Chapter 3
The room held its breath.
Alpha Kaden Stormed into the hall, his presence a thunderclap that demanded attention. Conversations ceased mid-sentence, laughter evaporated, and even the musicians faltered, their notes trailing off as if their hands were unsure they had permission to continue.
The silence was heavy, oppressive.
Althea stood frozen in the farthest corner of the hall, her heart hammering in her chest as her fingers clutched the edge of the table for support. She knew little about Alpha Kaden,only whispered rumors, pieces of stories passed from wolf to wolf.
And now, he was here.
“Alpha Kaden,” Vera's voice broke the stillness like fragile glass. Her smile was wide, artificial, as she glided toward him with Cassandra and Chloe close behind her. “What an honor it is to welcome you. We’ve all been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”
Kaden stopped in the center of the room, his silver eyes scanning the hall. His expression betrayed nothing,not a hint of amusement, not a flicker of warmth.
When he finally turned his gaze to Vera, his nod was brief. “Lady Vera,” he said, his voice deep and calm but laced with an undercurrent of power that made every word feel like a command. “Thank you for the invitation.”
“It’s no more than you deserve, Alpha,” Vera said, her voice pitched to a tone that was almost simpering. “Our pack is thrilled to host someone as… distinguished as yourself.”
Kaden's eyes flicked over Vera, then briefly to Cassandra and Chloe , who stood a step behind her. The sisters were poised like statues, their practiced smiles firmly in place, their gazes locked on Kaden as though he were a prize to be won.
“Distinguished,” Kaden repeated flatly. He didn’t seem impressed.
The room began to buzz with faint whispers as Vera continued to gush over the Alpha.
“Is it true he defeated an entire rogue pack on his own?” someone murmured nearby.
“More than one,” another voice replied. “They say his wolf is unlike anything anyone’s ever seen. Pure strength and rage.”
Althea flinched at the words. She wasn’t close enough to see Kaden's face clearly, but she could feel his presence radiating through the room like heat from a wildfire. It was suffocating, even from the edges of the hall.
She tried to shrink further into the shadows, her hands tightening on her skirts. If I just stay still, no one will notice me.
Vera, meanwhile, was practically glowing under the Alpha’s attention. “Alpha Kaden, may I present my daughters, Cassandra and Chloe?” She gestured grandly toward them, as though they were the most dazzling jewels she owned.
Cassandra stepped forward first, dipping into a low, graceful bow. “Alpha Kaden,” she said, her voice soft and honeyed. “It’s an honor to meet you. My mother has told me so much about your… strength.”
Kaden's expression didn’t change. He glanced at her briefly, then back at Vera. “Your daughter, I assume.”
“Yes, indeed,” Vera said, beaming. “And Chloe as well.”
Chloe stepped forward with a demure smile, her hands folded neatly in front of her. “Alpha Kaden,” she said sweetly, “welcome to our home. We’ve worked tirelessly to make tonight worthy of your presence.”
Cassandra shot Chloe a sharp glance, clearly irritated at being upstaged.
Damian gave another short nod, his gaze briefly passing over both sisters. “I appreciate the effort.”
Vera’s smile faltered slightly, but she recovered quickly. “Perhaps you’d allow one of my daughters to accompany you for the evening?” she suggested, her tone light but laced with desperation.
Kaden raised an eyebrow, finally allowing a flicker of emotion to cross his face. “Accompany me?”
“To ensure you’re well taken care of, of course,” Vera said, clasping her hands together. “They would be more than happy to make sure your evening is… enjoyable.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with implication.
Althea's stomach twisted at the audacity of it. Vera was throwing her daughters at the Alpha like bargaining chips, as though their worth was determined solely by how much attention they could draw from someone like him.
Kaden's expression hardened, his silver eyes sharp as they met Vera's. “That won’t be necessary.”
Vera’s smile wavered, but she pressed on. “Surely, Alpha, you would enjoy some company. My daughters are the pride of our pack: beautiful, intelligent, accomplished—”
“I said it won’t be necessary,” Kaden interrupted, his voice low but firm.
The room seemed to hold its breath again. Vera’s face flushed, but she forced another smile.
“Of course, Alpha,” she said quickly, stepping back. “We only wish to serve you.”
Kaden inclined his head slightly, but his attention had already shifted.
Althea felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment for Vera, but it was quickly replaced by her own anxiety as Kaden's gaze began sweeping across the room again. It was slower this time, more deliberate, as though he were searching for something,or someone.
She ducked her head, staring at the floor as though it might swallow her whole.
Don’t look at me. Please, don’t look at me.
But the harder she tried to make herself invisible, the more she felt his presence closing in. She could almost feel his gaze brushing over her, lingering for a fraction of a second longer than it should have.
Her scars prickled under her dress, and she fought the urge to pull her skirt lower.
He’s not looking at you, she told herself firmly. Why would he?
And yet, her heart continued to race, her breath coming shallow and quick.
“Alpha Kaden, the elders have arrived,” someone said, breaking the tension.
Kaden turned toward the speaker, his expression unreadable once again. “Thank you,” he said.
Vera seized the opportunity to redirect his attention. “Perhaps you’d like to meet them personally, Alpha?” she suggested. “I’m sure they would be eager to speak with you.”
Kaden hesitated, then nodded. “Lead the way.”
Vera beamed, gesturing for Cassandra and Chloe to follow as she led Kaden toward the far end of the hall.
The whispers resumed as soon as he was out of earshot.
“They say his father was even more ruthless,” someone murmured.
“I heard he’s looking for his fated mate,” another voice chimed in.
“Poor woman, whoever she is. Can you imagine being bound to someone like him? He’s terrifying.”
“I think it’s exciting,” someone else whispered. “A fated mate for an Alpha like Kaden? It’s a legend waiting to happen.”
Althea tried to block out the voices, her hands trembling as she fumbled with a tray of empty glasses. The mention of a fated mate made her stomach twist painfully. She had spent years trying to suppress her wolf, trying to pretend that part of her didn’t exist. The idea of a fated mate,of being tied to someone, of being seen,was a nightmare she couldn’t bear to think about.
Her wolf stirred uneasily in the back of her mind, but she shoved it down, burying it beneath layers of fear and shame.
“You’re still here?”
Althea jumped at the sound of Vera’s voice. Her stepmother had returned to the hall, her expression sour as she looked down at Althea with thinly veiled disdain.
“I—I was just—”
“Don’t bother explaining,” Vera snapped. “You’re not needed here anymore. Go to the kitchens and stay there until the celebration is over. The last thing we need is for you to humiliate us in front of the Alpha.”
“Yes, Lady Vera,” Althea said quickly, her voice barely audible.
Vera sniffed, clearly irritated, before sweeping away to rejoin her daughters.
Althea didn’t wait. She gathered the tray and limped toward the kitchen, keeping her head low as she wove through the crowd.
But as she reached the doorway, she couldn’t help glancing back.
Kaden was standing at the far end of the hall, speaking with the elders. His posture was relaxed, but there was a tension in his shoulders that suggested he was far from comfortable.
And then, as if sensing her gaze, he turned.
Their eyes met for the briefest of moments.
Althea’s breath stopped, and she quickly looked away, her cheeks burning as she hurried into the kitchen.
The moment she was alone, she leaned against the wall, her chest heaving as she tried to calm her racing heart.
Why did he look at me?
But even as the question echoed in her mind, she already knew the answer.
He hadn’t been looking at her. He was the Alpha: powerful, commanding, flawless. And she was…
Nothing.