SERAPHINA'S POV
His aura is just as overwhelmingly powerful as it was during our first meeting, compelling even me-lacking a wolf's natural instincts-to tremble.
The entire room falls silent, every soul standing at attention and bowing as he strides down the central aisle.
Not one person dares to ignore him, no one is that foolish - not even the high-nosed officials responsible for the ceremony's formalities.
They all bow quickly and with a certain desperation.
It's déjà vu all over again, much like when he first appeared at the orphanage. He arrived out of nowhere, a mystery without warning-like a tsunami capable of destroying everything in its path.
Realizing he's drawing closer, I bow my head, just as everyone else has done.
Artemis stands frozen behind me, fists clenched so tightly that they must be digging into his palms, his entire body quivering.
I've never seen him this affected by anything or anyone.
He's always been confident, almost to the point of cockiness, never betraying a hint of fear even when facing death. Something about his behavior right now is unsettling, and I can't help but worry.
Alpha Silvan proceeds until he halts a few feet in front of me.
I stiffen, both from his nearness and the tense atmosphere he creates simply by being present.
"You may rise," he says in a deep, gentle voice, bringing memories of our first encounter.
He might have been utterly terrifying to look at, to talk to, but I remember enjoying that very brief conversation.
He was gruff but wasn't afraid to smile when he was amused. I remember his smile being too beautiful for a man his age, and it looked just like Artemis's.
The similarities between the two are just too strong.
I cautiously lift my head to sneak a peek at him, first with one eye to gauge his expression.
A comfortable smile graces his lips, and pride sparkles in his eyes as they meet mine, making me almost want to blush.
He addresses the crowd, who are now all standing, listening intently to their Alpha.
"Just yesterday, the suggestion was made to foster peace between humans and werewolves. Many grumbled, multitudes whispered my name as a fool and thought coexistence would be impossible." He pauses to look at me with pride before extending a hand toward me.
I look at it, shaking, knowing what it means: the greatest honor that could possibly arise from being acknowledged by the Alpha King himself.
I take one step forward, placing my small, frail hands in his large ones.
"Today, we not only celebrate this year's inauguration but also the first human to join the Black Wolf Council of the school."
At his cue, the crowd erupts into applause, louder than ever. Why wouldn't they? Their leader has spoken.
Even the snobbish individuals from earlier, who had given me stiff handshakes, now clap, unable to defy his unspoken command. Still, I remain somewhat stunned, gazing at a man who seems like an older version of the boy closest to my heart.
"I couldn't miss this year's ceremony, not when news of your achievement has reached me. Thanks to you, my experiment has proved very successful," Alpha Silvan says.
"Thank you, Alpha. It's truly an honor," I reply, realizing I wouldn't be where I am without the chance he gave me.
I'm grateful.
He smiles at me again, a charming smile I assume has won over countless girls in his youth-a charm that must run in their family and has too much effect on me.
I can't shake off the fact that he looks so much like Artemis, but with grey eyes.
"Congratulations, Seraphina Hawthrone, the human," he speaks, directing his words only to me.
I admit that his acknowledgment makes me feel special-being looked at that way, under the spotlight, by his side like this.
I understand why anyone would be loyal to a man like him, a man whose very presence exudes charisma.
I almost forget about Artemis, who was trembling with a foreign emotion a minute ago behind me. I turn over my shoulder for a moment, searching for him, wondering if he can witness this moment as well-but he isn't there.
Only the empty space where he last stood stares back at me, and my heart sinks.
Something's wrong.
Alpha Silvan waves to the crowd, and I mumble a short excuse before sliding away. I barely attract any notice; all eyes are on the elderly man with the highest status.
I slip out of the hall, my mind racing with questions. Where could he be?
Fortunately, I don't have to search far. I hear the clattering of mops and supplies just as soon as I pass a utility closet.
Pausing outside the door, I recognize his voice swearing loudly through the wood.
"Artemis?"
I pull the door open and immediately spot him standing there, wrestling with a fallen mop stick. The moment he notices me, his movements still, and a look of shame immediately washes over his features.
I'm more confused than before.
A million questions run through my head-why he would leave in the middle of the ceremony, why he's so affected by his father's presence, and why, of all places, he's hiding away in a utility closet.
But I don't ask any of those questions.
"Are you okay?" I inquire, moving towards him slowly and with caution.
He avoids my gaze, turning his face away with a strained expression and tightened lips, closing himself off from me.
An uncomfortable silence follows; no response or words come from him until he finally speaks.
"I must seem very pathetic right now, leaving and hiding away in a fucking closet all because I saw the man who gave me half of his genes," his voice emerges, tinged with pain.
I offer no comment. Instead, I take a few more steps towards him, stopping just behind his back.
Opening my arms, I hug him from behind. I can feel his heart pounding, pulsing faster than usual in his chest.
He really is shaken.
I squeeze tighter, hoping that maybe my embrace could calm him, if only for a little bit.
It works.
His pounding heart slows a bit, and he relaxes against my hold, dropping his guard.
"He wasn't supposed to be here today," he mutters, finally saying something to me. "He never shows up; he was supposed to be drowning in work."
"Maybe something came up, and his schedule got cleared," I offer as a possible reason for his unannounced visit.
He shakes his head, his eyes widening almost hysterically. "No, Sera. He doesn't just show up unannounced, not based on a fluke or some rare random occurrence like you getting a spot on the council. That man is up to something, and I can feel it in my bones."
I still don't understand why he's so riled up by his father having an ulterior motive for being here.
"What do you think his reason could be?"
"A lot of things," he mutters, shaking his head again and focusing his eyes on me. "You don't know that man like I do. He only acts if there's an outcome he can benefit from." His words come out almost like a warning, so I remain silent.
Emotions are running high.
There's a story here, something I don't understand yet, especially not while his body trembles from revealing even this little. I'll ask him about it later, but not now.
I nod, simply patting his back and being a source of comfort to him until the tension in his body eases. We stay like that for a few seconds, basking in the peace and calm of each other's presence. He's long since gotten over it, burrowing his head into my neck and inhaling my scent deeply.
I figured this must be a wolf thing; one of the first things I became aware of after transferring to an all-wolf school was how sensitive they are to scents.
If my scent could calm him, I would let him stay this way forever and inhale as much as he needs to.
Our moment of silence and tranquility is short-lived, though.
The door bursts open, startling me. Artemis, on the other hand, casually looks towards the door with a tired expression, already guessing who it is.
"If it isn't my favorite couple in school, doing some hanky-panky in the shadows, huh? Though, I don't agree with your choice of time and place to be making out," a familiar voice chimes in.
"Jasper?"
"Hey," he waves, sporting his usual boyish smile that reaches his eyes. "It wasn't easy finding either of you."
"Finding us?" I'm confused. "Why would you be looking for us, anyway?"
Most of today's events have already concluded, leaving tomorrow as the next major occasion when the banquet will be held.
Artemis gently tugs me aside, stepping forward with much more confidence. The look in his eyes tells me he was expecting Jasper to show up, and he knows why he's here.
"He's looking for me, isn't he?" Artemis speaks up, his tone serious.
Jasper's face turns serious as well, almost grim, before he nods curtly.
Artemis sighs and faces me again, offering a small smile.
"I guess I'll see you later tonight. Leave your window open for me."
"Where are you going?" I ask, still not fully grasping the situation yet.
He responds, the farthest thing from pleasure evident on his face.
"My father has summoned me."