Chapter 173: Threat

The moment he spoke those words, the girls rolled a massive floor-length mirror in front of me. I froze, failing to recognize my own reflection.

I had never imagined that a piece of fabric could transform a person so profoundly. Gazing back at me was not the person I knew myself to be, but a princess plucked from an ancient, magical legend. The gown was doing something utterly otherworldly to my otherwise plain appearance.

It perfectly accentuated every curve, shimmering brilliantly under the spotlights. Indecently sheer and practically transparent, it nevertheless revealed absolutely nothing improper, granting no one a view beyond what was strictly permitted.

I was entirely enveloped in a translucent, iridescent mist. The fabric looked like spun glass dust come alive, breathing with every inhale I took. It was truly a work of art, not merely a dress, and it made me feel like I, too, was made of pure magic.

"I... love it," I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away. "It’s unreal."

Mrs. Waldorf stepped closer, critically surveying me from every angle before giving a firm nod.

"You will pick up the gown right before the wedding. No alterations are needed—it fits flawlessly, precisely as I calculated. Now, my girls will take measurements of your foot and neck so we can curate suitable footwear and jewelry. Although I already have something in mind."

The seamstresses instantly sprang into action at her command, akin to hardworking fairies.

Through it all, I felt the ravenous, possessive gaze of my Alpha heavy on my back. A look that, without a single word, promised tonight would be scalding hot.

***

The restaurant we pulled into for dinner before heading home proved to be extraordinarily cozy and atmospheric.

The venue was nearly empty, yet we were escorted to the most secluded booth alongside a massive panoramic window framing a picturesque evening view.

We made our selections, and once the food arrived, Magnus unexpectedly rose and slid into the booth right beside me, despite having sat across from me moments before.

"Magnus? Is something wrong?" I asked, taken aback.

"The view is better from here," he replied smoothly, his massive frame completely cutting off any line of retreat. I was pinned snugly between him and the glass.

"Should I move to the other side then?" I asked, already starting to shift upward.

He placed his heavy, broad palm on my thigh, gently pressing me back down into the cushion.

"No. I want you right here. With me."

I didn’t quite grasp the reason behind his sudden possessiveness, but there was plenty of space at the table, and the heat of his hand against my leg felt so comforting that I chose not to debate it.

The flavor of the food felt painfully familiar—sweet-and-sour meat paired with vegetables. I had definitely tasted this before, though the exact memory eluded me.

Once we finished our main course, the waiter returned with dessert. Rather, a dish was set solely in front of me, while Magnus received a single cup of strong black coffee.

I glanced down at my plate. Resting before me was a slice of carrot cake—a flawless orange wedge generously studded with nuts and raisins.

"Is this..."

"Yes," Magnus replied tersely, his thumb tracing slow circles against my thigh.

Words were redundant. A deep, honeyed warmth spread through my chest. Packed into this simple slice of cake was so much quiet mindfulness—a vivid recollection of everything I cherished—that my heart twinged with sweet affection.

I was nearly finished with my dessert when a towering figure materialized beside our table out of nowhere.

"Alpha Magnus. What a coincidence."

My eyes shifted to the stranger, and in that exact fraction of a second, Magnus’s burning grip on my thigh clamped down so hard I nearly gasped. The air surrounding him instantly vibrated with raw, suppressed fury.

Standing before us was a tall, heavily built man with short blonde hair. His predatory, piercing green eyes flicked over Magnus before locking onto me.

"Do you mind if I take a seat and join you?" The stranger’s voice was smooth as velvet, but a dark thread of menace ran beneath it.

"I do mind, Max. You’re in the way," Magnus cut in, icy cold, every syllable laced with the poison of barely restrained wrath.

"I won’t take up much of your time. This concerns the upcoming Council of Packs," the blonde replied, without moving an inch. "What an unfortunate turn of events... How did it come to pass that your wedding and the council gathering were scheduled for the exact same day? And I was left completely in the dark."

"As far as I recall, your pack refused to enter the alliance," Magnus leaned back against the sofa, though every muscle in his frame was coiled tight, ready to detonate. "Now be so good as to leave us. We’re busy."

The look Max dragged across my skin made my stomach turn. It was uncomfortably sticky and invasive, and the way his green eyes unabashedly fixed upon the mark on my hand felt like a filthy insult.

The atmosphere around the table thickened rapidly, the air between the two Alphas heating to a boiling point.

It grew suffocatingly hot and dense, as though every drop of oxygen had been sucked from the room. Magnus’s aura clashed with Max’s directly above us in an invisible, lethal battle for dominance.

This silent confrontation threatened to spill over into the one thing I feared most—an open, bloody conflict. Raw fury became a living entity clawing its way free, and the glass of the panoramic window beside me began to vibrate with a faint, pitiful whine under the immense pressure of their power.

"Are you threatening me?" Magnus bared his teeth in a deadly sneer, shifting slightly forward. His low rumble was far more dangerous than any roar.

"Does it look like I’m not?" Max countered, his lips stretching slowly into a gruesome, predatory smile.

Only he wasn’t looking at Magnus. He was staring straight at me.