Moonfall | Book Two

CHAPTER 20

While the female omegas were preparing his attire for the annual ball, he stood at his window, staring out at the rustling, snowy trees of the Woodlands. Although the sky was painted in various shades of orange, night was undoubtedly upon the horizon.

But even the beauty of the sunset could not calm his nerves.

Tonight would mark the first time the Wolves and Fae would be together under one roof since the territory expansion—that greatly benefitted the Wolves but disadvantaged the Fae—decades prior. There was no telling how the night would go, but he was certain he, like most of the pack, was right to be on edge. The only difference was he was more worried about his own kind than he was about the magical winged creatures.

And it was that concern that made him want to avoid the ball at all costs.

Just as an omega slid a tailcoat over his shoulders, he heard a knock on his chamber door. When he turned away from the window, another omega was already scurrying towards the door before he could call out for the visitor to enter.

After she opened it, her head immediately lowered before taking a few steps back and clearing a path. Seconds after, his father walked in, and the rest of the omegas, including the one tending to him, lowered their heads and backed away.

"You may leave us," his father's deep voice broke the silence.

The omegas quickly left his chambers, and the last one out closed the door behind her.

He had a feeling whatever his father came to say, he was not going to like.

He looked down and began to button up his coat. "You insisted upon them serving me against my will, yet command them as if they are yours."

"Are all subjects in this castle not the Alpha's to command?"

He smiled—what else could he do whilst knowing he could not counter that particular fact—and as he finished fastening the last of the buttons, he lifted his head and looked at his approaching father. Brown eyes identical to his own but brimming with an unmatchable intensity stared back at him.

"What brings you here on such an important night?"

His father reached inside his own coat and pulled out a sheathed dagger. "I came to give you this."

He looked between the dagger and his father.

The weapon was more like an heirloom and had been in his family for decades, passed down generation to generation, Alpha to future Alpha. But as a boy nearing his eighteenth year and no intention of becoming the Alpha anytime soon, he was perplexed by the sudden gift.

"Your dagger? Why?"

"Tonight is a very important night in more ways than one. My hope is that this monumental night, where the Wolves and Fae will be coming together, will be marked with another kind of union."

"What are you getting at, father?"

His father stretched out the dagger towards him to take. "'Tis time for you to choose a mate."

He shook his head and walked past his father towards the door.

He had already made it clear numerous times that finding a mate was at the very bottom of his interests and thought the matter would not be brought up again.

Clearly, he had thought wrong.

"Stop walking," his father called after him.

"We will be late for the ball."

"I said stop walking!"

The distinction between an alpha's command and a father's stern tone was like night and day. As he was more used to the latter, hearing the former, in that moment, made him stop out of shock more than obedience.