CHAPTER 101: HIS MATE???

Adrien didn’t even try to mask the change in his expression.

"What are you doing here, Seraphina?" His voice wasn’t raised, but it lost all the warmth he usually carried, making him sound cold and flat.

Emerald turned her head slowly, trying not to visibly react, but she caught the flicker in his jaw. His smile was gone, and so was the charming glint in his eyes.

"I didn’t mean any trouble," Seraphina said, swirling the liquid in her glass. "I just wanted to see how you were doing... how the pack is doing."

Adrien’s posture didn’t shift. "If you cared that much, you wouldn’t have left."

Ouch.

Emerald blinked. Okay, so this was definitely not some random polite guest.

"I did what I had to," Seraphina replied. Her smile didn’t falter, but it didn’t reach her eyes anymore. "But I still have friends here. People who matter to me."

Adrien’s tone sharpened. "You disappeared without a word."

"And yet here you are. Still standing... thriving... Happy, I assume?" Seraphina’s gaze slid pointedly to Emerald, who stood frozen, arms loosely crossed.

Emerald didn’t speak. She was too busy connecting invisible threads and dots: the tension in the air, the sharp words exchanged, the history that had clearly been unspoken but was obvious from their brief interaction.

Then Seraphina looked at her again, the previous softness in her tone replaced by something more calculated. "So," she said sweetly. "She’s your mate."

The words weren’t really a question; they felt like a sharp jab wrapped in a soft voice. And the expression that went with them wasn’t one of curiosity, but rather one of contempt.

Emerald’s spine straightened instantly.

Adrien didn’t answer immediately. His hand curled slightly at his side, but he said nothing. Just stepped forward and positioned himself closer to Emerald, so Seraphina was no longer between them.

"That’s enough," he said quietly. "We should go."

Seraphina lifted her brows, not moving. "Don’t leave on my account. This is her welcome party, after all. I’m just an old face. I’ll be going soon."

She turned to Emerald again, her amber eyes sharp now, no longer gentle. "It was lovely getting to know you, Emerald."

Emerald tilted her head. "I’d say the same... but I suddenly like you less."

Seraphina’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Understandable."

She reached for a small clutch purse and stepped away from the bar. Her heels clicked softly, then, as she passed Adrien, she leaned in close, her perfume brushing against him like a memory.

She whispered something, just low enough that Emerald couldn’t hear. But the look in Adrien’s eyes was enough.

And when she stepped away, she added louder, just as she walked past, "... I’ll be seeing you around."

Seraphina smiled sweetly and disappeared through the opposite exit, leaving behind the faint scent of roses and something far less pleasant.

Emerald stared after her, the tension thrumming under her skin like electricity. The second Seraphina was out of sight, and she whipped around to Adrien.

"What the actual hell was that?"

Adrien let out a breath. "Not here, Em. We shouldn’t talk about this now in front of...."

"Oh, now isn’t the time? Really?" Emerald interrupted, her voice dropping dangerously. "I just got all dressed up and I’m standing here, trying to figure out whether I just got blindsided or walked into a soap opera."

"I’m serious, Emerald. I’ll explain to you, but just not here."

Before she could reply, a voice called out from behind them. "Alpha Adrien!" It was his Beta, a tall, square-shouldered man who looked vaguely amused and concerned at once. "It’s time."

Adrien turned. "Time for what?"

"The toast," his Beta said. "The ballroom is waiting."

Emerald threw her hands up in disbelief. "Of course."

"And the Lady Emerald must stand by your side," the Beta added.

Adrien winced, then glanced at her.

She didn’t say a word.

He extended his hand, and after a long pause, Emerald placed hers in his... reluctantly.

They returned to the centre of the ballroom, climbing a small platform near the orchestra. People clapped gently, music fading to silence. Adrien held up a glass of wine, his expression shifting effortlessly into his usual charisma.

But Emerald stood beside him stiffly, the words ’She’s your mate?’ echoing in her head like a warning bell.

"All of you," Adrien began in a smooth and confident voice, "thank you for coming tonight. It means the world to me, and to our pack, to welcome someone important."

He turned to Emerald and gave her a soft smile, but she didn’t return it.

"This evening is not just about tradition or festivity. It’s about coming together, showing our strength as we start fresh, and welcoming someone who makes us stronger."

Emerald stared ahead, keeping her expression unreadable.

Adrien lifted his glass higher.

"To Alpha Emerald."

"To Alpha Emerald!" the room echoed.

The music swelled again as they stepped down, applause and cheers rising around them.

Emerald didn’t wait.

She didn’t leave in a huff, make a fuss or cause a scene. Instead, she walked away calmly, her face composed and her dress trailing behind her. She didn’t glance back.

Adrien followed, weaving through the crowd, ignoring well-wishers and greetings. He only stopped when she did at the archway that led to the eastern balcony.

The moonlight spilled in through the open space, casting a soft glow over her skin as she paused by the white pillars.

"Emerald," he said softly.

"I’m giving you a chance to explain," she said without looking at him. "Because I swear to the goddess, I was two seconds from slapping her smug little face."

Adrien sighed, stepping up beside her but keeping a careful distance. "I didn’t know she’d be here."

"Clearly." She turned to him, eyes narrowed. "She seemed nice at first. Thought maybe she was just another guest. But then, you came, and the whole conversation turned sideways. She suddenly got claws. And you..." she pointed at his chest, "...you looked like you saw a ghost."

"I just stood there trying to decide whether I’d misread the entire conversation or if you were just pretending everything was okay."

"I wasn’t pretending."

She finally turned to face him. "Then tell me what’s going on. Because whatever that was? That wasn’t just an old friend. You were tense, and she was... territorial."

He hesitated.

Emerald folded her arms. "Spit it out, Adrien."

A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Adrien broke it. "Seraphina is my mate."