Chapter 7

The grand hall buzzed with life, its lavish celebration moving like a tide of laughter and chatter. But the moment the kitchen doors slammed open, all movement ceased.

The crowd turned as one, eyes drawn to the striking figure of Alpha Kaden stepping into the room, dragging Althea behind him.

Althea stumbled, her steps uneven as her limp made it harder to keep up with Kaden's long strides. His hand gripped her wrist, firm but not harsh, yet every step forward felt like a noose tightening around her neck. Her pulse roared in her ears as her wide eyes darted toward the sea of stunned faces.

"Wait," she whispered, her voice trembling as she pulled back against his grip. "Please, don't do this."

Kaden didn't slow, didn't even look at her. His focus was sharp, his expression carved from stone as he led her into the center of the hall.

"Alpha Kaden," Althea begged softly, panic climbing in her chest. "Please, stop—"

His hand only tightened slightly, his low growl rumbling through her. "No more running."

The crowd stared in stunned silence, their confusion clear as the Alpha,their fearsome, commanding leader,stood in the heart of the celebration with a trembling servant girl by his side.

Whispers rippled through the room like wildfire.

"Is that…?"

"Who is she?"

"She's the kitchen girl!"

"Why is he with her?"

Althea's cheeks burned under their scrutiny, her chest tightening with each passing second. She tried to shrink back, to escape their stares, but Kaden's grip kept her rooted.

She didn't belong here. She didn't belong anywhere near him.

Vera was the first to recover from the shock. She stepped forward quickly, her emerald gown sweeping across the polished floor as her carefully constructed smile stretched tight across her face.

"Alpha Kaden," she said, her tone sharp but falsely sweet. "What is the meaning of this?"

Kaden ignored her.

Instead, he released Althea's wrist and turned to face the pack, his broad shoulders squared and his silver eyes scanning the room. The murmurs quieted, the sheer force of his presence enough to silence the crowd.

Althea tried to step back, to disappear into the shadows, but Kaden's hand found hers again, his grip unyielding.

"This is Althea," Kaden said, his deep voice cutting through the air like a blade. "And she is my mate."

For a moment, the room was utterly still.

Then chaos erupted.

Gasps and shocked whispers rose in waves, colliding with the sound of shattering glass as someone dropped a goblet.

Vera's face turned a deep red, her composure slipping as she gasped. "What?"

Gideon, who had been lingering at the edge of the hall, stormed forward, his expression thunderous. "No!" he roared, his voice booming over the noise. "This is ridiculous! She's not your mate!"

Althea flinched at the sound of her father's voice, her stomach twisting painfully. His words weren't just angry,they were cruel, laced with venom that cut straight through her.

"She's manipulating you, Alpha!" Gideon spat, pointing a trembling finger at Althea. "She's a worthless, broken girl who can't even shift! She doesn't deserve to be anywhere near you!"

Kaden turned his icy gaze toward Gideon,and the air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.

"Careful," Kaden said, his voice low and dangerous.

Gideon hesitated but pushed on, his fury overtaking his fear. "I know what she is! She's weak,she's always been weak! She couldn't even save her own mother!"

The words hit Althea like a slap, and her breath frozen as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"Stop," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, stop—"

But Gideon didn't stop. His face twisted with rage as he turned on her fully, his voice rising.

"You're a curse!" he shouted. "A burden! You killed your mother, and now you think you can rise above your place? You're nothing but a failure!"

Althea's knees buckled, but Kaden's hand on hers kept her upright.

"Enough."

Kaden's voice cut through the chaos like a whip, and the entire room froze.

He stepped forward, positioning himself between Althea and Gideon. His towering frame was tense, his silver eyes blazing with fury as he stared down the older man.

"Say that again," Kaden said, his voice quiet but laced with deadly promise.

Gideon opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His confidence faltered under Kaden's piercing gaze.

Kaden's wolf growled low in his chest, a sound that rumbled through the room like distant thunder. "You dare to speak about her that way? Your own daughter?"

Gideon flinched at the accusation but quickly recovered, his fists clenching at his sides. "She's not my daughter," he spat. "Not anymore. She stopped being my daughter the day she killed my mate."

The words sent a ripple of shock through the crowd, and Althea's breath caught in her throat.

Kaden's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "You call her weak," he said, his voice low and calm, though his fury burned just beneath the surface. "But it's you who's pathetic."

Gideon eyes widened, his face flushing with anger. "How dare—"

"You abandoned her," Kaden said, cutting him off. His silver eyes gleamed with disdain as he took a step closer, towering over Gideon. "You left her to rot, and you call yourself a man?"

Gideon stumbled back, his outrage faltering under the Alpha's withering glare.

"She is mine," Kaden said, his voice rising as he turned to address the entire pack. "And as of this moment, she is your future Luna."

The declaration sent a shockwave through the room.

Vera gasped audibly, her face a mixture of horror and fury. "Alpha Kaden,you can't possibly mean—"

"I've said all I need to say," Kaden interrupted coldly, his silver eyes cutting to her.

Chloe and Cassandra stood frozen, their faces pale with humiliation and disbelief.

"She's nothing," Cassandra said, her voice trembling with outrage. "How can she—"

"Enough," Kaden said sharply, his voice silencing her.

He turned back to Althea, his expression softening slightly as he reached for her hand again.

Althea stared up at him, her heart racing as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Because you're mine," Kaden said simply, his voice steady and sure.

"I don't want this," she said, her voice breaking.

"Yes, you do," Kaden said, his silver eyes locked onto hers. "You just don't know it yet."

The bond between them pulsed, stronger than ever, and Althea felt her walls begin to crack under the weight of it.

But then the whispers started again, louder this time.

"She's not fit to be Luna!"

"She's too weak!"

"She can't even shift!"

Althea's chest tightened, her breath frozen as panic clawed at her.

"I can't do this," she whispered, shaking her head as she tried to pull away. "I'm not strong enough—"

"You are," Kaden said firmly, his grip on her hand unyielding.

"I'm not," she said, her voice cracking.

"You are," Kaden repeated, his voice softening. "And I'm going to prove it to you."

The room fell into stunned silence as Kaden turned to face the crowd again, his silver eyes blazing.

"Anyone who questions her strength," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "will answer to me."

The tension in the room was obvious, the pack frozen under the weight of their Alpha's words.

Althea's tears fell freely now, her emotions swirling in a chaotic storm of fear, doubt, and something she couldn't quite name.

Kaden turned back to her, his hand moving to gently cup her cheek. "You're not alone anymore," he said quietly, his voice meant for her and her alone.

Althea's breath hitched, her wide eyes searching his as she whispered, "Why me?"

"Because you're mine," Kaden said again, his voice filled with quiet certainty.

And for the first time, Althea felt the faintest spark of hope flicker in her chest.