Chapter 331
Chapter 331
Avery’s POV
The moment we entered the banquet hall, I felt my heart rise into my throat. I hesitated in the doorway, scanning the crowd.
“Nervous?” Sebastian asked, still smiling down at me with that charming smile of his.
I scratched my head. “I go to events in the human lands all the time. But… it’s been a very long time since I’ve attended a werewolf event p>
As soon as I said those words, I cringed, regretting them. I feared I’d said too much. Of course Sebastian knew I was a werewolf it wasn’t exactly something I could hide –but I never wanted to go into my past.
“When was the last time you were in the packs?” he asked, guiding me deeper into the party.
I waved him off. “It doesn’t matter. My life is in the human lands now p>
He nodded. “Understandable. And what a life you’ve made for yourself.” He glanced down at me. “For someone whose business only cropped up a few years ago, your progress has been impressive p>
“Thanks.” I couldn’t help but smile at that, and it made me think of Bjorn.
One day, he would truly understand why I had done what I’d done. Why I had worked my ass off to set up a future for him in the human lands.
Why I had pulled him away from… this.
And yet, as I looked around, a feeling of nostalgia that I wasn’t expecting swept over me. I looked around at the werewolf women laughing and smiling as their dresses flared around them on the dancefloor. I looked at the men who were drinking and playing cards at tables. I looked at the freshly mated couples who only had eyes for each other.
Life here could be catty and cruel, like those women in the hall who judged me for my attire, but it was also honest and open in a way that the human world wasn’t. In the human world, everything was about appearances, money, assets, Even if you had nothing, you were expected to play the game, to act like you had it all so other people would be jealous of you.
Here, it was… different. Not completely different, of course; plenty of werewolves
1/3
Chapter 331
+25 Bonus
were greedy and envious.
But there was a bigger emphasis on connections. Mates. Alphas and Betas who had been friends as long as they could remember. The military prestige of Gammas who would do anything for their Deltas. The Omegas who, despite being servants, still found joy in the small things and in their community.
It was just a small reminder of the one thing I missed the most about living in the packs.
Sebastian remained by my side all night, which I appreciated. It kept me from having to mingle on my own with people who were looking at me like I was a total weirdo, and he kept true to his promise to keep things “casual p>
I wasn’t worried about my identity being discovered, not with the sheer amount of people here and the way he moved quickly from one group to another, never stopping long enough to let them ask too many questions.
But it was about halfway through the night when he stepped away briefly.
And not thirty seconds after he walked away, my wolf went wild.
“MATE p>
th
I gasped, whipping my head around. I hadn’t felt that pull in ten years. I’d convinced myself, somewhere along the way, that I’d qutgrown it or buried it deep enough that it wouldn’t work anymore. As if the bond Gideon and I shared could simply be erased with time.
But I was wrong. It worked exactly the same as it always had, which was to say it worked like a freight train.
Gideon was maybe fifteen feet away and getting closer.
My stomach dropped straight through the floor,
He looked older. Of course he did-ten years was ten years-but he wore it well, which was deeply inconvenient, Broader in the shoulders than I remembered. A few handsome lines around the eyes. The same jaw, the same way of moving through a room like he owned it, and he was looking directly at me.
Shit. Shit shit shit!
Trying to remain casual, I quickly turned and walked into the crowd.
2/3
Editorial Board
Editorial Board Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.