TESSA’S POV
I smiled, seeing my reflection in the mirror. It was the first time I ever wore a white sleeveless dress, and I didn’t know it looked good on me until I got to try it on myself. It was simple, yet I found it elegant because of the sequins shining on the hem of it.
Then I heard a knock on the door. I turned around and saw my aunt leaning on the door frame and staring over at me. Seconds later, a smile escaped her lips, and her stare was more like a compliment.
“You look lovely, sweetheart,” she said, “every dress I bought for you suits you so well.”
“Thank you, Aunt.” I breathed in heavily and faced the mirror once more.
“It seems to me that you are trying to impress someone. Hmm, I wonder who he is,” Aunt Alice teased me, “maybe Cohen. If not, then it would be Atlas…”
My cheeks flushed pink at my aunt’s statement. That was when I started to question myself too. Was I doing this to impress a man?
Atlas?
I swallowed hard. My heart suddenly thudded loudly inside my chest when I thought about him. It awakened a powerful emotion deep in my gut, and it made me feel the butterflies in my stomach swirl as if they wanted to come out.
“Who could it be?”
“I-I’m not trying to impress any of them,” I said, biting my lower lip and wincing discreetly.
I was well aware that my Aunt Alice could simply go into my mind and read my loud thoughts right now. But I was hoping she would not use her power as I wanted to keep my feelings for Atlas private as much as possible.
I didn’t want to go around informing my guardians that I liked him and then later on let them see me crying because the mate bond chose Cohen instead of the name my heart had become fond of scream.
“Words,” said Aunt Alice as she shook her head, “words can be tweaked the way you want them to sound, but what the heart feels doesn’t.”
I held my breath. Through her words, Aunt Alice could sometimes low-key sabotage my inner thoughts. She had rebuttals to everything. Even the simplest answer, I would say, could mean something to her.
“Fine, I’m not going to dig more into that topic. Let’s go.” She chuckled before she continued, “Your prince might be waiting for you.”
“Aunt Alice!”
“Okay, I’ll stop. We have to hurry.” She checked her wrist watch. “The coronation is about to start.”
I nodded in response. My cheeks were still flushed, and just so my aunt wouldn’t go back to the earlier topic, I had my head lowered so she wouldn’t notice.
***
The White House was so alive with its elegant lights emanating from the huge chandeliers of the event hall. The leaders of each family came to witness the coronation of the new Alpha and Beta, and I could sense their excitement as they waited for the highlight of the night.
“Just stay here. I’m going to find your Uncle,” said Aunt Alice.
“Sure.” I smiled at her.
I stood up in the corner like a wallflower. People who came here seemed to have their own circle. They talked in groups, and no one was an outcast, except for me, who stood at the edge of the grand staircase and on the hide.
Like what my Aunt Alice told me, I had to watch discreetly. Luna Serene didn’t like me, and my presence could be offensive for her.
I craned my neck, trying to look around when my gaze landed on the center platform. There I saw Atlas, who was seated next to Cohen, looking as handsome as he ever was. However, his expression seemed off. He looked as if the world had suddenly betrayed him.
My heart became heavy, seeing him that way.
“I wonder what happened,” I whispered.
The ceremony had started after a few minutes. Here came Alpha Frank, who spoke his speech in front of the crowd like a top-notch nobleman. I didn’t pay much attention to his statement as my gaze was focused on his son.
When he called out Atlas and Cohen, everyone gave a round of applause.
Cohen was the first one who accepted the role as the new Beta of the pack. I smiled as I watched him make a short speech, for he was so happy.
And when it was Atlas’s turn, I held my breath.
He knelt in front of Alpha Frank; his head was lowered and his right fist was pinned on his left chest.
“Atlas Edevane, I, Alpha Frank Edevane of the Crimson Shadows Pack, have decided to pass the role of being an Alpha of the pack to your name. The position comes with responsibility and will require your loyalty, bravery, and intelligence so you can protect and help our kind. We ask you, do you accept these responsibilities and become the best leader in this werewolf community?”
“I accept,” answered Atlas in his deep, gravelly voice.
The crowd started to cheer for him. His father gave him a golden ring that symbolized the power of an Alpha. He then stood up and faced the crowd. While everyone was so happy to have him as their new Alpha, Atlas’ face was still grim.
He was making me worried.
“Now that my son has finally taken over the position as the new Alpha of the pack, we would like to formally announce that my wife and I will diligently search for a capable woman to become his Luna. An Alpha needs a Luna who will sit next to him, and co-lead the pack smartly,” explained by Alpha Frank that made me step back; my eyes popped widely as I watched them. “We will negotiate with the other Alphas, and see if we can form an alliance through marriage convenience.”
The entire pack inside the event hall cheered loudly, and I was the only one who felt confused after hearing such an announcement.
I looked at Atlas again, and saw the dismay in his eyes.
He didn’t like this whole thing.
I am sure of it!
He didn’t make a speech either. Much to my surprise, he excused himself and walked out of the center platform through the back door. His parents did not seem to care about it, even telling the crowd that they would proceed to the celebration.
Looking around, I realized that my Aunt Alice hadn’t come back. My eyes landed on the back door, through which Atlas exited. Without any hesitation, I rushed towards it so I could follow him.
It turned out that the door would lead to the backyard of the White House. I saw Atlas standing on the bridge, looking at the lake.
“Atlas!” I called his name as I approached him. My eyes roamed around, making sure that no one had seen me here, or else I’d be doomed. “I’m not sure if I’ll congratulate you since you became an Alpha just now but I feel like something is off, and you can tell me.”
He turned to me. My heart sank as I saw the sadness in his eyes.
“Tessa,” he whispered my name as if it was the only thing he could hold on to, and then he closed the distance between us, kissing me on the lips.
The butterflies inside my stomach had started to dance once again, and it made me feel the familiar emotions I had felt when he kissed me back in the barn. It was surreal…
I let myself drown in the tingling emotions going through my chest. The next thing I knew was that I kissed him back as I looped my arms around his neck.
We kissed, in front of the lake, on such a cold, confusing night.