Chapter 223

NATALIE’S POV I had already known, deep down, that my parents would be at the Alpha Ball. That thought had been sitting in my chest for days like a stone I couldn’t move. But tonight was different. Things were different. I wasn’t the helpless girl they had raised to break. I wasn’t their pawn anymore. Now, I was Liam’s mate. His Luna. And he would never let them hurt me again. The venue was breathtaking. The Alpha Ball was being held in another wolf pack’s territory—Alpha Jerry’s pack—and the hall overlooked rolling hills and a sky lit by a thousand stars. Lanterns lined the edges of the courtyard. Music filled the air. Everywhere I turned, there were wolves dressed in gowns and suits, gliding across the floor. My dress sparkled under the glow of the chandeliers. I was dressed in a gold gown adorned with diamonds sewn into the fabric so that every movement made me sparkle. My hair was pinned back with jeweled clips. I felt his gaze before I even looked at him. Liam stood there, tall an