Liam.


    It was the day of the masquerade ball. I had been trying everything possible to talk to Ciara alone, but she ensured she was always surrounded by people. Even at night, her door was locked and I couldn''t go in, but today, everyone in the pce was busy with one thing or the other and I could already tell she would be all alone in her room.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I was dressed in a royal blue knight''s robe, paired with a mask that only hid half of my face so that it was still easy for anyone to tell it was me. The pce was bubbling with activity and color, and guests from far and near had already started to arrive, dressed in the most elegant attires; some in thepany of their partners but most were alone, with the hopes of finding a partner.


    The Silver Crest''s annual masquerade ball was said to be a haven of love and a lot of the members of the Pack ended up finding their significant others and mates during the ball.


    I knocked on Ciara''s door and the door was opened immediately.


    "Oh, Alden, it''s good you''re here. I wanted to-" she stopped speaking when she looked up and saw it was me and her face turned pale as though she had seen a ghost.


    I shed her a mischievous smirk, eyeing the ball gown she had on,posed of gold taffeta, emerald green trim and long sleeves. Her hair was still in a bo and she hadn''t done her makeup yet. "Your dress is lovely," I said.


    "Thanks," she muttered, looking away.


    "I see you''re not done yet. I''ll wait for you," I told her.


    "Wait for me? Why?"


    "We''re going to the ball together, not so?" I inquired.


    She appeared annoyed, but swallowed it up and spoke in a gentle tone. "I''m sorry if I ever gave you the impression that we would be attending the ball together as partners. That will never happen," she stated firmly. "Why? Would you prefer to go alone?" I retorted.


    "Alden and I have already agreed to go together," she responded, with a proud smile on her face.


    If I didn''t know any better, I might have been jealous. Instead, Iughed mockingly, throwing her a scornful nce. I mean, it was Alden of all people. I might have felt threatened if it was someone else, but definitely not that loser. "You would really embarrass yourself by going to the ball with Alden?"


    "I don''t mind being embarrassed, thank you for your concern," she said and tried to close the door, but I held it and didn''t let her do so.


    "You do know my brother is an awful dancer, don''t you? He can''t dance to save his life. What are you going to do all night? Listen to him say the most cringe stuff orugh at his dry jokes?" I inquired.


    She rolled her eyes. "When the timees, I''ll figure it out," she said and attempted closing the door again, but I held on to it.


    "Fine, I''m sorry for being a dick. Would you stop acting like a child now ande with me?" I asked, raising my voice a little bit, enough to not scare her.


    She was silent for a moment and then, she nodded her head like she had finally decided toe around. "I''ll do that once you let go of the door," she said.


    "Oh, I forgot about that," I said, letting go of it, but it was only secondster that I realized that she had seeded in fooling me again when she mmed the door against me and locked it hurriedly so I wouldn''t get in.


    I banged on the door multiple times, but of course, she didn''t respond. I kicked it angrily, leaving a dent and then, leaned against it, waiting till she was done and finally came out.


    I couldn''t understand why she wouldn''t just let it go. Yes, I had left her all alone, but she left my dick hanging, too. Plus, it was frustrating to see how she had just thwarted my hopes of bing the next Alpha after believing that I had her under my full control and could now mark her and be the next Alpha.


    To add to my anger, Alden appeared out of nowhere dressed in a ck tuxedo, holding a cat mask in his hands and he looked surprised to see me.


    "Liam, what are you doing here?" he asked.


    "I am waiting for Ciara to finish dressing up so we can go to the ball together," I replied harshly, throwing him an angry look.


    "I don''t think that''s right. Ciara and I already agreed to be partners," he said, looking confused.


    "So what? Why are you even hovering around her anyway? You know she is never going to choose you. You''re pathetic!" I said.


    "It''s okay if she doesn''t choose me. We already agreed to be friends. She was the one who wanted to go the masquerade ball with me and I don''t see a reason why I should have said no to her," he told me.


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    I began tough hysterically, and the more the frown on his face deepened, the more Iughed. "You guys are just friends? That must hurt. I just hope you''re not staying by her side believing you two could be something more. Ciara might not always make the right choices, but she sure as hell isn''t stupid," I mocked.


    He clenched his fists, controlling his anger. "You must have enough free time to stand by someone''s door spilling gibberish. At least, she considers me a friend. She doesn''t even give a hoot about you or what you have to offer. Oh, I forgot. You have nothing to offer."


    He had barelypleted his statement when I lunged forward at him and grabbed him by his cor, then rammed his head twice into the wall. "Are you insane? How dare you speak in such a manner to me? You have overnight grown wings and I''ll be sure to cut them off right now," I said, dragging him by his ear.


    He pushed me away and smoothened his shirt. "For once, act grown. You can''t keep acting like we''re still kids," he said.


    I was taken aback. It was the first time he had ever pushed me away and talked back at me. What the hell was happening? How did I lose my dominance over everyone and everything? I needed to take it back and I needed to do that at once. From what I could hear going on in Ciara''s room, I knew it was only a matter of time before she was done with getting ready. Whatever happened, I needed to ensure she didn''t attend the ball in thepany of Alden.


    And so, I pretended to walk away, but just as he had turned around to head back to Ciara''s room, I took out my sword and aimed at him with the hilt, knocking him out and rendering him unconscious.


    Thankfully, no one was around as I dragged him all the way to his room, abandoning him under his bed and locking the door so that even if he woke up,ing out would be difficult for him.


    I didn''t feel slightly even sorry for him. He didn''t want the throne anyway and he didn''t even stand a chance in the first ce. I, on the other hand, had gotten so close to iming it and I would stop at nothing to ensure I made Ciara mine and that I took the throne which rightfully belonged to me.