Chapter 205 - 0205

Lorelei POV

A gentle warmth spread through my chest at Kaelen’s words, easing some of the suffocating heaviness that had been weighing on me since I stepped into the ballroom.

In a room filled with sharp eyes and hidden malice, the warmth of his hand over mine felt like an anchor, reminding me that I wasn’t alone in this.

But Kaelen was still the Alpha King, and a ruler couldn’t sit in one corner all night.

As much as I wanted us to stay wrapped up in our little bubble, he had duties to handle, hands to shake, and alliances to maintain. So when he finally started moving through the ballroom, I stayed by his side.

And because of the scene Jaxen had caused earlier, especially with the bastard still very much present and probably burning holes into the back of my head, Kaelen’s hand never left my waist.

He guided me through the ballroom like I was an extension of him, his arm firmly around me as though he had no intention of letting me out of his reach.

There was something almost amusing about it because, with the way he kept me tucked against his side, he looked less like a king attending a banquet and more like a dragon guarding its favorite treasure.

A very possessive dragon.

"Your wife is really..." An Alpha approached us in a dark wine-colored suit, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed back. He bowed respectfully to Kaelen before turning toward me with a warm, toothy smile. "...a vision tonight, Alpha King."

He extended his hand toward me.

"It’s an absolute honor to finally meet the woman who managed to capture the King’s stone-cold heart..."

Before I could even raise my hand to return the gesture, Kaelen intercepted him.

His hand closed around the Alpha’s outstretched one, stopping it midair before firmly pushing it back down to his side.

The Alpha let out an awkward chuckle, wincing slightly under the subtle display of raw strength before quickly recovering his composure.

"Ah... I see the Alpha King is exceptionally protective of his Luna," he said, clearing his throat. "Not that I blame you. I’m much the same way with my own."

He straightened his jacket before turning slightly toward the woman beside him.

"I’m Alpha Aldric of the Thornwood Pack," he introduced himself, his voice warm and genuine. "And this is my Luna, Selene."

With that, a woman shyly stepped forward. She wore a flowing deep-purple gown that complemented her warm brown skin, while her dark hair was twisted into an elegant updo.

There was a quiet grace to the way she carried herself, and when she offered me a gentle smile, there was something warm and genuinely kind in her expression.

"Alpha King," she said, bowing her head respectfully to Kaelen before turning her attention to me.

Her smile widened when our eyes met, but it faltered almost immediately. She hesitated, her lips parting as a look of quiet panic crossed her face.

"And... um..."

She seemed to struggle with what to say next before finally lowering her head into a deeper bow.

"My apologies, but I... I’m not really sure what title I should address you by."

I hadn’t planned on speaking much tonight. My entire strategy had been to stay quietly beside Kaelen, hide in his formidable shadow, and somehow survive the rest of the evening without drawing any more attention to myself than I already had.

But Kaelen, whose guard was still firmly up beside me, turned his head slightly toward me.

"What do you think?" he asked softly, leaving the decision entirely up to me.

My heart gave a sudden, hard thud at such a simple question.

With an Alpha and his Luna waiting for my answer, I swallowed nervously and thought back to all the endless protocol lessons Mrs. Whitmore had drilled into me. Apparently, proper presentation was everything when dealing with high society, and I had no intention of embarrassing myself now.

"Well," I began, my voice trembling slightly before I managed to steady it, "we aren’t married yet, so I think I’m fine with simply being called Lady Lorelei."

Kaelen definitely didn’t like that.

I could tell from the way his arm tightened around my waist, but he didn’t argue. He simply gave a quiet nod.

"If that’s what you want," he said, and Selene’s face immediately brightened as she inclined her head in another respectful bow.

"Lady Lorelei. It’s really an honor to meet you."

"The honor is mine," I replied, offering her a small, polite smile.

"Okay..." Aldric suddenly clapped his hands together, looking far too pleased with himself. "Now that I’ve finally managed to get our beloved Alpha King’s attention, can you please, for once, actually listen to me about the northern border situation?"

At those words, Kaelen let out a low, almost frustrated sigh and shifted his weight, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I already reviewed the reports, Aldric," he said, his deep voice carrying a hint of exhaustion. "The allocation percentages haven’t been updated in nearly a decade. The Eastern packs have clearly outgrown their current share."

"Exactly!" Aldric exclaimed, pointing at Kaelen before seeming to remember exactly who he was talking to and quickly lowering his hand with an awkward cough. "That’s... that’s what I’ve been saying! But every time I bring it up with your High Council, they just stall the negotiations and claim..."

"Storage," I blurted out.

The word slipped from my mouth before I could stop it.

Silence immediately fell over our little group, and both men turned to stare at me.

My heart practically slammed against my ribs as heat rushed straight to my face. I hadn’t even meant to speak. It was just that something about Aldric’s complaint sounded strangely familiar, reminding me of one of the tedious administrative textbooks Mrs. Whitmore had forced me to study.

As he’d been talking, the answer had suddenly popped into my head.

The exact word I had spent hours repeating to myself during those late-night study sessions had simply slipped out.

Aldric tilted his head, and his brow furrowed.

"Storage?" he repeated. "What do you mean by storage, Lady Lorelei?"

Panic immediately seized my throat, and I squeezed my eyes shut for half a second, mentally screaming at myself.

These weren’t ordinary people making polite small talk, Lorelei. They were high-ranking Alphas discussing serious territorial politics, and I had just randomly blurted out one word like an idiot.

I opened my mouth, already preparing to apologize and take it back before I could embarrass myself any further.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to..."

"No."

Kaelen’s interruption was calm, but there was something in his voice that immediately stopped me.

He turned toward me, his bright amber eyes studying my face and ignoring Aldric’s stunned expression completely. He placed his hand over mine where it rested against his waist and gave my fingers an encouraging squeeze.

"Tell us what you mean, Lorelei," he said softly. "Go on."