Chapter 8: She’s Back

Ella’s POV

Five years later

Over a hundred masked faces greet us as soon as the giant mahogany doors push open to our arrival.

“The Alpha of Silver Moon pack, Zane Alder and his fiancee, Lady Lena White!” the staff announces.

I take a quick look at the familiar ballroom. Five years have passed, and there are barely any changes here. If anything, they manage to keep their suffocating hobby of flexing their wealth by showering the place with the finest decorations that extend even to their servants.

I bet they had the Omegas slaving away just to pull off this level of opulence.

“How does it feel to be back?” Zane whispers.

“Terrible.” I scrunch my nose. “It’s the same people. Same place. The same hell I escaped from.”

“But you’re no longer the same girl.”

Damn right.

Just then, a man wearing a black suit and the mask that belongs to one of the members of the Bloodmoon pack approaches us. Even with a mask, I immediately recognize the man.

Darius. He’s one of Bloodmoon’s Gammas. A shitty one too. He was one of the people who forcefully dragged me to the Ashen Wild five years ago and left me to die.

My blood boils at the mere sight of him, but I keep my cool.

“Good evening, Alpha Zane and Madame. We’re pleased to have you as our esteemed guests tonight.”

“Why don’t you cut the sweet talk and tell us exactly what you need,” I tell him plainly.

He looks taken aback. He clears his throat as if embarrassed.

“Y-Yes. Our Alpha requests a private audience with you. Several Alphas from other packs will be present as well.”

Zane and I exchange knowing looks. He nods at me.

This is it.

“Lead the way,” Zane orders.

Darius bows his head and quickly leads us to a room. The moment he opens the door, we’re met with the sight of fifteen people inside.

“Alpha Zane Alder and his fiancee, Lady Lena White,” Darius announces our presence.

Everyone in the room turns to face us, including Alden who is seated at the head of the table. He is eyeing me up and down.

“What an honor to grace us with your presence, Alpha Zane,” one of the guests notes. “And you even brought your fiancee. She’s quite popular in Harrison.”

I smile.

“Am I now?”

“Are you kidding me? They say your beauty is incomparable! I, myself, am very curious about that.” He winks at me. “You should stop by my club one of these days. I’ll even cover your tab. It’ll be fun.”

I smile at the man before me who is wearing a blue feathery mask that covers half his face. He’s Luxon Wilder, the Alpha of the Sawtooth pack. His pack is infamous for being filled with wolves too wild for even their own Alpha to fully control, and Luxon himself is no better. The man has built a reputation as both a ruthless leader and an unapologetic womanizer. Beside him, his Luna, Charlotte, shifts uncomfortably in silence. Poor woman.

Zane possessively wraps an arm around my waist and shoots Alpha Luxon a pointed look.

“As entertaining as this is, I doubt we’re gathered here for meaningless conversation.” His gaze shifts toward Alden, turning sharp. “An Alpha’s time is valuable, after all. So why don’t we stop wasting it and discuss whatever it is you called us here for, Alpha Alden?”

Alden shifts on his seat. His heavy gaze lifts from me to Zane.

“Of course. Why don’t you all take a seat first?”

Zane pulls out a chair for me before taking the one beside it. Around us, the other important guests begin settling into their seats at the round table as well.

Even without looking up, I can feel Alden’s gaze fixed heavily on me from across the table. It lingers like a weight against my skin but I ignore it. I keep my expression calm and refuse to meet his eyes.

“Oops—sorry. I hope I’m not late.”

A woman wearing a glittering crimson mask that conceals her eyes stumbles into the room.

Vera.

Now look at that. All of my targets are in this room. How sweet.

“Where have you been?” Alden hisses at his Luna.

“Sorry, darling. I got caught up with something,” Vera says before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

But the moment her eyes land on me, she freezes. Just for a second. A frown flashes across her face before she quickly smooths it away and returns to her usual expression.

Alden clears his throat, gathering everyone’s attention.

“First off, thanks for showing up tonight,” Alden says while looking around the table. “I know nobody here likes wasting time, so I’m gonna skip the formal crap and get straight to it.”

A few of the Alphas lean back in their seats while others quietly watch him. Alden folds his hands together.

“There’s been a problem growing around Harrison County these past few months, and it’s getting ugly.” His gaze hardens. “Rogues and hunters have started working together.”

That immediately earns reactions around the table.

“Bullshit,” someone mutters under their breath.

“I’m serious,” Alden says flatly. “Three weeks ago, one of our patrol teams got ambushed near the eastern border along the Ashen Wilds. The survivors said the attackers were carrying custom silver rounds and military-grade weapons.”

A low chuckle cuts through the room. I quickly recognize Alpha Cedric Vaughn, the leader of the Nightfang Pack. Mainly because he’s not even trying with that flimsy almost transparent mask of his.

“So what I’m hearing is somebody finally grew the balls to hit Bloodmoon territory,” Cedric drawls.

A few amused smirks appear around the table.

Vera instantly stiffens. She shoots Cedric a sharp look.

“You got something funny to say, Cedric?”

Cedric lifts his glass lazily.

“Relax, sweetheart. I’m just saying this sounds more like your pack’s problem than everybody else’s.”

Alden’s jaw ticks once but his voice stays calm.

“If it was just my territory, I wouldn’t have called every Alpha in the county into one room.” He glances around the table. “These people are organized. They’re intercepting supply routes, hitting patrols, and somehow getting access to pack intel they shouldn’t even have.

That wipes some of the amusement off the others’ faces.

“I’m still not sure what exactly they want but it’s obvious that they are targeting the dominant packs in the county.”

Luxon whistles low under his breath.

“Damn. That’s a hell of a setup for a rogue crew.”

“Exactly,” Alden replies. “Somebody’s backing them. Maybe even funding and training them.”

“I heard about the news regarding the massacre that had happened in the

Zane finally speaks beside me.

“And you want all of us to work together.”

Alden nods once.

“Temporary alliance. Shared intel. Joint patrols near border territories. Whatever this thing is, it’s spreading fast.”

Cedric snorts.

“You’re asking packs that can barely stand each other to suddenly play nice?”

“I’m asking you not to act stupid until this gets handled.”

The room quiets for a beat after that.

Then Luxon grins. “Well shit. Now this party’s finally getting interesting.”

Yeah, it does.

I slowly set my wine glass down against the table.

“Can I ask something, Alpha Alden?”

Alden’s attention immediately shifts toward me again.

“Of course, Miss Lena.”

I lightly tap my finger against the rim of my glass,

“You said these attacks have been happening for months now, right?”

“Yes.”

“And somehow these rogues always know where your patrols are headed?” I tilt my head slightly. “That’s interesting.”

Cedric snorts beside the table.

“That’s one way to put it.”

I ignore him and keep my eyes on Alden.

“Your enemies are either very lucky… Or somebody inside your territory is feeding them information.”

The room grows noticeably quieter after that. Even the Alphas who looked bored earlier are paying attention now.

Vera’s expression hardens.

“You’re implying Bloodmoon has a traitor?” Alden raises a brow. He doesn’t look pleased.

I shrug.

“I’m implying somebody’s sloppy.”

A few amused chuckles spread across the table. Alden doesn’t laugh though. His eyes stay fixed on me with unsettling intensity.

“Interesting. Are you accusing me of incompetence right in front of my face?” His voice drops low.

“Am I?” I smile faintly. “Maybe I just notice things.”

“Notice what exactly?”

“Like how defensive everyone gets whenever the possibility of betrayal gets brought up.”

Zane smirks beside me. Luxon lets out a laugh.

“Damn. I like her,” the womanizer alpha mumbles.

Charlotte elbows him quietly.

Alden leans back slightly against his chair while studying me.

“Then what would you suggest?” Alden challenges. “Since you clearly have opinions about how I run my territory.”

Zane glances at me from beside my chair, looking extremely entertained.

I rest my chin against my hand.

“If I were you, I’d stop wasting resources searching forests for rogues and start checking the people standing behind my walls.” My gaze briefly drifts toward the Bloodmoon members stationed near the doors. “Most packs fall because they trust the wrong people.”

Something flickers across Alden’s face at that statement. Recognition maybe. Or maybe he’s offended? Either way, I like the fact that I’m making him uncomfortable.

“With all due respect, Lady Lena, you speak as if you know Bloodmoon personally.” This time, it’s Vera’s time to speak. Unlike Alden, she’s barely trying to hide her distaste.

I slowly smile beneath my mask.

“No. I just know how power works.”

Cedric raises his glass toward me.

“And here I thought tonight was gonna be boring.”

Alden finally exhales through his nose before standing from his chair.

“We’ll discuss patrol coordination tomorrow morning,” he says while addressing the room. “For now, let’s return to the ballroom before the guests start thinking we killed each other in here.”

The meeting slowly dissolves after that.  But even as everyone begins leaving the room, I still feel Alden’s gaze lingering heavily on me.

Like he’s trying to remember something he shouldn’t recognize.

**

The ballroom is somehow even louder when we return downstairs.

Music swells through the grand hall while masked guests laugh beneath the glittering chandeliers. Zane loosens the collar of his suit while scanning the surroundings.

“I’m getting a drink. You want something?” he asks.

“Surprise me.”

“Alright, then. Be right back.”

He brushes his fingers against my waist before disappearing toward the refreshments.

The moment he leaves, I feel it.

That familiar stare again.

I barely turn around before Alden is already standing behind me.

“Miss Lena.”

God.

Even hearing his voice this close again does strange things to my chest.

I slowly face him while forcing my expression to remain calm.

“Alpha Alden.”

His eyes briefly drift over my face before he extends his hand toward me.

“May I have this dance?”

Straight to the point.

Still arrogant after all these years.

I glance at his hand for a moment before placing mine against it.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Alden leads me toward the dance floor while nearby guests quickly make space for us. The orchestra shifts into a slower melody just as his hand settles against my waist.

The contact nearly makes my stomach tighten.

Damn him.

Five years later and my body still remembers exactly how his hands feel.

“You’ve been unusually quiet since we left the meeting,” I comment.

Alden looks down at me.

“I was thinking.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

A faint smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth.

“You enjoy provoking people, don’t you?”

“Only the ones worth provoking.”

His grip against my waist subtly tightens as he guides me across the ballroom.

Up close, he smells exactly the same.

It almost pisses me off how easily the memories try crawling back because of it.

“You handled yourself well upstairs,” Alden comments.

“Are you complimenting me?”

“I’m saying most people wouldn’t dare question me in front of other Alphas.”

I brush my fingers lightly along the sleeve of his tuxedo.

“I’m not most people.”

His eyes darken slightly at the touch. “You are surely not.”

No matter how compose he tries to appear, I can still tell when he reacts.

Some habits don’t change.

“It’s fascinating how you look at me, Alpha Alden,” I murmur.

His brow lifts slightly.

“Like what?”

I tilt my head while holding his gaze.

“Like you’re seeing a ghost.”

That finally catches him off guard.

His steps falter for the briefest second before recovering.

Interesting.

Alden studies my face carefully beneath the dim ballroom lights.

“Your eyes remind me of someone,” he admits quietly.

My heart twists painfully for a second, but I bury it beneath a smile.

I slowly lean closer until only inches separate us.

“And what exactly do you see in them?” I ask softly. “A scary ghost?”

Alden’s gaze drops toward my lips before lifting back to my eyes.

“No.” His voice lowers. “Something far worse.”

I open my lips to say something when a loud bell echoes throughout the ballroom.

I glance around as several guests begin cheering.

“What was that?”

Alden finally tears his gaze away from me long enough to glance toward the giant clock above the ballroom.

“Midnight. It’s part of the masquerade tradition.”

Around us, guests begin removing their masks while laughter spreads across the room.

“The masks come off once the bell rings,” Alden explains before slowly looking back at me.

My pulse immediately spikes.

Oh this should be fun.

“Shall we?”

Alden raises his hand toward my face while his eyes lock onto mine.