THE KING'S GAZE
Aria couldn’t move.
The Alpha King walked slowly across the clearing, his heavy footsteps quiet yet commanding. The crowd parted automatically wherever he stepped, every wolf lowering their head as he passed.
But his eyes never left her.
Aria felt the warmth in her chest grow stronger with every step he took.
Her heart was beating so loudly she was certain the wolves around her could hear it.
Why was he coming toward her?
She had never even seen the Alpha King before tonight.
Yet the way he looked at her felt… familiar.
Like he had already known her.
Like he had been searching for her.
Aria swallowed nervously and instinctively took a small step back.
But there was nowhere to go.
The lantern post behind her blocked her path, and the crowd around them had gone completely silent.
Even the Alpha and the pack warriors were watching carefully now.
The Alpha King stopped several steps in front of her.
Up close, his presence felt overwhelming.
His golden eyes seemed even brighter beneath the moonlight.
For a long moment, he simply studied her face.
Aria lowered her gaze quickly, unsure if she was even allowed to look directly at him.
Every wolf knew the stories.
The Alpha King ruled over all packs.
His strength was unmatched.
His wolf was feared even among Alphas.
No one spoke to him without permission.
Yet after a moment of silence, his deep voice finally broke through the stillness.
“So,” he said calmly.
Aria’s breath caught.
“This is where you’ve been hiding.”
Her head lifted slightly in confusion.
Hiding?
She didn’t understand what he meant.
The Alpha King tilted his head slightly, still studying her with quiet interest.
“Interesting,” he murmured.
The exact same word she had heard from the forest days ago.
Aria’s fingers tightened at her sides.
It really had been him.
He had been the one watching her.
Before she could gather the courage to speak, another voice suddenly interrupted.
“Alpha King.”
Kael stepped forward from the ceremonial circle.
His posture was respectful, but his sharp eyes carried clear curiosity.
“You arrived during our Moon Ceremony,” Kael said evenly. “Is there something you require from our pack?”
The Alpha King finally shifted his gaze away from Aria.
His golden eyes settled on Kael.
For a brief moment, the air between the two powerful wolves grew heavy.
Both men carried strong dominance.
Even the nearby warriors seemed tense as they watched the silent exchange.
But the Alpha King simply gave a faint smile.
“I’m aware of the ceremony,” he replied calmly.
His gaze drifted briefly toward the full moon above.
“Fate tends to reveal interesting things on nights like this.”
Kael frowned slightly.
But before he could respond, the Alpha of the pack stepped forward again.
“Alpha King,” he said respectfully, “perhaps you would like to observe the rest of the ceremony with us.”
The Alpha King didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his gaze slowly returned to Aria.
The strange warmth in her chest pulsed again.
Stronger.
Like something inside her was reacting to his presence.
Then finally, the Alpha King nodded once.
“Continue,” he said simply.
The Alpha quickly returned to the stone platform, signaling for the ceremony to proceed.
The crowd slowly began breathing again.
Whispers spread quietly among the wolves.
The Alpha King stepped slightly aside, though he remained close enough that Aria could still feel his presence beside her.
It made her nervous.
Very nervous.
Across the clearing, Kael returned to the ceremonial circle.
But before he turned away completely…
His sharp grey eyes glanced back toward Aria.
This time, the look in his eyes was different.
Not just curiosity.
Something deeper.
Confusion.
As if the strange pull he had felt earlier still hadn’t disappeared.
Meanwhile, the ceremony continued.
More wolves began discovering their mates.
Cheers rose again as new pairs embraced under the moonlight.
Yet Aria could barely focus on any of it.
Because the Alpha King was still standing only a few steps away from her.
Watching her quietly.
Like a hunter patiently waiting.
And somewhere deep inside her chest…
That strange warmth kept growing stronger.