Chapter 5
The morning of the Winter Solstice Ball arrived with a flurry of activity. Servants bustled through the palace corridors, carrying decorations and preparing for the evening's festivities. I stood motionless as Elena and her assistants worked their magic, transforming me from the broken Omega I'd been into something entirely new.
"Stand straighter," Elena instructed, adjusting the silver circlet nestled in my hair. "You're not an Omega anymore, remember?"
I drew a deep breath, trying to absorb her words. The woman in the mirror looked like a stranger—regal, powerful, untouchable. The obsidian gown hugged my curves before cascading to the floor in a waterfall of midnight silk. Silver embroidery caught the light with every breath, creating the illusion of stars shimmering across the fabric.
"Is this really me?" I whispered, unable to tear my eyes from my reflection.
"Only the beginning," came Roy's deep voice from the doorway.
I turned to find him watching me, his silver eyes dark with an emotion I was still learning to recognize. He crossed the room with predatory grace, stopping just close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"You look like you were born to wear silver and obsidian," he said, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
From behind his back, he produced a velvet box. "A tradition," he explained, opening it to reveal a necklace of interconnected moonstones that seemed to capture and reflect the light. "For the Lycan Queen."
My breath caught as he stepped behind me, his fingers brushing my neck as he fastened the clasp. The stones settled against my skin, cool at first, then warming as if recognizing me.
"Tonight," he murmured, his lips close to my ear, "you bow to no one."
---
The great hall of the Obsidian Palace glittered with candlelight, the massive chandeliers casting dancing shadows across the assembled guests. I stood at Roy's side, my hand resting on his arm as we greeted the visiting packs.
"Alpha Victor and Luna Bailey of Silver Mist Pack," announced the herald at the entrance.
My body tensed involuntarily. Roy's hand covered mine, squeezing gently in reassurance.
"Remember who you are now," he whispered.
I lifted my chin, straightening my spine as Edward, Bailey, and Alpha Victor approached. Edward wore the ceremonial furs of an Alpha, though they hung loosely on his frame. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his skin had a sickly pallor that spoke of sleepless nights.
Bailey clung to his arm, draped in ostentatious jewelry that couldn't disguise her Beta status. Her smile was brittle as she took in my transformation.
"Your Majesty," Alpha Victor bowed deeply, his voice carrying across the hall. "The Silver Mist Pack comes to pledge fealty and offer gifts on this sacred night."
"We've brought tales of our pack's strength," Edward added, his voice strained as he tried to project confidence. "Our borders have never been more secure."
"Indeed?" Roy's tone was deceptively mild. "I've heard interesting reports from your territory."
Edward's hand moved to his chest, rubbing absently at the spot where our bond had once been. "Nothing but prosperity under my leadership."
"Of course," Bailey interjected, her smile not reaching her eyes. "We've been blessed since our Alpha found his true strength."
The group moved toward the refreshment tables, Bailey's voice carrying as she boasted to nearby Alphas about Silver Mist's supposed victories against Rogues.
"They have no idea," I murmured to Roy.
His lips curved in a cold smile. "Wait until they see you on the throne."
---
The ceremony began as the moon reached its zenith. Roy led me to the raised dais where two thrones stood—his ancient black chair and a new one, crafted of silver and moonstone.
"Approach and present your gifts," the herald called to the assembled packs.
One by one, they came forward, offering tokens of loyalty and respect. When Silver Mist's turn arrived, Edward and Bailey approached with Alpha Victor, carrying a ceremonial sword in an ornate sheath.
"We honor the Lycan King with this blade," Alpha Victor announced, "forged in the fires of our ancestral lands."
As they climbed the steps to the dais, Edward's steps faltered. His nostrils flared, catching a scent that made his face drain of color.
"Winter jasmine and vanilla," he whispered, his voice breaking.
Bailey tugged at his arm. "What are you talking about? Focus!"
But Edward couldn't move. His eyes were fixed on the empty throne beside Roy's—my throne. The scent was unmistakable, but now intertwined with something else—storm and pine, the overwhelming presence of the Lycan King.
"This isn't possible," he breathed, terror dawning in his eyes.
Bailey hissed in his ear, her fingers digging into his arm. "Pull yourself together! Everyone is watching!"
Edward's gaze traveled from the throne to me, standing regally at Roy's side. For the first time, he truly saw me—not as the Omega he'd discarded, but as something far more powerful.
The realization hit him like a physical blow. His knees buckled slightly as the truth crashed down upon him.
I smiled, letting him see the White Wolf in my eyes.
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