Chapter 026

I finally settled with a light blue gown with a diamond-plaited skirt that shimmered faintly under the lantern light. It was lighter than I usually wore, airy almost, the kind of gown that belonged to someone sure of her place. The bodice hugged my waist perfectly, the neckline sweeping just above my collarbone, leaving my shoulders bare. Against it, my pale hair, loose and unbraided looked almost silver.

Maris clasped her hands together, a bright grin breaking over her face. “You look ethereal,” she said, circling me as if inspecting her own handiwork. “The kind of beauty even the goddess herself would envy.”

I tried to laugh, though nerves fluttered beneath my ribs. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” she said, her tone light, teasing. “Just wait till the moonlight hits you. Everyone will see.”

That, more than anything, made me tense. I didn’t want to be seen. I didn’t want eyes tracing me like a secret to be uncovered. All I wanted was to blend in to make it through the night without drawing another scene, especially with Selene.

Maris noticed my hesitation. “Hey,” she said softly, resting a hand on my arm. “You’ll be fine. The dance is meant to be fun. No posturing, no dominance, or rules just women celebrating under the goddess’s light. The men won’t be back until after the hunt.”

I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “No men at all?”

She shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. “None. Just us. It’s the one night we get to breathe freely before the chaos returns.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “That sounds… almost nice.”

“Then let’s not waste it.”

We left my room together, the soft hum of music and laughter drifting faintly down the hall. The packhouse had changed completely since morning, lanterns glowed from every archway, perfumed smoke curling lazily toward the ceilings. Everywhere I looked, women shimmered in flowing silks, their jewels catching the moonlight, their voices soft and musical.

By the time we stepped into the grand hall, the sight nearly stole my breath.

The space had been transformed. Dozens of candles floated midair through invisible enchantment, their golden light bathing the marble floor in warmth. The ceiling was open to the night, revealing the wide stretch of moon that seemed almost close enough to touch. Incense burned in silver bowls, and the scent of roses and sage filled the air.

Everywhere I looked, women danced. Some slow and graceful, others wild and free, laughter spilling like song between them. It wasn’t a place of competition or power it was alive, breathing, beautiful.

I let Maris pull me toward the edge of the circle where we joined in, her fingers twining through mine as she moved to the rhythm of the drums. For a moment, I forgot everything the Lycan brothers, my fear and need to escape. The night wrapped around me like silk, and I could almost pretend I belonged.

Maris leaned close to whisper over the music. “This dance ‘The Dance of the Goddess’ it’s older than any of us. They say the goddess herself danced under the first full moon, and every woman after carries a spark of her spirit when she moves.”

Her words sank into me, soft and distant. “And when the men return?” I asked, curious despite myself.

She smiled knowingly. “Then they get to choose who they’ll dance with. It’s the final act of the night a symbolic offering. But tonight, before they return, it’s all about us.”

That should have comforted me. No Darius watching from the corner, no Daemon’s smirk, no Draven’s unreadable eyes cutting through me. But somehow, their absence only made me more aware of them, like the silence before a storm.

I spun once beneath the moonlight, the hem of my gown brushing over the marble, and for the first time in days, I felt almost weightless.

Still, as the music deepened and laughter filled the hall, I couldn’t shake the lingering thought that somewhere beyond those walls, their eyes might still find me when the moon rose high enough.

The rhythm changed slowly, like the wind catching in a different direction.

The drums softened, fading into something steadier low, sensual, a heartbeat pulsing through the floor. The laughter dimmed too, replaced by quiet anticipation as the women began to pair off. It was time for the Dance of Two, a tradition that symbolized harmony and balance between women of the pack.

I hesitated, glancing toward Maris, who smiled and lifted her hand toward me. “Come on,” she said, still laughing a little. “It’s more fun when you stop thinking and just move.”

I was about to reach for her when a shadow swept between us.

“I think I’ll take this one.”

Selene.

Her tone was smooth as silk but cut sharper than a blade. That same practiced smile curved her lips as she turned to me, her golden hair shimmering under the floating candles.

“Unless you object, of course,” she added sweetly.

Maris blinked, stepping back a little, uncertainty flickering in her expression. I opened my mouth to protest, but the music shifted again, an elegant command that left no time for argument. The pairs had already begun to move.

Selene didn’t wait for me to agree. Her hand slid around my waist, firm but deceptively gentle, guiding me into the circle. I caught Maris’s worried gaze for a second before Selene twirled me out of sight.

The crowd parted around us.

Every movement was calculated, graceful, and quite beautiful compared to her personality. Her perfume amber and spice, wrapped around me as she leaned in close, lips barely moving.

“Smile,” she murmured. “Wouldn’t want anyone to think we’re enemies.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to this,” I said under my breath, forcing my steps to follow hers.

“Oh, Rain,” she purred, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “You don’t really get to agree anymore, do you? That’s what happens when you warm a Lycan’s bed.”

I stiffened.

Her smirk deepened when she saw the flicker in my eyes. “Oh, don’t look so shocked. Everyone knows. The walls have ears and mouths, if you listen hard enough.”

I wanted to pull away, to end the charade, but her grip tightened subtly at my waist. The movement of the dance forced us closer, her body brushing against mine as she guided me through another slow turn.

“You think you’re special?” she continued softly. “You’re just a passing fascination. They always come back to the ones who understand their kind.”

The drums beat lower, a steady rhythm echoing through the hall. Around us, laughter carried like wind but in that small space between us, it felt suffocating.

“Careful,” I whispered back, finding a spark of courage somewhere beneath the rising heat in my chest. “You sound jealous.”

Selene’s fingers dug into my side for just a moment before she smiled wider, all sugar and venom. “You’ll learn soon enough that jealousy is beneath me. Pity, though… pity is another story.”

She twirled me again, so abruptly that my hair brushed against her arm, and I nearly stumbled. A few of the nearby she-wolves looked our way, but Selene’s perfect poise hid the tension between us.

When she caught me again, she leaned close, her words a breath against my ear. “Enjoy this while it lasts, little wolf. Because when the moon rises higher, the men return and I intend to make sure he remembers exactly where his loyalties lie.”

I didn’t have to ask which brother she meant. The flicker of Daemon’s name burned at the back of my mind, bitter and uninvited.

The song stretched on endlessly, our steps locked in rhythm, a battle disguised as grace. My pulse pounded louder than the music, every muscle tight beneath my skin.

But I refused to look away. If she wanted a show, I would give her one.

When the final note faded, the hall erupted in soft applause. Selene released me with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You dance better than I thought,” she said sweetly. “Maybe that’s why they keep you around.”

And with that, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, her silken skirts brushing past me like smoke.

I stood there, catching my breath, heat and humiliation prickling under my skin.

Across the room, I could feel it a shift in the air, a sudden stir at the doors. The faint sound of laughter, deeper voices approaching.

The men were back from the hunt.

And somehow, I already knew this night was far from over.