His Abandoned Luna Chapter 93

|| Lilac’s POV ||

The moment I looked up and saw Alaric standing before me, the world seemed to slow down. His presence was magnetic, commanding the space around him with an effortless grace. His sharp grey eyes locked onto mine, filled with a quiet intensity that made my heart race. He was dressed in a tailored black suit that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, the faint scent of pines and earth enveloping me like a warm, familiar embrace. It was a scent that had become synonymous with safety and something deeper, something I wasn’t ready to name yet.

“Alaric,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. His name felt like a secret, something sacred that only I was allowed to say.

He smiled, a slow, knowing smile that sent shivers down my spine. It was the kind of smile that made me feel like he could see straight through me, past all the walls I had built, straight into the heart of who I was.

“You look stunning,” he said, his voice low and intimate, as if the words were meant only for me.

I felt a rush of warmth at his words, but before I could respond, he turned to Ezra, who was standing awkwardly beside me, clearly unsure of what to do.

“Don’t worry, pup, I’ll take care of her,” Alaric said, his tone light but firm.

Ezra nodded, his expression a mix of relief and awe, before hurrying off to join our parents. I watched him go, feeling a pang of guilt for making him wait, but Alaric’s hand on the small of my back pulled my attention back to him. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through me, grounding me in the moment.

“Shall we?” he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

I nodded, allowing him to lead me further into the hall. The crowd parted as we walked as if he was the king, and he was guiding his queen through the hall. The whispers and curious glances following us like a wave. But I barely noticed. All I could focus on was the man beside me, his presence a steady anchor in the sea of chaos. His hand remained on my back, a subtle but reassuring weight that made me feel like I belonged there, like I was exactly where I was meant to be.

He walked me to where Elara was standing, her eyes widening as she saw us approach.

“And there goes your friend,” Alaric said, his tone teasing.

“Yeah,” I smiled, feeling a strange sense of pride at the way he effortlessly navigated the room.

As we reached Elara, Alaric let me go, his hand lingering for a moment before he stepped back. “Here you are, safe and sound from all of those gawking gazes. I’m sure you’ll take it from here, Elara.”

Elara looked more than surprised.

“How do you know my name?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Alaric’s lips curled into that familiar smirk.

“I like to keep an eye on those who live around my princess,” he said, winking with his usual charm.

My heart fluttered at his words, and I could feel my cheeks heating up. Elara, of course, noticed immediately, and I knew she would tease me about it later.

“Is that so?” Elara grinned, her eyes flicking between me and Alaric.

“Of course,” Alaric replied smoothly. “I also happen to know you got a great lead on the rogues. Good job.”

Elara’s eyes widened in shock. “How do you know? That’s confidential. I mean, class A.”

Alaric’s smirk deepened.

“I have my ways,” he said cryptically. Then he turned to me, taking my hand in his and pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

“I’ll be around, dove,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

And just like that, he disappeared into the crowd, his presence fading as quickly as it had appeared. I could still see him moving through the room, his tall frame cutting through the sea of people with ease. Alexander had been right— people only saw Alaric when he wanted to be seen.

“Well, someone made quite an entrance,” Elara said, poking me with her elbow.

“Shut up,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips.

“You look stunning. It’s… not just stunning. It’s like you’re walking the red carpet. And you even matched with him,” she said, her tone teasing.

I glanced down at my gown, a deep blue that shimmered like the night sky, and then back at Alaric, who was standing in a corner, his eyes still on me. His suit was a perfect match for my dress, the dark fabric accentuating his broad shoulders and lean frame. His lips formed a small smile as our eyes met, and I felt that familiar flutter in my chest.

“Lost in his eyes again, Princess?” Elara teased, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Stop it,” I said, faking anger, though my cheeks betrayed me.

“There you are,” Astrid said as she and Madeline joined us.

“Look at you. You took everyone’s breath away as you walked in,” Madeline added, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

“Yeah, it looked like you’re the star of the event,” Astrid said, her smile bright.

“Please stop. You’re embarrassing me,” I said, trying to hide my embarrassment as they all kept praising me. The three girls giggled, their laughter a welcome distraction from the tension of the evening.

“Where’s Alexander, by the way?” I asked, changing the subject.

“He’s talking to other alphas,” Madeline said, her tone dreamy. “You know him. He’s always so confident.”

“That’s good. Buckle up, girls. We’re gonna have a long night,” Astrid said, her tone light but her eyes serious.

As if on cue, the sound of a spoon clinking against a champagne glass echoed through the hall, silencing the crowd. The Alpha King stood on the stage, his presence commanding attention. The room fell silent, the tension palpable as everyone waited for him to speak.

“Good evening, everyone,” the Alpha King began, his voice deep and resonant. “I am honored to host this evening as your Alpha King. Thank you all for joining us today to celebrate all our contenders for the future Alpha King. One of the names I will announce today will rule over us tomorrow. The fate of our kingdom will fall on his shoulders.”

He paused, his eyes scanning the room, and I felt my heart race. This was it. The moment we had all been waiting for.

“Today, the names I have for the election are,” he said, his voice carrying through the hall. He paused again, drawing out the tension.

“Kael Reventhorn,” he read the first name, his tone neutral but his eyes lingering on the crowd. Of course, Kael’s name was first. It was no secret that the Alpha King favored his son, even if he didn’t always show it.

“Alpha Sebastian Bash of Bluemoon Pack,” he continued, his voice steady.

“Alpha Dominic Salvador of Redmoon Pack.”

“Alpha Henry Lockwood of Nighthowler Pack.”

The Alpha King’s eyes lingered over the list for a moment too long before he read the final name. “Alpha Alexander Stone of Silver Moon Pack.”

The hall erupted in applause, the loudest cheers reserved for Alexander. I searched the room for Kael, finding him standing by the Luna Queen. For a brief moment, I thought I saw him grit his teeth, his composure slipping before he quickly regained control.

I smirked. The game had officially begun.