Chapter 2

The grand hall buzzed with excitement, a sea of unfamiliar faces surrounding me. I stood awkwardly by the refreshment table, feeling like a fish out of water. The air was thick with perfume, sweat, and anticipation, making it hard to breathe. I swirled my drink absent-mindedly, the coolness of the glass a stark contrast to the warmth of the crowded room.

My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Axel. He had promised to stay by my side, but he was nowhere to be seen. Typical. I sighed, resigned to weathering this storm alone. The faces around me blurred together - wolves from various packs, all dressed to the nines. And here I was, feeling like a reluctant observer in a world I didn't belong to.

I picked at the thin sheet cake on my plate, having lost interest in actually eating it. The sweetness in the air mingled with the sharper scent of alcohol, making my head spin. Or maybe that was just the exhaustion setting in. Either way, I was ready for this night to be over.

"Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?"

The cheesy pickup line made me roll my eyes before I even turned to face its source. A tall man with dirty blonde hair and dark, almost-black eyes leered at me. The smell of coconut mixed with stale alcohol assaulted my senses, making me wrinkle my nose in disgust.

"Not interested," I muttered, turning away. But apparently, this guy couldn't take a hint.

His hand clamped down on my upper arm, his grip painfully tight. "Hey, I'm talking to you, mutt," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

Fear flooded through me as I realized how alone I was. My breath hitched, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I looked around desperately for help, but everyone seemed oblivious to my situation.

Just as tears began to prick at my eyes, a familiar voice cut through the crowd. "Get your hands off her."

Relief washed over me as Axel appeared, his face a mask of barely contained anger. The man released me with a scoff and disappeared into the crowd. Axel's fingers gently brushed the red marks on my arm, his touch soothing the ache.

"Damn Raven wolves," he cursed under his breath, his eyes scanning the room. "Are you okay, Thalia?"

I nodded, but the pit in my stomach only grew. "That was... he was from the Raven Pack?"

Axel's face darkened. "Yeah, but not their Alpha. Trust me, he's far more dangerous."

Before I could process that ominous statement, the grand doors burst open. The room fell silent as a group of imposing wolves strode in, their presence filling the space with an oppressive energy. My body tensed instinctively, every fiber on high alert.

A wave of lavender washed over me, so thick and overwhelming it was almost nauseating. Gasps rippled through the crowd as the newcomers made their way to the center of the room.

And there, at the head of the pack, was a man who could only be their Alpha. His golden eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity as they swept across the room. His jawline was sharp, his hair streaked with sun-kissed blonde at the tips. Every move he made exuded dominance and power.

Then his eyes locked onto mine, and the world seemed to stop.

"It's him," I whispered, my voice barely audible even to myself. My legs felt weak, and I gripped Axel's arm for support.

"Who?" Axel asked, confusion evident in his voice.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "My mate... Zephyr Dalton."

"WHAT?!" Axel's exclamation was so loud that several heads turned our way, but I barely noticed. I was too caught up in the golden gaze that seemed to pin me in place from across the room.

The whispers around us grew louder, fragments of conversations reaching my ears. "Most dangerous Alpha..." "Zephyr Dalton..." "Raven Pack..." Each word felt like another weight pressing down on my chest.

"Thalia, breathe," Axel's voice cut through my panic. "We'll figure this out, okay?"

I turned to him, desperation clear in my eyes. "What do I do, AX? I can't... I can't be his mate. You know what they say about him, about his pack!"

Axel's face was grim. "I know. And I wish I could protect you from this, but..." He trailed off, looking helpless for the first time since I'd known him.

I clutched my mother's necklace, twisting it between my fingers as I tried to calm my racing heart. This couldn't be happening. Not to me. Not with him.

"Mine."

The deep voice behind me sent a chill down my spine. I turned slowly, already knowing who I'd see. Zephyr Dalton stood mere inches away, his golden eyes boring into mine. The scent of lavender was overwhelming now, clouding my senses.

I took a step back, only to find myself pressed against the bar. Zephyr leaned in, his breath hot against my skin as he sniffed along my neck and shoulder. My heart pounded so hard I was sure he could hear it.

"You're my mate," he said, his voice a low rumble that I felt more than heard. It wasn't a question.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. What could I possibly say? How could I, Thalia, the pathetic Omega who couldn't even shift, be mated to Zephyr Dalton, the most feared Alpha in all the packs?

As Zephyr's eyes raked over me, assessing, claiming, I felt my world tilting on its axis. Everything I thought I knew, everything I had feared about this night, paled in comparison to the reality I now faced.

I was mated to a monster. And there was no escaping it.