Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Chapter 97

"Alpha Kael," he began, his voice low and cold. "I suggest you lower your hand before you make a mistake you cannot recover from."

Kael froze, his hand stiffly dropping to his side as Lucien stepped toward them. Lucien turned to Nathan, his expression easing into the composed courtesy expected of a host.

"Alpha Nathan, I owe you an apology. You came here as an honored guest, and instead of receiving the welcome you deserve, you’ve been subjected to a personal dispute. That should never have happened."

Nathan inclined his head. "No apologies necessary."

"It should not have been necessary." Lucien glanced toward the entrance, where several attendants had gathered. "Beta Ren will escort you to the reception room. I’ll join you shortly, and we can discuss what we originally intended to discuss."

At Lucien’s gesture, Beta Ren stepped forward. "Alpha Nathan, if you’ll follow me."

Nathan nodded to Lucien before turning to Evelyn and Soren.

"Lady Evelyn. Alpha Soren." He gave a curt nod and walked away with Beta Ren.

Only after their departure did Lucien turn back to Kael. "What exactly do you think you’re doing, Alpha Kael?"

Kael swallowed, his jaw still tight. "Supreme Alpha, I was merely—"

"This wasn’t Kael’s fault. This woman here—" Sophia interjected angrily.

"Control your woman, Kael!" Lucien snapped with barely concealed anger. Of all the sights he’d thought to see, it wasn’t one with Alpha Nathan in the midst of Kael and his nonsense.

What would’ve happened if he hadn’t stepped in the moment he did? He couldn’t even begin to wrap his head around it.

Lucien’s gaze returned to Kael, colder now than before. "Do you understand what you’ve just done? I had half the council arguing against sending you an invitation at all. I was the one who pushed for it. I told them your pack’s collapse didn’t make you unworthy of the opportunity to prove otherwise." His jaw tightened. "And within an hour of arriving, you’ve nearly struck a woman in front of Alpha Nathan."

"Will you really let her ruin the progress you’ve made so far? Alpha Nathan isn’t just some—" He paused, taking a breath.

"Supreme Alpha, I apologize for my unruly behavior, but this woman here—" He glared at Evelyn. "She said things that grated me. I apologize."

"Do you have any idea what you’ve cost yourself tonight?" Lucien continued, ignoring his words.

"Alpha Lucien, please—" Kael’s composure was cracking now, desperation bleeding through. "She provoked me. She always—"

"I don’t care who provoked whom." Lucien’s eyes were glacial. "You are a guest in this gathering tonight by my grace alone, Kael. One more display like this, and I will personally see to it that your name is struck from every list that matters for the rest of your pathetic career. Am I understood?"

Kael’s jaw clenched so hard it visibly trembled, but he managed a stiff, furious nod.

Lucien gestured, and two guards materialized at Kael’s sides. "Escort Alpha Kael and his Luna inside."

Once Kael and Sophia were gone, Lucien shifted his gaze to the other two before him.

Soren straightened firmer. He’d never had a reason to stand in front of Lucien this way. He’d only stood head to head with the Alpha when his father had passed. While he’d heard of things from Evelyn and those around, he still knew the man was a force.

No matter how much he didn’t want to show it, he respected him a lot more than he cared to admit. "Alpha Lucien, I should have intervened sooner, I—"

Lucien ignored him entirely, his attention fixing instead on Evelyn. "What," he said, "are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the evening," Evelyn said evenly, "until your beloved guest, Kael, interrupted it."

"The invitation extended to Soren was for a spouse." Lucien’s voice stayed flat, controlled. "As far as I’m aware, you are not his spouse. Which means Soren has disregarded the rules of this gathering, and I’ll need to—"

"You’re wrong."

Lucien’s gaze snapped to her, confused.

"I’m currently being courted by Alpha Soren here," Evelyn said, calmly. "As a matter of fact, I’m his girlfriend." She reached over and slipped her hand into Soren’s, lacing their fingers together with practiced ease. "I came tonight as his partner. The same as anyone else in this hall."

Lucien’s jaw tightened visibly. "Girlfriend."

"Yes." Evelyn held his gaze without blinking. "Do you have any further questions, Alpha Lucien?"

Lucien stared at her like he couldn’t believe his ears, yet his mother’s words rang in his head. Evelyn had gone on a date... presumably with Soren?

His gaze shifted to Soren, something darker crossing his eyes. "Is this true? Evelyn is your girlfriend?"

Soren blinked, caught briefly off guard not just by the question aimed directly at him but by Evelyn’s words too. Still, he recovered, shifting more into Evelyn’s space, and smiled. "Yes. She is."

"Is Alpha Lucien done scrutinizing us, or—?"

Lucien’s jaw tightened. He didn’t know what it was, but something about Evelyn just got under his skin every single time. He stepped back.

"I don’t care whose spouse you claim to be tonight—cause another scene like the one I just walked into, and I’ll have you removed from these grounds myself. Trouble follows you wherever you go, Evelyn."

"Understood." Evelyn didn’t so much as flinch at his words. "While I have your attention, there’s something you should know before it surprises you later."

Lucien’s brow raised, wary. "What now?"

"I intend to network tonight. Specifically, I’m looking for investors. For my healing house, and for an upcoming project."

"Upcoming," Lucien repeated flatly.

"I have something in the works." Evelyn’s mouth curved faintly. "You might find it interesting yourself, actually."

Lucien scoffed, clearly unmoved. "I doubt that."

Evelyn smirked, taking no offense. "Don’t be a doubting Thomas. Who’s to say we might just be business partners in the future?"

Evelyn snickered internally. As much as she had an open mind to everything and everyone, she was sure Lucien could never be a partner of hers. Never.

"Regardless, you’re welcome to doubt it." She continued. "What I’d like is a platform. The opportunity to call for investors publicly, here, tonight. This gathering is precisely the audience I need."

Something flickered across Lucien’s face—amusement, perhaps, or the particular satisfaction of a man who suspected he was about to watch something go badly for someone other than himself.

"While the gathering isn’t the place to discuss business, by all means." He gestured toward the raised platform at the far end of the hall, his tone carrying an edge she didn’t quite like. "Take the stage, Lady Evelyn. I’m curious to see how this plays out."

As Lucien walked away, Soren turned to Evelyn. "A speech? Here? Evelyn, I’m not sure this would go well."

Evelyn shook her head. She’d planned it out perfectly in her head. This was her way of catching Alpha Nathan’s attention. It wasn’t like she could just walk up to him and start asking about Voss, but this way she could ease herself into his space. Besides, it was a win-win situation.

Soren, on the other hand, didn’t like the idea. He knew the men here—they were arrogant pricks with nothing but fat pockets.

"Evelyn—" he began, but she shook her head.

"I’ve got it covered, Soren." She paused for a second. "Also, I want to apologize for throwing you on the spot with my words. I should’ve checked with you before—" She didn’t get to complete her words when she heard Lucien call her name from the platform.

"Lady Evelyn Valemont," he said, "wishes to address the gathering."

Evelyn climbed the few steps to the platform, smoothing the front of her gown. Her eyes searched the crowd, and not too far away stood Alpha Nathan.

Evelyn smiled, ready to begin, only to be cut off.

"This is a gathering, not a business meeting!" The shout came from somewhere near the back—an older Alpha Evelyn didn’t recognize.

"A woman giving us a speech? Darling, go back to the kumbaya corner. The women are there."

"Go back to the kitchen, sweetheart!"

"Make us food instead—that’s more your speed!"

The laughter that followed was loud, mocking, and humiliating. Evelyn stood frozen on the platform. She’d expected some sort of resistance from the men—after all, their First House gathering was, in short, a men’s club.

What she hadn’t expected was this moment.

Near the back of the hall, Kael’s mouth curved into a slow, satisfied grin, watching her falter with open, vicious delight. Oh, this was going to be fun.