Chapter Three - Dance

Valkyrie Behati

As the crowd swirled into the grand hotel hall, its atmosphere brimmed with the vivacity of a thousand stories. Shades of beige, cream, and gold adorned every corner, painting an elegant tapestry of celebration.

I decided to isolate myself from the crowd because I felt my social battery had worn out until I heard someone speaking on the elevated stage.

For some reason, hearing that he wanted to dance with someone made me curious. I decided to roam my eyes around, trying to look for his eyes but I didn’t have a hard time.

His gaze was already locked onto mine, a magnetic pull drawing him closer with each step. Emotions surged within me, an unexpected torrent in the midst of the grand affair.

My breathing hitched when he got closer, his disheveled jet-black hair made my heart thump and his silver-grayish eyes bore into mine as if he was looking into my soul.

Something inside of my stomach ached, I was getting butterflies just by standing this close to him. None of us said a word, but surprisingly, he offered his hands to me.

“Dance with me?” he invited.

I bit my lower lip because it would be rude and alarming if I declined his offer. Dancing was not on my list tonight but my hands seemed to have a mind of its own. It went towards his palms.

“I’d like that.” I gave him a nervous smile. His almost squinted eyebrows relaxed and gently guided me toward the center of the dance floor.

A piece of traditional music played, and we both started dancing. It was a waltz dance everyone in the Red Mountain knows.

This is a traditional dance to give everyone an idea that the king wanted to get to know someone, I think this hasn’t happened before. I remember reading on the news back then in my second life that he left the party early.

“Keep your eyes on me.” I flinched after hearing him say that which forced me to raise my head before I allowed him to twirl me in the middle of the dance floor.

“S-Sorry, I’m a bit nervous.” I honestly told him. I mentally cursed myself because I didn’t want him to hear that but he chuckled attractively.

“For some reason, I feel the same way.” I flinched when he leaned in to whisper that into my ears, gasping when he pulled me closer to him.

“What’s your name?” he casually asked.

“Are you going to say next how nice the weather was today?” I tilted my head, which made him snort before chuckling again.

“You’re a strange woman,” he stated amusingly.

I smiled before apologizing, “Valkyrie Behati, just call me Kyrie.”

“Kyrie…that is such a beautiful name.” I don’t know if I was hallucinating but his silver eyes twinkled the moment he mentioned my name.

“About your art, I want to commend you. It was a beautiful one.” I heard him say.

“So you asked me to dance to congratulate me again? Is that what it is?” I asked while furrowing my eyebrows.

He tilted his head attractively, “Do I need to find another reason to get to know my winner for tonight’s competition?”

I chuckled. It was a relief to hear him say that but for some reason, I felt a little disappointed. My reason? I have no idea.

“I almost didn’t win it.” I rolled my eyes, “I am sorry that I almost caused trouble in this event of yours.”

“It’s me who needs to apologize, you must’ve felt frustrated about being accused that you did not make your art,” he told me.

I nodded before shaking my head, “Tell me about it. It was a good thing I came prepared or else it was all for nothing.”

“I was thinking about helping you a while ago, but it seems like you already got your own feet.” he playfully stated, “I can’t believe someone would recreate their art just for people to believe her.”

“I was so impressed with how you handled that situation,” he added, which made me blush before looking away.

“You’re blushing, are you shy?” Alpha King Alexander playfully asked. I squeezed his shoulders gently because of his banter.

“No, I am not used to people complimenting me about such things.” I breathed.

“Well you should, I have a feeling that you are started something today that people would start to mention your name everywhere,” he claimed.

Secretly, I smiled at his statement and continued to enjoy his company. He was different from the stories I had been hearing about Giovanni before.

Giovanni always mentions and tells me that he is ruthless because he doesn’t have anyone around him aside from himself. There was a rumor in our pack that he has killed innocent wolves for no reason at all.

Right now, the Alpha King feels like a chatterbox. He does not run out of topics he wants to tell me about. It was all about painting, which I feel comfortable speaking about while we are dancing.

We were having such a great time. He was giving me butterflies in my stomach even though we were only saying a word or two to each other.

There was something I couldn’t point out. I don’t know if it’s the way we dance, the way he speaks to me gently, and the way he holds my hand and twirls me on the dance floor. Everything feels so safe and comfortable.

My gaze swept the hall until he spun me around, and there, Giovanni and Laine stood, ice-cold stares fixed on us. But when our eyes met, Giovanni's demeanor shifted. Anxiety gripped me as his gaze turned from cold to fiery frustration and anger in an instant.

I was having such a great time that I almost forgot about the issues I had with him. My palms started sweating.

Giovanni’s eyes feels like he wanted to end my life right here, right now.

I flinched when the Alpha King squeezed my waist. It was like he pulled me back from reality, and calmed all of my waves of emotions, “Is there something wrong?”

To be continued…