Chapter 65: In the Shadows

Third POV

King Maddox stood near the center of the great hall, a glass of wine in his hand, his smile fixed firmly in place. The crowd swirled around him, a kaleidoscope of silk and jewels and eager faces.

Every alpha, every Luna, every noble of consequence had come to Emberclaw for the Spring Festival, and they all wanted a moment of his time.

He had been greeting guests for what felt like hours.

The Riverpack group approached next, Alpha Soren at the front, his posture rigid with respect. He was a tall man with weathered skin and kind eyes, his hands calloused from years of hauling nets and lines. He bowed deeply, and his son Malcom followed suit, though the young man's eyes were already wandering, searching the crowd.

"Your Majesty," Alpha Soren said, his voice warm. "Thank you for your hospitality. Riverpack is honored to be here."

"The honor is mine," Maddox replied, the words automatic. "Your pack's contributions to the kingdom are invaluable."

Soren beamed. Beside him, Malcom shifted impatiently, his gaze still scanning the room.

"Your Majesty," Malcom said, stepping forward. "I wonder if you have had a chance to consider my request. The matter of the marriage contract with Lady Elsie of the Midnight Pack."

Maddox's smile tightened. He had received the request weeks ago, a formal petition for the king's consent to unite two noble houses. On paper, it made sense.

Riverpack's wealth and Midnight's influence would create a powerful alliance. But Maddox had seen the way Elsie looked at Malcom, or rather, the way she did not look at him.

Across the room, the young woman in question stood near one of the tall windows, her red hair catching the candlelight. She was speaking with her maid, a dark skinned woman in a simple grey gown, their heads close together, their voices low.

Elsie's body language was closed, guarded, her shoulders turned away from the crowd. She did not glance toward Malcom. She did not seem to remember he existed.

"The matebond ceremony has not yet begun," Maddox said carefully. "Perhaps we should wait and see what the Goddess has in store for both of you. Fate has a way of making its own plans."

Malcom's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. I only meant that if the Goddess does not see fit to bind us, a formal arrangement would still be..."

"Let us cross that bridge when we come to it." Maddox clapped the young man on the shoulder, perhaps harder than necessary. "Enjoy the festival. And good luck tonight."

Malcom bowed and stepped back, his expression troubled.

Maddox did not watch him go. His eyes had already found her.

Hecate stood near the edge of the hall, half hidden behind a pillar, her dark gown blending into the shadows. She had tried to make herself invisible, he could tell. Her hair was loose, falling in waves around her pale face. No jewels adorned her throat or wrists. She wore no crown, no symbol of rank or status.

And yet she was the most beautiful woman in the room.

He had been watching her all evening, stealing glances between conversations, tracking her movements across the crowded floor. She spoke to no one. She danced with no one. She stood alone, a dark flower among a garden of bright blooms.

He could not stay away any longer.

Maddox excused himself from the Riverpack group and made his way across the hall, weaving through clusters of nobles, nodding at greetings he did not hear. His heart pounded in his chest, foolish and eager, the way it had when he was a boy.

He stopped before her.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said, his voice low, meant only for her.

Hecate's eyes widened, just slightly. She recovered quickly, lifting her wine glass to her lips.

"You should not say such things, my king. People will talk."

"Let them talk." He stepped closer, close enough to catch her scent, lavender and something darker, something that made his wolf stir. "I have been watching you all evening. You have been avoiding me."

"I have been attending to my duties."

"Your duties do not require you to hide in shadows."

She met his gaze then, her dark eyes steady. "Perhaps I prefer the shadows."

Maddox smiled. "Then I will join you in them."

He moved to stand beside her, his shoulder almost touching hers, his body angled toward the room so that anyone watching would see only two people engaged in casual conversation. But his attention was all for her.

"The queen is looking for you," Hecate said, her voice flat.

"Let her look."

"She is your wife."

"I am aware." He took a sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving her face. "But the king wants to be with his healer right now."

Hecate's cheeks flushed. She looked away, lifting her glass to her lips, but he saw the way her hand trembled, the way her breath caught in her throat.

He knew her tells by now. The small signs that she was not as indifferent as she pretended to be. The way she bit her lower lip when she was nervous. The way her fingers tightened around her glass when he said something that unsettled her. The way she avoided his eyes when she was afraid of what he might see in hers.

She felt it too. Whatever this was between them, whatever spark had ignited in the darkness of her studio, she felt it.

And that knowledge was enough to keep him hoping.

"You are staring," she said.

"I am admiring."

"Admiring is staring with better intentions."

He laughed, a low sound that drew a few curious glances from nearby guests. "You always know what to say to disarm me."

"That is not my intention."

"Is it not?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, a voice cut through the space between them.

"Your Majesty."

Maddox turned.

A tall man stood before him, broad shouldered and rugged, with dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His eyes were grey, sharp, and his posture radiated the quiet confidence of an Alpha who had earned his place. Beside him, a woman clung to his arm, her golden hair piled high on her head, her gown a riot of crimson silk that demanded attention.

She was beautiful, in a sharp, polished way. But her eyes were cold, and her smile did not reach them.

"Alpha Erebus," Maddox said, forcing warmth into his voice. "Luna Carmen. Welcome to Emberclaw. I trust your journey was pleasant."

"Very pleasant, Your Majesty," Alpha Erebus said. "The roads were clear, and the spring weather has been kind to us."

"The festival is incredible," Carmen added, her voice sweet, practiced. "You have outdone yourself, my king."

Maddox inclined his head. "I am glad you are enjoying it."

He felt Hecate tense beside him.

The change was subtle, almost imperceptible. The way her shoulders drew back. The way her hand tightened on her wine glass. The way her breathing slowed, controlled, deliberate.

He glanced at her. Her face was pale, her expression carefully blank. But her eyes were fixed on Carmen with an intensity that made him uneasy.

She knew this woman. He was certain of it.