Part 3

Descending the stairs, I watched in acute interest as my entire family stood by the doorstep. Every year they didn't even bother to stay in the same room before ball night, making silly excuses. I wonder what bought this on? From my peripheral view, I saw Beth nudge my side, almost dragging me next to them.

"About time." My sister snickered, her hateful gaze settling on the pearls around my neck. Clicking her tongue, she crossed her arms together. "Why did you even bother with that? Just flash our guests since you are so desperate."

I heard Lucas chuckle under his breath, his hateful gaze settling on my face. “Are you that eager to find a knot?”

"All of you, be quiet now!" I heard the Luna hiss, her hands clasped together, the red lipstick making her teeth gleam. She straightened in spot, pinning us with a glare while never letting the lines mar her face.

I moved a few steps away from my cousins, not wanting to be near them anymore. They have always been that way, never leaving a single chance to humiliate me. My cheeks felt hot, lips folded together as I inspected the outfit, nimble fingers running at sides.

The gown was cinched around the edges, making my waist appear curvy, bosom popping out. In my defence, it's an old gown, and I did try to alter it, but there's only so much I could do.

***

After we welcomed a few guests, I wandered around the Palace. They wanted others to be under the illusion that I had full freedom in my Palace. My aunt made sure to remind me to come back in a few minutes as we were expecting several other people.

Rushing straight to the library, I plopped down, the room warm and humid enough for the fabric of skirts to stick too close to the skin. The early afternoon buzz seeped through the walls, a dim background soundtrack to the already present noises alive within the room.

That’s when I first saw him. The Alpha tripped over my ankle and had the audacity to blame me. Subconsciously straightening my back, I defiantly talked back to him. How dare he act in such an arrogant manner?

Unfortunately, I had no time to teach him proper manners, suddenly aware of the passing time. The last thing I wanted was to anger my aunt so close to the debut ball.

“Finally.” She muttered under her breath upon seeing me, abruptly grabbing my wrist.

Holding back a wince, I came to stand next to her, head bent down. Beth was nowhere in sight, might be serving the incoming guests. My cousins stood on the other side, a bored look on their faces.

“Mister Liam.” I heard a breathy exhale as my aunt cocked her brow, eyes roaming behind him. “I thought Alpha Axel was joining us today. Am I wrong?”

Who was this person? What was the reason behind the fuss around him? I thought with a curious twist of my mouth.

“Oh, he is inside the Palace. Taking a stroll. We had a long journey.”

My uncle and aunt visibly relaxed while I tuned out their conversation. I stared at the patterns on the carpet on the floor when I heard another pair of footsteps approaching us. Instantly my eyes rolled back at the familiar hit of scent—vanilla and rich, earthy undertones of lemongrass.

The boots seemed familiar too, my lips pressed in a thin line.

“Ah, there he is! Alpha Axel of Moonshine Pack.”

I swallowed harshly, desperate to control, not wanting to let my head snap upward. One would think that twenty and some years of training in court etiquette would convince me to keep my head bowed, but the truth was, I did not care.

There was something inside I could not understand—that was frantic, overwhelmed with the need to catch a single glimpse of the Alpha. Somehow I was convinced that once I saw the face, my heart would finally cease its treacherous efforts to pound.

“Of course! The man of the evening or dare I say the ball.” My uncle teasingly said, a lilt in his voice as he tried to put his arm around this new Alpha.

“You’re embarrassing him, dear.” My aunt pitched in with an equally annoying squeak, her lips smacking together. “Alpha Axel, we are delighted beyond words that you could join us this year. Let me introduce you to my family.”

“And finally…this is our older daughter, Princess Lana Miller.”

My stomach swooped and plummeted, and my breath caught as my aunt's arm lay on my shoulder. Slowly, I turned only to see a familiar face staring back at me, blinking in shock.

He was the same man I met in the library.

I was faced with an Alpha with warm and sun-kissed skin. His hair was a sandy brown shade, streaked with what I could see the rays hitting from the window. He pulled it back, still, I was overcome with the urge to run my hands through those messy strands.

I stared unabashedly at the Alpha Axel now, through a mask of cool nonchalance, my eyes drinking in every piece of him. Even though I tried to be discreet when I leaned to one side, my lips parted.

“Princess Lana, it’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." A low murmur came, and the man's voice was smooth and deep, stark in contrast to the way he spoke earlier.

Axel bowed down, a head of lush brown curls hiding the side of his face, the addictive scent tickling my nose. A long, lean frame, seamlessly fitting clothes, and the dark colours he wore easily offset the paleness of his hands.  The Alpha stood a moment later to his height, which was far above my own, and his lips curved up into the most alluring smile I had ever seen before, dimples pooling at the corners of his mouth as he met my gaze.

It took me a moment to realise I should reply, too busy caught up in staring at him, and managed to stammer out a response.

“Yes, hello, Alpha Axel. Thank you for

joining us.” I swallowed, feeling my heart thrum with a nervous giddiness I could only associate with nausea. A  faint blush crept onto my features at being caught almost gawking at the man when I turned my sole attention elsewhere.

Though I could no longer look, my mind still processed the beauty of the Alpha standing in front of us—the perfect cut of his jaw, the tilt of his roman nose, the amusing line of his brow and those eyes. The green moss of his eyes, outlined by specks of grey, bored directly into my soul.

My aunt cleared her throat, breaking me out of my thoughts. “You must be tired from the journey. Let me show you the way to your rooms.”

As soon as they left, my thoughts ran a mile a minute as I tried to keep my calm. My heartbeat echoed in my ears, and it felt like I could feel every beat, which didn't help calm my thoughts at all. What was I going to do now?

***

Dinner was served in the dining room, with double doors leading from the main hall to the dining room. The plush chairs, high ceiling, chandelier and green velvet curtains gave the room an austere atmosphere. Light music played in the background, the maids rushing to serve our guests.

Alpha Axel sat in the farthest row of the chairs, something I was extremely grateful for. My face was still red from our last encounter, nails digging painfully into my palms. I went off on a Pack Alpha, which is a crime in most tribes. Once Luna, my aunty, gets hold of this news, I am done for.

The more I thought about it, the more my stomach cramped, appetite lost.

My cousins were busy chatting with their mother’s family, sharing inside jokes. For a second, I did feel envious about that, lips twisting. My mother was a rogue when my father took her in and later fell in love. She did not have anyone by her side, not that I knew of.

That’s another reason why my uncle and aunt easily adopted me. I had no other choice but to go with them and have them as my guardians.

I shuffled my weight slightly from side to side, anxious to stay warm, all the while hoping to avoid any unnecessary attention from inside. If I had been subtle enough in slipping away, then my absence shouldn’t be noted for the next twenty minutes. After dinner, my aunt took control of the piano, and though I despised her, she always had uncanny ability to control a room, to command their attention to hold onto it for exactly as long as she pleased.

The colours of the trees have turned from bright green to gold and red, slightly visible at dusk. I took a deep breath, the chill filling my lungs.

Walking along, I admired the trees, a serene smile filling my lips while idly kicking at the pebbles. Along the way, I almost stumbled, wincing at the sharp pain in my foot. Turning around, it became clear that I stepped on the Alphas feet.

A low gasp slipped out of my lips as the light from the lamppost shone on his side profile.

“My apologies, Alpha Axel. I did not see you sitting there.” I bowed down, arms falling on my sides.

“Is this your way of revenge, Princess Lana? Stepping on my new boots and disturbing my alone time?”

“No!” I said in a shrill voice, later realising how it echoed around. “I mean, it’s a genuine mistake. Besides, forgive me for my behaviour this afternoon.”

He waved his hand around, silence settling over us again. I gaped at him, eyes widening at the blank look taking over his face. That’s all? Shouldn’t he try to apologise as well?

“Is that all?”

“Excuse me?” He raised his brow.

“Wow! You were the one who hurt my ankle, yet I am apologising to you. Do you not see any problem here?”

“No.”

Rage bubbled in my belly at the way he seemed unaffected. As if the whole

ordeal was below him. “You are something else, Alpha Axel.”

He rolled his eyes, arms coming to cross against his chest. “So I have been told, Princess.” The way he rolled my name off his lips felt mocking agitated me to no end.

Suppressing the shivers down my spine, I pinned him with a look.

“Why do I even try? You are annoying, and I pity the person who will be chosen as your mate.”

“Ha rich coming from you! I pity the poor lad having to hear you talk all day.”

***