CHAPTER 74: CHAPTER 74: OF ALL THE ALPHAS... WHY WAS HE HERE?

The car door opened with a click, and Selene stepped out, her gown sweeping the ground like a tide of night sky poured into fabric. The lamps caught on the shimmer of indigo and silver, and for a fleeting second, she almost looked like she was carved out of starlight. Yet the face above the gown was not the one the world remembered.

The witch’s enchantment held flawlessly.

Her once-silver hair was now a river of midnight black, falling in soft waves that brushed her bare shoulders. Her skin gleamed a touch warmer, her eyes shaded differently, her very scent altered—nothing of her true self clung to her now.

Even if someone from her past walked right in front of her, they would never think of Selene Moonveil, the Alpha Eirik’s daughter who had died a year ago. And they would never imagine she was the same witch who had spilled Alpha blood with her own hands.

And that was the point.

The enchantment didn’t just cloak her appearance. It swallowed her whole, wrapped her in a skin that was untouchable, almost divine. A woman who was no one and yet impossible to ignore.

She walked forward, heels clicking softly against stone, her movements calm and unhurried. She had rehearsed this. Every step, every tilt of her head, every flutter of her lashes—it was all deliberate. There could be no hesitation here, not when she was walking straight into a den of wolves who could scent fear as easily as blood.

The guards at the door gave her only a glance, their eyes skimming the strange guest draped in elegance. None of them questioned.

When she entered the hall, the air itself seemed to shift towards her.

Conversations faltered. Glasses stilled in mid-air. The grand chandeliers above scattered their light across her gown, igniting each silver thread until she seemed to glow from within.

Wolves who prided themselves on control found their gazes betraying them, sliding back to her again and again, as if she had pulled some invisible thread that tied their attention to her presence.

It wasn’t just beauty—it was the danger of the unknown.

She dazzled them, though she never meant to.

Selene lifted her chin just enough, her expression calm, unreadable. Her lips were painted the faintest shade of wine, her dark hair spilling like a shadow down her back.

No trace of the girl who once bore the Moonveil name remained. To them, she was a stranger—an enchantress who had walked straight out of a dream and into their rotting hall.

She let their stares wash over her like waves against stone. They could look all they wanted. None of them would ever know the truth.

Her eyes swept the hall, searching for the man who had handed her the invitation with such eagerness. She didn’t need to look long.

He found her first.

Alpha Julian Hale moved through the crowd like a man who owned it, his broad shoulders parting the sea of wolves, a smile spreading across his face as if he had just won a prize. His gaze locked onto her with such pride, Selene could almost hear the unspoken words: look at what beauty I’ve brought with me tonight.

Selene scoffed inwardly but kept her face composed, her lips curving into a polite smile as he came to stand before her.

"Alpha Julian Hale," she greeted softly, inclining her head.

He waved his hand dismissively, his grin widening. "No need to be so formal. After all—we are friends."

Friends. The word rolled from his tongue as if it were a truth, like they had known each other for years. But Selene knew better. They had met only days ago—just enough time for her to carefully set her trap and for him to stumble into it headfirst. He had thought himself clever, extending an invitation to a gathering meant only for the most powerful Alphas. He believed he had chosen her.

When, in reality, she had chosen him.

Before Selene could respond, his arm curved smoothly around her waist. His grip was confident and possessive, the gesture of a man who thought too highly of himself. Selene’s smile faltered at the edges, her spine stiffening beneath the touch she did not want. Her thoughts snapped like a blade drawn in the dark.

Remove your hand, bastard. Or I’ll cut it clean off.

But outwardly, she remained still, her expression cool, only the faintest flicker in her eyes betraying her loathing.

Julian didn’t budge. His hand lingered, guiding her forward as though she belonged there, as though she were his to parade through the hall.

Her smile stiffened into something brittle. Then, with careful ease, she slipped sideways, murmuring about food, feigning sudden interest in the grand spread of delicacies laid out on trays. It was the perfect excuse to step out of his hold, and she took it, moving away before his hand could draw her closer again.

Julian only chuckled, his smile stretching, unbothered by her subtle rejection. If anything, he looked amused, like he was enjoying the game.

Selene’s stomach churned with disgust. She would never willingly choose this method, never allow their filthy hands to lay on her, if it were not for the importance of this night. But for now, she endured.

Because this party mattered more than her revulsion.

Selene was still steadying herself, eyes scanning the tables, the clusters of wolves, and the corners of the hall where shadows might hide an opportunity. She needed the perfect moment, the right chance to slip her plan into motion without a hundred hungry eyes fastening onto her.

Her mind was turning sharply, calculating, when the sound cut through her thoughts.

A voice carrying over the hall with the weight of command.

"Announcing the arrival of Alpha Aeron Duskdraven of the Silver Dawn Pack."

The name landed like a stone in her chest.

For one breathless moment, she thought she had misheard. But then, before the weight of the words even settled, it struck her—the scent.

It drifted across the hall like smoke curling through air. Distinct and Unmistakable.

Her body knew before her mind accepted it.

Even though she was no wolf, no creature of heightened senses, she felt it coil into her lungs all the same.

Her blood ran cold. Her body betrayed her. Her muscles locked, her heart slammed, and she went still as stone.

Of all the Alphas... why was he here?