Chapter 8 Secrets Beneath Silence
Selene’s POV
The moment his voice settled into the air, something inside me tightened.
Frank Seely stood calmly before Lucian and Elena, his expression composed, his posture precise. There was nothing in his demeanor that revealed anything unusual, nothing that hinted at the truth he carried or the weight behind his presence.
“Alpha Alaric is well,” he said simply.
His voice was steady, controlled, respectful.
But even in its simplicity, it carried authority.
It wasn’t loud.
It wasn’t forceful.
Yet it settled into the room like something that could not be questioned.
If anyone else had spoken those words, they would have passed without meaning. But coming from the butler of Bloodfang Pack, they held quiet power that could not be ignored.
Then, without hesitation, he presented the gifts.
And in that instant—
The entire hall changed.
One by one, the items were revealed.
Not ordinary gifts.
Not polite offerings meant to show courtesy or maintain relationships.
No.
These were declarations.
A world-famous painting, rare and irreplaceable, the kind that belonged in private collections and guarded halls, not in the hands of people who could only admire its price.
A piece of land in Minespir, valued in the hundreds of millions, its name alone enough to make even the most composed wolves shift in their stance.
And beyond those—
More.
Jewels.
Artifacts.
Rare pieces that whispered of wealth built over generations.
Each item carried weight.
Each item spoke loudly without a single word.
The room fell into complete silence.
Not the casual silence of polite attention.
But the kind that came from shock.
Then—
Whispers began.
Soft.
Careful.
Spreading like fire beneath the surface.
Elena’s eyes lit up immediately.
The sharp disdain she had shown me earlier disappeared, replaced by something entirely different.
Satisfaction.
Greed.
Approval.
She stepped forward quickly, her tone warm, almost eager as she thanked Frank repeatedly, her smile widening with every word.
But when her gaze shifted toward me—
There was something new in it.
Something calculating.
Something measuring.
Around us, the whispers grew louder.
Many in the room knew the history.
Alpha Alaric of Bloodfang Pack.
Alpha Richmond of Moonveil Pack.
Names that once stood side by side.
Friends for over a century.
Their bond had been known across the continent.
But more than ten years ago—
Everything had changed.
Without warning.
Without explanation.
Alaric had stepped away, leading Bloodfang Pack into the frozen lands of Firstband.
No announcements.
No reasons.
Just disappearance.
And over time—
People stopped asking.
Stopped remembering.
Bloodfang Pack became a fading name.
A distant legend.
Something that once existed but no longer mattered.
Until now.
Because wealth like this—
Power like this—
Could never truly disappear.
And tonight, without saying it directly, Bloodfang Pack had reminded everyone exactly who they were.
Exactly what they still held.
And as I stood there, watching the reaction unfold—
A sharp feeling rose quietly in my chest.
Regret.
My grandfather had sent all of this…
To them.
To people who could not see.
Who would never understand the meaning behind it.
Blind fools, smiling over treasures they believed they deserved.
Frank spoke briefly with Lucian, exchanging only what was necessary. His movements were clean, efficient, his expression unchanged from beginning to end.
Then he turned to leave.
And he did not look at me.
Not once.
Not even by accident.
It was as if I didn’t exist.
And that—
That was exactly what I needed.
The guests noticed.
Elena noticed.
Lucian noticed.
Frank’s indifference settled firmly into their minds.
It confirmed what they already believed.
That I was nothing.
Just an Omega.
Unworthy.
Unimportant.
I let out a slow breath, allowing a quiet satisfaction to settle inside me.
Good.
The more they believed it, the easier everything would be.
Elena, sharp and opportunistic as always, would not miss the meaning behind those gifts. And when the truth finally came out—when she realized that I was the Alpha of Bloodfang Pack—
She would understand.
I was not someone she could control.
I was not someone she could dismiss.
And I was not going anywhere.
As for Lucian…
If he ever learned the truth—
If he ever realized what I truly was—
Would he still look at me with that cold distance?
Or would regret come crawling back to him?
The thought lingered only for a moment before I pushed it away.
It didn’t matter.
None of it did.
“Alpha Alaric is truly generous,” one of the women nearby whispered. “I heard his granddaughter is his only heir. I wonder what kind of elegant lady she must be.”
The topic shifted instantly.
Curiosity filled the air.
Followed by admiration.
And envy.
Winnie turned her gaze toward me, then glanced in the direction Frank had disappeared. A slow, mocking smile formed on her lips.
“I’ve heard the heiress of Bloodfang Pack is not only graceful but also quite powerful,” she said lightly. “Ms. Nightbane, since you’re connected to Moonveil Pack, have you ever met her?”
Her tone was casual.
But her eyes—
Sharp.
Testing.
Watching for a reaction.
I shook my head.
And just like that—
Soft laughter spread.
Low.
Mocking.
Expected.
To them, the heiress of Bloodfang Pack was a legend. Untouchable. Far beyond their reach.
Someone like me—
Could never stand in that position.
“Oh, right,” another woman said quickly, turning to Winnie. “Didn’t you meet Alpha Alaric’s granddaughter at the Phoshire Fashion Show?”
Winnie paused.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But I saw it.
Then she nodded smoothly, her smile returning as if nothing had happened.
“Yes, I did,” she said. “She’s incredibly beautiful. Very noble. We even exchanged Twitter handles and had a lovely conversation.”
My grip on the glass tightened slightly.
“She told me she’ll visit me when she comes to Epicmon,” Winnie continued effortlessly. “I’ll introduce you all to her when she does.”
The reaction was immediate.
Excited.
Admiring.
“Wow, Winnie, that’s amazing!”
“You actually know her?”
“That’s unbelievable!”
I stared at her.
Silent.
Then slowly—
Amused.
She was lying.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Creating a story so smooth that everyone believed it without question.
I had never met her.
Never spoken to her.
Never exchanged anything.
And yet here she was, standing confidently in front of everyone, claiming familiarity with someone she had never even seen.
I couldn’t hold it back anymore.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, I asked, “Are you sure you really met the heiress of Bloodfang Pack?”
Winnie’s smile stiffened.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
“Of course I did,” she said quickly.
“Really?” another woman added with a laugh. “I guess you must be jealous, Ms. Nightbane. Even if you share the same surname, you’re nothing compared to her.”
More laughter followed.
Soft.
Cruel.
I let out a quiet breath.
Then smiled faintly.
And turned away.
There was nothing to gain from this.
Arguing with them would only lower me.
Watching them deceive themselves was far more entertaining.
As I walked away, I could feel Winnie’s gaze on my back.
Sharp.
Uneasy.
She kept glancing at me, clearly worried.
Afraid.
That I might expose her.
But I didn’t.
I had no interest in ending her performance.
Not yet.
Frieda’s voice came softly beside me.
“Ever since you finished playing the piano, Lucian hasn’t taken his eyes off you.”
I didn’t react.
When I played, the entire room had been watching.
One more pair of eyes meant nothing.
Then Frieda spoke again.
“He’s angry with you. For ignoring him tonight.”
I lifted my glass and took a slow sip before glancing sideways.
Lucian stood across the hall.
And just as she said—
His expression was cold.
Hard.
Unforgiving.
A small laugh rose inside me.
This man…
Was unbelievably petty.
He must have expected me to fail earlier, just like Winnie. Maybe he had even been waiting for it, ready to confirm whatever opinion he already held of me.
But I hadn’t failed.
I had surpassed her completely.
And that—
That had not been part of his plan.
I felt nothing but quiet ridicule.
I had no interest in dealing with someone like him.
Not now.
Not ever.
These three months—
That was all this was.
A temporary arrangement.
A challenge I had accepted.
Something I would endure.
I would use this time to strengthen myself.
To refine my patience.
To sharpen my control.
And when it ended—
I would walk away.
I sat alone for a while, letting the noise of the banquet fade into something distant and meaningless. The laughter, the whispers, the shifting attention—it all blurred together until it no longer mattered.
Eventually, I stood.
There was no reason to stay.
I would leave early.
Quietly.
Without drawing attention.
I walked toward the exit, my steps steady, my expression calm. The air outside would be better than this suffocating hall. I could call a cab, return home, and leave all of this behind.
But just as I reached the doors—
A voice cut sharply through the space behind me.
Cold.
Commanding.
Unmistakable.
“Who gave you permission to leave without saying anything?”