2. Chapter 2 #2
I slipped through the side door into the ballroom itself and immediately stopped to look around in amazement.
Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead while hundreds of elegantly dressed guests filled the room.
Servers stopped by with flutes of champagne while music played.
I looked around, amazed at the opulence.
This was a big deal, after all. It was one of the biggest collaborations our company had been involved in.
Arabella walked through the ballroom like a model, all eyes on her as she headed toward the man himself -Hunter Vale.
He stood there, all alpha height and dark, wavy hair that had been pushed back and styled.
But no amount of styling could hide the raw nature of an alpha.
He looked around, cold and imposing in his black suit.
He gave a slight smile to Arabella as she approached him, holding her hand out as he took it, giving it a slight kiss before nodding at my father’s pack.
I wouldn't have been surprised if he had concocted this whole collaboration just to court her, except that I knew Arabella had been clamoring for it for months.
I turned away, not wanting to watch any more.
I walked over to one of the cocktail tables near the edge of the ballroom, grabbing a plate and adding a few miniature tapas.
With my family distracted, I could eat as much as I wanted without hearing them grumble about it.
I sighed as I bit into one of the prosciutto and burrata bread bites, my eyes fluttering at the taste.
Now this made the whole trip worth it. I turned to people-watching as I ate my tapas.
Around me, the gala was filled with chatter and camera flashes while people circled Arabella and her friends like they were celebrities.
There were certainly a lot of social climbers here - including my family.
Arabella stood beside Hunter Vale now, looking radiant beneath the chandelier light while the other socialites competed for her attention.
Even from across the ballroom, the man looked intimidating.
He barely smiled while people spoke to him.
His expression was calm and unreadable. I rolled my eyes at both of them.
Surely I’d hear about him courting her within the next few weeks. I could almost bet on it.
“Impressive,” a low voice beside me nearly caused me to drop my plate. “You’re the only one actually trying the food.”
I turned quickly. The man standing beside me wasn't familiar. He was handsome, but he didn’t have that domineering alpha vibe to him - he was a beta.
He was lean and tall, with brown hair brushed carelessly away from a handsome face.
The moment I saw him, I wanted to look closer.
There were faint lines around his eyes that suggested he smiled often, and he seemed to be an intellectual - not that I could tell that from a glance alone, but the way he assessed me made me think perhaps he might be a professor.
Because no one ever assessed me for more than a moment.
And unlike everyone else tonight, he looked like he was actually relaxed.
“I- I brought my appetite, thought it was normal at a party,” I said quickly, a bit too apologetic in my tone. I was so used to being chastised at home that I forgot other people might think it odd that I scarfed down food at a party rather than mingling.
His eyes softened, and his mouth curved up as he reached for a drink from a passing tray. “You must be the smartest person here. Get away from the chaos, and actually try the food. Mind if I join you?” He asked, and I gave a stunned nod. Why would he want to hang out here with me?
“You’re going to miss what everyone came here to see,” I said, glancing over at Arabella, who was now being photographed next to Hunter, my family fawning over them both like a bunch of groupies. The man looked over at them and shrugged.
“I’m not one for showy galas. Not my style.
” He said, looking at the spread as he grabbed a few prawns.
“And anyway, I’d much rather get to know the mysterious woman who isn’t at all affected by the glamour.
” I wasn’t sure why, but being near this man put me at ease in a way I hadn't felt in years. Somehow, I knew he was safe. I took a deep breath and felt my body release tension I didn’t even know I was holding onto.
“Not a lot to know, I’m pretty basic,” I responded, shrugging. It was the truth - this was an obligation, not a choice. The man leaned in, his grey eyes watching me in a way that no one ever did. What on earth did he see in me?
“I highly doubt that,” He murmured, but then thankfully took the attention off of me. He motioned to the center of the room. “So, what do you think of him?” He asked casually, and I followed his gaze.
“Mr. Vale?” I asked, glancing toward the infamous CEO again.
Power practically radiated off of him. He was dark, imposing, and exactly the type of man who seemed like the type to throw his weight around to get what he wanted.
I already had enough people controlling my life, and I detested it.
I considered the question honestly for a moment before shrugging lightly.
“I think he’s irrelevant.”
Then the man beside me choked on his champagne.
Oh no, I thought as I cringed. Here I had gone and made an inappropriate comment, which is exactly why my family never wanted me to be at these types of things.
They were right - I didn’t know how to act.
Now he’d probably excuse himself and run in the opposite direction.
But then, to my surprise, he started laughing outright.
“Oh, that’s the best answer I’ve heard all night,” he said, grinning openly now. Heat rushed into my face.
“I didn’t mean-”
“No, please,” he interrupted, eyes bright with amusement. “Explain.” My mortification warred with my honesty, but honesty won.
“I just don’t think that being powerful means you’re worth worshipping,” I said.
It was true - my family had power, and people were falling all over themselves trying to get close to them.
Arabella had all kinds of power - her personality, her looks, her social media presence.
People practically worshipped her like a goddess.
I found it pathetic. The man’s eyebrows lifted.
“And yet here you are, at a gala specifically celebrating a powerful partnership.” He leaned against the table, looking more like he was at a casual bar than one of the most exclusive events in the city.
“I’m here because my family brought me,” I corrected quietly.
“Ah, so you aren’t here voluntarily?” He joked. I glanced toward Arabella again.
“No, not really. I’m sorry if I’m bringing the vibe down.” I admitted. Something flickered briefly in his expression then.
“Well, I'm not exactly here of my own accord, either. I think you might be the most interesting person here,” he said lightly, “and for what it’s worth, I also find most CEOs exhausting.” A genuine laugh slipped out of me then. The beta smiled again, more broadly.
“I’m Elias,” he said, offering his hand.
I took his hand hesitantly, his name summoning up something in my memory that I hadn’t quite caught onto yet.
But I wasn’t able to focus - this was the most attention anyone had ever paid to me when Arabella was also in the room.
And this man wasn’t just handsome, he was charming.
He knew how to put me at ease, which almost never happened.
“I’m Ivy,” I said softly. Something flickered in his eyes then, and he nodded. Elias leaned against the table beside me, completely unconcerned with the crowd surrounding Arabella across the ballroom.
“Tell me something, Ivy,” he said thoughtfully. “If you find Hunter Vale irrelevant, what does impress you?”
“Honestly? I value a genuine person. Someone real, who doesn’t get impressed easily with status. Someone with true kindness.” I said finally.
Elias watched me, his eyes unreadable, though I was sure he had a lot going on behind them. Then, I felt a presence cut through the air beside us. Someone approached, and without looking, I could tell that it was someone distinctly alpha. Every instinct in my body tightened instantly.
“Well,” a deep voice cut through, “that explains why she’s talking to you instead of the rest of us.”
I looked up and nearly stopped breathing.
A very large man with an imposing presence stood beside our table, his broad shoulders straining against his black suit, sharp eyes fixed directly on me with unnerving intensity.
He wore his thick, dark hair longer than most alphas, the black curls pulled back into a low tie at the nape of his neck.
His face looked as though it had been carved from stone.
He had a strong jaw, high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a mouth that looked stern.
He was devastatingly handsome in a rugged, dangerous sort of way.
There was something distinctly intimidating about him, like he was fully aware of how dangerous he was.
He held out his hand. “Ronan.” He said, his voice deep and gruff.
Then, a slow, horrible realization dawned on me.
This was Ronan Vale. The massive alpha I had noticed at the gala looked like Hunter Vale's security detail - only I knew the truth: Ronan wasn't security.
He was part of the Vale pack. I read his name in an article.
And right now, those dark, intimidating eyes were fixed entirely on me.
I looked at Ronan, then at Elias. Elias, who suddenly looked far too amused.
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
Elias took another sip of champagne, then lifted his eyebrows as he watched my realization. “You’re - you’re his…”
“Yes, I’m in Pack Vale. Along with Ronan here.” He confirmed, and I wanted the floor to open beneath me immediately. I drew my hand up to my mouth, mortification flooding my body.