The Alpha's Curse The Enemy Within

Iwas all dolled up already. It was night time, and the party had started. Many guests from far regions had made appearances already. And some members of the Council had attended the ball already.

I stood in front of the tall mirror that held my reflection. | looked really beautiful in the dress Killian picked for me. It was a gold floor- length mermaid-style dress with an embroidered corset at the top. It was stunning and matched my white and gold masquerade mask. | loved it.

The door pulled open and Brielle stepped in. She was all dressed up as well, and her long black hair fell down her shoulders, stylishly.

“It's time,” she smiled, joining me in the mirror. "There has never been so many people in the pack like tonight,” she said. “Tonight's going to be so much fun.” “Yeah,” | whispered to myself. | turned to her, taking her in. There was something different about her. In a good way. “You look beautiful," | told her, examining her carefully.

Brielle smiled, “Thanks. You too.” I wasn't only talking about her gorgeous dress and look, there was a slight change in her aura and scent. | moved closer to her, taking her hand in both of my hands. Brielle's eyes widened at my sudden action. As | held her hand, my eyes shot up and slowly moved to hers.

I couldn't hold back the smile eager to surface. "Brielle," | called, almost in a whisper, | could feel it. The life in her. "You are pregnant.”

Her eyes enlarged, shocked. "How did you know? No one knows yet, not even Allen.” “It doesn't matter, Brielle. I'm so happy for you," I pulled her in for a hug.

“Thank you, Sheila,” she voiced, holding a smile of hers. Then there was a knock at the door, and Ria popped her head in.

“Alpha Killian asked me to fetch you," she said, and | adjusted my dress, while Brielle helped me fasten my white and gold masquerade mask in place. My wavy brown hair was pulled back into a low messy bun and | had a few loose curls framing my face, around my mask.

“Alright, let's go," | left the chamber with Brielle and Ria. We made our way to the grand hall on the ground floor where the party had already started.

There were a lot of bodies staring up as we descended gracefully down the stairs. Killian was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

His deep amber crystals gleamed brightly as | approached him. “You look absolutely gorgeous,” he took my hand and pulled it together with his lips, kissing it.

“You look dashing as well" I said, smiling, linking my arms in his, and we made our way deeper into the hall crowded with so many people, having masquerade masks on their faces.

Killian and I strutted to the center of the hall, he cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. “Members of the Black Blood Pack and esteemed guests. Thank you for dressing up and looking stunning tonight to celebrate with us. There is enough snacks and the bar is free and open. Let's not keep the dancefloor waiting,” he shouted with joy, and the crowd applauded, screaming with joy.

The hall became more alive as the best kind of music was played by the entertainers. Many couples covered the dance floor.

Killian swerved to me. “Can | have this dance?" He muttered, sending his hand to me.

I'took it and he pinned me close to his chest, and we began dancing, alongside the sea of bodies. For the first time today, | felt myself become calm, and | was starting to enjoy the ball. But everything shattered the instant | felt my body become stiff, as though | was being watched.

I scanned the hall, feeling a pair of heated gazes on me. But I couldn't tell where exactly it came from, or who it was from, or whether maybe | was just being paranoid because of everything that had happened today.

1 gripped hard onto Killian, trying my best to focus on him instead.

We continued dancing until the music was over. Some Alphas from the south region and some members from the Council came up to meet Killian and me, requesting to see Killian briefly.

Killian insisted I join in but | shook my head, insisting he went with them while | stepped out for a moment to get some air, with hopes I'd manage to see Valerie. She hadn't made her appearance at the

ball yet, and | couldn't stop my worrisome nerves from kicking in.

I watched Killian leave with his company, and my eyes went around the large hall once again, from a great distance, | sighted Valerie. She walked into the hall with a little speed. She wasn't dressed for the party, she was still wearing the red silken dress she had on earlier today, and she had worn a red cloak over her dress.

She approached Lorenzo who was among the crowd, and with similar speed, both she and Lorenzo hastened out of the court.

Something was wrong. | could almost hear the words in my thoughts, and that, unfortunately, raised the fast rate of my beating heart.

1 began to move within the crowd, heading for the exit in hopes of catching up with Valerie and Enzo, when the music changed into a slow and seductive melody, inviting more couples to the dancefloor.

I kept weaving my way through the sea of bodies when | felt a hand

clamp my wrist. | gasped at the uncomfortable coldness, my body swerving around, slamming into that of the stranger before me.

“May | have this dance, beautiful?" My eyes fell into a pair of icy ruby irises. | creased my brows, unable to recognize him. He was wearing black leather pants and a black shirt with a black mask studded with black diamonds that covered most of his face.

jerked my wrist away from his hold. Even with the black leather gloves he had on, | could still feel the intensity of his cold touch.

“Who are you?" | asked. His gaze was intense on me, as it roamed my body seductively. Strangely, there was a certain familiarity in them.

“One dance and you'll find out," he closed the gap between us, and before his hands could touch me, I stopped them midair.

“If you value your life as much, you would back off. I'm taken," I said, already starting to get irritated, and the way his eyes flashed at my words, | got the feeling my words somewhat infuriated him.

“Do you really believe that to be the truth?" He said, his tone holding a question in it. His words confused me, but | decided not to create a scene, and simply ignore him.

“Excuse me," | turned to leave but he grabbed me by the waist, slamming my body to his in a manner that forced my gaze into his eyes.

Iwas in his arms and | swear to the goddess, it took me everything to be able to fight the tremble that had begun from deep within my bones as | bored into his ruby eyes. And for a fearful, yet impossible second, it felt as though | was staring into a pair of golden eyes that had always infiltrated my dreams. It felt as though | was staring straight into the Dark Lord's eyes. But it wasn't him. It couldn't be him. This stranger's aura screamed werewolf only, unlike the Dark Lord who was rumored to be a mixling.

My hands fell on both sides of his arm as my touch burned him with my magic at the surface. | pushed away from his arms.

He cocked his head to one side, studying me intensely in fascination.

1 hated this feeling in my chest. His gaze alone made me squirm as his eyes sought out my soul from his black diamond mask that hid his face and the tension between us thickened.

*Is something wrong?" Morgan's words pierced through whatever bubble of madness had imprisoned me with this stranger. Morgan stopped beside me, placing a hand calmly on my wrist.

There was a wicked flash of jealousy in this mysterious stranger's depths as his eyes briefly fell on my wrist where Morgan had held me.

“No,” | muttered to Morgan, glancing briefly at the stranger. His eyes were stuck on me only, with mischief visible in them. "Come with me, Morgan." Morgan and I began to make our way through the crowd. I could still feel the heated gaze of the stranger, almost boring a hole in the back of my head. I glanced back to where we had left him and he wasn't

there, neither could | find him in the crowd. It was almost as if he had vanished completely.

Oh, goddess. I had to find Valerie.