The familiar voice made her stomach drop. She turned to see Becky standing a few feet away, her lips curling into a cruel smile.
"Didn't think I'd see you here," Becky sneered, her eyes scanning Elise from head to toe. "Who let you in? Did you sneak past the guards?"
Elise opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Becky's brother Luka appeared by her side.
"That's enough, Becky," Luka said firmly, his expression unreadable.
Becky huffed, crossing her arms. "I wasn't doing anything."
"Let's go," Luka said, grabbing her arm and steering her away before she could cause more trouble.
Elise watched them go, her shoulders sagging with relief. But her reprieve was short-lived.
"Well, well, if it isn't little Elise Danvers," a smooth voice drawled behind her.
She turned to see Tyler Nightbloom, the heir to the Nightbloom clan, leaning casually against a nearby column. His dark hair and sharp features gave him an air of effortless confidence, but the glint in his eyes was anything but kind.
"Tyler," Elise said cautiously, taking a small step back.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone mocking. "Don't tell me you're actually trying to fit in with the rest of us."
"I'm just here," she said quietly, avoiding his gaze.
Tyler chuckled, his friends gathering around him like moths to a flame. "Here for what? To remind us all what a failure looks like?"
Elise's cheeks burned, but she stayed silent, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
"Come on, Tyler, leave her alone," one of his friends said halfheartedly, though the smirk on his face betrayed his amusement.
Tyler ignored him, stepping closer to Elise. "You know, I've always wondered… do Omegas even have a purpose? Or are you just here to take up space?"
Elise's heart pounded in her chest, and she took another step back, only to bump into the wall behind her.
Tyler leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell me, Elise, do you ever wish you were someone else? Someone who mattered?"
Tyler's arm roamed to her hips, gently caressing her curves. His other hand sliding up to her bosom.
"I can always have you as my little prostitute.", Tyler whispered in her ears. Elise's breath hitched in her throat.
Just then, a low growl rumbled through the air, freezing everyone in place.
Tyler straightened, his confident demeanor faltering as he glanced around, his eyes wide with confusion. "Who's there?" he demanded, his voice shaking slightly.
The growl came again, deeper this time, sending a shiver down Elise's spine. Tyler and his friends exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado quickly fading.
It wa like the very air was charged with a stifling aura.
"Let's get out of here," one of them muttered, and the group hurried away, leaving Elise alone.
She pressed herself against the wall, her breath coming in short gasps as she scanned the shadows.
"Who…" she whispered, but no one answered.
The hall seemed to grow colder, the air heavy with an unspoken tension. Elise clutched her arms, her eyes darting around the room. She felt it—someone was watching her.
But when she turned to look, there was nothing there.
Nothing but the faintest trace of glowing amber eyes disappearing into the darkness.
Throughout the gala event, Elise couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. It clung to her like a damp cloak, heavy and suffocating. The grand hall was still alive with murmurs and laughter, but the faint buzz of excitement had dulled in her ears. Her eyes darted around the room, scanning for a familiar figure, but all she saw were the faces of strangers, most of them filled with disdain for her presence.
She decided to leave. It wasn't as if anyone would notice her absence. And if they did, it would probably be a relief to them.
Elise turned on her heel, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere. But as she took a step, her shoulder brushed against someone's chest. The collision was so abrupt that the glass of orange juice in her hand spilled forward, splattering across the pristine white suit of the man in front of her.
The hall fell silent.
Every gaze in the room turned to them, eyes wide in shock. Elise froze, her heart hammering against her ribcage as her gaze lifted to meet the man who mom's dress she had just ruined.
It was Kai.
The Lycan Alpha.
Elise's breath hitched. She had heard stories of him—stories of his power, his ruthlessness, and his infamous temper. The sight of him up close was overwhelming. His tall, commanding frame exuded authority, and his sharp, chiseled features were as cold and unyielding as marble. But it was his eyes—those piercing amber eyes—that held her captive. They weren't filled with rage as she had feared. Instead, they burned with something else. Something she couldn't name.
"I—I'm so sorry!" Elise stammered, stepping back in horror. "I didn't mean—"
Kai raised a hand, silencing her apology.
"It's fine," he said, his voice deep and calm, startling her further.
The crowd gasped in unison, their disbelief palpable. Everyone knew Kai's temper. For him to be this calm in the face of such an insult—it was unheard of.
Kai's gaze softened as it lingered on her, and for a moment, the room seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them. He reached for a napkin from a passing waiter and began to dab at the stain on his suit, but Elise quickly snatched it from him.
"Let me!" she pleaded, her cheeks burning with shame.
Kai didn't stop her, his intense gaze fixed on her as she clumsily tried to clean the mess. Her hands trembled, and she could barely hold the napkin steady.
"It's just a suit," Kai said quietly, his voice barely audible over the pounding in her ears.
Elise glanced up at him, surprised by the softness in his tone. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, the noise of the world around them disappeared. It was just him and her, locked in a silent exchange that neither of them understood.
Kai took a step closer, and Elise's breath caught. The intensity in his eyes was almost too much to bear. Her heart raced, and she felt a strange pull toward him, like an invisible thread was tying them together.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, the moment ended.
Kai stepped back, his expression unreadable. Without a word, he turned and walked toward the front door, disappearing into the night.
Elise stood there, her heart still racing. The spell was broken, but the memory of his gaze lingered. Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire, but Elise didn't care to listen. She needed air.
She bolted for the exit, ignoring the stares and murmurs that followed her. Once outside, she took a deep breath, the cool night air soothing her frayed nerves.
The thought of taking a cab crossed her mind, but the weight of the evening urged her to seek solitude. Instead, she decided to take the trail through the woods—a path she knew well from her years in Archview.
The forest was dark. Moonlight streamed through the canopy above. Elise's footsteps were the only sound as she made her way through the trail.
The earlier feeling of being watched returned, stronger this time.
Her pace quickened.
A rustle in the bushes made her freeze. She spun around, her eyes darting to the shadows, but saw nothing.
Elise tried to reassure herself that everything was alright. She knew these woods like the back of her hand. There was no reason to fret over what seemed to be a stray rabbit, right?
But the unease didn't leave her.
Another sound—a faint growl.
Elise's pulse spiked. She broke into a run, her short steps turning into desperate strides. The shadows seemed to move with her, following her every step.
Then, out of nowhere, a massive black wolf crashed down from the trees, landing directly in her path.