Chapter 5

Nicole The crimson fabric clung to my skin as I sat beside Alpha Damien in his sleek Bentley, my body rigid and eyes fixed straight ahead. Since our encounter outside the boutique, I could feel his gaze burning into me, making my breath catch and my chest rise and fall in shallow waves. Alpha Damien's brow furrowed as he noticed my tension. "Do I terrify you that much?" His deep voice rumbled through the car's interior, carrying notes of genuine curiosity beneath the irritation. I could barely breathe."You don't terrify me," I said, my voice gaining strength. "It's... this situation. I'm not used to it." Finally gathering my courage, I glanced sideways only to discover he wasn't angry—merely displeased at the distance I was maintaining. I shifted slightly, inching closer to him. But patience clearly wasn't one of Alpha Damien's virtues. With one fluid motion, his powerful arm swept around me, pulling me against his side. The move was possessive, natural, and utterly dominant. Pressed against his chest, I could feel the steady, powerful thump of his heart. My breathing gradually stabilized, though my mind remained in chaos. "Where... where are we going?" I asked, watching unfamiliar streets pass by through the tinted windows. My voice came out barely above a whisper. "Somewhere to complete your transformation," he said cryptically, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my arm. "If you're going to play the part, you need the full arsenal." ... Thirty minutes later, the car pulled up outside a high-end shopping district. Alpha Damien exited witheffortless grace, offering me his hand. "Come, Nicole. Follow me." I took his hand, surprised by the gesture, and let him guide me from the car. The moment we entered, a stunning woman with expertly highlighted hair and impeccable style glided toward us. "Alpha Damien! What a pleasure," she greeted, though her gaze lingered on me with curious appraisal. "And who is this... delightful surprise?" "This is my fiancee,Nicole.Make her a makeup look that fits this dress in an hour," After his instruction,Alpha Damien sat on the leather sofa and waited, flipping open a financial magazine. I sat in silence as the styling team descended like a well-coordinated storm—hands brushing, curling, painting, and pinning with surgical precision. The scent of hairspray and perfume mingled in the air, a strange contrast to the sterile world of antiseptics and hospital corridors I was used to. An hour later, I was finally left alone—standing before a full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. My golden hair had been swept into a sleek, elegant updo, exposing the long curve of my neck and the delicate angle of my jawline. My skin looked luminous, almost ethereal, as if lit from within. The makeup was subtle but masterful—smoky tones made my wide, lake-blue eyes seem deeper, sharper; my cheekbones looked higher, more sculpted; and my lips, now painted the same deep crimson as my dress, were full and dangerously kissable. I looked... powerful. When I finally emerged, the salon fell into a hush. Stylists paused mid-step. The girl at the front desk blinked like she'd seen a ghost. But it was Alpha Damien's reaction that stopped me cold. He stood across the room, one hand casually tucked into his pocket, the other holding his phone mid-scroll. When he looked up, his eyes locked on me—and something shifted. His pupils dilated. His jaw tightened. And then, very visibly, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. I took a slow step toward him, the heels clicking against the marble floor. His eyes tracked my every movement. "Too much?" I asked, tilting my head slightly, teasing—but also testing. He didn't answer. Instead, he crossed the room in three long strides and stopped just inches from me. His hand came up, fingers brushing a loose wisp of hair from my temple. The touch was gentle… almost reverent. Then, without warning, his hand slid lower—trailing down the curve of my neck, lingering at the base of my throat where my pulse thundered beneath his fingertips. "You look like temptation... and I've already had a long day."," he said, voice thick. But his tone didn't match the words—it was hoarse, almost strained, as if he was holding something back. I opened my mouth to respond, but then his arm suddenly wrapped around my waist—firm, possessive—and he pulled me flush against his side. "What are you—?" "We're leaving," he said, already steering me toward the exit. "Alpha Damien—" I tried again, breathless from the suddenness of it all. He leaned in, lips brushing the shell of my ear. "If you keep looking at me like that," he murmured, his breath hot against my skin, "I'll forget we have a room full of Elders to impress.." My heart stuttered. And I didn't argue. ... At precisely 8:30 PM, the hotel's marble steps gleamed under the streetlights, reflecting the glow of the chandeliers spilling from the grand ballroom beyond. My heels clicked softly against the stone as I stepped out of the car, arm linked through Alpha Damien's. His suit brushed against my bare skin where the sleeve of my gown ended, and even that subtle contact was enough to send a shiver up my spine. He didn't say a word, but his presence was... immense. Solid. Like a wall of gravity I was tethered to. The ballroom ahead shimmered with impossible brilliance—crystal chandeliers catching the light and scattering it over the sea of Faellac Town's elite. The moment we stepped into the ballroom, it began. A ripple of whispers, subtle as silk but sharp as knives. "Is that Alpha Damien Gatsby?" "Who's the woman with him? She's stunning." "Wait, I thought he was involved with the Silverpine Alpha's daughter…" "Shh. Don't say her name. Not here." My fingers tightened involuntarily on Alpha Damien's arm. The Silverpine Alpha's daughter, Yelena Tyler. There were stories—too many to ignore. That she and Alpha Damien were once inseparable. That their Packs had practically arranged their union before she left the Faellac Town. So it's true. They all know about her. I tried to focus on the music, the soft clinking of glasses, the lavish floral arrangements, but the weight of their stares dragged at me like chains. I could feel it pressing against my spine, making it harder to breathe. "Ignore them,"Alpha Damien murmured, his voice low, almost too quiet to hear. His breath brushed the shell of my ear, warm and steady—infuriatingly calm. "Half of them are jealous. The other half are curious. None of it matters." I didn't answer, but my grip on his sleeve tightened. "There are so many people watching," I whispered, struggling to keep the smile in place. "They're watching because you look beautiful," he said simply, like it was a fact. I turned my head sharply, startled by the sincerity in his tone. Our eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the ballroom disappeared. It was just him and me, standing in the silence between breaths. I opened my mouth to speak, to ask him if he really meant it, but nothing came out. Instead, I did what I always did when I felt too seen—I licked my bottom lip, a nervous habit I couldn't seem to break. His eyes tracked the motion, and something primal flickered behind them. Something that made my skin flush. I had to look away. "Now smile," he said after a beat, his voice rougher than before, almost strained. Then I felt his hand slide down to rest on my waist, fingers splayed across the thin silk of my dress. I put on a perfect smile and prepared for the next test.