Chapter 16 – THE JEALOUS ALPHA

The stranger finally moved.

He stepped away from the stone pillar and started walking toward me.

I remained where I was.

Part of me was curious.

Another part of me was cautious. Still, we were in the middle of a crowded hall. There were dozens of people around us. Whatever his intentions were, he could not easily do anything foolish without everyone seeing.

So I stayed still and watched him approach.

With every step, I noticed more about him.

He was tall, well-built, and dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit. His movements were calm and confident, but there was nothing arrogant about him. Everything about him suggested good breeding.

When he finally stopped in front of me, he smiled.

“Good evening.”

His voice was smooth.

“Good evening.”

He extended both hands toward me.

“My name is Lucian Vale.”

I looked at his hands for a moment before placing mine in them.

“Malia.”

His smile widened.

“Malia,” he repeated, as though testing the sound of my name.

Then, to my surprise, he lifted my hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it.

I blinked.

That was unexpected.

He released my hand slowly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

His eyes remained on my face.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you are even more beautiful up close.”

I stared at him.

I could not remember the last time someone had spoken to me like that.

Especially not here.

Especially not since becoming Deucalion’s Luna.

“You are very direct,” I said.

Lucian chuckled.

“Only when I see something worth being honest about.”

I felt a small smile pull at my lips.

“That sounds rehearsed.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Then you must say things like that to every woman you meet.”

“I assure you, I don’t.”

I laughed.

A real laugh.

It surprised me.

Lucian looked pleased.

“There. That’s much better.”

“What?”

“That smile.”

My smile faded slightly.

“What about it?”

“You should do it more often.”

I looked down for a second.

Nobody had told me that in a long time.

Most people at Blackridge looked at me like I was an inconvenience they had been forced to tolerate.

Lucian was different.

He spoke to me like I was simply a woman standing in front of him.

Not a replacement.

Not an heir-producing body.

Not someone’s unwanted Luna.

Just Malia.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” I said.

“I arrived this evening.”

“For the celebration?”

“Yes. My family was invited.”

“Your family?”

He nodded.

“The Vales have had business with Blackridge for many years.”

That explained his manners.

He came from a family with status.

“You don’t seem like someone who enjoys crowded events.”

He smiled.

“I don’t.”

“Then why are you here?”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“I noticed you.”

My heart skipped.

I tried to hide it.

“You noticed me?”

“You were standing alone while everyone else seemed determined to ignore you.”

His words made my smile disappear.

“You noticed that?”

“I notice things.”

He glanced around the hall.

“And I noticed something else.”

“What?”

“You don’t look like someone who belongs in a corner.”

I did not know what to say.

For the first time that night, I felt comfortable.

I actually wanted to keep talking to him.

I did not notice the pair of dark eyes watching us from across the room.

Deucalion had stopped speaking to Aria.

His gaze was fixed on me.

More precisely, it was fixed on Lucian.

He watched me smile.

He watched Lucian lean closer when he spoke.

He watched me laugh again.

Something dark moved across his face.

Aria noticed.

“Deucalion?”

He did not answer.

“Are you listening?”

His jaw tightened.

Then he walked away.

I was still speaking to Lucian when I suddenly felt someone behind me.

The next second, an arm wrapped firmly around my waist.

I froze.

Deucalion pulled me against his chest.

My breath caught.

Lucian’s expression changed immediately.

Deucalion looked at him.

“This is my mate.”

His voice was calm, but there was something dangerous underneath it.

I turned my head.

“What are you doing?”

He ignored my question.

His hand remained firmly around my waist.

Lucian looked between us.

“I didn’t realize.”

“You do now.”

Deucalion’s eyes never left his.

I felt the tension between them.

Lucian remained polite.

“Of course.”

Deucalion pulled me even closer.

I could feel his body against mine.

It was deliberate.

He wanted Lucian to see it.

He wanted everyone to see it.

I looked up at him.

“Is this necessary?”

“Yes.”

His answer came immediately.

Lucian gave a small nod.

“I think I’ll give you two some space.”

He looked at me.

“It was nice meeting you, Malia.”

I hesitated.

“You too.”

Lucian smiled before walking away.

I watched him disappear into the crowd.

Then I turned toward Deucalion.

His expression was hard.

“What was that?”

He stared at me.

“What was what?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

“You were smiling at another man.”

“And?”

His eyes narrowed.

“You are my mate.”

I almost laughed.

“And you are standing here saying that after spending the entire evening with Aria?”

His face became colder.

“That is different.”

“How?”

“You know how.”

“No, I don’t.”

His arm tightened around my waist.

“You were enjoying his attention.”

“So?”

“You shouldn’t be.”

I stared at him.

“You were touching my sister’s hair.”

“That has nothing to do with this.”

“It has everything to do with this.”

His jaw clenched.

“You were smiling at him.”

“And you were smiling at her.”

“She is different.”

“She is my sister.”

“And you are my mate.”

The words hung between us.

I shook my head.

“You cannot have it both ways, Deucalion.”

His eyes darkened.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you don’t get to treat me like I am unwanted and then suddenly become jealous when another man speaks to me.”

Several nearby conversations became quieter.

People were beginning to notice us.

I did not care.

Deucalion lowered his voice.

“Watch your words.”

“Why?”

His expression hardened.

“Because you are speaking to me in front of my pack.”

I stepped away from him.

“Maybe your pack should hear the truth.”

His eyes flashed.

“What truth?”

“That you only remember I am your mate when another man looks at me.”

Silence.

Even the music seemed distant.

Deucalion stared at me.

I could feel something changing in the air.

His breathing became slower.

His shoulders stiffened.

“Malia.”

I refused to look away.

“You said this marriage was a duty. You said the bond meant nothing to you. You barely look at me unless you want something.”

His nostrils flared.

“And now you’re angry because I smiled at someone?”

“You are pushing me.”

“No. I’m telling you the truth.”

His eyes suddenly changed.

The brown disappeared.

Red flooded his irises.

A few people gasped.

I felt my wolf rise inside me.

But I did not step back.

Deucalion took one slow step toward me.

“Malia,” he warned.

I lifted my chin.

“If you can show your wolf in front of everyone, so can I.”

His eyes burned brighter.

My heartbeat thundered.

Something hot moved through my veins.

Then my own eyes changed.

The world seemed to freeze.

My vision sharpened.

My wolf surged forward.

Across the hall, someone whispered,

“Her eyes…”

I stared directly at Deucalion.

My eyes had turned golden.

And I did not look away.