Chapter 101

A chill crept down my spine as I met his gaze, a sudden realization washing over me—those eyes, once merely watchful, now seemed dangerously predatory. My breath hitched in my throat. The one who sought to enslave me stood right in front of me, and I had been so preoccupied with Merrick and my father that I had completely overlooked the possibility of Alpha Kenzo's presence at the ball.

"Stay calm, Thalassa. He can't harm you here. Not in vampire territory." My mind scrambled to anchor my body before panic could take hold.

I inhaled deeply—perhaps too deeply—because his sharp eyes flickered with interest.

“Are you sure you're all right?” His deep voice, rich and velvety, sent a shiver through me.

Unintentionally, I found myself holding his gaze, momentarily entranced by his presence. He chuckled softly, offering a warm smile that caught me entirely off guard.

“Do you have a name?” he asked, his tone laced with a teasing edge.

“T-Thalassa,” I stammered before I could stop myself.

The warmth in his expression vanished in an instant, his dark eyes narrowing, growing impossibly blacker.

"Why did you tell him your name, idiot?! I berated myself. Now he knows exactly who you are!"

His lips curled into a lopsided smirk as he took a deliberate step forward. Instinctively, I retreated until the cold balcony railing pressed against my back.

I swallowed hard.

“Nice to finally meet you, Lady Thalassa,” he murmured, his voice like silk laced with steel.

“You know I belong to King Hadrian, don't you?” I asked cautiously.

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest as he leaned in closer, forcing me to tilt my head back to avoid the unsettling proximity of his lips.

“Are you afraid of me, Thalassa?” he whispered, his breath ghosting against my cheek.

“Yes,” I admitted, turning my face away to escape his piercing stare. “It would be foolish not to fear an Alpha.”

His hands came to rest on the railing, caging me in effortlessly.

“Do you think I’d hurt you?” His eyes traced the curve of my neckline with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

“I... I don’t believe you’d do anything reckless,” I replied, struggling to keep the tremor from my voice. “Not here, at least.”

A sigh escaped him, and to my surprise, he took a step back.

“I’m not a barbarian, Thalassa.”

Relief flooded me, though I couldn’t shake the confusion lingering in my chest. He studied me with an unsettling intensity—something dark, almost sorrowful, flickering behind his gaze.

We stood there in silence, locked in a silent battle neither of us fully understood, until he finally cleared his throat, as if snapping himself back to reality.

“I’ll find his superior and have him taken care of,” Kenzo said, gesturing to Merrick’s unconscious form at our feet.

“Thank you…” The words slipped out automatically, but then his meaning struck me like lightning. “His superior?” I repeated, my voice trembling.

“Yes,” he replied with unnerving calm. “He’s here with Beta Elian as his pack’s representative. Alpha Cassius refused to come.”

Relief crashed into me so hard I nearly collapsed.

“I suppose you’re glad there won’t be any family reunions?” he teased, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.

“You have no idea,” I muttered through clenched teeth.

He snorted softly, but his expression soon shifted, growing serious once more.

“You’re fighting against your destiny,” Kenzo said, his voice low and firm. “You shouldn’t be with him.”

“What?” I blinked, startled.

“You don’t belong here, Thalassa.” His unwavering gaze pinned me in place.

I swallowed thickly. “What are you trying to say?”

“You belong with the wolves.”

A sharp pang echoed through my chest, followed by a surge of anger rising like wildfire. A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“I’m human, Alpha Kenzo. My father never let me forget that I was never truly part of his pack,” I spat, my voice laced with years of buried resentment.

“Then become part of mine,” he declared, frustration simmering beneath his words.

“Join your pack? For what? To become your slave?!” My voice rose with indignation. “You bought me, and now you want to call it destiny? Screw you!”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. My pulse pounded in my ears, expecting his wrath. Yet, he didn't lash out. Instead, he gazed at me with that same unnerving look, his eyes heavy with something I couldn’t decipher.

A sad smile tugged at his lips as he turned toward the door.

“I would never enslave you, Thalassa. Especially now that I know…” He trailed off, casting one last glance over his shoulder.

My brows furrowed. “Now that you know what?”

But he only chuckled softly and stepped into the ballroom, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts and an unconscious Merrick at my feet.

I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to steady the chaotic whirlwind inside me.

"Guilt?" The realization struck me cold. I can’t possibly feel guilty for seeking refuge with the vampires. That’s absurd.

I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief, but no amount of self-mockery could rid me of the unease curling in my gut.

"I am not a traitor! I never belonged to the pack—I am not a werewolf! And besides, there's a truce between wolves and vampires!" I shouted, frustration spilling from me in waves.

"Wrong."

The sound of Varen’s voice cut through the night, and I spun toward him in surprise. He stood at the threshold of the terrace, his gaze fixed on me. In my whirlwind of emotions, I hadn’t even noticed that Kenzo had left the door slightly ajar. A sigh of relief escaped me when I realized it was Varen who had found me here and not someone else. But his words echoed in my mind, gnawing at my thoughts.

“What do you mean by ‘wrong’?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Closing the terrace door behind him, he stepped forward, casually maneuvering over Merrick’s unconscious form.

“Peace between our races may have existed centuries ago, but now it's nothing more than a façade. Relations are so fragile that even the smallest conflict could spark an all-out war. The only reason this so-called peace still holds is because the werewolves have no king. Without a leader to unite the strongest packs, they cling to this illusion of peace to avoid needless bloodshed,” he explained, his tone matter-of-fact.

A heavy sigh escaped me as the weight of his words settled deep in my chest. “So that’s why Merrick called this place 'enemy territory’... I suppose, to my father, it’s always been a war. Just a cold one.” My fingers pressed against my temples, anticipating the headache that loomed.

Varen glanced down at Merrick and let out a soft snort. “I take it... this is your handiwork?”

“Yup,” I replied with a smirk.

“You did this?” His brow lifted in amusement.

“No. I mean... I could have, but Alpha Kenzo was faster.” I offered a wry smile.

“Wow,” he chuckled, lips curving into a teasing grin. “Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks you look good in this dress.”

“Don’t even go there,” I warned, shooting him a glare. “We’re talking about the guy who bought me from my father—to bear him an heir.”

“But... he didn’t actually see you before he bought you,” Varen quipped, grinning mischievously.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. “I should probably be grateful that Hadrian didn’t overhear our conversation. That could’ve started a war right then and there.” I forced a nervous laugh, though Kenzo’s words still churned in my mind.

Varen’s chuckle was almost wicked. “I’d love to see them clash, honestly. But I don’t think Alpha Kenzo intends to stir up trouble.”

I arched a brow. “And how can you be so sure, oh wise one?” I asked, mocking his smug expression.

“Because he and a few of his pack members are staying at the palace for a few days to discuss a long-term peace agreement,” he said with unsettling confidence.

My heart stuttered. “W-what do you mean they're staying at the palace?” I asked, letting out a hysterical laugh.

“Exactly what I said. Alpha Kenzo and four of his pack members will be staying in the west wing as King Hadrian’s special guests. They’ll be negotiating the terms of an agreement,” Varen confirmed.

A sharp pang of anger coiled in my chest. My hand slammed against the balcony railing. “Hadrian knew! He knew his pack kidnapped me, that Kenzo bought me from my bastard of a father! And yet, he’s discussing peace with them?! How could he plan something like this without telling me?” My fingers clenched around the railing, trembling with the force of my frustration. I was caught between the urge to scream and the need to cry.

Varen placed a gentle hand over mine. “Thalassa... I’m not trying to defend King Hadrian, but this is politics. If he can secure a strong, legitimate alliance with the wolves, his reign will be unshakable. It’s... a revolutionary move.”

I knew he was right. It didn’t make it any easier to swallow. Hadrian always kept me in the dark when it came to his plans. Perhaps I should be grateful he hadn’t considered an alliance with my father instead. But the bitterness simmered beneath the surface, leaving me feeling both powerless and furious. Forcing a weak smile, I looked at Varen, trying to convince both of us that I could handle it.

"Are you all right, Thalassa?" His voice softened, doubt laced in his tone. Clearly, my act wasn’t convincing him.

“Yes,” I whispered, swallowing down a tear that had already betrayed me, slipping down my cheek.

Varen’s smile was gentle as he pulled me into a warm embrace. “Don’t hide from me, Thalassa. I might be half-vampire, but I know human emotions far too well.”

His arms wrapped around me, and I found an unexpected solace there. It wasn’t romantic—it was simply warm, grounding, comforting. Without realizing it, I returned the embrace, feeling some of the tension ease from my body.

He chuckled softly. “You don’t have to be strong all the time, you know.” Pulling back, he brushed the lingering tears from my cheeks. “Whenever you feel like crying or breaking something... remember, I’ll be here. As a friend.”

His words struck something deep inside me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to believe them.