Chapter 43: An Unexpected Guest

Hayley’s POV

The hierarchical instincts in his blood made Henry’s face twist with anger almost instantly. But maybe because he remembered our bet, he just glared at me and said nothing.

As for me, snapping at him was just an instinctive reaction, a reflex from being an Alpha dealing with a lower-ranked wolf. Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice.

Once I was done changing into my dress, I grabbed my makeup kit and hid in the dressing room. I quickly adjusted my wig, making myself look a little better than usual, then nodded in satisfaction. “Alright, this will have to do.”

By 7 PM, the party at the Southwells’ residence was already in full swing, the room buzzing with conversations and the clinking of glasses. Since the Southwells were the ruling family of the Midnight Pack, the guests were all business elites and influential figures. They mingled, exchanging pleasantries and making connections.

As one of the main figures at the event, I entered with Henry. The moment we stepped into the room, all eyes turned to us.

“That must be the fifth son of the Southwells. A real young talent.”

“And who’s that girl with him? I don’t think I’ve seen her before. She kind of looks like the champion from the International Tennis Open a while back.”

“She does, but whoever’s standing next to a Southwells must have quite the background.” They were whispering, but with my sharp hearing, I caught every word.

Even though I was wearing this plain, unattractive face, they didn’t comment on my appearance. Instead, they were more focused on speculating about my identity, wondering how an Omega could enter alongside a Southwells heir.

Their surprise only grew when George walked over to us with a smile. “Hayz, come here! I want to introduce you to some friends.” George waved me over the moment he saw me.

I obediently walked over and greeted him affectionately, “Grandpa.”

“Here, Hayz! This is Mr. Kilmer, an old family friend of the Southwells. Back when I was the Alpha of the Midnight Pack, he served as my deputy,” George began introducing me to some of the important guests.

“Hello, Mr. Kilmer.”

“This is Mr. Warren, CEO of Vastara Corporation.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Warren.”

“And here we have Hayley Carson, a member of the Slow Pack’s ruling family and one of tonight’s main guests,” George said, introducing me to the group with great formality. Suddenly, I became the center of attention.

“I’ve heard about you, Ms. Carson! Winning the International Tennis Open at such a young age is truly impressive. Keep up the good work!” someone praised.

“Thank you, I’ll do my best,” I replied politely.

“Ah, so she’s from the Shadow Pack’s ruling family. No wonder, even as an Omega, she carries herself with such poise and grace,” they continued to compliment me.

“Thank you.”

I smoothly navigated the conversation, following George around and meeting various business figures and key members from other packs. Though I wasn’t in the mood for all the socializing, I eventually found an excuse to slip out of the main hall and into the garden, where I sat down on a stone bench to rest for a while.

The garden at the Southwells’ residence was expansive, with a pool nearby. The cool evening breeze made it a peaceful escape from the crowded party.

No sooner had I sat down than Thomas appeared out of nowhere. He tapped me on the shoulder and casually sat next to me. “Alpha, what are you doing hiding out here?”

I was a bit surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Thomas shrugged. “My father knows George because of the alliance between our Shadow Pack and the Midnight Pack, so we were invited. But he couldn’t make it, so he sent me.”

Oh, right. I remembered now – before I took over as Alpha of the Shadow Pack, his father had been my grandpa’s Beta and helped manage a lot of the alliance matters. It made sense he knew George.

“By the way, Alpha,” Thomas leaned in closer, lowering his voice as he checked our surroundings. “The Alpha from Midnight Pack, Benjamin’s people haven’t been looking for you anymore. Looks like they’ve given up.”

“That’s for the best. From now on, if anyone contacts racing, no matter the price, just instructed…”

“Got it. Alpha. I’ll take care of it,” he said respectfully.

“I’ll head back now. It wouldn’t look good if someone saw us.”

I nodded, and Thomas left. But just as he walked away, an unexpected guest appeared in front of me…