THE GALA AND THE FALLOUT

The gala sparkled with fake smiles and old money, crystal Lanterns casting shadows over pack politics. I tugged at my conservative blue gown, my skin still burning from Lucas’s touches the night before. Every movement reminded me of our night together, every tick of the clock counting down to my approaching heat.

"Elena." Richard Thompson appeared beside me, his smirk shallow, his eyes void of warmth. "You look... adequate."

I fought the urge to pull away from his touch as his hand settled on my lower back. "Thank you for the invitation."

"Oh, it won’t be the only thing I give you." His fingers dug into my spine, possessive. "Your father has already agreed to the match. Smart man, knowing damaged goods need a quick sale."

My wolf stirred, a sharp, unfamiliar defiance rising within me.

Lucas's influence.

Even after just one night, he had awakened something in me—something stronger, something that refused to cower.

A commotion erupted at the entrance. The air shifted. Murmurs swelled around us.

"Alpha Blackwood..."

"I thought he never attended these..."

"The Northern Pack's leader himself..."

My heart clenched.

No. Please, no.

But there he was. Lucas Blackwood. The very man who had whispered my name against my skin just last night. The one whose touch still lingered on my body. He stood tall, powerful, exuding authority that made the room hold its breath. The crowd parted instinctively, making way for him as he surveyed the gathering with a cool, unreadable expression.

"Ah, the great Alpha Blackwood," Richard sneered beside me. "Here to gloat over his latest victory against your father’s pack?"

My stomach twisted.

Blackwood. The Northern Pack. The enemy.

The same pack my father had sworn vengeance against. The same pack that had killed my uncle in a territory dispute. The same pack... that I had spent the night with.

Lucas’s gaze found mine across the room. Something flickered in his expression—recognition, heat, betrayal. Then his focus dropped to Richard’s hand on my back, and his face hardened into pure fury.

"Elena." My father’s voice cut through the murmurs. "Come. There’s someone you need to meet."

I froze. *No, no, no.* But my feet moved on their own, years of obedience forcing me forward. Richard followed closely, his grip tightening around my waist as if to stake his claim before the entire room.

I knew exactly what my father was doing. He wanted to make my engagement to Richard public—final. He wanted the pack leaders to witness it, to make sure I had no way out. My feelings didn’t matter. My future had already been decided.

But then, something unexpected happened.

My father’s confident expression wavered. His eyes locked on the man standing before him, and for the first time, I saw hesitation—maybe even shock.

"Blackwood?" he muttered under his breath, as if he hadn’t expected to see him here.

Lucas met us halfway, his presence making the air feel heavier. His dark eyes settled on my father, his face unreadable.

"James Walker." His voice was sharp, formal. "I didn’t think I’d see you here."

"Likewise." My father’s tone was cold, but there was something guarded underneath it. Lucas eyes were fixed on me, my father looked from me to him. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "Do you know my daughter? Elena?"

Everything around us seemed to stop.

Lucas’s gaze shifted to me. The moment he realized who I was, his expression darkened. Recognition. Betrayal. Fury. All of it flickered through his eyes.

"Walker," he said, his voice low and full of venom. "You’re a Walker?"

I opened my mouth, my heart hammering. "Lucas, I—"

Richard cut me off. "Lucas?" His fingers dug into my arm. "You know him?... That’s a little too familiar for an enemy, don’t you think, mate?"

Lucas’s nostrils flared as he scented the air. His eyes burned red. "You mated her?" he snarled at Richard.

"Not yet." Richard’s smile was sharp, cruel. "But soon. Though I must ask, Elena dear, why do you smell like another Alpha?"

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

My father’s face drained of color. "No." His voice cracked. "Tell me you didn’t..."

Lucas let out a harsh laugh, one that shattered my heart. "Oh, she did. Your precious Omega daughter spread her legs for your sworn enemy." His eyes pinned me, colder than I’d ever seen them. "Tell me, was it your father’s idea? Seduce the Northern Alpha? Gain his trust?"

"What? No!" Tears burned my eyes. "Lucas, please, I didn’t know—"

"Save your lies." He stepped closer, towering over me. "I reject you. I will never accept you as my mate."

The words hit like a physical blow.

Wolves whispered all around us. My father’s rage crackled like fire. Richard stood beside me, smug, satisfied.

"Well," Richard drawled, "it seems I’ll have to be extra thorough in teaching you your place, little Omega. Damaged goods indeed."

Lucas’s fists balled. For a split second, pain flashed across his face, gone as quickly as it came.

"Take your prize." His voice was hollow, empty. "A Walker whore suits a Thompson well."

Something inside me shattered.

Pain dropped me to my knees. My wolf howled in agony. The bond—the fragile, unspoken thread between Lucas and me—was severed in an instant. Through the haze of my tears, I saw him turn, his shoulders rigid as he strode away, leaving me behind.

"Daddy," I whispered, reaching for my father’s hand.

He stepped back, disgust twisting his features. "You’ve brought shame to this family for the last time. You will marry Richard. It’s all you’re good for now."

Richard’s hand curved around my arm, pulling me upright. "Come, dear. Let’s get you home before your... condition... becomes obvious to everyone."

I froze. "What condition?"

Richard’s smile turned predatory. "Oh, didn’t you know? An Omega’s scent changes when they’re approaching heat. But yours... yours is different. The Northern Pack’s magic runs deep in their bloodlines. One night with their Alpha?" He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. "You’ve been marked, Elena. Not mated, not claimed, but marked. In three days, when your heat hits, you’ll either accept my claim... or the magic will tear you apart."

Horror clawed up my throat. I had heard stories of incomplete bonds—of Omegas driven mad by the magical backlash of a rejected mark. But those were just stories... weren’t they?

"You’re lying," I whispered, but my wolf whimpered in recognition of the truth.

Richard’s grip tightened. "Ask your father why he’s so desperate to see you mated to me immediately. Ask him what happens to Omegas marked by Northern Pack magic. Or better yet... ask your mother."

The world tilted. "My mother died of illness..."

Richard’s laughter was cold. "Is that what they told you? She died because she dared to love a Northern wolf, then tried to reject the mark. Your father found her replacement within months. Smart man."

I turned to my father, my breath catching. The guilt in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. Dozens of wolves were watching, whispering, their eyes darting between Richard and me. The tension in the air was suffocating. I could feel their judgment, their curiosity, their hunger for a scandal.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I turned abruptly and walked away, ignoring the gasps and hushed voices behind me. My chest felt tight, my mind spinning. I needed to breathe. To think. My feet carried me toward a side door, and I slipped through it without hesitation. The noise of the gala faded behind me, swallowed by the stillness of the dimly lit room I had entered.

I exhaled shakily and turned, catching my reflection in a dusty mirror on the wall. My makeup was smudged, my cheeks flushed, my eyes red from unshed tears. I barely recognized the girl staring back at me—lost, broken, and drowning in the weight of a future she didn’t choose.

Then, my phone vibrated in my clutch.

My heart pounded as I pulled it out, already knowing who it was.

A message from Lucas.

*Don’t ever come near me or my pack again. Whatever game you were playing, you won. I hope it was worth it.*

I swallowed hard. A sharp pain twisted in my chest. *Game?* He thought I had played him? That I had used him? No. It wasn’t like that. It had never been like that.

Another message followed immediately.

*And tell your father—the council meets tomorrow to discuss war between our packs. Your treachery will not go unpunished.*

War.

The word sent ice through my veins. Lucas wasn’t just angry—he was ready to retaliate. And my father, who had already despised the Northern Pack, wouldn’t hesitate to escalate things. This wasn’t just about me anymore. This was about power, control, and old wounds that had never healed.

Had my one night with Lucas really caused all of this? Had I unknowingly lit the match that could burn everything to the ground?

My hands shook as I lowered the phone. I needed to get out of here before it was too late.

My gaze dropped to my hand.

The vial.

I had almost forgotten about it, but now, it felt like my only hope.

Rosa had given it to me hours before the gala, slipping it into my palm as she whispered urgently, *“Your mother left this for you. It can suppress your heat... but only once. Choose wisely, mijita.”*

At the time, I hadn’t fully understood what she meant. Now, it was painfully clear. If I stayed, my heat would trap me. Richard would claim me, whether I wanted it or not. And if I ran without taking it, the scent of my heat would make me easy to track.

I tightened my grip around the vial.

I had a choice. Stay here, let them decide my fate, let Richard take what he wanted—or run. Escape before my heat locked me into a bond I couldn’t break.

I turned back to the mirror, staring at myself with newfound resolve. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t helpless. I wouldn’t let them do this to me.

I was going to escape.

Tonight.

Taking a deep breath, I shoved the vial into my dress and wiped my face with trembling hands. No more hesitation. No more waiting. If I wanted freedom, I had to take it myself.

Let them think they had won.

They had no idea what I was about to do.