Chapter 376
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime that felt deafening in the silence. We stepped into the foyer of the penthouse, and the air immediately grew heavy, charged with the static of an approaching storm.
Dallas didn’t let go of my hand. His grip was iron-tight, his skin burning against mine. He was radiating waves of power so potent they tasted like ozone on my tongue. Ragnar, his Lycan beast, was close to the surface — prowling just beneath his skin, agitated and hungry for the sanctuary of our bedroom.
“Dad! Finally!”
The voice shattered the tension like glass. Azalea appeared in the hallway from the living room, wearing comfortable loungewear, her face lit with excitement that quickly faltered as she took in the charged atmosphere.
“I’ve been trying to reach you,” she said, her voice dropping as she registered the tension in the room. “The Full Moon Festival committee needs final approval on the budget by tomorrow. And I wanted to ask about the guest list—”
Dallas stopped dead. He didn’t turn to face her. He simply stood there, vibrating with a lethal stillness.
I tried to catch Azalea’s eye — to warn her, to signal that she should give us space. She was usually perceptive, but tonight she seemed too focused on her tasks to notice the predator standing three feet away.
“Dad?” she pressed, her smile faltering as she finally registered his rigid posture. “Is everything okay?”
Dallas turned his head slowly. His eyes were no longer their usual warm brown — they were bleeding into a glowing, molten gold.
“The festival is canceled,” he said. His voice was terrifyingly calm, a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards. “Effective immediately.”
Azalea blinked. “What? But the planning—”
“Canceled,” he repeated. “I’ll have Duncan send out the official notice tonight. There will be no Full Moon Festival this year.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and typed a quick message. Azalea’s phone buzzed almost immediately. She glanced at it — likely a preview of the announcement Duncan was already drafting.
She looked back at her father, her expression shifting from confusion to quiet disappointment. But she didn’t argue. She didn’t plead. She simply nodded.
“I’ll let the committee know,” she said softly. She looked at me, her gaze lingering with concern. “Adella… are you alright?”
I managed a small nod, unable to form words.
Azalea hesitated, as if weighing whether to say more. Then she turned back toward the stairs. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Her footsteps were measured and deliberate as she climbed out of sight.
I stared after her, struck by her composure. She was twenty-two, not twelve. She understood that when the Alpha King made a decision, there was no room for negotiation.
Dallas, still radiating that lethal energy, turned back to me without a word. He swept me up into his arms, carrying me up the stairs as if I weighed nothing. He bypassed the guest rooms, bypassed reason, and kicked open the double doors to the master bedroom.