Chapter 687 – I shall never accept a rejection.
Everything about the leaders’ coronation was being handled by Voren and Seraphine. But the guests? That was Corvine and Liah’s domain.
They worked alongside Kael, Damon, Jasmine, and Sloane, orchestrating a flawless hosting that would leave every visiting pack breathless. The new members joining the pack would be handled by the shaman later, but that was a concern for another day.
Now, only one day remained before the Blood Moon Festival began.
Tomorrow would be the official welcoming ceremony for all guests. The day after would be the coronation. Most guests were expected to arrive tomorrow, filtering in throughout the day.
But Daisy was standing there now, the sight of her made Corvine’s blood ran cold.
Her face was pale, almost ghostly in the fading light. Her outfit was nothing like her usual style. Gone were the expensive fabrics, the designer labels, the carefully curated appearance of a woman who had once draped herself in luxury.
Instead, she wore a plain blue dress, simple and unadorned, as if she had deliberately stripped away every trace of her former self.
For someone who had seen Daisy dripping in diamonds and silk, Corvine found it hard to reconcile the woman before him with the one he remembered.
Before he could open his mouth, his confusion was answered. "Alpha Corvine."
Kylie appeared behind Daisy, her voice warm but formal. "Daisy is with me." Her gaze swept past him to the beautiful woman at his side. "Luna Athaliah—"
Corvine moved before she could finish.
He walked around Daisy, pulling Liah along with him, and embraced Kylie with the easy affection of a son greeting his mother. "Mom, why are you being so formal?"
When he pulled away, Kylie pinched his cheek, her eyes crinkling with fondness. "You’re still as humble as before."
Corvine chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "My wife wants to be addressed as Luna Thaliah. But for you? Just call her Liah."
Liah smiled, stepping forward to embrace Kylie. "Corvine has told me a lot about you."
"I hope he did the same about me."
Humphrey appeared behind them, his voice carrying a hint of dry amusement. "Your security is so tight, it wasn’t easy getting my car to the garage."
"I’m sorry, dad. You should have called me when you arrived."
There were people who didn’t deserve the pack’s security scrutiny. Humphrey and Kylie were at the top of that list. But the couple shook their heads, dismissing his concern.
"No way." Humphrey’s voice was firm. "I understand why measures like this are put in place. No need to make any exception for us."
𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Kylie’s expression budded, growing serious. "I just want to see my daughter." Her voice dropped, thick with emotion. "How is she faring? I haven’t been there for her, and I feel so ashamed."
At the mention of Seraphine, Corvine noticed the tightness on Daisy’s face. Her jaw clenched, her eyes flickering with something dark before she looked away. He didn’t dwell on it. Daisy’s feelings were not his concern.
"Our gammas will show you to your suite." His voice remained even, polite. "Once you’re comfortable, Sera will come to see you."
Sloane was already there, ready to usher them inside. Damon and Kael were occupied with security, their attention focused on the arriving guests. Corvine didn’t exchange a single word with Daisy, only watching as Kylie grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along.
Catering services were instantly informed of the arrangement. Omegas stood at the ready, ensuring the pack remained spotless at all times, their movements efficient and silent.
---
Pack members and betas from neighboring packs began to arrive in a steady stream.
Most of them were stunned by the splendor of the Grimroot pack. The carved stone walls, the modern amenities, the way luxury and wilderness coexisted in perfect harmony. It was unlike anything they had ever seen.
But one thought kept settling in their minds, whispered among themselves in quiet corners.
Find your mate in this pack and gain automatic membership. Easy peasy.
But it was all dependent on the moon goddess.
---
By evening, most of the Alphas had arrived. Alpha Flex came first, his Luna at his side. The black mask covering the hollow socket where Voren had once removed his eye did nothing to hide the disfigurement beneath.
He carried himself with stiff dignity, but his remaining eye flickered with barely concealed resentment.
Alpha Cage arrived next, his Luna trailing behind him with a scowl etched into her features. The tension between them was palpable, a living thing that coiled in the air around them. It was clear their relationship had never recovered from what Voren had taken from him – his manhood.
Alpha Oren of the Night Weather pack appeared with his Luna, Mayo, their greetings polite but guarded. Alpha Dante of the Long River Pack followed with his Luna, Joyce, their presence adding to the growing crowd of powerful wolves.
Alpha Killian, Alpha Brad, Alpha Curt, and Alpha Uri arrived together. It was clear that those four Alphas were still very close. Corvine welcomed them professionally but Killian sneered. "Cousin, be the Alpha of the Grimroot pack all you want but if the moon goddess pairs me with her," his gaze pinned on Liah by Corvine’s side. "I shall never accept a rejection."
Corvine’s fingers balled but he replied keenly. "There are so many ways around that. The fist is one of them."
Killian’s expression hardened instantly. Not only had Corvine broken his bones in Paris, but he also injured his wolf badly during the contest.
Then Luna Pandora arrived.
She pushed Alpha Jaron’s wheelchair through the entrance, her expression serene despite the weight of what she carried. The sight of him made the other guests’ eyes widen in panic. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wildfire.
After what happened at the Full Moon Festival, they knew only one person was capable of doing this to Alpha Jaron.
King Voren.
The fact that he had not allowed the father-in-law of his Alpha—the man he called a brother—off the hook was more than enough reason for some Alphas to put on their best behavior.
But for others, it was only fuel for rebellion, a spark that would eventually ignite into something far more dangerous.
The former Alpha King seemed lost to everything around him.
He had no ears and could not hear. No eyes and could not see. No tongue and could not speak. Only one arm and one leg remained on his ravaged body. He was a shell of the man he had once been, a living monument to Voren’s ruthlessness.
But Luna Pandora was in surprisingly good spirits. Thanks to Voren, she didn’t have to endure physical and emotional abuse anymore.
She embraced her daughter with genuine warmth, her arms wrapping around Liah like she might disappear. "Liah, you’re glowing. I see the Grimroot pack is good to you."
Liah blushed, the color rising to her cheeks. "Yes, mom. This pack is rather peaceful."
Pandora’s gaze found Corvine, and she pulled him into an embrace before he could react. "Corvine, I’ve never seen my daughter like this." Her voice trembled with emotion. "It makes me happy that you’re the one who married her."
Corvine smiled, returning the embrace. "Mom, we take care of each other."
---
A few more Alphas arrived, their presence adding to the growing assembly of power within the pack walls. The evening stretched on, the air thick with anticipation and the scent of arriving wolves.
They were about to retire for the night when another car pulled up to the entrance.
Jasper stepped out first, his posture rigid and formal. Beta Gordon Jakes followed close behind. But it was the woman beside Jasper that made Liah’s breath catch in her throat.
She was beautiful. Striking. And far too close to her brother. The brother she knew never allowed any woman that near.
Liah embraced Jasper, her arms wrapping around him with the ease of long familiarity. But when she pulled away, her brow furrowed, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
"It’s just two weeks." Her voice carried a sharp edge. "Don’t tell me you already found a woman and fell in love."