Vermillion & Silver

Chapter Nine || Power Play

A strong current lit the air with a heady energy. The Blue Moon shined brightly, painting the night in an unnatural light that cast deep shadows that were almost sinister. The upper courtyard of the castle was filled with music and merriment but there was no disguising the tension that could be felt among the royals and nobles gathered for the celebration. An announcement was coming and everyone knew it.

Selene had made her choice, she had arrived at the feast wearing the ring, but she still had doubts. She couldn't see how Alpha Fenrirsen intended to get past Duke Hadrianen and his demands, but Selene had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as easy as Miss Fenrirsen had implied. But it was out of her hands now and all she could do was pray that her choice was the right one.

As part of the entertainment for the evening a troupe of dancers was performing a complicated dance, bodies twisting and turning with infinite grace enhanced by the moonlight. It was a beautiful spectacle and Selene was trying to devote her full attention to it, but it was impossible. She was not only worried about the announcement, she was struggling to keep the pull of the moon from overwhelming her.

She could feel everything more strongly, her senses were amplified to a degree she'd never experienced before and she felt the beast lying close to the surface, ready to break free at the slightest provocation. Keeping her focus was torturous and the way things were going was not helping matters. It was a time bomb and she feared the aftermath of such an explosion.

Percival Hawthorne had stayed by her side since the moment she made her entrance and his presence was driving her crazy; the man stank of human, had stepped on the train of her dress more than once and had made quite a few impertinent remarks throughout the evening. His presence was an insult, not only to Selene but to the other guests and, more importantly, to the goddess, such a wolf had no place in a celebration like the Blue Moon. Selene could only hope The Moon would punish Hadrianen for the terrible affront.

Selene felt Hawthorne's fingers lightly stroking her arm and pulled away as discreetly as possible. He kept trying to touch her in an effort to provoke Etienne Valois. The young Duke had been wearing a thunderous expression all night and kept glancing at Hawthorne with unrestrained disgust, Selene was sure the only reason why he wasn't throwing a full-on tantrum was Prince Stephane's warning words.

In an effort to control her growing anxiousness, Selene played with the ring in her right hand, it's foreign weight kept her mind away from the present and led her to thoughts of freedom and the promises the small object represented. She had tried her hardest to be discreet but in that moment she chanced a look at the Fenrirsen's, the brother and sister along with their two companions were keeping to themselves, away from the crowd and with uninviting expressions that discouraged any attempts at socialization.

Miss Fenrirsen was not exactly a friendly woman but she still was somewhat approachable, her brother, on the other hand, was completely stoic. Selene watched him carefully for a few seconds, he was standing ramrod straight, making his already large height even more intimidating, his features were somewhat delicate, soft eyes and a thin pointy nose, but the frown that creased his brow gave his expression an almost aggressive tone that was reinforced by the large reddish scar on his right cheek. He was a different kind of handsome than what Selene was used to, no perfect symmetry and flawless bodies, no, Fenrirsen was all wild hair and savage air.

It suddenly dawned on her that she'd chosen to side with savages. What could they possibly know about honor? Growing up, the priestesses had told her about the werewolves from the far north, the packs that survived by stealing from others and slaughtering innocents. The murderers for hire that had come calling at their doors when she turned eighteen.

She turned to look at the group once more in a panicked attempt to figure out if these were the same men that had attacked the sanctuary. Alpha Fenrirsen eyed her back this time, his gaze strong and unwavering but not violent, Selene could almost say it was encouraging. She understood one thing then, he was a savage but not an unkind one.