RAMON’S POV

"Alpha, if you don’t start smiling, the rest of the wolves wouldn’t feel comfortable enough to feast," Daniel said, leaning closer to me. His voice cut through the lively noise around us, low but urgent.

Lanterns hung from wooden poles, their warm golden light flickering across the clearing and casting long shadows that danced with every gust of wind.

My scowling face rose to see everyone staring at me. The masks were off now, and we could all see ourselves clearly. Faces I had known for years looked back with a mix of hesitation and forced cheer.

A trip to the elders with my eyes showed they were this close to damning the consequences and calling for my head. Their wrinkled brows and tight mouths said everything. I really couldn’t blame them though. This event was always organized by them. I was raining on their parade with my dark mood.

Forcing a smile, I rose from the bench to my full height. The wooden seat creaked under my weight as I stood. "Please, eat and be merry!" I said, forcing a smile that felt tight on my face. The words came out louder than I intended, echoing across the open space.

They broke into howls of appreciation, and the space became bubbly again. Cheers rose up, mixing with the crackle of fires and the clink of plates. Wolves turned back to their food, laughter spreading like ripples in a pond. The tension eased, replaced by the lively noise of the feast.

As I returned to my seat, I turned to glare at Blane. He was too invested in gloating about his victory to anyone who could hear, to even look my way. His voice carried over the noise, loud and proud as he recounted the leap that got him there first. The smell of fresh bread and roasted meat filled the air around our table, but it did little to improve my mood.

"You really wanted to win that bad?" Daniel chuckled beside me. His shoulder brushed mine as he reached for another piece of meat, juice dripping onto the wooden plate.

I growled through my teeth, and he flinched back slightly, though the grin never left his face.

"Scowl away." He gestured to me with his hand, waving it lazily as if dismissing my anger.

I rolled my eyes and was going to change the direction of my gaze, when one of the maids walked up to me with a plate of ribs in her hand. The plate was heavy with glistening meat, steam still rising in soft curls.

"This is for you, alpha." She bowed, her head dipping low.

My face contorted with confusion. "You know you don’t have to serve me tonight, right? The goal is for everyone to feel free." The words felt heavy on my tongue, the forced cheer from earlier still lingering.

"I know, alpha. But the lady, Lorena, asked me to bring you this." Her voice was quiet, respectful, but I caught the slight nervousness in it.

I raised my head fully and looked through the maid. There she was, in dare I say, a scandalous dress.

"Wow, Lorena is out for blood tonight." Daniel whistled, his eyes widening as he took in the sight.

I accepted the plate from the maid, who bowed and went her way. The weight of the ribs felt solid in my hands, the aroma rich and tempting. My eyes remained on Lorena as she approached me, her steps confident and swaying. The night breeze tugged at the edges of her dress, carrying her familiar scent mixed with the feast’s spices.

"Do I need to give you two spaces, alpha? She looks like she’s on a mission. And you look like you don’t mind." Daniel’s voice held a teasing edge as he leaned back.

Daniel was wrong on one end. Yeah, I was looking at Lorena, but it wasn’t because I didn’t mind her mission. It was my mind again. Drawing baseless comparisons when it should be appreciating the beauty that had gotten to me. Lorena’s figure was striking under the lights, but my thoughts kept drifting elsewhere, to softer eyes and quieter strength.

"Excuse us, would you, Daniel?"

"Oh I’m out already," Daniel said as he rose to his feet. "See you later, alpha." He waved and disappeared out of sight, weaving through the crowd toward another group.

Lorena stretched her hand and collected the plate from my hand. Her fingers brushed mine, warm and deliberate. "Allow me to feed you, alpha. You’re a king. Kings don’t do the work of their slaves. Tonight, let me be your slave."

She dropped to my lap and smiled. Lifting one piece of the lamb, she bit into it, chewed a little, and then licked her lips seductively. The juice glistened on her mouth in the firelight. Her wolf purred, calling on to my darkest and desirable side. The sound vibrated through the bond, pulling at something deep within me.

"Lorena, there are people around us," I managed to snap out of my shock long enough to say. The howls and chatter of the pack felt distant, yet too close all at once.

"Let them look. Tonight is a night of zero restrictions. Who cares what anyone thinks?"

She pushed the piece she had bitten from to my mouth, and I bit out of it. The meat was tender, rich with spices that lingered on my tongue.

"You like it?"

I swallowed and nodded. "It’s not bad."

She laughed, and moved to feed me with another one, when the atmosphere completely changed. The air grew thicker, charged with a new energy. My hearing opened, and distinctive footsteps and chatter drifted into it.

"You should see my room back in my pack, then. You would have absolutely loved it. Not only is it huge, it has a tune. Although, sometimes I do think I’m the only one that hears it play," she broke into a feat of laughter.

It was her, alright. She loved to yap and laugh. The sound carried clearly over the feast, light and genuine.

I turned, just as she entered into the gathering, alongside Ivy. Sonia’s gown flowed around her as she moved, simple yet catching the light in a way that drew my eyes. "Finally, we found it!" I heard Ivy say, her voice bright with triumph.

"Wow, everywhere is filled up! And why are there drums there? Will they be music?" She gasped, looking around with wide eyes.

"And lots of entertainment!" Ivy laughed, linking arms with her.

"You should have told me it’ll be so—" her voice trailed, just as our eyes met.

Her gaze trailed down, and she discovered Lorena on my lap. Ivy’s gaze followed, and I could see the quickly disapproving expression that formed in her eyes.

"Oh look, the outcast is here!" Lorena raised her voice to call on others’ attention.

The air changed when they all turned and saw Sonia. Conversations dipped, heads turning. I had told them not to be welcoming to her. That was all my fault. But I thought with how well she had been of help to the pack, they would treat her with more kindness. I guess I had underestimated the power of my orders. If anyone else had done that, they would have hell to pay for.

"Lorena, behave," I warned her in a low voice.

"Oh common, don’t be mean to me. At least not tonight."

Before I could stop her, she pushed her lips on mine, and we began to kiss. Her mouth was warm and insistent, tasting of the lamb and spices. My wolves broke into howls of cheers when we pulled apart. The sound rang loud in my ears, mixing with the crackle of fires.

I turned to Sonia, and the look on her face made my heart shatter. Her eyes held a pain that cut deeper than any blade, raw and unguarded for a brief second before she masked it. "Get a hold of yourself, Ramon. She’s nothing to you. Absolutely nothing!" I told myself over and over again, in my head.

But my eyes wouldn’t stop seeking her, no matter how hard I tried. They followed every small movement, the way her shoulders tensed, the slight tremble in her hands.

I watched Blane approach them with two plates in his hand. He wasn’t supposed to do that in the presence of others. My wolves would think he was going against my orders. The plates were loaded with steaming food, the aroma drifting even to where I sat.

But when he suddenly turned with the plates still in his hands, I frowned in curiosity. He walked up to me and stretched the plate to Lorena.

"If you’re going to feed the alpha, do it properly," he said to her.

"And what magical table am I supposed to place all of that on?" She asked sarcastically, her voice sharp.

"Sonia would have found a way. She’s that resourceful."

She sent him a glare that would turn a lesser man to salt. He just shrugged it away.

"You’re so annoying," she said.

"Not annoying enough for you to leave the alpha alone, and mingle, like what this night was created for?"

"Alpha Ramon?" She turned to me. "Please tell him to leave us alone. He’s giving me a headache."

I was half listening to her request, because my eyes followed Sonia all around. It followed her all the way to the boy she was being introduced to by Ivy. He was one of the servants in my quarters too. The young wolf smiled at her, saying something that made her laugh. The sound carried faintly over the feast, light and real.

She laughed at something he said, and blinding rage consumed me.