Chapter 82 Plan in motion
~ Brenda's POV ~
This was the moment I had been waiting for all my life. This was the moment everything I had endured, everything I had planned, finally aligned. It was time to take what I wanted, what I deserved, what had always been mine by right even if the world had tried to deny me.
Standing before the mirror, I studied my reflection carefully before nodding in approval. A slow, satisfied smile curved my lips as pride swelled in my chest. I was wearing the blue dress I had selected specifically for this night, chosen with deliberate care because of the way it clung to my body in all the right places. It highlighted my curves flawlessly and revealed just enough skin to ignite curiosity, to make anyone who looked at me wonder what the full picture would look like once the fabric was gone.
Kael, especially, would not be able to resist this. There was simply no way he could. His dirty little witch could never compare to me, not in presence, not in power, and certainly not in allure.
I reached for the perfume bottle and sprayed a generous amount over my body, letting the scent settle into my skin. After that, I picked up the small ointment bottle attached to it and applied a liberal amount to my palms, following the instructions written carefully on the leaflet. The perfume was meant to draw him in, to sharpen his attention and heighten his desire. The ointment, however, was for the real work. It would disorient him just enough to make him pliable, just enough for him to obey my will before slipping into unconsciousness.
Satisfied with my preparations, I stepped out of the room and made my way toward the hall. Every step I took radiated confidence and elegance, and I had no doubt that every pair of eyes I passed lingered on me a second longer than necessary. I could feel the weight of their stares, could almost taste their admiration, and it only fueled my resolve.
The sight of the hall met my expectations perfectly. It was exquisitely decorated, every detail carefully arranged to suit the importance of the event. That was one thing I truly admired about Ironfang. Their insistence on excellence resonated deeply with my own nature. They understood power, status, and presentation, just as I did.
Soft music drifted through the space, gentle and inviting, but I knew it was not yet time to execute my plans. Patience was essential. I moved through the hall with practiced grace, allowing myself to enjoy the attention, savoring every stolen glance and whispered murmur that followed in my wake.
There were many notable figures present, dignitaries and Alphas from other packs, but my focus was fixed on a single person: Kael of Ironfang.
The moment my eyes landed on him, my heart performed a violent somersault in my chest. An overwhelming urge surged through me, a desire to run straight to him and wrap myself around him without restraint. I forced myself to breathe, to slow my steps, reminding myself that my plan required control. So I composed myself, even though every instinct screamed otherwise.
“Aren’t you drinking a little too much?” I asked when I noticed Taren and approached him, taking in how unlike himself he appeared.
“Aren’t you being a little too nosy?” he snapped back. “What business is it of yours how much I am drinking?”
“Did you just call me nosy?” I said, genuinely taken aback by his response. “Wow, you have some guts.”
“I don't know what y'all problem with me is,” he continued, his words sharp and his tone defensive. “One moment it is that I am not drinking enough like my peers. The next moment it is that I am drinking too much. Y'all should back off. I don't think this is where you are headed, so please move along.” He punctuated his words with dismissive hand gestures, his speech slightly slurred from the alcohol.
Once again, his reaction caught me off guard, and a short, disbelieving laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
“I know this is a feast, Taren, but I will not tolerate disrespect from you, regardless of the occasion,” I said firmly.
At that very moment, Elder Rowan arrived, his presence immediately shifting the atmosphere.
“Is everything all right here?” he asked, his gaze moving between the two of us.
“Everything is clearly not all right,” I said, gesturing subtly toward Taren. “He just called me nosy simply because I pointed out his excessive drinking.”
Elder Rowan turned his attention to Taren, his expression sharpening. “Is that true?” he asked.
Taren nodded without hesitation. “Of course it is true. She was being nosy, so I said it. She has no business with how much I am drinking.”
Shock flickered briefly across Elder Rowan’s face, though he masked it almost immediately. Turning back to me, he said, “I’m sorry, Brenda. I am sure you know he is not usually like this. It's the drink.”
“Of course I know it's the drink, which is exactly why it's always advised to drink responsibly,” I said coolly. Without waiting for either of them to respond, I turned and walked away, reminding myself that I had far more important matters to attend to and that I would not allow anything, or anyone, to sour my mood tonight.
As I moved through the hall, greeting the few people I was familiar with, my attention remained firmly fixed on Kael. I never let him out of my sight, tracking his every movement patiently until the moment the music shifted and it was time for the dance. That was when I approached him, seizing the opportunity before anyone else could claim it.
“You have outdone yourself once again, Alpha,” I said smoothly, coming to stand directly before him. “This is one of the best annual feasts I have had the opportunity to attend.”
“Thank you,” he replied, offering me a polite smile. “It was a collective effort.”
“I will be leaving for Moon Crest tomorrow, so I was hoping I could have this dance with you before then,” I said, flashing him my best smile.
As I spoke, I noticed the subtle signs that the perfume was already taking effect, the way his attention lingered just a little longer than necessary.
“Of course,” he agreed, extending his hand toward me.
I took it eagerly, my heart lifting with satisfaction as our hands met. With that first skin to skin contact established, we moved onto the dance floor and began to sway to the music.
“I want to take this opportunity to apologize for last time,” I said softly, lowering my voice as much as possible. “I was completely out of line, and I hope you can forgive me. I had no right to interfere in your personal matters.”
He shook his head lightly. “Dont worry about it. It's in the past now,” he said.
“I know it's in the past,” I replied, “but I would feel much better if you told me you have forgiven me.”
“I forgive you, Brenda,” he said at last.
I nodded in satisfaction, pleased to hear the words spoken aloud.
Soon enough, the dance came to an end. I thanked him graciously and left the hall, making it appear as though I was retiring to my room, when in truth I only positioned myself around the corner. I knew it would not be long before he began to feel the effects and made his way out.
It did not take long at all. I soon spotted him staggering slightly toward the elevator, one hand pressed to his head. I stepped forward immediately, concern carefully arranged on my face.
“Kael, are you okay?” I asked as I joined him inside the elevator, deliberately taking his hand to establish even more contact.
He did not respond. Instead, he glanced around in visible confusion before slumping against the wall of the elevator. That was when I knew the moment had arrived.
“Listen, Kael,” I said firmly. “I need to take you inside. Tell your guards to allow me to take you to your quarters.”
“What did you say?” he asked, frowning as though struggling to focus.
“Tell your guards that we are together so they can let me take you inside,” I repeated.
To my surprise and deep satisfaction, he nodded in agreement.
When we reached the entrance to his quarters, the guards stepped aside without question, allowing me to pass. The moment we were beyond them, Kael lost consciousness completely. I had to drag him the rest of the way into the room, and even then I could not resist muttering words loud enough to carry.
“Of course she is stupid and naive to think that you and her have any future together,” I said loudly, as I finally reached his door and pulled him inside.
Getting him to the bed was the hardest part of the entire ordeal, but I managed it eventually. After laying him down, I even went as far as undressing him, despite knowing full well that anything beyond that was impossible in his current state.
Still, driven by spite and the desire to provoke, I began to moan loudly, deliberately calling out Kael’s name again and again, even though nothing at all was happening between us.