His Abandoned Luna Chapter 96

|| Alaric’s POV ||

My Luna.

My dove.

My princess.

The words echoed in my mind, a mantra I couldn’t escape. Was she my mate? I wished she was. If she were, she would have told me by now. But the way she looked at me, the way she trusted me— it was enough to make me hope.

The whispers started almost immediately.

“Is that Lilac Blackwood?”

“She’s beautiful.”

“She looks like a real Luna Queen.”

“Absolutely stunning.”

“It’s hard to believe she’s still single.”

“Kael was a fool to let her go.”

The comments grated on me, each one a reminder of how much she deserved better than the way Kael had treated her. I couldn’t hold back any longer. She was mine, and everyone needed to see that.

I strode through the crowd, my eyes locked on her. When I reached her, I extended my hand, my voice low but firm. “May I, dove?”

She smiled, her eyes lighting up as she placed her hand in mine. I led her away from the prying eyes, my wolf growling in satisfaction at the way she leaned into me. It took every ounce of my self-control not to pull her closer, to claim her in front of everyone. But I held back. The time wasn’t right— not yet.

The event proceeded as expected. Kael made a fool of himself during the press conference, his composure cracking under the weight of the reporters’ questions. Alexander, on the other hand, handled it with grace and confidence. The contrast was stark, and I could see the approval in the eyes of the alphas and lunas around the room.

As the couples began to fill the dance floor, I couldn’t stay away from her any longer. I moved through the crowd, my eyes never leaving hers. When I reached her, I extended my hand once more. “May I, my Luna?”

She took my hand with a smile that took my breath away, and I pulled her close, my arm wrapping around her waist. The music swelled around us, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the room.

“Why is everyone watching us?” she whispered, her voice soft but tinged with amusement.

“The famous Lilac Blackwood and the infamous banished Alaric,” I replied, my tone light but my grip on her tightening. “Of course, the country will watch.”

She frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re not banished, Alaric. You’re a wonderful alpha, and you have a beautiful pack. Anyone who doesn’t see that is blind.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. No one had defended me like that since my mother. The warmth that spread through me was almost overwhelming. “Thank you,” I said, my voice rough with emotion.

She smiled, her hand tightening around mine. “Alaric, thank you again.”

“For what?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“For the support,” she said, her eyes shining with gratitude.

I smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “You chose a good contender. How could I not support him?”

Her laughter was like music, and I couldn’t resist leaning closer, my lips brushing against her ear. “Besides, I’ll do anything to make my Luna happy.”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, I thought she might pull away. But she didn’t. Instead, she leaned into me, her body pressed against mine as we moved to the music. My control was slipping, the line between restraint and desire blurring with every second.

But then, just as I prepared her for the dip, a hand shot out, pulling her away from me. My jaw tightened as I turned to see Kael standing there, his arm curled possessively around Lilac’s waist.

“That’s enough dancing,” he said, his voice cold and sharp.

The tension in the room was palpable, and I could feel my wolf snarling beneath the surface.

|| Third-party POV ||

The grand hall was alive with the hum of conversation and the soft strains of music, but all eyes were drawn to the couple dancing in the center of the room. Alaric and Lilac moved as if the music had been composed solely for them, their steps perfectly in sync, their bodies close but not too close, their eyes locked in a way that spoke of a connection deeper than anyone in the room could fathom. The way he looked at her— like she was the only person in the world— and the way her cheeks flushed under his gaze, told a story that no words could capture. It was intimate, electric, and undeniable.

The whispers began almost immediately, rippling through the crowd like a wave.

“Look at them.”

“First, he walked her into the hall, and now this dance.”

“They look so... intimate.”

“They look perfect together, like they’re meant to be the Alpha King and Luna Queen.”

“Are they in love?”

The murmurs reached Kael’s ears, and his blood boiled. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening as he watched Lilac in Alaric’s arms. How could she move on so quickly? How could she replace him with him? The rage that had been simmering inside him erupted, and before he could think better of it, he strode onto the dance floor, his movements sharp and deliberate.

“That’s enough dancing,” Kael growled, his voice cutting through the music as he grabbed Lilac’s arm and pulled her away from Alaric. His arm curled around her waist as he pulled her closer, possessively.

Lilac stumbled, her eyes wide with shock before they narrowed in anger. She yanked herself free, her voice cold and sharp. “Don’t touch me.”

Alaric’s expression darkened, his grey eyes flashing with barely contained fury. But he kept his composure, his voice calm but laced with venom. “Despite growing up in the castle, you clearly haven’t learned etiquette.”

Kael’s eyes snapped to Alaric, his teeth bared in a snarl. “What did you just say?”