75
CHAPTER 75
RYAN’S POV
The moment Anna walked in with Mom and our grandparents, I swear the entire hall could have been on fire and I still wouldn’t have noticed anything else except her. The place was packed, filled with werewolves from our own pack region and even more from outside packs who came to witness me take over, but all I saw was my Anna. My chest tightened at the sight of her, glowing even under the heavy weight of everything that had been happening. My fingers itched to reach for her, to pull her close, to remind myself she was real and mine.
I had left her so early in the morning, grudgingly, just to get some things settled before the program started. I hated every damn second I had to walk away from her that morning, hated the thought of her waking up without me beside her, but I had no choice. Now, seeing her walk into this hall, I knew it had been worth the wait, because she was the most beautiful girl in the whole room. No, not just the whole room, she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen in my life.
She didn’t know what I had planned. She thought today was just about me taking my position. She didn’t know I was planning to propose.
Yeah, people might say it was too early, but what the fuck was the point in waiting? I was already so deep in love with her, we were already expecting our first child, and there was no goddamn reason to pretend like I needed time. This was the right time. The moment I was given the Alpha position, I would go down on my knees and make her mine completely. I had thought about it over and over again, and nothing felt more right.
She walked towards me and I leaned in, brushing my lips against hers quickly, giving her a small kiss that only made me want to kiss her harder. She blushed, and I couldn’t help the smile that broke out on my face.
“How are you feeling?” I asked quietly, my eyes searching her face.
“Sore,” she muttered, and the way her cheeks turned pink told me exactly what she meant. I smirked immediately, remembering our night together, remembering how fucking hot it had been. I had been so for inside her, pushing her to places that made her cry out for me, not giving her space to breathe because I wanted her consumed in nothing else but me. Last night was the best of the best of the best, but my mind was already racing with ideas of how I would take her again and again in different ways. Because one thing was clear, there would never be an end to how much I wanted her.
The host started speaking, offering a prayer to the goddess, his voice booming through the speakers. The hall quieted down, the respect in the air heavy as Dad and Mom were introduced and honored, recognized as the Alpha King and Luna Queen. I should have been paying attention, but all I could think about was Anna and the small box hidden, the plan I had laid out. I imagined the look on her face when I
1/3
75
+15 BONUS
knelt before her. I imagined the tears in her eyes, her soft hand trembling as she said yes. Fuck, I couldn’t wait.
We were seated at the VIP table, Dad, Mom, me, Anna, Beta Logan, Gamma Steve, Alex, and our grandparents. Everyone was clapping, everyone was focused on the formalities, but I was already halfway lost in the thoughts of how I would put everything together for Anna.
Then something shifted.
Anna’s body tensed beside me. I felt her unease before I even saw where her eyes had gone. She looked pale, her hand trembling slightly under the table. My chest tightened as I followed the direction of her
gaze.
Sophie.
She was walking in, her father right beside her. Dad had invited him, so I shouldn’t have been surprised
to see her here too. She had been keeping her distance for a while now, not bothering us, not trying anything. As strange as it was, it had almost given me relief. I didn’t have a problem with her being here. not if she stayed the fuck away from me and Anna.
But Anna’s reaction was different. Her hands were shaking, her eyes wide as she looked at Sophie like she had just seen a ghost. I moved to hold her hand, to calm her, to ask what was wrong, but before I could, my name was called. The host was inviting me to the podium. It was time.
I forced myself up, walking to the stage, but my eyes kept darting back to Anna. She wasn’t okay. Something was wrong. My chest ached as I fought the urge to just leave everything and go back to her.
I reached the podium, the microphone in front of me, the eyes of hundreds fixed on me. I should have felt the weight of it, the significance of the moment. But all I saw, was Anna. She was standing now. She wasn’t beside the table anymore. My heart hammered as I watched her walk out of the hall, her eyes darting around like she was looking for someone, confusion written all over her face, a phone in her
hand.
My stomach twisted painfully.
Minutes passed, though it felt like forever, and then I saw Sophie again. She was seated with her father, but her eyes weren’t on him or the ceremony. Her eyes were on Anna’s empty seat, and slowly, a huge smirk spread across her face. Not just any smirk, a knowing one, the kind that screamed she had something to do with Anna walking out.
My fists clenched at my sides, my jaw tight as I tried to keep my composure in front of the entire hall, but my insides were burning.
Something was wrong.
