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.

Before I could protest, he took my hand and led me to the dance floor. His touch was warm and firm. Despite my initial reluctance, I couldn’t deny the thrill I felt. The feeling of my hand in his made me feel warm all over. It felt right.

We got to the dance floor with the rest of the others. He bowed to me and I curtsied. After that, we started dancing. We joined our hands together and moved slowly to the music. The orchestra changed the music as soon as they noticed him. As we moved together, the rest of the room seemed to fade away. The music sounded around us, and I found myself getting lost in his beautiful blue eyes.

We moved in sync. Our steps were perfectly matched. I had never felt this way with anyone, not even Jackson. There was an intensity in Ferris' gaze that made my heart flutter. He held me close at one point. His hand rested gently on my waist, guiding me effortlessly through the dance. Every touch, every look, sent shivers down my spine.

“You’re a wonderful dancer,” he murmured.

This was the first time I was hearing that. Jackson used to tell me how awful I was at dancing. He even told me to learn from Gina.

“Thank you,” I managed to say "So are you.”

He smiled “Tell me, Elisa, what’s troubling you?”

I looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze in the moment “It’s nothing, really.”

“Is it the Alpha?” he asked" I saw you looking at him"

I felt a lump form in my throat. “Its complicated"

"Whatever it is, you'll be fine. He's an asshole anyway"

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips. His words made me feel better instantly.

The music continued to play, but all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat. In that moment, nothing else mattered. The world around us disappeared, and it was just Ferris and me, moving together as if we were the only two people in existence.

I felt desire within me, stronger than anything I had ever felt before. I was attracted to Ferris in a way that I couldn't describe. His looks, his confidence, his aura—it was overwhelming. I wondered what it was about him that drew me in so completely.

As the dance came to an end, he held me for a moment longer, as if reluctant to let me go. And in that moment, I knew that whatever happened next, my life would never be the same.

*

The ball had ended a while ago. As soon as it did, I said goodbye to Ferris and went outside to clear my head. I thought about everything that went down with Jackson, Gina and my parents..

I found a quiet corner in the gardens of the estate. I didn't want to go back home to Jackson.

I sat on a stone bench, my mind replaying the events of the evening. Ferris' kindness and the way he made me feel still warmed my heart, but the pain of seeing Jackson with Gina overshadowed it. How could he move on so quickly? Did I really mean nothing to him?

My phone buzzed in my purse, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hesitated before pulling it out, dreading what I might see. As I expected, it was text message from Jackson.

It read - - “I hope you don’t back out. I am definitely going to divorce you.”

I stared at the message. My heart sunk further as I read it over and over again. The audacity.

I felt a bitter smile tug at my lips. Of course, he would divorce me. He had already moved on, and he wanted to make sure I knew it. I shook my head and turned off my phone without replying. There was nothing left to say.

I just didn’t want to be falsely accused of anything. I didn’t want to be seen as the one who gave up on our marriage. But the truth was, there was nothing left to fight for. Jackson had made his choice, and now I had to make mine.

As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a figure approached. A royal soldier stepped into the light.

“Miss,” he said, bowing slightly. “Our king wants to see you"