211 Look Like Her Oliviaโs POV
Dalia and Miren walked into my room, carrying a dress on a hanger and a box of shoes in their hands.
โAlpha Gabriel said we should help you get dressed in this,โ Dalia muttered.
I swallowed hard, staring at the beautifully embroidered dress they held. It was stunning โ fit for a queen. Maybe I shouldโve felt excited, but I wasnโt. The dream I had a few minutes ago still lingered in my mind. I didnโt know who that lady was or why her words were still echoing in my head.
What did she mean when she said I would be punished? Was this some sort of game? And why was she able to speak to me through my dreams too?
At first, when she appeared on the rooftop, I convinced myself it was one of the triplets' tricks. But nowโฆ now I wasnโt so sure. There was something about herโsomething I couldnโt explain.
โAre you okay?โ Dalia asked gently, pulling me from my thoughts.
โYes,โ I lied. I was far from fine.
Dalia and Miren exchanged suspicious glances but said nothing more. Instead, Miren stepped forward.
โCan we start dressing you? The party is about to begin.โ
I nodded and rose to my feet, standing numbly as they helped me into the gown. In that moment, I missed Nora and Lolita deeply. If they were here, I could have confided in them about my worries. But now, I was left alone with my thoughts.
I sat before the dressing table as they applied makeup to my face. Miren and Dalia worked quickly, and soon I was ready. I gazed at my reflection in the mirror but couldnโt summon a smile.
Yes, I looked beautiful, like a queen, but I felt hollow inside โ the dream remained stuck in my head.
โItโs time to escort you to the party,โ Miren said.
I stood up slowly and looked down at the dress. It felt heavyโnot just because of the fabric, but because of how I was feeling inside. I stared at the girl in the mirror. She looked beautifulโฆ like a queen. But she didnโt feel like me.
Miren and Dalia led me down the hallway in silence. I could feel their curious glances, but thankfully, they didnโt ask questions. The deeper we went into the pack house, the louder the sounds of celebration became โ music, laughter, clinking glasses, and the faint rhythm of drums.
But none of it reached me.
When we stepped outside, the courtyard had been transformed. Golden lights were strung from tree to tree, glowing softly like fallen stars. Tables were covered with food and drink. Warriors stood proudly near a raised platform while guests mingled and danced.
Gabriel stood at the center of it all, dressed in a regal black suit with golden accents. He lookedโฆ breathtaking. His eyes lit up the moment he saw me. He took a few steps forward and held out his hand.
โWow,โ he said, voice low. โYou lookโฆ incredible.โ
I forced a smile and took his hand. โThank you.โ
He guided me gently to the platform, where everyone could see us. The moment we stepped up, a cheer broke out โ warriors howled in respect, and others clapped as Gabriel raised a glass in salute.
โTonight, we honor ten of our finest warriors,โ he announced proudly. โAnd Iโm especially honored to share this night with someone special.โ
There were murmurs around us, some of awe, some of suspicion. I could feel their eyes on me, studying me, judging me.
Gabriel turned and looked into my eyes as if I was the only one there.
โShall we?โ
He extended his hand again, and this time, music started to playโa soft, romantic melody.
I hesitated.
The warning from the dream echoed again in my mind. Still, I placed my hand in his.
He led me into the first steps of the dance, slow and romantic. He moved effortlessly, his hand on my waist, guiding me like we had done this a hundred times before.
โYou seem distant,โ he said quietly, his voice only for me.
โIโm just tired,โ I lied again, even though we both knew I wasnโt telling the truth.
His fingers tightened ever so slightly around mine.
โIf something is bothering youโฆ you can tell me,โ he said.
I met his gaze. And for a second, I almost did. I almost told him about the dream, about the strange woman, about the dread twisting my insides.
But I stopped myself, because a part of me still wasnโt sure if I could trust him completely.
โThank you,โ I said instead. โBut Iโm okay. Really.โ
He nodded slowly, though I could see he didnโt believe me.
As we danced, I glanced around and caught sight of Abigail in the distanceโseated in her wheelchair, watching us with a dagger-like glare. Unable to stand her glare, I looked away and focused on Gabriel in front of me.
After the dance, I stood in a corner while Gabriel performed the passing-out ceremony of the warriors, after which the celebration took full swing. Pack members were merry and jubilant, and as for me, I felt out of place for many reasons.
This wasnโt my pack, and deep down, I could feel I wasnโt welcome here โ not just because of Abigail. Although some pack members smiled at me, some gave a friendly waveโฆ some even made friendly conversation, I also noticed some stared at me with hostility in their eyesโฆ especially the elders.
I wanted to believe that maybe, just like Abigail, they didnโt want me with their Alpha, but something told me it was more than that.
An elder walked past me, his eyes lingering a bit longer than the others. He didnโt smile. Instead, he staredโฆ like he was seeing a ghost.
I gave him a small nod, trying to be polite. But just as he passed by, I heard him murmur under his breath, โShe looks just like her.โ
I blinked and turned toward him. โExcuse me, sir?โ I asked gently.
He paused and looked at me again, this time more directly. โYou look so much like her,โ he said.
โLike who?โ I asked, feeling a chill run down my spine.
He studied me for a second longer, then replied, โThe late Queenโs best friend.โ
I stared at him, confused. โLate Queen?โ I echoed. โDo you meanโฆ Alpha Gabrielโs mother?โ
The elder gave a small nod. โYes. She passed many years ago.โ
I froze.
What?
That couldnโt be right, because I remembered clearly โ on my first visit here, Gabriel told me his parents were awayโฆ on vacation.
But now this man was sayingโฆ sheโs dead?
My heart started beating faster, confusion clouding my mind. I took a shaky breath and asked carefully, โWhenโฆ when did she die?โ
The elder looked at me, his expression softening. โGabriel and his sister were just teenagers when it happened,โ he said quietly. โIt was a hard time for the pack.โ
My lips parted, but no words came out.
Before I could say anything else, the elder gave me a polite nod and slowly walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
I stood there, stunned.
My mind raced with questions I couldnโt answer.
I turned my eyes toward the crowd, searching for Gabriel, but he was busy speaking to some warriors and elders, smiling and laughing like nothing was wrong.
I felt so far away from himโฆ like there was a wall between us I couldnโt break through.
Suddenly, a sharp wind blew through the courtyard, strong enough to make some of the lights flicker.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Something wasnโt rightโeven my wolf felt it.