Chapter 3

★𝕺𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆

I was done with cooking the different varieties of dishes for Ronan. It was going to be a big feast in the palace.

I changed out of the clothes I wore in the kitchen. I took my woolly brown towel, dropped it on the bed, and prepared for a quick, warm bath.

Having taken my bath, I stood in front of my wooden wardrobe, my fingers skimmed over the silk, then brushed past velvet, my mind a whirl of options.

Rex, my wolf, rumbled, her voice a deep purr in my mind. 'Wear your best dress, Liv. You know the Alpha is coming back today.'

I chose a royal blue gown with long, flowing sleeves, its rich fabric a stark contrast to my usual kitchen attire. The color felt bold, regal, perhaps even a little daring for me.

I walked downstairs to welcome the Alpha after the palace erupted the moment the first warrior howl signaled Ronan's imminent arrival. It wasn't the distant echoing sound from the outer borders anymore, but a vibrant, resonant chorus that vibrated through the very stones beneath my feet.

A thrill, almost electric, shot through the kitchen. The maids cheered, abandoning their tasks for a moment to rush towards the outer courtyards, eager to catch a glimpse of their returning Alpha.

I didn't join the immediate rush. Instead, I took my time, the cool swish of the gown around my legs a comforting counterpoint to the thrumming excitement of the pack. As I moved through the quieter, less-trafficked corridors, the collective joyous roar grew louder, filtering in from the main courtyard.

My heart gave an odd, inconvenient lurch. It wasn't excitement, not truly. More like a strange apprehension, a quiet awareness of a shift in the air, a tightening of the subtle energies that bound our pack.

By the time I reached the grand entrance hall, the initial, chaotic burst of greetings had somewhat subsided. The Alpha's inner circle, led by our father, Alpha Kaelen and our mother, Luna Freya, stood ready. Ronan was already making his way through the last few eager warriors, his hand clasped on shoulders, a rare, relaxed smile on his face.

Then, he turned.

His eyes, dark as polished obsidian, swept the hall. They paused on our parents, a brief, respectful nod. Then, they moved. And they landed on me.

My breath caught. It wasn't the quick, casual glance he usually gave me. This was different. His gaze lingered, sharp and intense, piercing through the distance, through the layers of the crowd, as if he saw something beyond the royal blue gown, beyond the mere Alpha's sister.

A strange warmth bloomed across my cheeks, an unfamiliar prickle along my skin that made the small hairs on my arms stand on end. His presence, even from across the hall, was palpable, a heavy cloak of power that wrapped around me, pulling me in ways I couldn't understand.

My wolf, Rex, usually a quiet hum in my mind, felt suddenly restless, stirring with a low growl that was more curious than warning. It was unnerving. Ronan had never looked at me like that before, not with that unsettling blend of intensity and... something else. Something primal and unreadable.

I quickly turned my head, pretending to adjust a loose braid, willing my thudding heart to slow. He was my brother. Nothing more.

But the air around him, now that he was truly here, felt different, charged with a strange, undeniable energy that resonated with a quiet, unknown part of me. A part I didn't even know existed.

The rest of the morning blurred into a celebratory haze. The feast was magnificent, the pack joyous, but for me, a subtle undercurrent of unease persisted. Every time I dared to glance towards the head table, Ronan’s eyes were on me, not always directly, but I felt the weight of his gaze.

It was like a new layer added to my senses, a constant, unspoken awareness of his presence that tightened the knot of apprehension in my stomach.

Later, as the sun began its slow descent, painting the palace windows with streaks of orange and purple, I found myself in the quieter, servants' dining hall, having a simple meal. Even here, the echoes of the grand celebration lingered. I picked at my food, my mind still replaying those unsettling glances.

"You look troubled, Liv."

I nearly jumped, spilling water from my glass. My mother, Luna Freya, stood beside my table, her silver eyes, usually so warm, now held a hint of concern. "Mother! You startled me."

"My apologies, dear. But what troubles you? You've been... distracted, ever since Ronan's arrival." She sat across from me, her gaze gentle but probing.

I hesitated. How could I explain it? That my brother, the Alpha, had looked at me in a way that made my skin tingle and my wolf stir? That his presence felt like a tightening cord around my very being? "It's nothing, Mother. Just... the excitement of the day. And the sheer amount of cooking." I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing.

Freya's gaze softened, though a faint line of worry still creased her brow. "Ronan is back, Liv. The pack feels his presence. There is much to discuss, much to prepare for. The elders... they are eager for him to establish his reign fully. And to find his Luna." Her voice dropped slightly on the last words, and she gave me a significant look, a look I couldn't quite decipher, but which added another layer to my already growing unease. I simply nodded, pushing my food around my plate, the sudden hunger gone. My brother was back. And everything felt... different.