Chapter 2 – The Alpha Is Back?
REINA
He was tall and still. He didn't move or flinch. He just stood there like a wall.
I almost lost my balance, but his hand shot out and grabbed my arm before I could fall.
I looked up.
Our eyes met.
And in that second, something deep inside me shifted.
Heat rushed through my chest.
My legs turned weak.
My mouth opened, but nothing came out.
He didn't say a word either. Just kept staring at me.
I tried to look closely, to figure out who he was, but it was too dark. I couldn't see his face clearly.
Only his eyes. They were glowing in the dark. Bright. Unblinking. Staring straight into mine.
"Why are you here alone?" he asked.
Just as I was about to speak, someone else called out to him.
"It's time," the voice said.
He gently helped me stand, then turned and walked away with the person who called him.
Before I could say a word, he vanished into the crowd.
I stood there, my whole body still shaking.
My heart… it didn't even feel like mine anymore.
I pressed my palm to my chest.
"What the hell just happened to me?"
⸻——————
I stood there for what seems like eternity before I finally came back to my right senses and the only thing I could think of was to be out of this place.
I walked past the tree, past the edge of the field, and didn't stop until the music and voices faded behind me.
His eyes wouldn't leave my head.
I didn't even see his face. Just his eyes. Just that one look, like he already knew me. Like I belonged to him.
What is happening to me? Why am I thinking about him in an intimate way?
Am I overreacting? I asked my self as I continued walking.
My arm still burned from where he touched me.
I reached the pack house and didn't speak to anyone. Just kept walking until I got to my room.
I closed the door behind me.
Took a breath as I kicked off my shoes, stepped out of the dress, and dropped on the bed without thinking.
I laid there and pressed my hand against my chest.
"Who is he and why did I meet him there?" I couldn't help but ask my self but there was no answer to my question.
I was staring straight to the ceiling with my mind restless.
That was when a knock suddenly came jolting me off my thoughts.
I didn't bother to stand up as I already knew who it is.
The door opened and Mira walked in. Her curls were a mess and she had dirt on her dress. She probably fell chasing some warrior again.
"Rai," she said, dragging the name like always. "I've been looking all over for you. Why'd you disappear like that?"
I sat up slowly.
"I just needed air."
She raised a brow. "That's code for something happened."
I didn't want to say it.
I tried to brush it off.
But the words slipped out.
"I ran into someone."
Mira blinked. "Okay…"
"He didn't say anything. Just stood there. But when he touched me… I felt something. My body… I don't even know. It's like something inside me moved."
Her mouth fell open.
Then her hand flew to her chest.
Then she smirked.
Then came the loudest laugh I'd heard all week.
"You're serious? You touched hands with some mystery man in the dark and now you're making wedding plans in your head?"
I rolled my eyes and grabbed a pillow.
"Stop it. I wasn't making plans, I was just telling you what happened."
"No. You're telling me you're in love now. After one second."
"I never said that."
"You're glowing."
"I'm sweating."
She kept laughing and dropped on the bed beside me. "Moon babies. You've already named your firstborn."
"Shut up."
I threw the pillow at her face. She caught it and smacked me back with it. I dodged, grabbed another one, and chased her around the room.
"Say moon babies again and I'll choke you."
"You're in love with a ghost. A tall, sexy ghost."
"I don't even know what he looks like."
She laughed louder.
I was still chasing her around when a knock came.
Mira and I stopped moving. The pillow dropped from my hand. Her eyes were already on the door. We both looked at each other.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Mira asked me and I shook my head.
Without saying a word, we walked to the door together.
I unlocked it and opened it halfway.
Of course. It had to be him.
The pack's meanest guard stood there, arms crossed, face blank, eyes hard like always. He acted like he was the Alpha's second in command, even though he was just a guard with a sharp mouth and a permanent scowl.
His voice was short and stiff. "You two. Your presence is needed. We're short-staffed. You're to serve the upper hall guests."
Mira groaned immediately, then forced a sweet smile and turned to me. "It's your birthday, and you've had enough weirdness tonight. I'll go. Consider it my gift, since I'm broke."
She took a step forward.
But the guard raised a hand and stepped in.
"Not just you," he said. "Reina Hale. You are also following her."
Mira turned to him. "Can't I go alone? I'm enough to serve all the guests."
He didn't even blink.
Didn't answer.
He had always been a jerk.
I sighed and stepped past him.
Jerks. That's all they were. These guards loved acting like they were someone powerful. Always barking orders. Always throwing their commands around. And for what? To feel important?
We walked through the halls quietly.
When we reached the pack hall, the light was brighter. The air smelled like roasted meat, wine and perfumes.
The guard turned and pointed at Mira. "You. Serve the powerful guests over there."
She nodded.
Then he turned to me.
"And you," he said. "You're going to the Alpha's room. You'll serve him for the next few hours."
I blinked.
The Alpha?
"The Alpha is back?"