Chapter 24: ²⁴: she belongs to me!

Kael’s POV

"Isn’t it such a lovely coincidence that we’re both wearing the same color, Alpha? It almost looks as if we’re a couple matching our outfits."

I closed my eyes, trying to contain myself as I heard the voice behind me while walking toward the hall that had been transformed into a ballroom for Louis’s birthday.

"Why isn’t Elder Kayden here, Mayla? Wasn’t the invitation meant for him?" I asked without looking back, knowing she would still be following behind me even if I gave her no attention.

Sure enough, she replied, completely ignoring the fact that I had dismissed her attempt at implying we looked like a couple. I mean, it was common knowledge that I mostly wore black so this being a coincidence is quite impossible.

"Uhm... Dad wasn’t feeling well today, so he couldn’t come. And the Kayden family couldn’t possibly ignore an invitation from the Alpha, so he sent me instead." She answered without the slightest hesitation as if I knew nothing.

"Very well, Mayla." I replied, not wanting to continue the conversation any further, nor speak to the person in question.

Soon, we reached the grand staircase leading down to the ballroom, and beneath the countless stares directed at us, I descended the steps with my usual expressionless face, greeting the council members waiting below.

Amid all the overly sweet greetings and flattering words, I found myself looking around for someone I had, somewhere deep in my mind, expected to see here even if I refused to admit it aloud.

And soon enough, my eyes landed on that very person.

Athena Moonvel.

Just like that, I felt the usually indifferent wolf inside me stir like an absolute fool.

Yes... Like a fool. Because the same girl I had confidently told she could never seduce me...had dressed herself tonight as if her sole purpose was to kill me.

I clenched my fists at my sides as every voice around me gradually faded into meaningless noise.

Only I knew how much restraint it took not to march across the ballroom, pin her against one of those marble pillars in front of every single guest, and give her the kiss she had expected that day in my office.

If merely looking at her wasn’t torturous enough, she suddenly lifted her eyes and her gaze met mine across the crowded ballroom.

For a brief moment, time itself seemed to pause. Unable to stop myself, I let my gaze travel slowly over her before returning to her face, biting the inside of my cheek to keep my wolf under control.

He was acting as though, after years of starvation, he had finally found something worth feeding on.

Then... As if she hadn’t already pushed my patience enough... She scoffed at me.

Scoffed - At the Alpha of the Starlight Empire.

Then she casually looked away as though I had somehow offended her.

Just yesterday she had stood in my office, telling me she was willing to accept those ridiculous conditions I had months ago put forward merely to stay by my side.

And now, barely a day or two later... She was acting as if she wanted nothing to do with me.

Normally, the moment someone dared disrespect me like that, I would lose every bit of interest in them. But then again... I hadn’t lost interest when she had banged her fist on my desk either. So what exactly was this?

Somehow... Without even realizing it... This troublesome little girl had managed to make me far more interested in her than I was comfortable admitting.

Should I have simply accepted her proposal that day?

No. If everything Ryan had uncovered was true, then she would undoubtedly try to approach me again tonight.

So...

Let’s see how long she keeps pretending not to care.

I forced myself away from those thoughts and glanced toward her once more. She still wasn’t looking at me.

Just then, the orchestra changed its tune.

Everyone instinctively turned toward the staircase. Louis had arrived.

He descended the stairs with his usual cold confidence, scanning the crowd before making his way directly toward us.

"Happy Birthday, Louis." I said before pulling him into a brief hug.

"Thanks, Alpha." He replied with a bright smile before stepping back and greeting everyone else.

"Thank you, Miss Kayden. You’re looking gorgeous tonight." He smiled politely after Mayla wished him a happy birthday.

When he glanced toward me with that teasing look in his eyes, I immediately understood what he was thinking. Apparently, even he had misunderstood our matching outfits, just like everyone else in the ballroom.

"Oh, thank you, Louis. But you can just call me Mayla, just like Alpha does." She smiled sweetly which Louis reciprocated.

The only reason I addressed her by her first name was because she had once been my classmate. I addressed every one of my former classmates that way.

There had never been anything special about it, despite the way she tried to make it sound.

"You two enjoy yourselves. I have something to take care of." Louis suddenly said before walking away with that familiar overly polite smile.

I couldn’t help smiling slightly. No matter how old he became, he couldn’t stay away from trouble for more than a few minutes.

I had intended to pay him no mind... Until I saw exactly where he was going. Out of everyone gathered in the ballroom... He walked straight toward Athena Moonvel.

For reasons I couldn’t explain, uneasiness settled inside me. Was he planning to cause trouble for her?

But instead of doing anything hostile... He reached for her hand. Then, without waiting for her response, he led her straight to the center of the ballroom.

They were going to dance? Did they know each other?

"It seems Louis has finally found someone special," Mayla commented from beside me. "I’ve never seen him publicly associate himself with a girl like this. Especially not in front of all these dignitaries... and most importantly, not in front of you."

I don’t know why... But something inside me tightened. What Mayla said was true.

Louis had never behaved like this before.

As his brother, I should have felt happy.

If he had finally found someone he genuinely liked... Shouldn’t I be glad?

Then why... Why did I feel irritated instead?

And then, as if the Moon Goddess herself wanted to snap the last thread holding my patience together... Louis suddenly pulled Athena flush against his body.

Without the slightest hesitation, Athena lifted her hand, slid her fingers into his hair, and tugged at it while looking straight into his eyes... As though the thousands of people surrounding them simply didn’t exist.