CHAPTER NINETEEN

[Aiden's POV]. Aiden jerked awake. His heart pounded in his chest, and his wolf stood on high alert as he scanned his surroundings. His heart resumed its steady beating when he realized he was in his office. Cracking his neck from side to side, he relieved his joint, which had grown stiff from the awkward position he had fallen asleep in. It had happened again. He had the same fucking dream again. Aiden ran his hand over his face and through his hair. The nightmares had started about a month ago. The details always escaped his mind when he awoke, but the trembling in his body was always the same. The only things that constantly flashed in his mind were familiar green eyes. Green eyes, which belonged to his mate. Ruby. Aiden felt his wolf veer his head up at the thought of Ruby. Almost a year had passed since he last saw his Gift from the Moon Goddess. And somewhere in that period, his wolf had become distant. Aiden could still feel him at the back of his mind, and his beast was always responsive when he needed to deal with pack matters as an Alpha, but other than that, he laid on his belly at the back of his mind, not giving away any emotion. His life was going well. He made everything he had planned happen. Ophelia was his wife now. She bore his mark and held the title of his Luna. Soon, he would make her carry his pup. Everything was perfect. So why did he feel as if something was missing? A constant emptiness resided in him, and anger usually seeped into that empty space. He was angry at his wolf for being so distant. He flared up at any minor thing that didn't go his way, making Ophelia and the people around him scared of him. The only things that seemed to calm him down were the thoughts of Ruby. He thought about how she would look being the Luna. How she would look with his mark and eventually carrying his pup. A ghost of a smile spread across his lip at the thought, but he pushed it down along with the warmth that his wolf emitted. Ophelia was the one he chose. She was strong, kind, and loved by his pack, Aiden convinced himself. Ruby was an Omega and a disgrace. She was weak, and weakness wasn't the quality of a Luna. A Luna was the pack's strength when the Alpha was out on missions, and he couldn't see Ruby like that. Anyone would have done the same. They would choose Ophelia over Ruby. Even their father had done it. Memories of Ruby when he last saw her flashed through his mind. He couldn't feel her anymore since he had rejected her at the Duskfall pack. Aiden remembered the look in her eyes when he had said the words to her, the strength he saw when she had accepted the rejection. Aiden wanted to blame the hurt he had felt at her quick response to his wolf. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he was affected by her indifference towards him. He had expected her to be in tears, beg him as she had before. Aiden was amazed by her strong will. Maybe, just maybe, she could be a Lu- A knock at his door interrupted Aiden's thought. He was grateful for the distraction. His mind was threading dangerous territories. Walking over to the door, he opened it to find his Beta, George standing outside. "Aiden, a letter arrived for you from the chancellor." Aiden's face hardened. The Chancellor? What could he possibly want from him? Collecting the letter, he tore it open and scanned its content. Apparently, the Chancellor had come down to the west and was hosting a gala. Aiden's eyebrows rose. All Alphas were expected to attend. "The chancellor is hosting a gala, and all Alpha here in the west have been invited," Aiden informed George. "Every one of them? Quite a reunion he is organizing." Aiden nodded at his words. The last time Alphas gathered in one space was many years ago. "Even the Alpha of the Greyhound?" George asked out of the blue. The Greyhound Alpha was quite infamous from the tales of how he went to the heart of the rogue territory and created a pack. Uproars had started after his deed, Alphas was marveled by his guts, and rogues were infuriated. Slowly and steadily, he built his pack until it became the biggest supplier of resources to other packs. The Alpha himself had become feared. Eliminating anyone who dared question or challenge his power. That was how he had gained the name the Rogue King. The only other thing that was known about him was his last name. Cooper. He was a legend. No one had ever seen him since he never attended social events, not even the annual gatherings. He was mysterious and robust. Usually, it was seen as a sign of disrespect to the Alphas who attended, but no one dared to call him out on it. Not when they needed the resources he mined in his pack. "I don't know. But it's the Chancellor's gala. He has to attend." George nodded. "And then maybe you'll get to talk to him and form an alliance. He is one of the strongest Alphas, after all." ***** Aiden adjusted his tie as he stepped out of his car. His eyes glided over the castle of a house which stood before him. Its walls rose high, and its roof looked like it touched the moon. The night sky gave it an eerie glow, hiding the secrets that the golden brick walls had kept for centuries. Golden lights lit the path from the fountain at the front to the entrance, packed with Alphas from all over. Ophelia stepped out of the car. She wore a blue dress, which made her eyes sparkle. It fell all the way to the floor, and a slit sat on her right leg, all the way to her mid-thigh. Aiden nodded in approval, but his wolf just looked away. It stayed on alert in his mind, releasing waves of dominance. Refusing to falter to the aura from other Alphas. Aiden entered the hall, nodding in respect to every Alpha he walked past, with Ophelia holding his arm loosely. The power of the Alphas made the air dense. Aiden could feel Ophelia trembling by his side. He sensed her wolf whimpering in her mind as the aura weighed her down. The further they walked in, the lower her head went until she was practically cowering behind him. "Lift your head," Aidan said through his teeth. Ophelia raised her head for a second before looking down again in submission. His wolf snarled in annoyance, hating how weak she made herself look. As a Luna, bowing her head in the presence of other Alphas meant weakness. She was not only embarrassing herself but also him and their pack. She wore the mark of a Luna, but she wasn't acting like one. "Alpha Turner, It's been a while. I see you found your mate. Such a lovely lady she is." Aiden quickly masked the annoyance on his face with a laugh before turning to the man. "Alpha Sabori, good to see you too. Where is yours?" His tone sounded forced as he gazed at the older man. Alpha Sabori pointed to a group of women talking. "Ah, I see she is getting herself acquainted with the Lunas. Ophelia, darling, would you like to join them and make some friends? I'll come get you when dinner starts." Ophelia kept her head bowed, much to Aiden's dismay. She smiled and nodded, looking relieved, before scurrying off. Pathetic, his wolf growled in his mind. "So I heard the Rogue King will be coming," Alpha Sabori said, crossing his hands over his chest. "Apparently so. I supposed everyone here wants to see the man who created an empire from nothing." Aiden remarked. Alpha Randolph, who had joined their small group, nodded in agreement. It was already an hour into the event, and Aiden could make out all the other Alpha's faces. The only other one left to arrive was Alpha Cooper. Spoon-clicking a glass pulled everyone's attention to the center of the room. The Chancellor stood there. He was an older man presumably in his seventies. Though he looked frail and older, tales were told of his accomplishments when he was an Alpha. "Alphas of the west, I welcome you to my party. It gives me great joy to see you all here. Please drink and mingle. The wines are in barrels." Laughter erupted in the room at his last words. That was it. The Chancellor had made his opening speech. "I guess Alpha Cooper wouldn't be gracing us with his presence," Alpha Sabori said. As the enormous golden doors shut behind the Chancellor as he exited the hall, the clicking of heels resonated through the room, piercing the silence that was given in respect for the Chancellor. All heads turned to the entrance to find out who had just arrived. Whispers filled the room, and Aiden listened. "It's a woman," Some said, while others wondered who she was. Aiden felt his wolf, who lay emotionlessly in his mind, bark excitedly. It was the first reaction he had gotten from it in a long time. What the hell was going on? Aiden thought. Who was it that was eliciting such a reaction from his wolf? Letting his curiosity win, Aiden stepped away from behind Alpha Randolph to get a better look at the newcomer. Creamy skin clear from all blemishes was the first thing he noticed. Plump lips painted red, long lashes hooding vibrant green eyes, and jet back hair packed in an elegant updo. The woman wore a black dress, held up by one fabric strap, and flowed to the floor. The neckline was plunged, with her cleavage, teasing ever so slightly from the top and a slit which stopped mid-thigh. Her neck was exposed, showing everyone present that she was unmarked. Such a beauty was unmarked, Aiden thought. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that he knew her. Her scent was familiar, like something he knew all too well, but he couldn't pinpoint who she was. Until his eyes fell upon the scar on her shoulder. It had faded, but he could still recognize it. Aiden felt his wolf howl in pride as they watched the woman stop a few feet away. He knew that the eyes on her made her feel self-conscious, but she didn't show. Her head was high, and her eyes, which stared ahead, didn't meet anyone's eye. A man trailed behind her, and Aiden could tell he wasn't the one with her; neither was he an Alpha. He stood behind her protectively. Aiden's wolf snarled in his mind at his close proximity. The mark on her shoulder, the familiar green eyes he knew he had looked into, caused tears to fall from them, and he watched them break. Aiden shook his head as the realization dawned on him. Ruby? The question exploded in his mind.