REBIRTH OF THE TRUE LUNA

CHAPTER 7: THE ALPHA BALL-II

Beta Luke was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a sharp black and white tuxedo as he extended his hand towards her as she came closer.

Leah hesitated to take his hand but then thought better of it. He hadn't let her down—yet. Trusting in him was a gamble, but there was still a chance to alter the forthcoming events where he had his part. If only, he had backed her up at the Alpha Council back then when she sought a divorce, things would have gone smoothly.

“The dress really suits you, it's amazing.” He gave her another compliment, to which she rewarded him with a fleeting smile.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” she replied, her brow furrowing upon seeing the BMW that awaited them. It meant sharing a ride with Zev and Nina, which was less than ideal.

"That's not your usual style," Beta Luke said, catching her off guard with his attentiveness.

"Well, I feel like embracing some changes, Luke," Leah said with a smile, noting the intensity in his gaze—This was new.

He courteously opened the car door for her carefully arranging the trail of her gown and gathered them while placing it nicely at her feet. Perhaps the dress was a bit too much for a ball. Well, a ball is all about the dancing and it could be a hassle for her in that dress but dancing wasn't her focus tonight.

Inside, Zev and Nina were already seated opposite her and for Leah’s taste, they were just too close. She nearly grinned at Nina's dress choice, which clashed with her dark hair. The color did not suit her at all and made her look a bit too weird.

So childish.

She looked like a kid going for a fashion parade. Leah giggled slightly to herself, adjusting the hems of her gown.

"Luna Leah," Nina greeted her, clinging to Zev, who swiftly detached himself from her arms advising her to keep her hands to herself and behave properly. At least he has the decency to be respectful in her presence. If one could say that, of course.

"Leah," Zev managed to say, not quite smiling. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks," she returned the compliment with a practiced smile, "Luke mentioned that already."

A heavy and tensed silence filled the car as they set off.

"Luna Leah," Nina couldn't help but add in again. "Your dress is quite deserving and exquisite, I love it.”

"Thank you," Leah responded curtly. "I suppose I have an eye for fashion. Yours is quite nice too. Must have been nice choosing your's first."

"You chose first?" Zev sounded taken aback. He'd been told a different story about the dress selection.

"Didn't you know?" Leah raised an eyebrow, "Nina was so moved by the stack of clothes. I thought she deserved to pick first, being her first time at such an event."

Zev shot Nina a questioning look, but she avoided his gaze.

“I did not see this dress, though!” she exclaimed innocently.

"You didn't look hard enough," Leah said with a sly smile. "You were fixated on the dress I held without bothering to look around, so I let you have it. And there you are.”

Nina, feeling quite uncomfortable, tried to smooth things over. "It really was nice, Luna. I felt so special being able to choose first."

"Well, you should feel special," Leah said, a sharp edge to her voice. "After all, it's not every day you get to be the center of attention at such an important event."

Zev, trying to change the subject, leaned forward. "Leah, how have things been at the pack? I’ve been so wrapped up, I haven't had a chance to catch up properly."

"Busy," Leah replied curtly. "We've been focusing on strengthening our alliances and preparing for the upcoming events."

"That sounds like a lot of work," Nina chimed in, attempting to be friendly. "You must be very dedicated."

"Dedication is key to any successful leadership," Leah responded, her tone icy. "But I suppose you wouldn't know much about that yet."

Nina's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "I’m learning, though. Zev has been very supportive and patient with me."

"I'm sure he has." Leah's smile didn't reach her eyes.

Luke, sensing the rising tension, interjected. "I'm sure tonight will be a good opportunity for everyone to mingle and relax a bit. It’s been a while since we all had a chance to unwind."

"Indeed," Zev agreed, casting a wary glance at Leah. "We could all use a bit of a break."

Leah looked out of the window, her mind racing. She had to keep her composure, but the constant reminders of Zev's betrayal were hard to ignore. She took a deep breath and forced herself to focus on the night ahead.

"By the way, Leah," Zev continued on, trying to steer the conversation. "Have you finalized the plans for the student and warrior exchanges?"

"We’re in the final stages," Leah replied, her tone professional. "It's crucial for the growth of our pack and the development of our younger members."

Nina looked intrigued. "That sounds interesting. I’d love to learn more about it."

Leah gave her a tight smile. "Perhaps we can discuss it another time.”

After hours of enduring Nina's melodramatic life stories, they arrived at the venue. Nina's tales of hardship and virtue were so exaggerated that even Luke couldn't help but snicker. Zev, however, listened so intently that they even wondered what would be going through his mind.

None of it seemed realistic at all.

Leah had once tried to verify Nina's past with her pack but found nothing as all her investigation had been a dead end.

As they approached the venue, the grandeur of the Alpha Ball came into full view. Lights twinkled, and the chatter of attendees filled the air. Leah took a deep breath, preparing herself for the evening ahead.

"Shall we?" Luke offered his arm, and Leah took it with a determined smile.

They made it through stringent security and were about to enter the party when Leah turned to Luke.

"Luke, I've left my clutch in the car," she said with a gentle smile. "Could you get it for me? I can't miss any urgent calls while we're here."

"Of course," he agreed and hurried back to the car.

Leah had left it deliberately. She wanted to enter the room without an escort. She needed the shock and pity factor of her arrival without her Alpha, but her Alpha with another. So, when the Men in white tuxedos opened the doors before Zev and Nina, she made sure to follow right behind them, keeping her head held high with a faint smile playing on her lips.

Murmurs filled the room, initially overwhelming but she absorbed herself in the attention, descending slowly.

Until one loud growl overpowered them all.