As Odessa and I scanned our gazes around the event hall, taking in its grandeur and the interactions between the people while both trying to pretend like what happened with Lucinda didn’t happen, sothing caught my attention.
Or rather, soone.
Celine turned her head to face us, her eyes lighting up as she flashed one last smile at the Arican president before she walked toward us.
Sohow, her high heels managed to echo into my ears despite the chattering and music in the hall, causing to subconsciously roll my eyes.
’Where’s a desperate bitch repellent spray when you need one?’ Damon remarked with frustration, but I kept a calm deanor as Celine finally got in front of Odessa and .
"The prized couple themselves." She nearly exclaid, spreading out her arms with excitent.
Too much excitent, if you ask .
I dimd my eyes, glancing at Odessa, who seed just as uneasy as I was. Heck, she was sweating bullets but tried hiding it behind a smile as she clutched my arm anxiously.
"Celine. You and your mother have outdone yourself with this ball, I must confess." I cleared my throat, breaking the silence between the three of us.
Odessa snapped out of her reverie, glancing at before she smiled awkwardly, nodding in agreent.
Well, that’s odd...
"Aw, I’m glad you’re impressed, my Alpha King," Celine said with a teasing tone, winking at before she turned her gaze to Odessa. "Looking good, witch."
I raised an eyebrow at that last part. It sounded off. Everything about Celine sounded off tonight, and I didn’t like it one bit.
Just when she was about to walk past us, my impulsive thoughts got the best of , and I shot my right hand forward, grabbing her arm.
She froze while Odessa stared at with confusion.
But I ignored that as I locked my eyes on Celine’s face, scrutinizing the way she gave a questioning frown.
"Don’t forget what I said this afternoon."
That was all I said before I slowly loosened my grip on her arm.
Celine fluttered her eyelids, staring at her arm, which I had held for a few seconds too long, before she shook her head and smiled.
"Of course, I wouldn’t forget, my Alpha King. You have nothing to worry about." She said with a sly tone, her eyes fleeting to Odessa briefly.
I could feel Odessa’s irritation beside , forcing to turn my gaze to her. However, before I could focus my attention back on Celine, she’d begun walking toward another guest.
"Just sit back, relax, and have fun. The surprise at the end will be worth it!" Celine yelled through the noise, glancing back at and giving one final mischievous smirk before she began talking to a witch emissary.
Yup, she’s cooking up sothing devious...
Suddenly, before I could even get back my composure, Odessa tugged at my shoulder, forcing to gaze at her with a questioning look.
"What was that about?" She asked, pouting her lips suspiciously. "What were you talking about? What did you tell her this afternoon?"
I blinked at her speechlessly for a few seconds before I shook my head and smirked wryly.
"Relax, dear wife. That’s too many questions at once and not sothing you should worry your head over." I leaned in closer and whispered, causing her face to heat up with a blush.
I smirked slightly at that before scanning my gaze around the hall again. "Where did Layla go? She has the details of our seating position."
’You probably chased her off after your outburst outside.’ Damon remarked in my mind, causing to ntally scoff.
’That wasn’t an outburst. If anything, that Lucinda girl should thank her gods that I didn’t snap her neck.’ I responded coldly, glancing back at the entrance of the hall.
It was at that point that I saw Layla scurrying toward with an apologetic expression on her face.
"I’m so sorry, sir. I thought you’d need so... Space out there." She said with an awkward tone, glancing at Odessa. "Everyone outside who witnessed your move against Lucinda has mixed reactions. The humans and witches see it as cute, but most of the werewolves—"
"They can shove their opinions down their orifices, Layla." I blurted dismissively, completely uninterested as I grabbed Odessa’s hand again. "Please, lead us to our seats. I heard Celine made us VIP guests."
Another call for suspicion.
I glanced wearily at Celine, who stood at a distance, whispering sothing to a male witch in his fifties.
I got tense as Layla led the way, climbing up the stairs at a corner that led to the gallery upstairs.
"Wait, are we going to THAT spot again?" Odessa suddenly asked, her grip tightening on my hand. "You know, the sa one where I almost got an arrow through my head?"
I glanced at her but didn’t say anything, instead speaking to Layla. "What’s the detail on security in this event? Just how many witches and humans did Celine invite?"
This was slowly becoming a security hazard, and I couldn’t help but feel tense when we finally got upstairs.
"Luna Queen Celine invited only six of the top officials from the witches’ side and the sa number from the human side, each of them carrying at least two guards or assistants. And on the side of the wolves... Delegates from tens of packs are attending."
How quaint...
I sighed, rubbing my forehead as my gaze fell on the spot in the gallery where Odessa and I had sat with the South Arican Alpha King last ti during the welcoming ball.
Odessa was right... The place still gave the creeps.
"Follow up with the Gamma and Delta at all tis about the security detail around the pack. Focus more of them around the main gates and the event building." I ordered Layla, who nodded before walking off.
To my surprise, when we got to the thrones, a voice spoke up behind us.
"So, Celine also invited y’all as VIP guests?"
I turned around only to see Marcellus walking toward us, showing us a fancy-looking VIP card in his hand. He wore a white tail suit with golden embroidery on the collars and pointed shoulder pads.
"She gave this the night we ca back from that investigation in the human town." He continued, waving the card at us. "So, what’s she up to? Gathering the three of us in one spot."
Odessa and I exchanged glances while Marcellus stood there cluelessly.
"Celine, what gas are you playing?"
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