Chapter 2

Autumn's POV

Seeing the man turn away, I lifted my skirt and hurried to catch up. But the heels were too high, I could not walk fast, seeing him walking further and further away, I was a little anxious.

"Sir, please wait a moment." I shouted as I walked, but there was no response except the clear sound of the fountain water. Turning a corner, the tall figure was gone, and I stopped where I was, with my heart empty.

I went back to the ball unhappily and was greeted by a splash of red wine, the red liquid spreading from my neck to my collar, a whole piece of my chest was covered with red stains, and my dress was soiled.

I screamed and angrily questioned the people in front of me. "What are you doing!"

The few girls led by Iona laughed even more. "I can't believe Ava has such a loser sister."

"That woman is a bitch! What a bullshit doctor!" One of the girls said through gritted teeth. "Girls, it's a rare opportunity for us to take it out on a good note."

This time I dodged in time, only my shoes were splashed with a few drops of juice. I gasped in anger and clenched my hands into fists. If I could transform into a wolf, I would beat them all up. "You guys are being downright unreasonable! Apologize to me!"

The crowd of onlookers was growing, and everyone was pointing, but no one came forward to stop it.

"Yeah, I'll give you an apology." Iona glanced at the crowd, and I thought she was making sure her sister was here or not.

She smiled and reached up to cup my face. I had a bad feeling, but my face was too confined by her fingers to move. Her sharp nails slid gently over my bare skin. "Listen up, I'm going to give you..."

"What are you all doing gathered here?"

A deep and magnetic voice interrupted Iona's next move, and everyone looked at the voice, suddenly, Iona jumped away in a panic.

The crowd that had formed a circle automatically gave way and the gentleman who I just saw in the garden approached us.

His gray-blue eyes swept around as if he understood what was happening. He took off his jacket and draped it directly over me, wrapping it around my soaked body. I gripped the jacket around me somewhat overwhelmingly and looked nervously at the gentleman in front of me, greedily hoping he would say something to himself.

But he didn't. He didn't even look at me.

He turned to Iona with an expressionless face. "I don't want this to be a nonsensical party. Apologize to the young lady!"

Iona was too frightened to lift her head and turned to me in a panic. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Autumn."

I just nodded at Iona to show that I accepted her apology.

At the moment my mind is all on him, the warm jacket has his fragrance, like a forest that has rained, mixed with the smell of a light men's perfume filling my nostrils. I am now very happy to meet him twice in one night, this must be the best arrangement of the Moon Goddess.

I took a deep breath and gathered my courage and said towards him. "Thank you! Can you tell me your..."

"Alpha, it's your turn to address." A voice interrupted me.

I stopped still, leaving the unfinished words stuck in my throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's selection party. Yes, this is a special party for our Bright Moon Pack to select Luna. I pray to the Moon Goddess to give me a mate at tonight's ball who is in tune with each other's thoughts. she should be beautiful, wise, and powerful to join me in leading our Bright Moon Pack to regroup our morale and defeat the cunning witch."

He changed into a fine black aristocratic gown with a small black undershirt inside and a white openwork square scarf tied at the collar, which was particularly conspicuous.

"Can you tell me your name?" I asked in my mind.

I stared blankly at the handsome man on stage, who was continuing his speech, but I could no longer hear what he was saying.

I gathered my jacket around me as if he was close by.

The Great Moon Goddess seemed to be joking with me that such a fine man would be an Alpha.

He was the king, the leader, the Alpha of the pack, and all he needed was a strong and wise Luna.

And I would never be his mate, I was just a disabled girl that had no my wolf.

I crossed my arms tightly in front of my chest, and my eyes kept following the man on stage who was in the limelight. His voice as well as his every movement made me unable to move my eyes.

Just as I was looking at him like that, he suddenly looked in the direction I was and my heart started racing.

His eyes carried a strong emotion of contempt, looking at me with disgust as if he saw garbage.

I lowered my head in a panic not daring to look at him again, twisting my jacket uneasily, a pang of inexplicable shame making me blush.

"What's wrong, Autumn? Not feeling well?" My sister came over.

"I'm fine." I said with my head down.

"Why are you wearing a man's jacket?" She suddenly reached out and wiped my hair, and on her fingers were a few drops of red wine stains. "Why do you have red wine in your hair?"

"I just got it by accident and a nice gentleman gave me his jacket." I didn't want to worry my sister.

"The party is almost over, so wait here for a minute and I'll come over as soon as I can. You need to go home and change your clothes or you'll catch a cold." After saying that Ava hurried into the crowd.

The banquet was over, I walked out of the venue and saw Ava and Alpha standing at the entrance of the palace from afar, talking about something. My sister's back was straight, looking straight into the king's eyes, and she was not afraid under Alpha's powerful aura. She was so excellent that not only could she convert into a wolf at an early age, but now she was also the youngest doctor in the wolf pack. Powerful, beautiful and wise Luna should be just like my sister, right?

I walked towards them and my sister noticed me and she smiled and waved at me. "Hey, Autumn."

I stopped and waved to my sister as well, and then bowed slightly to the Alpha, a sign of respect for the Alpha of the wolf pack.

By the time I walked up to them, they seemed to have finished their conversation.

"Let's go." Ava took my hand and was about to leave when she stopped just before she took a step out. "Wait, Elder Erick asked me to bring him medicine, but I forgot to give it to him! I hope he's still there. Autumn, just wait here for me."

Before I had a chance to answer, she finished and turned to Alpha. "Gabriel, please look after my sister for me." And regardless of whether he answered or not, she walked straight to the venue again.

I knew what my sister was worried about. The party was over and Iona and the others should all be out, so if I met them alone, I would probably be bullied again.

Alpha was busy saying hello to the people who left. I stood by in a confused manner and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

This handsome gentleman was standing close to me now, it was unreal! This great wolf pack leader, this man who once made my inner world bloom, would never be seen again until the moon sets and the sun rises again, right?

"Do something, Autumn, even if it's to say a word." I decided silently.

I plucked up my courage, put on the best smile I'd had in over a decade, and said softly. "Hello Alpha, I'm Autumn."

He heard my voice and turned around, his beautiful gray-blue eyes finally looking directly at me.

The moment our eyes met, I felt my whole body tremble as if through a burst of electricity.

Then I said unconsciously in my mind.

"mate."