Chapter 9: The Alpha's Choice

ZADEN'S POV

The sudden screech of the car tyres pulled me back from my reverie.

“Sir, we’re here,” my butler announced.

I turned my head toward the tinted window, my gaze steady as it settled on the sprawling estate beyond the glass, its presence as commanding as the name it bore.

That familiar knot in my stomach tightened again.

Right then, the sound of tyres pulled in behind the car, one after the other, announcing the arrival of the convoy.

I flicked a glance at the rearview mirror, eyes skimming over the line of cars trailing me.

“Grey.”

I didn’t raise my voice. Never had to.

“Yes, sir.”

“How many cars did my father deem necessary to shadow me?”

I swiped out my phone, my thumb dragging along the screen ceaselessly. The silence that followed dragged a little too long.

“You’re quiet.”

“Just enough, sir.”

I let out a small breath, slipping off my shades just as the rear door opened. One of the guards stood there, straight-backed, waiting.

I stepped out, one foot first, then followed by the other.

My hands went straight to my suit jacket, working on the buttons and straightening it out of habit; the other hand went into my pocket.

“Don’t call me. Don’t look for me. Don’t follow.”

No room for argument.

Grey was already at my side. At a slight nod from me, he signaled the guards that had accompanied the convoy. They pulled back without question.

“Sir… your father won’t be pleased.”

I turned slightly, just enough to look at him.

“Who do you serve, Grey? Me… or my father?”

He didn’t answer, he didn’t need to, he understood that such a question was not in his favour.

I looked away, jaw tightening, the irritation settling.

As if acquainting myself with Alpha Garren wasn’t enough, I still had to put up with this.

Grey said nothing. He simply opened the black case in his gloved hand. Nestled within its velvet contour was a golden ring, polished flawlessly.

I held out my hand, which was concealed with a black leather glove, and he slid it onto my finger.

Perfect fit.

I curled my fingers into a fist, studying the way the ring settled against my skin.

The metal caught the light, its surface engraved with the sigil of the pack, an ancient wolf with its fangs bared out.

This wasn't just any ring; it was an emblem of authority, a mantle for the Alpha of Silverstone pack.

My fingers curled slowly, testing the weight of it. For a moment, the irritation eased, replaced by something colder.

Dulled by the weight of power resting in my grasp.

“Have two guards accompany me.”

The words left my lips without exertion; I was suddenly feeling benevolent; there was no need to provoke the old man tonight.

I caught the quiet sigh that followed from Butler Grey. He had feared I would dismiss them entirely.

I didn’t wait for acknowledgment; I was already moving.

My steps were unhurried, my gaze fixed ahead with quiet authority. The moment I approached the entrance, the sound from within reached me: laughter layered over conversation and the muted clink of glass, a gathering well underway.

I slowed at the threshold, pausing just briefly.

A maid stood by the entrance, stiff where she was positioned. Her face was pale, her composure fragile despite her effort to remain professional.

“Welcome, sir… this way.”

Her voice dipped, respectful, her eyes lowering almost instantly.

I fell into step behind her without a word, allowing her to lead the way.

The moment I stepped into the hall, something felt off.

A quiet clutter lingered beneath the surface. Attention wasn’t scattered; it was drawn, pulled toward a single point at the far end of the room.

They gathered around her in a loose orbit, like bees to honey, their focus tethered so completely it almost made me pause.

“It’s Alpha Zaden!

A voice cut through the disarray, almost breathlessly, in a disbelieving manner.

The reaction wasn’t immediate, not at first.

Conversations lingered in low murmurs. Glasses hovered midair. Laughter clung stubbornly to the edges of the moment.

But then, like a ripple disturbing still water, it spread; the voices faltered, laughter thinned, and one by one, heads turned.

And then…there was stillness.

“Oh my, it truly is him.”

Another voice shrilled, high with adrenaline, it seemed. Her excitement was spilling over, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

It was a familiar reaction. Predictable, even.

My presence settled over the room, pressing into every corner until even the air seemed to shift around me.

I didn't react to their regard of the shift I had caused. If anything, I was untouched by it.

My gaze moved indolently across the room, sweeping over the crowd as though I were merely observing, not the center of it.

As though the penetrating gaze of every eye on me meant nothing at all…they didn't.

At the far end of the hall, my gaze found her, the girl who had held the room in quiet captivity before my arrival. Our eyes met.

And just like that, the world dulled to that very moment. For a disarming second, I was no longer standing in a crowded hall; I was somewhere else entirely, caught in the pull of her gaze.

There was something unsettling in her familiarity. Not the kind born of memory, but something deeper… instinctive.

Just as quickly as it came, the moment fractured. I was distracted for merely a moment, and my eyes darted unwillingly across the room.

Alpha Garren was approaching, with a girl clinging firmly to his side. A small sigh escaped my lips, and right there and then I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t. Too much rested on making this alliance work.

“Prince Zaden, what a pleasant surprise,” Alpha Garren, the jolly old man, said as he advanced towards me, his tone warm.

"I was beginning to think your commitments would keep you away.”

“I do not make promises I cannot keep,” I replied calmly, my posture straight, my expression controlled.

“This is my daughter, Iris. Tonight marks her eighteenth birthday,” he said, gesturing toward the young woman beside him.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Zaden," she said, her smile poised.

“Please, join me in the dining hall,” Alpha Garren offered.

I remained still.

“You have introduced me to only one of your daughters,” I said evenly. “I prefer to meet both as discussed with my father."

A brief tension flickered across his face. He glanced toward Iris, who deliberately avoided his eyes.

“I assume she will be joining us shortly?” I added.

“Here I am.”

The voice was smooth, sending a tingling sensation across my ears.

Conversations dimmed, attention drawn toward the entrance as she stepped into view.

She wore a deep blue gown that flowed around her like liquid silk, accentuating her figure with understated elegance.

There was nothing excessive about her beauty, yet it silenced the room far more effectively than extravagance ever could.

“Who is she?”

“She’s stunning…”

Whispers ruffled through the crowd.

Alpha Garren cleared his throat, regaining his composure. “Prince Zaden, this is my daughter… Enisa.”

My gaze settled on her just as she took her stance beside her father, holding his hand lovingly.

She avoided my eyes at first, maintaining a quiet distance. But when she finally looked at me, it was almost as though my thoughts could be seen.

Her deep blue gaze glimmered with something I couldn’t name.

“Prince Zaden,” Alpha Garren said, drawing my attention back.

"This is my wife Vedica."

He said, introducing me to a lady shrouded in a purple gown and bedecked with jewelry. I had completely been taken by the lady whom Alpha Garren had just introduced as one of his daughters, only realizing it after his wife stepped forward.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Shall we?”

“Of course.”

I said, and they led the way.

The dining hall was nothing short of magnificent: crystal chandeliers, polished marble, and the low hum of refined conversation filling the space.

Power and wealth were evident in every detail.

My father had chosen this alliance well.

I took my place in the seat reserved for me at the main dining hall, my impatience thinning with every passing minute.

Iris settled beside her father, and her mother found her way to his other side, creating a perfect picture of belonging.

But Enisa chose distance. She sat apart from the rest; maybe it was a deliberate action or perhaps imposed; I couldn’t tell.

What I did know was this: no matter how many times I tried to anchor myself, my gaze betrayed me. Again and again, it found her, Enisa.

Soon enough, Alpha Garren’s voice pierced the air, weaving through formalities, as he began to make his speech, directing most of his praises at me.

He spoke at length, far longer than required, and his words barely registered in my head; I had no concerns for such flattery.

I offered him the occasional nod, just enough to maintain the illusion of attention.

But truly my focus has long been adrift.

It remained on Enisa.

There was something in the way she held herself, not seeking attention, yet impossible to ignore.

Then, without warning… I felt a sharp pressure tighten in my chest. I wanted to ignore it, but the pain amplified, shooting through my spine.

I excused myself immediately, stepping away from the noise into a quiet corridor.

My breathing slowed, though the sensation lingered, painful and constricting my chest, as though my heart was going to explode at any moment.

“Ryan,” I murmured under my breath, calling out to my wolf.

“Explain this.”

There was a pause before his voice

surfaced.

“Master… I can sense her.”

My brow furrowed slightly. “Sense who?”

“Our mate.”

The word settled heavily.

“She’s here,” he continued. “Close.”

Before I could respond, I turned and found Iris approaching.

She extended a glass of water toward me, a look of concern softening her expression.

“You don’t look well,” she said gently.

“I’m fine,” I replied, though the sensation hadn’t fully faded.

Another wave hit me, sharper this time.

Without thinking, I took the glass and gulped down the entire content.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

I looked at her again, more carefully this time; she kept watching me expectantly.

I couldn't bring myself to answer her question, because another thought had formed in my mind.

Iris….Iris is my mate.

I was taken aback by this sudden revelation; it all made sense, because the mate bond seemed to increase when she was around me.

All the waiting and trials finally paid off; destiny, it seems, has brought us together.

“Ryan,” I said, communicating with my wolf in my mind, “we’ve found her, our mate.”

“You believe it’s Iris?” he asked, cautious.

“I know it is.”

I said with conviction.

“Then I trust your judgment.”

Turning to look at Iris properly, I took in her features in a matter of seconds. She quickly averted her gaze, almost as if my stare were too much to hold.

I extended my hand, a quiet signal for hers.

She hesitated, just for a moment, then placed her hand in mine. It was small, soft, and warm, I held it firmly but gently, then guided her forward toward the dining hall.

“I would like to propose a toast,” Alpha Garren announced.

Right on cue, we stepped in, hand in hand.

The room fell quiet, his attention locked onto us instantly. All eyes shifted to me.

And then I felt it again, that pull; my gaze drifted instinctively towards Enisa.

She was watching me, unflinchingly this time. There was something in her gaze… something that made my certainty falter, if only for a second. But I pushed it aside.

“Iris,” I said, then paused, allowing my decision to fully settle in.

“I choose Iris as my Luna.”