Chapter 36: Anticipated Meeting

Selene’s POV

The days of reading and researching were gradually coming to an end as the Morvaine Festival of Arts and Music drew closer. I had already made it known I would be attending, so there was no room for argument or debate from Lucian.

"Security will be with you on standby throughout your time there," he said.

I agreed. I didn’t have much of a choice. It was better than not going at all. Lucian and his endless conditions. He wanted to choke me with them. I didn’t have my full freedom anymore, and some days that suffocated me more than I let on.

A day before the festival began, people were already arriving by planes, buses, and cars. It was at the top of every news channel. Rehearsals were running in full force across the grounds ... dancers, display groups, performers of all kinds going through their routines the way they always did before the big event.

Even I had done a rehearsal of my own. The king had decided to include my baby shower as part of the festival. It would fall on one of the three days, tucked somewhere between the spectacle and the celebration.

A recorded three hundred thousand people had come to Winterwood for this. Every hotel in the territory was fully booked. The city felt alive in a way it probably hadn’t in four years.

The first day was the inauguration ceremony ... the one where the kings would be formally introduced and officially flag off the festivities.

By six in the evening, there were sparks and lights everywhere. The entire venue had been decorated and transformed into something breathtaking. People with cameras were having the experience of their lives, and honestly, I couldn’t blame them. It was a once-in-four-years thing. You had to soak in every second of it, because time was a luxury. It wasn’t always guaranteed.

Look at me, for example. I was pregnant, and there had been a very real chance I would spend this whole festival watching through chamber windows like some kind of display piece. Until I said no. That was why I had struck the agreement with Lucian in the first place. Guards would follow me everywhere ... I didn’t care how many they sent. At least I was outside.

The kings were introduced to a roaring crowd and they flagged off the event together. Horses and ceremonial cars lined the procession to mark the start.

Alpha Roran and Alpha Lucian didn’t look like they got along, not even remotely. But they shook hands. They had to. I didn’t want to think about Roran ... about what he’d done to me, about how close I had come to dying that night. If it hadn’t been for Lucian, I would have been a dead woman. That wasn’t something I let myself sit in for long.

I moved through the arena with two guards ... one on my left, one on my right ... taking in everything around me.

And then I saw what I had been half-expecting to see all day.

Astrid. My parents.

My dad spotted me first and immediately pulled me into a hug.

"I’m so happy to see you, my lovely daughter," he said.

The guards moved to stop him until I spoke up.

"Let him be. He’s my father." I had to calm them down before they did something embarrassing.

My mom followed with her soft, practiced, completely deceitful hug. I knew she didn’t care. She didn’t love me the way a mother should. But my dad was standing right there, so she performed for the audience like she always did.

"We’ve missed you so much, daughter," she said.

Astrid extended her hand for a shake.

I gave it to her. She looked different from the last time I saw her. More polished, more settled somehow. She must have been getting laid regularly ... that was the only explanation I had for that particular kind of glow. Now that Draven was gone, she’d probably moved on to someone else’s mate. That seemed to be her specialty.

"I saw the news," Astrid said. "Is it true?"

I raised both hands slightly. "What does it look like?"

"You look pregnant, daughter," my mom added, as if that were a revelation.

My dad smiled. "I hope he’s taking good care of you. From the look of things, it seems like he is." He was choosing his words carefully, probably because of the guards flanking me.

"I’m having the best time," I said simply.

"Enjoy the festival. Astrid, are you participating in anything?"

"I’m dancing, sis," she replied.

Of course she was.

She had always loved to dance. Shaking her hips, drawing attention from every man in the room. That had always been part of what pulled men toward her ... including my stupid ex-mate. We parted ways shortly after that.

I made my way to the seat I had been assigned ... not beside Lucian, but not too far from him either. He had said he wanted a clear line of sight to me at all times. Typical.

The singing started first. They opened with R&B, which happened to be my favourite genre, and the artist performing was something else entirely. He poured his whole soul into every note. I got completely lost in the sound ... drifted somewhere else the way only music could take me ... and didn’t come back to myself until the last note faded and the crowd erupted.

After that came the gymnastics display. Bodies flying and twisting in ways that made my stomach drop. At certain points I was genuinely scared someone was about to break their spine. But it was thrilling in the most electric way. My breath caught in my throat more than once.

When the food stations opened up, I moved carefully. I was always particular about what I ate, especially now. But the spread that night was enormous and dangerously tempting. Rich, fragrant, beautifully presented. I almost lost my self-control at one point but held it together. Mashed potatoes with tomato sauce. That was what I settled on, and it was genuinely nice.

I glanced at the guards beside me.

"Won’t you two eat?"

They shook their heads.

These men were being completely unrealistic. "You have to eat. This is a festival."

"We’re at our duty post. We stay focused."

What absolute bullshit.

"You will eat," I told them firmly. "Because if you don’t, I’ll report to the Alpha that you weren’t doing your job properly. And we both know what happens after that."

That did it. They obeyed.

I watched, quietly amused, as two stone-faced guards loaded up plates with steaks, fries, and grilled meat ... all while still sweeping the crowd with their eyes every few seconds. The dedication was almost impressive.

While I was eating, I spotted Astrid across the arena. She was standing with a male wolf I didn’t recognise ... older than her, middle-aged at least. They were talking and eating together like they were comfortable with each other. Too comfortable.

I looked away. It wasn’t my business. I wasn’t my sister’s keeper. She’d clearly found a new situation to occupy herself with. Whatever it was, it wasn’t my problem.

We moved to another section of the grounds, and that was where I found my people.

The breeders.

Their faces lit up the moment they saw me. Valerie nearly lifted me off the ground when she pulled me into a hug.

The guards lurched forward instantly.

"Easy," I told them, laughing. "She’s family."

Five of the breeders were right there in the same spot, with the others scattered somewhere across the grounds.

"Congratulations, Selene," Valerie said, holding my face in her hands. "I know I’m not the first to say it ... and I’m honestly not happy about that ... but congratulations, our head." She grinned.

The rest of them echoed it together and wrapped around me in a group hug.

This. This was my solace. My real family.

One of the guards tapped me lightly on the shoulder. "My lady, the king just called. He needs you by his side now."

I took a breath.

"I’m leaving," I said to the group. "But I’ll be back."

"Go get it, girl," Valerie called after me, still grinning.

The night was far from over. There was still so much ahead ... two more days of this, a baby shower announcement, and the faces I hadn’t wanted to see but would have to face regardless.

I straightened my spine and let the guard lead me through the crowd toward Lucian.