Alpha Loren novel Chapter 146

If nothing else, this ball would be a short escape from that cell which by the evening was already beginning to drive me insane. I was allowed back up to my room where a dress and a maid awaited me armed with a hairbrush and soap.

"Hey," I said after the guards had finally let go of me and gone outside of the room to stand guard.

"I'm Matilde," she said with a nervous wave. "I'm here to..."

"Make me look less like I've spent all day in a dungeon?" I asked looking at my matted hair and dirty fingernails.

"Yeah...I ran you a bath," she replied.

"Thank you," I said as I made my way to the bathroom and took the hairbrush and soap that she held out for me on the way past.

When I was clean, she filed my nails and did some fancy thing with my hair. I then had to get into the dress, which was a light blue, grossly outdated ball gown.

"Don't worry, Miss," Matilde said as she tied the back. "Everybody will be wearing stuff like this and you look beautiful."

"Thank you but it's so heavy. How am I even supposed to walk in this?" I asked as she tightened it more. "Or breathe."

"Sorry."

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and sighed.

"It also reminds me of the ball we have at the pack every year," I said thinking about the Pack Founding day. 

"Do you miss the pack?" she asked after a pause.

I nodded.

"I'm not surprised and I don't blame you. It's your home and you have your mate and children there," she said quietly.

"Do you miss it?"

"Me?" she questioned a little taken aback.

"Yeah."

"Sometimes a little, I guess. I had friends there," she said tucking in a loose strand of my hair.

"Why did you have to leave?" 

"My mate was one of the Alpha's men. Four years ago, he went against orders and was kicked out so I went with him. Nothing drastic, nothing violent and he probably deserved it too. I don't hate your mate, and deep down neither does my mate, but we had nowhere else to go but here and now we've made our life," she explained. "My opinion is that he can be a bad man and he may be too harsh on those that disobey him but I also know that he does everything he can to make the law-abiding citizens of his pack as happy as possible and as long as you treat him with respect and don't try to cross him, he is fair and kind and gentle. You just don't want to be on the wrong side of him."

"I can certainly agree with that," I muttered thinking about all the times I'd got on the wrong side of him. "But that doesn't justify what he has done. Even if it was in the name of his pack, some of the stories I've heard in this castle are shocking."

"Maybe it is wrong of me to side with him," she replied. "He has done terrible things and if the King found out what I was saying, I'd be hung as a traitor."

"I won't say a word," I promised. 

She smiled before smoothing down my dress and saying "all ready."

"Thank you, Matilde," I replied.

She smiled again before leaving the room. 

Five minutes later, Connor came in wearing a slightly smarter version of what he usually did. A white over the head shirt with a cord tie at the top and a pair of slim fit trousers and boots.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one that looks like I've just stepped out the renaissance," I commented. "What is it with the King and outdated fashion?"

"Watch your tongue, young Lady," he said to me. "It's got you in enough trouble today already."

I smirked before my Dad came into the room too.

"I sense a lecture," I groaned as they both looked at me.

"All you have to do is what the King tells you," Connor said. "He won't be happy to be disobeyed or questioned in front of so many people so I advise you don't even try. You know that you don't have the safety net of your mate with him. He cares more about getting back at him than his own life so if he wants to kill you, nothing will stop him. So don't give him a reason to."

"And we know you aren't happy to be here but at least try to make it better for yourself. If you please him, he might not put you back down there," My Dad added.

"And I'll be staying with you the whole night," Connor finished.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, yeah I get it. You think I'm like a dog that will see a crowd of people, get excited and start misbehaving so you want to keep me on a leash. Whatever makes you happy. Now, can we go?"

"Gladly," Connor said holding out his hand. I took it and we walked together to the great hall.

When we reached the door, the guards opened to reveal the enormous room absolutely filled with people. I was used to seeing it with no more than five so the chatter and noise and business was a slight shock. There was an orchestra playing fairly quietly in the corner but not dancing- only talking and drinking of some kind of wine.

"Luna! You're here!" The King's voice sounded as he emerged from the crowd. "How lovely it is to see you again. Have you enjoyed your day?"

He wore a smirk and I could see right through the pleasantries.

"Yes. Just as I do any day in this wonderful castle of yours," I replied through gritted teeth. 

"May I borrow her for a moment, Jones?" he said turning to Connor.

"Of course," he replied passing my hand from him and giving me no choice in the matter.

He then pranced through the crowds, dragging me behind him and gestured to the band to stop. They did so immediately and as we reached the pedestal surrounding the thrown, the crowd hushed and turned to us. 

"Welcome everybody to the celebratory ball of phase one. I have beside me, Loren's Luna," he began holding up my hand. "A great achievement that each and every one of you were a part of. As a gesture of my gratitude, I'd like you to invite you to enjoy your evening and..."

He continued to ramble on but something far more interesting had caught my eye. The crowd filled the entire hall fairly densely but amongst all the wolves in there as my eyes scanned the crowd, they fixated on one in particular. There stood only ten or so metres away from me, his dark hair making him stand out just as it did with the remaining members of the pack, was Maximus Megestanis. At first, I thought my eyes were deceiving me but he was staring right at me and the longer I stared back, the longer I was sure.

He brought his fingers to his lips in a gesture telling me not to say anything and I gave him a slight, discrete nod. He then began to fight his way through the crowd and towards the door.

"So!" the King said as I snapped back into reality. "Let the dancing begin."

All of a sudden, the orchestra began to play again and cries of joy and movement erupted throughout the room. I lost sight of Max but there was no way he'd be able to get to the door in the middle of this crowd.

"Come with me, Ella," The King said. "Before we dance, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

People moved out the way for us meaning we quickly made it through to the spot Max had about been standing and then further.

"Megestanis!" the King called. "Going somewhere?"

I quickly relocated Max still marching towards the door. He quickly turned on his heel and put a cordial smile on his face. 

"Not at all, your Majesty," he replied with a bow.

"Good because I have brought you someone I thought you'd like to see," he said pushing me forward. 

To say I was confused would be an understatement.

"Long time no see, Luna," Max said in a surprisingly cold tone.

"You remember your cousin, Maximus, don't you Ella?" the King said to me. "The one that you are the reason can never go back to his pack and family."

"Fortunately, Lennard gave me refuge here whilst I got back on my feet. It's an honour to be back, your Majesty."

Suddenly everything seemed to click.

"Of course I remember him," I replied. "What a nice surprise it is to see you again."

"Perhaps you should have the privilege of the first dance, Maximus. I'm sure the two of you have lots to talk about," the King said pushing me further towards him.

"Yes. Indeed we do," Max said glaring down at me and taking my hand before leading me into the crowd.

"What the fuck is going on?" I whispered as he put his hand on my waist and began dancing in a pair just like everyone else was.

"The Alpha sent me," he replied in my ear. "He wanted confirmation that you were here before he sends his army and I know the King from when I was first exiled and he doesn't know I ever rejoined the pack."

Fortunately, the noise in the room was loud and there was no way anyone else could hear us.

"Thank God," I said. "And thank you. I never thought I'd be this happy to see you."

"Almost offensive," he muttered.

"Sorry," I replied with a wide smile.

"Stop smiling. If you want me to get out of here alive tonight and report back to Leo, you have to keep up the act. You hate me, I hate you, okay?"

"Shouldn't be too hard..."

"Shut up," he snapped.

We danced until the orchestra changed the piece. As we turned, I would occasionally catch a glimpse of the King watching us with a smirk or Connor looking concerned. He didn't know that Max and I were on good terms now either and was probably worried he would try and have me killed again or something.

"I'm going to try and get out of here and back to the pack now," he whispered in my ear as we left the dance floor. "Just try and stay alive for another couple of days, okay? Don't do anything stupid."

I nodded and unable to show any affection for fear of being seen, he just left.