FAYE
It took me a moment to breathe once I stepped outside… The whole place was packed now.
It was all celebration.
Laughter echoed everywhere. Glasses clinked. Wolves greeted one another warmly–embracing, smiling, congratulating. Tonight was about victory, about unity, about reminding everyone why Blood Crescent remained strong… They had a leader like Alexander behind them.
At some point, Alexander would make his official appearance. He would address the pack, speak of loyalty and strength, renew oaths as Alpha–ancient words passed down through generations. Then the night would dissolve back into merriment, drinking, dancing, and quiet conversations beneath the stars.
Looking around, it almost felt unreal.
If a human wandered in here by accident, they wouldn’t suspect a thing. This didn’t look like a gathering of werewolves–an entire pack, no less. It looked like a high–end business gala. Elegant, controlled… polished.
Blood Crescent had always been good at this.
I had never seen wolves clean up the way Blood Crescent did. They wore tailored suits, flowing dresses, subtle jewelry. Power and grace wrapped in civility. It was impressive.
I stepped farther in, walking slowly, returning greetings as they came.
“Luna.”
“Good evening.”
“It’s good to see you.”
I smiled, nodded, exchanged brief words, doing my best to look composed. Inside, I was searching. My gaze drifted instinctively through the crowd, looking for Alexander.
I didn’t see him yet… I thought he’d be out by now.
Maybe he was still handling something. That wouldn’t surprise me. Alpha duties had a way of pulling him in every direction, especially on nights like this… It was actually normal for him to be late to his own party.
I continued walking, taking in the atmosphere, letting myself enjoy it.
That was when someone bumped into me.
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It wasn’t hard, but it was sudden enough to knock me slightly off balance. I stumbled a step, instinctively steadying myself.
“Oh-“I started.
The woman in front of me didn’t apologize.
Instead, she smiled.
“Hello! You must be Faye,” she said, her eyes sweeping over me. “The Luna.”
I blinked.
For a moment, I wasn’t sure how to respond. The lack of apology caught me off guard, but I forced a polite smile anyway.
“Yes,” I said simply. “I am.”
I stepped aside, intending to move on. But before I could fully turn away, her voice stopped me again.
“I’m sorry” she added, finally. “For bumping into you!”
I paused, then turned back. “It’s fine,” I said honestly. “No harm done.”
Her smile widened, as if she’d been waiting for permission to continue.
“I haven’t had the chance to meet you before,” she said lightly. “I’ve been away from the pack house for a while. But it’s such an honor to finally meet the Luna in person.”
Something about her tone made my skin prickle.
Not rude or aggressive… Just… too measured.
“Oh,” I replied. “Well. Welcome back.”
I wasn’t good at small talk. Especially not with strangers who spoke like they already knew me. My discomfort crept in quietly, settling behind my ribs.
She still hadn’t introduced herself, and I didn’t care to ask. She looked like someone who would take such questions as permission to talk more.
She kept talking anyway–nothing intrusive, nothing outright strange. Comments about the ceremony. About how beautiful the territory looked tonight. About how proud everyone must be.
I nodded where appropriate, smiled when expected, all the while searching for an opening to excuse myself without being rude.
I was just about to do exactly that when a familiar presence washed over me. It felt strange to be able to sense his presence again because my wolf was back.
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“Sorry I kept you waiting.”
Alexander’s voice was calm, warm–and relief flooded through me before I could stop it… At least he would rescue me from this awkward situation.
I turned toward him, ready to smile.
Then I felt him stiffen.
His gaze shifted past me, locking onto the woman beside me, and for the briefest moment, he
looked… taken aback.
It was subtle. Anyone else might’ve missed it.
I didn’t.
The woman turned slowly, completely composed, as if this was exactly how she’d expected the
moment to unfold.
“Alexander,” she said softly. “Hi.”
What!
This was a formal pack ceremony. Titles mattered here. Respect mattered. Apart from immediate family, no one addressed him so casually in a setting like this.
Not unless they were very certain of their place.
I didn’t say a word. I just watched.
Alexander’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He didn’t return the greeting. Instead, he went straight to the point.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
The woman didn’t flinch.
She turned fully toward him, stepping a little closer close enough to feel intentional without being inappropriate.
“Last time I checked,” she said calmly, “I was still a member of this pack. And you were still my Alpha.”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward me before returning to him.
“I only came to grace the occasion,” she continued. “Just like every other member.”
Silence stretched between them.
Alexander looked at her like there were a thousand words pressing against his teeth–things unsaid, unresolved–but he didn’t speak. He held himself still, controlled, choosing restraint over
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“Sorry I kept you waiting.”
Alexander’s voice was calm, warm–and relief flooded through me before I could stop it… At least he would rescue me from this awkward situation.
I turned toward him, ready to smile.
Then I felt him stiffen.
His gaze shifted past me, locking onto the woman beside me, and for the briefest moment, he
looked… taken aback.
It was subtle. Anyone else might’ve missed it.
I didn’t.
The woman turned slowly, completely composed, as if this was exactly how she’d expected the
moment to unfold.
“Alexander,” she said softly. “Hi.”
What!
This was a formal pack ceremony. Titles mattered here. Respect mattered. Apart from immediate family, no one addressed him so casually in a setting like this.
Not unless they were very certain of their place.
I didn’t say a word. I just watched.
Alexander’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He didn’t return the greeting. Instead, he went straight to the point.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
The woman didn’t flinch.
She turned fully toward him, stepping a little closer close enough to feel intentional without being inappropriate.
“Last time I checked,” she said calmly, “I was still a member of this pack. And you were still my Alpha.”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward me before returning to him.
“I only came to grace the occasion,” she continued. “Just like every other member.”
Silence stretched between them.
Alexander looked at her like there were a thousand words pressing against his teeth–things unsaid, unresolved–but he didn’t speak. He held himself still, controlled, choosing restraint over
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impulse.
The woman smiled again.
“See you around,” she said lightly.
Then she turned to me, her expression polite.
“Luna.”
And with that, she walked away–graceful, unhurried.
Alexander exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He looked like someone bracing himself for impact, for questions he knew were coming and couldn’t avoid.
I turned to him slowly.
“Who was that?” I asked.
He met my gaze, steady but heavy, and said quietly,
“That was Diana. My ex–mate.”
—
ALEXANDER
I stood there watching her a second longer than necessary. What was she doing here? Why did she
have to be here?
I looked at Faye. She looked calm–too calm. Her face was composed, her posture relaxed, but I
knew her well enough now to recognize that look in her eyes. She wasn’t upset. She was thinking…
turning things over carefully in her head, examining them from angles she wouldn’t voice out loud
just yet.
That, somehow, unsettled me more than if she had snapped or demanded answers.
I exhaled slowly and reached for her hand, grounding myself as much as her. “Don’t overthink it,” I said gently. “Come on. Let’s go greet the guests.”
She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t immediately move either. Her fingers curled slightly against mine, and then she looked up at me.
“Did you invite her?” she asked, her voice careful. “Diana.”
The question caught me off guard–not because it was unreasonable, but because it felt unnecessary after what she’d just witnessed. I had literally asked Diana what she was doing here. I frowned slightly before I could stop myself.
“Faye,” I said, surprised, “you heard me. I asked her why she was here.”
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She shrugged lightly. “I know. I was just asking.”
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Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten. I realized then that this wasn’t about the answer–it was about reassurance. And I hated that I’d let a situation exist that made her feel
the need to ask at all.
“Listen, I’m not okay with her being here,” I said honestly. There was no point pretending otherwise. “But the truth is, even as Alpha, I don’t get to decide who attends a pack gathering just because I’m uncomfortable with them. Diana is still a legitimate member of Blood Crescent. She was never banished. Unless someone has committed an offense serious enough to warrant that kind of punishment, I can’t bar them from the territory or the pack house.”
I paused, making sure my tone stayed even. “I don’t get to rewrite pack law just because of history.
She nodded slowly, absorbing my words, then waved it off lightly. “I never asked you to throw anyone out,” she said. “It was just a question, Alexander. There’s no need to get defensive.”
The coolness of it… the calm delivery, the way she didn’t press or accuse, and the look in her eyes… told me immediately that there was more beneath the surface than she was saying. She wasn’t angry at me, but she was unsettled.
I felt a flicker of frustration rise in my chest–not at her, but at the situation… at the timing. At the fact that tonight was supposed to be simple. A celebration of victory. A moment of peace after weeks of tension and uncertainty.
I opened my mouth to respond, then stopped myself.
Arguing would do nothing but turn this into something bigger than it needed to be. Worse–it would stress her out. And that was the last thing I wanted.
I drew a steady breath. “I don’t want this to become a big thing,” I said quietly. “I just need you to understand where I’m coming from. Please–let’s not argue.”
She studied my face for a second longer, then sighed. The tension in her shoulders eased immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I was just… thrown off.”
That admission hit harder than I expected.
I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment longer. “You don’t have to apologize,” I murmured. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Now, shall we?”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
