Chapter 157

Agnes

All eyes turned toward us.

I felt my face heat under their collective gaze. Looking around at the other women in attendance, I realized with a start that my gown was by far the most elaborate in the room. The structured bodice with its window to my heart, the crystal beadwork catching every flicker of candlelight, the dramatic sweep of the train behind me—it was all too much.

Had I gone overboard again?

But before I could worry too much, Elijah was striding toward us, looking breathtaking in the suit I’d made him. The charcoal gray fabric hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, and the subtle vine stitching along the lapels caught the light as he moved. Up close, he was even more handsome.

“You both look absolutely beautiful,” he said, taking Thea’s free hand in his and placing his other hand at the small of my back. The warmth of his touch seeped through the silk of my gown, making my chest warm comfortably. “Everyone can’t stop staring.”

“I think I overdid it with the gown,” I whispered, leaning closer so only he could hear. “It’s too much.”

Elijah shot me a sidelong glance. “No. It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” He guided us further into the venue, his hand remaining at my back. A few people stepped out of our way, and as we passed, I could hear their soft whispers.

But Elijah was right; they weren’t judging. They were whispering praises, some even snapping photos of the ensemble. I felt my earlier reservations melt away just as quickly as they had come.

A waiter approached us then with a tray of champagne flutes, and Elijah handed me one before taking one for himself. Another server followed with a selection of petit fours arranged on a silver platter. Thea’s eyes widened at the tiny cakes, and Elijah nodded for her to take one.

“Just one for now,” he said as she reached for a pink-frosted cake. “We don’t want to ruin your dinner.”

As we sipped champagne and nibbled on the sweet treats, I took the opportunity to scan the room more carefully. The guests were clearly from the upper echelons of pack society—Alphas and Lunas from neighboring territories, prominent business owners, political figures. But I didn’t recognize the Alpha or Luna of this particular pack, which struck me as odd. Shouldn’t they be greeting their own guests? It was their gala, right?

“Elijah,” I said, setting my empty glass on a passing tray, “what exactly is this gala for? I’d like to thank the Alpha and Luna of this pack for hosting such a beautiful event.”

Something flickered across Elijah’s face, but whatever it was, it was gone too quickly to identify.

“The Alpha and Luna are quite busy at the moment,” he said vaguely. “As for what the gala is for…” He trailed off, looking around the room with an odd expression on his face. “You’ll find out soon enough. Just enjoy yourself for now.”

I frowned, confused by his cryptic response. “That’s very mysterious of you,” I said, but Elijah was already changing the subject and guiding me away.

We continued to mingle, Elijah introducing me to pack members I hadn’t yet met and reconnecting me with those I already knew. Throughout it all, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange was happening. People kept giving me knowing smiles, as if they were in on some secret I wasn’t privy to.

Despite my confusion, I found myself relaxing as the evening progressed. The champagne was excellent, the music was soothing, and Elijah was being unusually attentive, his hand rarely leaving the small of my back and his eyes frequently finding mine across conversations.

“Whoever planned this event did an incredible job,” I commented as we paused near one of the elaborate floral arrangements. “The decorations are stunning.”

To my surprise, Elijah’s chest puffed up slightly, and a proud smile crossed his face. “You think so?”

“Of course. The flowers, the lighting, even the table settings—it’s all beautiful.” I tilted my head, studying his expression. “Why do you look so pleased with yourself? Did you have something to do with this?”

Before he could answer, Thea tugged on my dress, pointing excitedly to a group of children around her age playing near the edge of the dance floor. “Mommy, can I go play with them? Please?”

I hesitated, glancing at Elijah, who nodded. Thea took off, joining the other kids in what seemed to be a raucous dance circle. Once she was gone, Elijah turned to me. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to use the restroom.”

I nodded, watching as he made his way through the crowd. Left alone, I took the opportunity to admire the venue again, trying to piece together the puzzle of this mysterious gala. It almost felt like a wedding reception with its romantic decorations and formal atmosphere, but there had been no ceremony that I knew of.

“Agnes! Oh my goodness, you look absolutely stunning!”

I turned to find Evelyn approaching with a radiant smile on her face. She looked even better than the last time I’d seen her, her hair cut into a wavy bob and her skin tanner than before. She wore a deep blue gown and a delicate silver necklace at her throat.

The divorce must have gone through, I thought, feeling oddly guilty for being so swept up in my own drama over the past months that I must have missed it.

She embraced me warmly, kissing me on both cheeks before stepping back to admire my gown. “That dress is a masterpiece. Did you make it yourself?”

I nodded, smoothing a hand over the armor-like bodice. My fingers lingered on the locket, making whatever was inside clink softly once more. “I did. Thank you.”

“And the matching one for Thea is absolutely adorable.” Evelyn’s eyes sparkled. “You must be so excited.”

There it was again—that strange assumption that I had something specific to be excited about. I tilted my head. “Excited for what, exactly?”

Yes, I was excited to finally wear the gown I’d worked so hard on. And yes, it was nice to attend a formal event where Elijah was being so attentive. But it seemed like Evelyn was referring to something else entirely.

Her manicured brows knit together. “For the—” She cut herself off, her eyes widening slightly. “Wait, he didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

Before she could answer, the orchestra abruptly stopped playing. A hush fell over the room as all eyes turned toward the grand entrance. The massive double doors swung open with a loud groan, and my heart stopped.

There, framed in the doorway, stood Olivia. In a…

Wedding gown.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis as I stared at her standing there. Was this another one of her manipulations? Or was it something else? Something far darker, something that I hardly even dared to entertain in my own head?

I felt physically ill, like I might actually throw up. When I looked at Evelyn, her face was just as pale as my own must have been. We were both speechless.

Fuck. I was going to throw up.

Without explaining myself, I picked up the heavy skirts of my dress and began moving away, hurrying toward the bathroom. But before I could get far, a tall, slender male figure stepped in my path, holding out a fresh glass of champagne.

Mason gently pressed the champagne into my hand, then placed one of his hands over mine and the other beneath the stem of the glass, effectively lifting it to my lips. When I met his eyes, I saw nothing but sympathy there.

“Drink,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “You’re going to need it.”

I nodded, and without thinking, I drank the champagne.