My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the man. He was the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. The word 'handsome' didn't do him any justice. He was straight up gorgeous. I couldn't believe he was real. He looked like he just stepped out of a magazine.

He had brown hair tied in a bun, framing his face perfectly. He had the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I had ever seen. His eyes reminded me of the ocean. I could get lost in them if I stared at him for too long. He was tall and muscular. He was three times my size, making it look like he could crush me if he wanted to. He had an aura of power and confidence that made me want to bow my head at him in respect.

Who was he? I had never seen him before but from his aura, I could tell he was most likely a powerful noble. He probably came for the ball from a foreign pack.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. For some reason, I felt a strong connection to him. The connection was a pull that stirred my wolf inside me. His face was cold. From his look alone, I could tell he was dominant.

“Do you need help?” he asked.

His deep voice made my wolf stir further inside me. His voice sent goosebumps down my spine.

I nodded, unable to find my voice. He moved closer, and took my hand in his. I was surprised by his gesture. For someone who looked so tough, his touch was surprisingly gentle. As our hands touched, I felt sparks in my skin I watched in awe as he expertly removed the bandage and dressed it again.

“There, that should do it,” he said.

Once again, his eyes met mine. I could see an emotion in his gaze. I was intrigued by him. I had never felt this kind of connection to someone like this before.

“Thank you,” I managed to whisper.

“You’re welcome.”

There was something familiar about his scent. That was weird because I had never seen him before. But before I could think about it, he handed me a mask.

“Are you going to the ball?” he asked.

I hesitated. I had no intention of going, especially not after the argument with Jackson and my family. But there was something about this man, something that made me want to follow him, to see what would happen next.

“Yes,” I said, surprising myself. “I suppose I am.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t question me further. He was probably wondering why I was so casually dressed for a ball as grand as that. I took the mask and put it on. The man extended his arm, and I took it, feeling those sparks again. We walked together to the ball, and I couldn’t help the emotions I felt. I was nervous and confused at the same time.

Why did I feel such a strong connection to this man?

As we entered the grand hall, I saw Jackson across the room. He was talking to someone. I turned away from him, not wanting him to see me. I might have a mask on but Jackson would be able to recognize my dress.

The man led me to a table. He pulled out a chair for me, helping me sit. I was in awe. Jackson had never done that for me before. The man set next to me. I could feel the heat radiating off him. My body came alive at the feeling of him being next to me.

What was wrong with me?

I focused my attention on the ball, trying to distract myself. The ball was in full swing. Couples danced in the center of the room. Conversation and laughter filled the air. Despite all the action going on, all I could focus on was this man and the way his presence made me feel—safe, intrigued, and strangely alive.

My body hummed with electric energy just by being close to him. The connection I felt to him made my skin tingle and my heart race. I could barely concentrate on the ceremony.

The ball was a gathering for the nobles to discuss and update everyone on pack matters. As I looked around, I noticed the questioning glances and heard the whispers from the people.

“Why isn't Luna here?”

“How can she not show up for such an important event?”

My heart sank in my chest at their words. I was the Luna, but it seemed I was no longer welcome. My family didn't care about me. They cared more about the pack than my own happiness. It sucked.

Soon, Jackson appeared at the front, calmly calling the ball to order. He didn’t even glance in my direction. I don't think he even bothered to look for me. I bowed my head, not really wanting to be here but too curious about this man to leave. Who was this handsome man who sat beside me, and why did I feel so drawn to him?

Jackson stood at the front. His posture commanded attention as usual.

"Good evening, everyone" he said “It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Lycan King has graced us with his presence for this ball.”

The room was filled with gasps. Even I was surprised. What's the Lycan King doing here? The Lycan King was like a legend, someone no one had ever seen before. We had heard of him, of how powerful he was but had never seen him. That was how private he was. I was curious to finally know who he was.

Jackson continued talking “Before the meeting begins, I have a pack announcement to make. Elisa, the Luna of the Midnight pack, has broken pack rules and will no longer be Luna anymore. Gina will be the temporary Luna of our pack, and I hope you will support her.”

My blood ran cold as Jackson made that announcement. I felt a lump in my throat. My chest ached even more.

To my horror, Gina walked up to stand next to Jackson. She had a shimmering red dress on, one that showed all her curves with heels. Her long hair was curled and her lips were so red that you could see the colour from a mile away.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could he do this? I was the one who asked for a divorce, yet here he was, making it seem like I had abandoned them, like I was the one at fault.

Tears fell freely from my eyes. I was glad I had a mask on. If not I would have been a crying mess.

The whispers around us grew louder. People murmured about the sudden change in leadership.

"What could the Luna have done?"

"I'm not surprised. She has always looked like a reckless person"

"She grew up with rogues. What do you expect?"

The whispers made me so harder. I felt humiliated, betrayed. It hadn’t taken Jackson long to replace me, to cast me aside like I was nothing.

“I can’t believe this,” I whispered “How could he do this to me?”

ELISA'S POV

The room seemed to close in on me, I sat there, stunned, as Jackson made his announcement. GINA stood beside him with a triumphant smile on her face as she held his arm. The spotlight was on her, and she was happy to be in it.

I couldn’t believe it. Betrayed didn’t even begin to cover how I felt. Jackson had wasted no time in replacing me, and with my sister, no less. It was like a cruel joke, one that cut deeper than any wound. I had always known I came second to Gina, but this… this was a new level of humiliation.

"Are you alright?" I heard the man ask me, his breath hot against my ear. The feeling of his breath on my body sent tingles down my spine.

I cleared my throat "Yes"

I wondered how he knew something was wrong. I was wearing a mask, he couldn't see my facial expressions or the tears that filled my eyes.

"Are you sure? Your body is trembling"

That was when I realized my whole body was shaking. No wonder he could tell.

I couldn't even begin to describe the hurt I felt. Jackson had crossed a line. He had shattered the final pieces of my heart. I loved him. I did everything to please him yet it wasn't enough. He had always preferred my sister to me.

A part of me wanted to say good riddance but another part of me was sad. Why didn't he love me? What was wrong with me?

The whispers grew louder and I knew that I would be the topic of pack discussion for about a week.

I sniffled, trying to get a hold of myself. I wouldn't let them break me. I would find a way around this.

Before I could fully process my emotions, the man sitting next to me spoke loudly. His voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd.

“Deposing a Luna will require evidence of Luna's serious infractions to be provided to the members of the Werewolf Council before you can do so." he said firmly.

I was surprised by his words. He spoke so eloquently and fluently, like someone with a lot of power. Who was he really?

The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at him in shock, whispering and wondering who he was. Jackson’s face twisted with contempt. I could Jackson was a proud and ruthless Alpha. Nobody dared question him or speak when he's in the center of the room. It made me wonder who this man was even more. He must be very powerful for him to question Jackson's words.

Jackson glared at him as he spoke.

“Who are you?"Jackson's voice boomed" How dare you meddle in the affairs of my pack?"

The man didn’t flinch. I was surprised by how composed he looked. He had a confident smirk in his face.

“I'm a member of the Werewolf Council. You can provide me with evidence.”

My heart skipped a beat. A council member? Here? No wonder he spoke so powerfully.

Jackson froze for a moment before regaining his composure, though his voice wavered slightly. “You're a member of the Werewolf Council? That's not possible. There is no council member here today for the ball. You’re lying!”

At that moment, a man appeared behind the mystery man. He had the symbol of a royal sigil on his suit.

“How dare you!" the man raised his voice" How can you talk to him like that? You should bow when you see the Lycan King”

Gasps filled the room. My own breath caught in my throat as the realization hit me. The Lycan King? I had never seen him before—no one had. The mystery man was the Lycan King? All of a sudden, I started to get hot under my mask.

Jackson’s face went pale. His authoritative aura crumbled in an instant. Even Gina looked scared.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t know you were the king,” Jackson stammered, his body trembling with fear.

I held onto my mask tighter, praying it would conceal my identity. My heart raced. I had been talking to the Lycan king? No way.

Jackson bowed in front of him. The guests stood up and bowed too. I stood up to do the same but the mystery man held my hand, stopping me. It confused me even further. My body calmed under his touch.

“I will be here for two weeks to help you with the leadership changes,” the Lycan King said.

His gaze scanned over everyone till his eyes landed on me.

I felt like I was suffocating under his intense stare. I felt hot all over. I felt flattered and nervous at the same time.

ELISA'S POV

What did he see when he looked at me? Did he know who I was? And more importantly, why did my body respond to him this way? My mind raced with questions.

The whispers in the room grew louder. I wanted to run, to escape, but my legs felt like lead. All I could do was sit there, frozen in place.

Jackson, still reeling from the shock, tried to recover.

“Of course, Your Majesty. We are honored by your presence.” he said.

I had never seen Jacosn look so scared in my life. I never thought it was possible.

The King’s eyes didn’t leave me, as he spoke

“I will expect to see the evidence against your Luna,” he said.

Jackson nodded “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The King finally looked away, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, fear, and sense of relief that someone, even if it was the Lycan King, was questioning Jackson’s actions.

For some reason, I had a feeling that my encounter with the Lycan King would change my life.

******

The ball went on. Soon, people started to really enjoy themselves. The room was filled with the clinking of glasses, chatting of people and the sound of music. People danced in the center of the ball room with their various partners.

I still couldn't believe that I was sitting next to the famous Lycan King. It felt surreal. I should have known he was royalty. He had an air of authority right from the moment I met him.

"I never got to know your name" he suddenly said.

I swallowed hard. I felt flattered that he was interested enough to ask for my name. Is he as attracted to him as I was to him? How could he? I wasn't even well dressed? I was a crying mess when he saw me.

"I'm Elisa"

"Elisa" he repeated.

My name rolled over his tongue effortlessly. I wanted to hear him say it again. He said it like it was made for him to say it.

“Are you enjoying the ball?” he questioned.

I nodded “Yes, it’s beautiful.”

He smiled “You haven’t asked me my name.”

I felt my cheeks flush.

“I’m sorry, your highness. What is your name?”

“There's no need for formalities, Elisa,” he said "My name is Ferris"

Ferris.

I had heard so many stories about the Lycan King—how ruthless he could be, how powerful. Fear gripped me, but at the same time, there was an undeniable pull towards him. Since we met, he had been nothing but kind.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty,” I said. voice trembling slightly.

“Please, call me Ferris,” he insisted.

I nodded, still trying to process the revelation.

In front of me, I caught sight of Jackson and Gina. They stood close to each other, laughing. Jackson had his hand on her arm in a way that was far too familiar. It was like a stab to the heart. Less than a few hours, and he was already moving on. Our marriage had meant nothing to him. I felt ashamed and angry at the same time. How could I have been so blind?

Ferris must have noticed my distress because he followed my gaze and frowned.

“Is something bothering you, Elisa?”

I shook my head, trying to push the hurt aside. “It’s nothing.”

He looked at me for a long moment “Would you like to dance?”

I hesitated. Dancing with the Lycan King? The very thought made my heart race.

“I… I don’t think I can.”

He leaned in closer and whispered into my ear “That wasn’t a request. It’s an order.”

I shivered at the feeling of his breath on my ear. It was so hot, so... I couldn't even describe it.