Chapter 385
Duncan’s lip curled in absolute disgust. “Don’t play the victim. I saw the photo with my own eyes. If your serpent shows his face at the gala tonight, the warriors have orders to tear him apart on sight.”
He turned on his heel and strode back into the elevator, leaving me standing in the wreckage of my life.
A photo.
My blood boiled. I rushed to the kitchen island and grabbed the untraceable burner phone I kept hidden. I dialed the number I had memorized for all the wrong reasons. He answered on the second ring.
“Adella. I was wondering when you’d call.”
“What did you send him, Braydon?” I snarled, every fiber of my being screaming for justice, demanding he feel a fraction of the pain he had caused me. “What lies are you feeding my mate?”
Braydon chuckled — a dark, amused sound that made my skin crawl. “Are you going to the masquerade gala tonight, Adella? We should go together. It promises to be quite the show.”
“Stay away from me, and stay the hell away from that gala,” I warned, my voice dripping with pure venom.
I ended the call, my grip tight enough to crack the plastic casing. I was going to that gala. And I was going to uncover whatever sick game he was playing.
Braydon POV
The off-territory apartment smelled of cheap hairspray and damp concrete. I leaned against the doorframe, watching the makeup artist apply the final touches.
Suki sat at the vanity, studying her reflection. The dark wig was styled in loose, elegant waves — a perfect replica of Adella’s signature look. She wore a stunning navy blue gown that clung to her figure.
“You look nervous,” I murmured, stepping up behind her.
“I’m ready,” Suki said, though her pulse fluttered visibly at her throat.
I picked up the Venetian mask from the table — a delicate piece crafted from black lace and feathers. I slid it over her eyes and tied the silk ribbons behind her head. The transformation was uncanny.
“Tonight is your debut,” I whispered, my hands resting on her bare shoulders. “You aren’t just a girl in a mask. You are the wild, unhinged Adelia Everett. You are the revelation that will finally show the Alpha King her true face.”
Adelia POV
The Blackwood Pack Art Gallery was a suffocating maze of shadows and deception. Spotlights pierced through artificial fog, illuminating vibrant, emotional paintings on the walls, but my focus was entirely on the sea of masked guests. The air was thick with champagne, expensive perfume, and the overwhelming, mingled pheromones of hundreds of wolves.
It had taken me twenty agonizing minutes just to get inside, delayed by security guards who conveniently claimed my name wasn’t on the list. By the time I pushed past the velvet ropes, my heart was hammering against my ribs. I needed to find Dallas. I needed to explain the photo.
But before I could even scan the room, a wall of heavy silk and suffocating floral perfume blocked my path.