Chapter 159

Ava

I dabbed the powder puff in one last spot above my nose and patted it in before snapping the little makeup compact shut. In the dim light surrounding my vanity mirror, my emerald green skirt and top combination caught the light in a way that made the silky fabric seem to ripple like water.

“You look gorgeous, darling,” Ophelia said, materializing behind me with a pre-party glass of champagne in her hand. She, of course, looked stunning in a deep blue halter dress that complemented her tanned skin perfectly.

I turned to her with a smile. “So do you. Leonard won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

Ophelia’s eyes flashed mischievously and she took a sip of her champagne. “He already can’t, darling.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I love your confidence, Ophelia. Are you ready to go downstairs?”

She nodded, and we made our way to the foyer where Chris and Leonard were waiting. Both men looked incredibly handsome in their suits, and I couldn’t help but grin when I saw Leonard’s eyes widen at the sight of Ophelia—just as I predicted.

“Wow,” he breathed, stepping forward to take her hand. “You look amazing.”

Ophelia beamed at him. “You clean up pretty well yourself, you old coot,” she retorted, causing the tips of Leonard’s ears to turn red.

Exchanging an amused glance with me, Chris wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me close against the side of his body. “We should hurry,” he said, checking his watch. “The ceremony won’t wait forever.”

…

The welcoming ceremony for Paul was held in the town square, where fairy lights had been strung from the trees and flickering torches lit around the perimeter. A feast had been laid out on the large banquet tables at the center, and the stage had been adorned with banners and flowers to welcome Paul to the Council of Elders.

Chris took the stage, his presence commanding everyone’s attention without him even needing to say anything first. All heads turned to him, and the chatter instantly died down.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” he began. “We have gathered here this evening to officially welcome Paul as our fifth Elder. Paul, if you could please join me on the stage…”

Paul—an older man with thinning gray hair and a pair of round spectacles sitting on his birdlike nose—joined Chris and the other four Elders on the stage, looking both nervous and proud in his indoctrination sash.

Chris placed a hand on his shoulder and continued to speak. “Paul has shown great dedication to our pack throughout his years of teaching our children, and I know he will continue to serve us well in this new role. Please join me in welcoming Elder Paul!”

The square erupted into cheers and applause, Paul’s family hooting and hollering at the front of the crowd. I clapped enthusiastically from my spot at the side of the stage, happy to see Paul—who had even taught me when I was a child—receive this honor. I was sure that Degas would be proud of his replacement.

After the formal part of the ceremony, the feast finally began. Tables were laden with delicious food, and drinks flowed freely. But it wasn’t long before Chris took the stage again, this time with an excited glint in his eye and a glass of wine in his hand.

“I have more good news to share,” he announced, tapping the side of his glass with a knife to get the attention of the attendees—who had gotten a little too rowdy to hear him right away. “Our genetically modified plant has proven successful in combating the blight that has been affecting our land!”

Another round of cheers filled the square. I saw Leonard grinning widely, no doubt relieved that his farm would be safe and that he would be returning home soon. Things were looking up—for all of us, it seemed.

As the night progressed, I watched with amusement as Ophelia charmed the Elders. Even Elise seemed to be warming up to her, though she tried to hide it behind a mask of polite indifference.

“So, Ophelia,” Fatima said, sipping her wine, “what exactly do you do in the human world?”

Ophelia blushed slightly, glancing at me. I shot her an encouraging nod, urging her to just be honest.

“Well,” she finally said, wringing her hands uncharacteristically, “I’m a model. Or rather, I was a model. I intend to retire.”

The Elders exchanged wary looks. Bradley said, “A model? What sort of model?”

“A little bit of everything,” Ophelia said with a wave of her hand. “That was how I met Chris, actually; I was assigned to a marketing deal with NASCAR and his racecar was used for my photoshoot. We became fast friends after that.”

I noticed Elise’s eyebrows raise slightly at that, and I felt my stomach sink a little. Clearly, Elise—at the very least—was judging. But before she could say anything cruel, Ophelia quickly continued.

“But like I said, I hope to retire,” she said. “I’ve taken to Leonard’s farm lifestyle. Why, just this afternoon, he was teaching me how to make cheese and tend to the honeybees…”

As Ophelia continued to gush about her new interests, Leonard gazed at her with obvious adoration from across the table. The Elders seemed to relax—even Elise, to my surprise.

Eventually, the Elders pulled Chris and me aside. Claire spoke first, her expression serious. “We have been discussing your proposal, Alpha.”

Chris nodded, his posture tense. “And?”

Fatima stepped forward. “We are willing to condone this new law allowing humans to live here permanently if they marry a pack member.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but Bradley held up a hand. “However,” he added, “we have one condition.”

“What’s that?” Chris asked.

“Ophelia must be a test subject first. Before the law is officially put into motion, we want to see how she integrates into our community,” Elise finished, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Chris and I exchanged glances. It wasn’t one of those perfect, immediate sort of solutions, but it was progress. And that was all that mattered.

“We accept those terms,” Chris said firmly.

“Excellent,” Fatima said. “Now, let’s enjoy the party. We’ll discuss more at our next meeting…”

As we rejoined the party, I couldn’t help but notice Elise slipping away by herself before glancing nervously over both shoulders and disappearing into the side door of the Packhouse.

I couldn’t help myself. Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed her at a distance. Slipping into the Packhouse, the sounds of the party became muffled; and there, up ahead, I saw Elise quickly disappear around a corner in a flash of robes.

I crept closer, straining to hear. Elise’s voice drifted to me, along with that of… a man. His voice was oddly familiar, but I couldn’t quite place my finger on where I had heard it before.

“...it is almost time…” I heard the man say. “...Just about ready…”

Furrowing my brow, I leaned in, trying to catch more of their conversation. Whatever they were talking about seemed to be serious—and I found it odd that Elise, one of our Elders, would be convening in the darkened Packhouse with a mystery man to discuss important matters without the other Elders.

But before I could hear anything else, the sound of a loud voice suddenly startled me.

“Ava! There you are!”

I whirled around to see Chris stumbling towards me, his cheeks flushed and a lopsided grin on his face. The smell of alcohol wafted from him as he approached, indicating that he had just had shots at the bar—likely with Leonard and Ophelia.

“Chris,” I hissed, glancing back toward where Elise had been. “Shh, I’m—”

He grabbed my hands and pulled me close before I could finish. “Come dance with me, Luna,” he said loudly. “The night is young, and you’re beautiful, and I want to dance with my woman!”

The sound of Chris’s voice carried far, and I heard quick footsteps retreating—Elise and the mystery man, no doubt alerted by Chris’s drunken proclamations.

Sighing, I took Chris’s hand and let him lead me back to the party.