found him

Madelyn’s P.O.V.

“Try to keep your temper under control tonight, lady. You are not a teenager now.” Luna Hailley warned me in a hushed tone, and I pouted innocently. “Technically, I am still a teenager, Luna.” I replied to her while batting my lashes innocently, and she immediately glared at me.

I grinned foolishly, making her roll her eyes in annoyance. She readjusted the single strap of my gown and looked at me from head to toe one more time. She made me wear a one-shoulder evening gown with frills on the neckline and a high slit on my right leg, ending at the middle of my thigh, displaying my long, slender leg. It was good that it had no trail behind it or else......

“This event is very important for us, Maddie. Our negotiations with Alpha Spencer and Alpha Timothy are still in stalemate. We need to convince them why we need their collaboration on these projects.” Alpha Lucifer said to me in a serious tone, pulling me away from Luna Hailley while walking inside the banquet hall where the royal pack had arranged the ball.

She grunted angrily once again, but I couldn’t blame her for that. She wanted me to act like other teenage she-wolves and find my mate whereas Alpha Lucifer and I wanted to use these parties to build more business partnerships.

“Don’t worry, alpha. I am already in a loop with their betas and their personal assistants. We will have a half-hour meeting with each of them later in the night after the announcement of the ball. We will definitely get these collaborations.” I assured him with a confident smile.

Dad chuckled behind me, and I glared at him. “But it doesn’t mean that you have to miss the fun tonight. It always feels good to be young, my love… let’s have some fun too.” Alpha Lucifer encouraged me in a cheerful tone, winking at me in the end.

For the world, he was ruthless and cold, but for me, he was always like a father figure to me. Well…. Let me correct my sentence here….

He was like a best friend, or more like a big brother….

“You are spoiling her too much, Alpha.” My father complained, and I pouted aggrievedly. “What’s wrong with it, huh? She is the only daughter that we two families have. So, what’s wrong with spoiling her a little? She has already achieved something that a normal she-wolf can’t achieve. I am proud of her.” Alpha Lucifer scolded my father and even slapped his arm.

“You are right about Beta Madeline, Alpha Lucifer. She really is a best example for this generation and for the younger generation too.” I smiled and adjusted my posture before bowing in front of the alpha king, who was now walking towards us with the queen and his beta.

“My king, My queen.” Alpha Lucifer and all of us immediately bowed in front of them respectfully, bending lightly on our knees, baring our necks towards them to show our loyalty to them. This was an old rule to show your loyalty and respect towards the high-rankers and the royal couple.

I didn’t like it, as it also made us show our respect to someone who doesn’t deserve it, but what can someone like me say in this?

“Rise all of you.” The king, Ralph Whitemore, asked all of us in a cheerful tone. We all straightened our posture and looked at the royal couple once again.

“How is your training going, Beta Madeline?” The queen, Rose Whitemore, asked me in a calm and gentle tone.

“We are progressing well, my queen. If everything goes well, we soon will have new equipment and some new techniques to get advance information about rogues and other creatures around us, giving us enough time to protect our packs.” I answered her in a formal tone.

“You always amazed me, Beta Madeline. The Dark Moon Pack is lucky to have you and your brother as their future beta siblings. The king praised me this time, and I just bowed my head lightly with a wide grin on my face, accepting his praise.

What’s wrong with basking in the genuine praise that you get from the highest authority?

“Well… let’s go inside. It’s time to announce the ball.” The queen urged the king and he nodded in response to her.

The royal beta, Thomas Harper, led the way, and we all followed the royal couple. “Let’s have a meeting after the feast, Beta Madeline, Alpha Lucifer. I heard that your company wants to start a new venture in the human world. I’m kind of interested in that.” The king asked us in a calm but serious tone.

“It’s our honor, my king, that small venture of ours got your attention.” Alpha Lucifer replied to him in a formal tone. After the Royal Pack and the Black Shadow Pack, our pack was the third-strongest pack, but Alpha Lucifer’s reputation exceeded Alpha Nicholas Blakewood, the alpha of the Black Shadow Pack.

I suddenly stopped and inhaled sharply. My mind went numb, and heart almost stopped beating. “What happened?” my father asked me in a concerned tone. I looked at him in a daze but snapped out of my trance when I saw worry written all over his face.

I smiled stiffly. “Nothing, Dad…. it… it’s just walking in high heels is no.. not my thing.” I made an excuse, and he chuckled. I was glad that he believed my lie, and I felt guilty about lying to him.

But I couldn’t tell him what exactly was going on with me. How could it be?

This wasn’t the thing that I dreaded but the consequences of this event. How was I supposed to deal with this now?

“What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly pale, Maddie?” Luna Hailley asked me in a worried tone, pulling me into her side embrace. Her grip on my shoulder was still light, but I felt that she transferred some strength to me.

I knew what was coming to me, and I was already ready for that after my sixteenth birthday. Yet it dreaded me when my fear was going to become a reality.

“I… I am okay, Luna… j.. just not comfortable in this gown.” I tried to joke, but my voice cracked. Luna Hailley didn’t stop this time, and pulled me away from the group without paying any heed to anyone.

She was stubborn but a caring soul. I knew that she loved me the most in the whole pack, even more than my own mother. That was why her nagging and scolding never bothered me.

I sighed and let her drag me to the farthest corner of the hall. “Tell me, Maddie… what’s wrong?” she asked me worriedly this time.

My vision blurred and without any warning, tears started rolling down. “Maddie… what’s wrong, baby? Tell me.” She immediately hugged me, holding me tightly. This was what I needed right now. I protective embrace.

I wrapped my hands around her waist and inhaled sharply. People said that a mother’s scent always calm down her pup, but in my case, Luna Hailley had that effect on me.

“I… I scented him, Mom.” I told her in a choked voice. I called her Mom in private, which was also proof of how close our relationship was. Her body tensed immediately, but she kept on stroking my back, giving me the comfort that I needed right now.

“Di.. did you see him?” She asked me in a low tone. “No… not yet.” I was so scared to even take a step towards the main hall. I was sure that he was there, and I didn’t want to face him so early.

Luna Hailley cupped my face and looked straight into my eyes. “Maddie… listen to me.” She asked in a low and gentle tone, but there was firmness in her voice.

“It doesn’t matter what you are going to face there, but always remember that you have me… you have us… you have the whole pack with you… you… you are not inferior to anyone present here, and you are the strongest girl that I have ever met. If… if he accepts you without any hesitation, it will be good for him, but if he decides to reject you, then accept his rejection without any hesitation. That’s his loss.” She said to me in a firm tone, but her last sentence brought a faint smile to my lips.

“Yes… that’s like my girl… now… wipe your tears… don’t let them ruin my hard work of putting this makeup on you, and let’s go.” She encouraged me with a beaming smile, still holding my face in between her palms.

“Yes, mom… I am the strongest…. And I will never let anyone trample over me.” I said enthusiastically, regaining my confidence once again.

She gave me a look, and then we both laughed together. I wiped my eyes, and she dabbed a wet wipe all over my cheeks to clean the mess that I had created by shedding tears. She was right. How could I, the future beta of the Dark Moon Pack could be inferior to anyone? My abilities and skills were recognized by the king himself. I am not inferior to anyone.

With this new enthusiasm, I wrapped my hand around Luna Hailley’s arm, and we both entered the hall together. His scent suddenly hit me like a brick, and my eyes went straight in his direction. My breath hitched when I saw a very tall and handsome wolf standing there while looking at me with narrowed eyes.

My heart started running a marathon, but I relaxed immediately as soon as Luna Hailley put her hand on mine. “Go… and talk to him.” She encouraged me in whispers this time. I nodded without breaking my gaze on him.

I was about to take a step forward when my foot paused in midair, and I almost forgot to breathe, feeling a sharp pain hitting my chest. His eyes were cold this whole time, but suddenly he smiled, and his gaze went soft, but….

But not for me…….