“Huh?” I interject bewilderedly, frowning at Brooks, who appears more handsome than ever.
Shaking my head and inadvertently brushing aside the thought, I gently clink my glass to his and take another sip that does little to lubricate my drying throat.
What is Alpha Brooks playing at?
Thankfully, after his long sip of champagne, he’s called to the front by Alpha Elias, joining the other sub-alphas to speak to Alpha Dane. Aurora and Yvonne, seated across from me, wave me over, and I’m just about to get up from my chair when the empty seat beside me is filled.
“Hello there, m’lady…” a husky voice drawls, stopping me in my tracks and prompting me to look over to find a devilish grin on a rather handsome, tanned face.
The man’s features are sharp and distinct, his dark hair sweeping across his forehead, the tips brushing his eyes in a way that makes him look rather mysterious.
“H-hi,” I greet back, surprised that the unfamiliar face belongs to a Blood Moon wolf. He seems friendly.
“I couldn’t help but notice that you were sitting here all alone,” the man says in a charming voice, his eyes twinkling as he stares at my face.
Feeling slightly unnerved that I’ve gained the attention of a wolf from the other pack, I shift in my seat. “I was—I was just going over to my friends.” I glance over the table for good measure.
The man follows my gaze and nods at Aurora and Yvonne, then turns his attention back to me. “Well, since we’re celebrating the alliance between our packs, I think it might be a good idea to make new friends.” He sticks his tattooed hand out. “I’m Lucien Volkov,” he says with a curt nod.
“Rissa Rudolph,” I reply as I slip my hand into his, the name ringing a bell. “Volkov? Alpha Dane Volkov—”
“Is my brother,” Lucien cuts in with a nervous chuckle. “My older brother.”
“Is your attempt at making new friends a way to outshine the alpha?” I tease, taking my hand back and folding it on my lap. Something about Lucien feels familiar.
It’s probably because of how much he reminds me of Brooks—if he were kind-hearted and had hazel eyes.
The thought leads me to glance over Lucien’s shoulder to where Brooks stands with the group of alphas, still holding his half-empty flute of champagne. It’s almost as if the moment I look up, he senses my eyes boring into his neck just above his black collar, and he turns to glance at me.
“On the contrary, my brother rarely outshines me, so it’s no competition,” Lucien continues, drawing my attention away from Brooks just as a frown furrows his brows.
“That speech he gave back there was probably rehearsed a million times over,” Lucien chuckles.
I’m barely keeping up with Lucien as he talks about how he’s the life of the party when I feel goosebumps erupt across my arms to warn me of impending danger.
To my utmost horror, that danger comes in the form of Brooks marching over and placing a hand on Lucien’s shoulder. He grips his shoulder with a tightness that pales his knuckles as Lucien flinches and turns his face to Brooks.
“Hey, Brooks,” Lucien greets, remaining calm despite the strain in his voice.
“What are you doing talking to Rissa?” Brooks grinds out as he stares at me, his eyes deep pools of silver blades that slice into my soul, causing me to tremble in fear.
“I was simply getting acquainted with new friends, Brooks,” Lucien says as he tries maintaining a straight face.
But Alpha Brooks crushes the man’s shoulder and growls.
“She ismine!” he roars, the last word ringing out so loudly and vulgarly that it stops everyone’s chatter, and the room goes deadly silent.
All eyes turn to us and the commotion Brooks is causing, and I feel myself curling inwards the moment Alpha Elias and Alpha Dane come over to find out what’s going on.
Brooks has pulled away, but it doesn’t stop him from growling and mumbling profanities at Lucien. His eyes are deadly pits of anger, and he looks like he’s about to physically fight the other man.
I can’t stand the raging testosterone, the way Brooks breathes heavily, and the humiliation I feel from this happening on another wolf pack’s turf. Without waiting for the fight to erupt, I push off my chair and rush down the hall toward the exit, the embarrassment too much to handle.
Is he crazy?
What was he thinking, embarrassing us like that in front of the Blood Moon Pack?
Fuming, I set off in the only direction I know—the row of guesthouses behind the Blood Moon hall, where the beta of Blood Moon showed us our sleeping arrangements for the night. In a fit of stomps and angry huffs, I find my way to the guesthouses and recognize the one that had been designated for me.
