Crystal stood in stunned silence, Ryder's lingering kiss on her forehead felt like a brand.
Her fingers still clasped in his, she finally spoke *I don't even know you..."
Ryder's lips curved into a smile"But I know you. My wolf knew the moment I saw you" he said.
Like an invisible thread, his words tugged at her heart as she thought - she never would have guessed the man she encountered in the forest, was not some wandering pack member.
He was the Lycan king
George snarled, his fury evident "Your majesty, she doesn't belong in your world. She is not a full blown wolf "
The room chilled instantly
Ryder's eyes flicked to him and a low growl rumbled from his chest. The sound was enough to make the weaker wolves flinch.
"watch your words" he said, his voice low
Before the tension could escalate, Alpha Williams stepped forward, his voice smooth. "Your Majesty, sorry for the disruption. You should have a seat as our honored guest".
Ryder didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on George before turning back to Crystal. "Come with me" he said softly.
Crystal hesitated for a moment before she allowed him to lead her forward.
The crowd parted as the walked with hushed conversation from different corners.
A grand chair had been placed at the head of the room. Ryder took it with graceful ease but before sitting, he pulled a smaller chair forward and motioned for her to sit.
Conscious of the stares in the room, she hesitated but Ryder's presence was soothing.
She sat
And when she did, something shifted.
The air around them grew with tension.
Guests whispered. The bride's family looked uncomfortable. George's father, Alpha Williams, offered a forced smile and clapped his hands, trying to redirect the atmosphere.
"Let the celebration continue" he said, nodding at the musicians. "Our honored guest has joined us and the night is young."
The string instruments picked up again, the music soft and elegant. Servers moved through the crowd offering wine and sweet pastries. The ceremony began transitioning into a reception but Crystal could feel eyes following her every movement.
She shifted slightly in her chair, self-conscious—until she felt Ryder's hand settling on the table near hers. Not touching. Just… close. A silent anchor.
He didn't speak but his presence spoke volumes. He wasn't just seated. He was stationed beside her, his posture relaxed but possessive.
At one point, a young server approached them nervously with a tray of refreshments. Ryder picked a glass and handed it directly to Crystal, his fingers brushing hers lightly.
"Eat something" he said under his breath.
Crystal blinked. He wasn't charming—he was being attentive.
She accepted the glass. "Thank you."
Nearby, Amy watched with a pale face. She sat stiffly at a table meant for close friends, flanked by a few bridesmaids but she was no longer glowing. Her smile had vanished and her eyes rarely left Ryder or Crystal.
George leaned close to her, speaking through gritted teeth. "He's humiliating us"
Amy didn't reply. Her nails dug into the napkin on her lap.
Meanwhile, Alpha Williams approached the head table again.
"Your Majesty" he began, "I hope you find our hospitality comfortable. Please, if there's anything—"
"She's fine" Ryder interrupted, without looking away from Crystal. "We both are"
Williams hesitated, thrown off by the quiet steel in Ryder's voice. "Of course" he said quickly, retreating with a bow.
Crystal barely registered the exchange. She was too focused on her own shifting thoughts. Everything around her—the music, the food, the ceremony—felt distant.
Because Ryder wasn't pretending.
Her breath slowed, shoulders relaxed as Ryder's presence enveloped her. She hadn't realized how much she had craved this kind of attention untill now.
And then, a child-no older than six walked up to their table. A little girl in a pale lavender dress with curls bouncing around her cheeks. She looked up at Ryder with wide, curious eyes.
"Are you a king?" she asked boldly.
A rare smile tugged at Ryder's lips. "Yes" he said simply.
The girl turned to Crystal. "Is she your queen?"
Crystal froze, her eyes darting to the child and then to Ryder.
He didn't deny it. Instead, his gaze moved slowly back to Crystal and he answered calmly
"Not yet"
The girl giggled and skipped away but the weight of his words remained.
Crystal's breath hitched. She stared at him. He didn't look away.
She felt her cheeks warm. Her fingers tightened around her glass.
He was watching her again, carefully.
As the final vows were exchanged and the ceremonial flames lit, polite applause rippled through the hall.
Laughter and conversation returned in hushed tones, though the air still felt heavy with tension. But Crystal barely noticed.
Seated beside Ryder at the head of the room, time seemed to slow around her as if she were trapped in a bubble
She hadn't meant to indulge it. She hadn't planned to let him in.
But now… she couldn't seem to stop.
Ryder sat with the relaxed command of someone used to ruling but every shift in his body was centered around her.
The way he leaned slightly in her direction. How his arm brushed hers when he turned. The subtle glance he gave her before lifting his glass—as if silently checking to see if she was all right.
And Crystal found herself responding in kind.
She sat a little straighter, aware of his eyes. Her fingers brushed her hair back, her movements more deliberate now. She let her lips curve into a faint smile when their eyes met. Not quite an invitation… but not a denial either.
When she reached for her glass, he leaned in and murmured, "Still cold enough?"
Startled, she glanced at the water. She hadn't even realized he'd been watching her that closely.
"It's fine," she replied softly.
He didn't look away. "Good."
There was something in his gaze, quiet but intense that sent a ripple down her spine. Protective. Focused. Like she was the only one who mattered in the room.
And slowly, Crystal realized… she liked it.
From across the hall, she felt the weight of stares. Amy's fixed smile had faded entirely, her eyes dim with disbelief. George sat stiffly near the edge of the room, hands clenched on the arms of his chair, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
But Crystal didn't care.
With Ryder, she didn't feel like the outsider anymore. She felt… seen.
"I see you have a habit of hovering," she said quietly, turning slightly toward him.
Ryder's mouth curved into a slow, deliberate smile. "Only when I find something worth hovering over."
She raised a brow, unable to hide her amusement—or the flicker of intrigue in her chest. "You're bold."
"And you like it," he said without hesitation.
Her breath caught. She should have corrected him. Should have turned away.
Instead, her lips twitched. "Maybe I do."
There was a flicker in Ryder's eyes—pleased, possessive, amused but he said nothing, simply lifting his glass and tipping it toward her in a silent toast.
And Crystal, for the first time that night, lifted hers in return.
She wasn't just enduring his attention anymore.
She was welcoming it.