Evaline:
I let out a deep sigh, the kind that clawed up my throat with weight and hesitation.
My hand hovered on the door handle of the black luxury car, hesitant to leave the safety of its leather-lined interior. But River had been standing outside for a while now, holding the door open, his tall frame casting a long shadow into the vehicle. His presence was a silent command I could never resist for too long. So I pushed aside the knot of nerves and stepped out.
The moment I did, chaos erupted.
Camera flashes hit me from all angles. They were blinding, relentless. The sudden burst of lights made my vision blur, and I reflexively turned my face. My eyes even started watering as the sound of frenzied shouting and screaming tore through the cool evening air.
"Miss! Over here!"
"Who is she?"
"Alpha Thorne! Alpha Thorne, look this way!"
"River! Alpha River, over here!"
Fangirls were screaming his name like it was a battle cry, some even pushing past the red velvet ropes as if their lives depended on getting a closer glimpse of him. And the fanboys... oh, they were worse, holding placards, phones, even gifts.
River reacted immediately.
In one fluid motion, he stepped closer and his body shielded mine from the blinding lights and intrusive camera lenses. His arm circled around me protectively, and I felt the strength of it, the calm power he carried like a second skin.
"Come," he said in a low and smooth voice, as if the chaos around us didn’t even exist.
I let him lead me forward. My heart was thudding with both anxiety and a strange, fluttering thrill. Once inside the towering glass doors of the hotel, the world muffled to a hush. The flashes stopped. The screaming faded behind the thick soundproofed walls. The air, warm and fragrant with winter spices, welcomed us.
I released a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding and turned slightly toward River.
"Thanks," I muttered, trying not to sound breathless.
He was already looking at me.
Even with the mask covering half his face, he looked unfairly good... better than good. The dark formal suit hugged his lean, tall frame like it had been made just for him, his silver cufflinks catching the chandelier lights. His black-and-gold embroidered half-mask added an air of mystery, but it did nothing to hide the way he watched me.
A smile tugged at his lips, just for a second, before he schooled his expression back to its usual calm.
I rolled my eyes, slightly flustered, and looked away.
Yes, I was here. At the Winter Solstice Ball. With River.
After all the dramatic protests I had thrown this morning. After swearing I would lock myself in my room and read until sunrise. After declaring I didn’t care if the Ball was the event of the year.
But... here I was.
Let’s not even get into how that happened. My mates knew how to get their way, especially when they teamed up like overgrown puppies... grumpy ones. With Draven’s endless texts and Oscar’s quiet guilt-tripping... combined? I was doomed. Even Kieran was on their team.
To be fair, what tipped the scale in their favor was the one saving grace of the evening - it was a masquerade.
Which meant I could hide. Hide everything - my identity, my nerves, and the anxious weight sitting on my chest.
And the stylists who helped me get ready for the night, they did their job well.
My hair was a masterpiece - long black extensions blending in with my natural silver locks to create an oreo-like pattern that was elegant and dramatic. My amber eyes were covered with brown contact lenses that shifted my entire appearance.
My gown was luxury, pure yet sexy - dark blue with shimmering accents. Its soft fabric was clinging at the right places, had flowing sleeves and a train that moved like whispers behind me. My mask was made of delicate lace and gemstones, and it hid the upper half of my face entirely.
I was... unrecognizable.
The staff guided us toward a private elevator, and in mere seconds, we were on the floor where the Grand Ballroom awaited.
When we entered the place, I stilled.
The ballroom was nothing short of a dream.
Crystal chandeliers were hanging from an impossibly high ceiling like frozen raindrops. Gold accents, velvet drapes, walls adorned with enchanted snowflakes that drifted slowly down before fading into the air. Everything was sparkling - tables, lights, even the floor had a faint shimmer, like it had been dusted with stardust.
A giant ice sculpture was standing in the center of the room, shaped like a crescent moon wrapped in roses. Music was playing softly, classical and haunting, the kind that soaked into your skin.
The crowd was a blur of luxury - dresses and tuxedos, masks and perfumes. But it wasn’t until we stepped inside that the energy shifted.
The entire ballroom hushed.
Heads turned. Conversations halted mid-sentence. Every single pair of eyes locked onto us.
Correction... on him.
Despite the mask and the elegant pretense of anonymity, River was impossible to miss. He had that kind of presence, the kind that drew people in and warned them to stay away. Like thunder wrapped in silk.
He stood tall beside me, spine straight, his aura washing through the room like a wave. Not demanding attention... commanding it.
He was the Rogue Alpha King.
Even his silence was loud.
And suddenly, I regretted stepping in with him. With my hand on his arm, no less. Maybe I should have waited twenty seconds and walked in alone. Or pretended to be a random guest who just happened to walk through the same door.
I glanced up at him, trying to pull my hand back discreetly, but his grip tightened ever so slightly. He looked down, his eyes gleaming beneath the mask, and he offered a calm, unreadable smile before guiding me deeper into the ballroom.
"Relax," he murmured.
Easy for him to say. He thrived in attention.
I did not.
Still, I took a breath and followed, weaving through the thick tension of the room, every step echoing on the glistening floor. I could feel people whispering, their masked faces turned in our direction, their curiosity wrapping around us like smoke.
But River didn’t flinch.
And slowly, I let myself stop flinching too.
The long night was just beginning.