LIANA’S POV

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By the time we got to the hotel, it was already getting dark. Killian locked the door behind us and tossed the keys onto the console like he always did, while I kicked off my heels and dropped onto the couch, exhaling deeply.

“I can’t believe we spent almost three hours in that boutique,” I mumbled, rubbing my feet.

Killian chuckled, walking past me, unbuttoning his shirt. “Yeah well, you looked too damn good in everything you tried. Not my fault.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. b“/bYou’re impossible.”

“And you love it,” he called from the hallway.

The g was starting in thirty minutes and we hadn’t even showered yet. I undressed quickly, tossing my clothes into the hamper while Killian was already in the shower. I could hear the water running and the steam slowly filling the room, and

just the sound of it made my heart race a little.

b“/bYou joining me or just gonna stand there looking hot and confused?” he asked, poking his head out.

????????? ???

Iughed, walking in without saying a word.

The water was warm andforting, running down our bodies as we washed off the dayb. /bKillian’s hands moved over me slowly, not in a sexual way this time, just softb, /bgrounding touches, as if he was memorizing every inch of me again. I did the same for him, feeling the lines of his back and the curve of his jaw.

After we stepped out, we dried off and moved to the bedroom. I pulled out the ck gown we picked andid it on the bed, my heart beating faster with every passing second.

Killian was standing behind me nowb, /bstill towel–drying his hair. “Come here,” he said gently.

I walked bover/bb, /band he helped me into the gownb, /bpulling the zipper up slowly. His lips brushed over my shoulder as he did, making me shiver slightly.

b“/bYou’re trembling,” he whispered.

“I’m nervous,b” /bbI /badmitted.

He turned me around to face him. “Whyb?/bb” /b

“Because this is not my world. Because everyone there probably knows who Cynthia bis/b, and none of them know me. Because I’m human… or at least, bI /bthought I bwas/b. Because this whole thing still feels like a dream, and I’m scared I’ll wake up.”

He held my face gently in his hands and kissed my forehead. “You’re mine. That’s all they need to know. And if anyone has a problem with that, they’ll answer to me.b” /b

I looked into his eyes, searching for somethingb, /breassurance, maybe, and found it.

He stepped back and threw on his tuxedo bjacket/bb, /bstraightened it out, then looked at himself in the bmirror/b. b“/bDamn, I look good.

I bughed /bbsoftly/bb, /bapplying my makeup at the vanity while he adjusted his tie. bMy /bbfingers /bwere shaking a little as I applied the

eyeliner.

b“/bNeed help with thatb?/bb” /bbhe /bbasked/b.

“I’m fineb. /bJust btrying /bnot bto /bstab bmy /bbeye /bout.”

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He came up behind me and ced both hands on my shouldersb, /bsqueezing gently, “You look beautiful already. You don’t even need makeup.”

“Tell that to the werewolf council who probably expect royalty,”

He kissed my cheek again. “You are royalty. They just don’t know it yet.”

I smiled, trying to breathe through the nerves. I’d never been to a g before, not even a normal one, let alone a werewolf one filled with beings who could probably smell fear and insecurity like it was a perfume.

“We got this,” Killian said as he grabbed the keys again and checked his watch. “Come on, baby. We’re alreadyte.i” /i

I took onest look at myself in the mirror. The dress shimmered under the light, the ck fabric hugging every curve. My makeup was subtle but elegant. My hair was curled just right. And my eyes, God, they looked scared but determined.

A whole new life was waiting for me out there.

And tonight, it was starting.

Killian reached for my hand. “Ready?”

I nodded, swallowing hard.

“Let’s go.”

The second we stepped into the g hall, I could feel it, all eyes were on us. The music was soft, people wereughing and talking, but everything seemed to pause for just a second as everyone turned. It was as if someone had shouted, “Look!”

Whispers started immediately, quiet enough to sound polite but loud enough for me to hear the tension behind them.

“Who’s that on Alpha Killian’s arm?b” /b

“Where’s Luna Cynthia?”

“Is he cheatingb?/bb” /b

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression calm while my fingers tightened slightly around Killian’s arm. He didn’t shake. In fact, he only held me closer, his hand firmly settled on my waistb, /bas if he wanted the whole world to know exactly

where I belonged.

He moved through the crowd with easeb, /bnodding to several men as we passed, shaking handsb, /bexchanging quick greetings.

“Alpha Greg, Alpha Nn… good to see byou /bagain,” Killian said with his usual charm, his voice calm andmanding. Some of the Alphas had their bmates /bstanding beside them, looking equally curious.

When a few people asked who I wasb, /bKillian didn’t hesitate.

“She’s bmy /bwoman,” he said simplyb, /blike it was the most obvious truth in the world.

And that was when they really looked. Their beyes /bshifted down to my neck, and when they saw it, the mark he’d left on me, their expressions changed immediately. The confusion turned into shockb, /band then brespect/b.

There were nodsb, /bsoft bows, and a few murmured “Lunab” /bgreetings that caught me off guard.

I tried to stay calm, bto /bkeep smilingb, /bbbut /bit was hard. Everyone was staring. Everyone was whispering. The way they looked was making my skin itch.

Killian took ba /bdrink when one of the waiters walked by with a btray/bb, /bbbut /bhis hand never bleft /bmy waist. bNot /beven for a second.

“Are byou /bokayb?/b” he askedb, /bleaning in just a little.

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“Yeah,” I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure.

A few minutester, two men approached us with big grins.

“Alpha,” one of them said.

Killian smiled. “Beta Logan, Gamma Steve. You two finally made it.”

So these were his Beta and Gamma.

“What about Richard?”

“He couldn’t make it. Said something about wanting to woo his human mate.”

And they all chuckled.

Their eyes caught sight of me and they bowed slightly, but it wasn’t like the others. It felt… hesitant. They exchanged a quick look between them before one of them muttered, “Hope you haven’t forgotten what we told you.”

It was cryptic, said low, like they didn’t want me to hear it, but I did. And I didn’t like it.

Killian didn’t respond to them directly, just gave a short nod and sipped his drink again. Meanwhile, I was growing tired of standing there like some showpiece while everyone either stared at me or tried to decode what I was doing by his side.

“I need to use the restroom,” I said quietly, leaning closer.

He frowned immediately. “Now? Just wait, I’lle with you.”

“It’s fine,” I whispered back, giving his hand a small squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”

He sighed, then gave in. “Okay, but don’t take long.”

“I won’t,” I said, smiling as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to my cheek. The gesture was bso /bcasual and sweet it made some people around us stare even harder. But I didn’t care anymore.

I turned and made my way toward the restroom, finally breathing out when I stepped through the door and into the quiet hallway that led thereb. /bIt felt like I could breathe again.

Until I stepped inside.

The cold shock hit me instantly.

A full bucket of waterb. /bbIce /bcold.

It hit my chest and shoulders firstb, /bsoaking my gownpletely, making me gasp out in shock. I stumbled back, heart racing, my hands clutching my chest as I tried to figure bout /bwhat the hell just happened.

Then I looked up.

There were three women standing there. Two of them I didn’t recognize. But the third?

I remembered her bface /bso well.

bIt /bwas Cynthia…