower. Old and Abandoned fully Dark.

Safe.

Katya didn't know why that word came to her, but it did. The tower felt like shelter.

She forced her legs to move, one step, then another. The snow soaked through her dress. Her teeth chattered. But she couldn't stop.

Behind her, she heard voices. Male voices. Laughing.

"Hey. Where are you going, sweetheart?"

"She's alone. No escort."

"Must be looking for company."

Footsteps crunched in the snow, Getting closer.

Katya's heart lurched. She tried to move faster, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. Everything felt heavy Slow.

The voices were right behind her now.

"Don't run, beautiful. We just want to talk."

A hand grabbed her arm.

Katya tried to scream, but no sound came out. She yanked free and stumbled forward, falling to her knees in the snow.

The bell tower was right there. So close.

She crawled forward, her hands numb, her vision blurring.

The footsteps stopped.

A low, deep growl cut through the night. Not playful, it's a roar ,growl of authority.

Pure Alpha.

The drunk wolves scattered, cursing, crashing through the snow in their hurry to get away.

Katya collapsed against a stone pillar at the base of the tower. Through the haze in her vision, she saw a figure approaching. Tall and Dark but Familiar with those Amber eyes.

"You," she whispered.

Then everything went black.