Chapter 50

• Taking a deep, steadying breath, I channel my focus on the reassuring weight of Alex’s hand against my back, allowing his familiar scent to wash over me and calm my frayed nerves. The press conference didn't rattle me nearly as much as tonight's high-stakes event. Any misstep here could cost Alex his future as Alpha, a consequence I desperately want to avoid. While his accusations of cheating infuriated me, I never wished for him to be stripped of his rightful position in such a humiliating manner.
• As we step through the grand doors of the ballroom, every eye turns towards us, the weight of their scrutiny palpable. It's hardly surprising, given that we've become the subject of intense gossip in both the human and werewolf worlds. I plaster a polite smile on my face, nodding in recognition at the familiar faces from our engagement ceremony. Their reciprocated greetings are a promising sign - no one is pretending not to know us, at least not yet.
• We continue making our way through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and handshakes, my smile never faltering. That is until my gaze lands on a figure that sends a shiver of dread down my spine - Alpha Collins. Our earlier confrontation comes rushing back, the memory of his cruel words and bruising grip still fresh in my mind. The evidence of my slap has faded, my handprint vanishing as if it never marred his skin - an expected outcome given our accelerated healing.