Ryder hesitated.He had promised Lyra that he would publicly solidify their alliance at an official Pack gathering.But when he glanced at the petite,pale woman beside him,his Alpha tongue seemed unable to form the declaration.
Elara smiled brightly,the sound carrying a deceptive confidence.“Have you forgotten,Elder?Alpha Thorne is my direct superior now,the Alpha King.Naturally,I follow his command.”
Someone from the crowd laughed,easing the tension.“The eldest daughter of the Vance Clan working as a mere Beta secretary?Is that not a wasteful assignment for such a sharp mind?”
Another Alpha joked,“Still marking the Alpha King’s territory,Elara?Surely you know he is already Claimed!”
The people around them chuckled knowingly.
Almost everyone in their social hierarchy knew that Elara had fiercely pursued Ryder years ago,an open secret everyone acknowledged—everyone,that is,except Ryder himself.Hearing this,Ryder froze,the reality of her long-term devotion hitting him belatedly.