32

32

Mason's POV

Power isn't given. It's taken.

I stared at my reflection in the tall mirror, adjusting the cuffs of my tailored suit. Tonight was about control, about reminding everyone exactly where they stood in this pack. Especially Adrian.

The hall was already filling with bodies, the scent of wolves thick in the air—pack members dressed in their finest, mingling beneath the grand chandeliers. This wasn't just a gathering; it was a performance. A spectacle.

And every good performance needed an audience.

I stepped into the room, and as expected, conversations faltered. Heads turned. Eyes followed.

Good.

"Alpha Mason," one of the elders greeted with a respectful nod.

I barely acknowledged him. My attention wasn't on the mindless sheep who'd already submitted to me. No, I was searching for the outliers. The ones who needed reminding.

I didn't have to look far.

Adrian stood near the back, leaning casually against the far wall. His presence alone irritated me. Too calm, too confident. Like he belonged here. Like he wasn't under my rule.

But it wasn't Adrian who made my blood boil. It was Bethany standing beside him.

Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the dress clung to her in ways that shouldn't have mattered to me. But it did. She wasn't supposed to look like that. Wasn't supposed to be near him.

I clenched my jaw.

Time to fix that.

I moved through the crowd with deliberate steps, pack members parting for me like waves. Their murmurs followed me, the tension already building.

Good. Let them watch.

I reached Bethany and Adrian, and for a beat, no one spoke.

"Bethany." My voice was low, even, but it carried weight.

She stiffened, eyes lifting to meet mine. There was defiance there, flickering like a weak flame.

Adrian didn't move, didn't speak. He didn't need to. His silence was challenge enough.

I smiled, slow and calculated.

"I think you've forgotten your place," I said, eyes never leaving Bethany. "You're supposed to be by my side tonight."

Her brows knitted. "I wasn't aware I was required to shadow you everywhere."

The corner of my mouth twitched and my wolf growled at the disrespect. Oh, she wanted to play brave. How cute.

I reached out, my hand wrapping firmly around her wrist. Not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her.

"You are mine," I said softly, though the words cut like knives. "Don't make me prove it."

Her breath caught, but she didn't look away.

Adrian shifted, his stance straightening, and the low growl in his chest wasn't subtle.

I turned my gaze on him, slow and deliberate.

"Is there a problem, Adrian?" I asked, voice laced with venom.

His eyes burned into me. "Let go of her," he warned, his eyes narrowing at me. The air thickened and pack members nearby stilled, the room falling into an unnatural quiet as they watched.

Perfect. Exactly what I wanted.

I leaned in slightly toward Bethany, my grip tightening. "You should tell your little protector to mind his place."

Bethany's jaw tightened. And then, against all expectations, including mine, she yanked her wrist free.

"I'm not some object for you to parade around, Mason." Her voice was louder than it should've been, sharp enough to cut through the silence. Sharp enough for everyone to hear. To hear that she was questioning me, the alpha.

The room tensed. For a moment, I didn't move. Didn't speak. And then I laughed. The cold, hollow sound coming out of me sharp and loud.

The pack didn't know what to do with it. I could feel the energy shift and it was like everyone was holding their breath.

"Look at that," I sneered, turning to the crowd. "Our little omega has grown a spine." Nervous chuckles rippled through the room, though no one dared laugh too loudly. I couldn't tell if it was me they were scared of, or Adrian.

Adrian's fists clenched at his sides.

But Bethany didn't back down.

"You think humiliating me makes you stronger?" she snapped. "All it does is make you look weak."

Silence.

The audacity.

I took a slow step forward, looming over her.

"Careful, Bethany," I murmured, just for her. "You're forgetting who keeps you under this roof."

Her eyes didn't waver. But I felt the tension rolling off Adrian like a storm. One more push, and he'd snap. Good.

I straightened and turned to face the pack.

"I called you all here tonight to remind you of one thing." My voice boomed now, every word deliberate. "I am this pack. My blood, my rule. Anyone who forgets that—" my eyes flicked to Adrian for the briefest second, "—should consider themselves warned."

A rumble of agreement rolled through the room, but it was uneasy. They smelled the tension. The cracks.

I let it hang in the air.

But this wasn't finished. Not yet. I reached for Bethany again, slower this time, more calculated.

Adrian's growl deepened.

And then I brushed Bethany's hair back from her neck, fingers ghosting over the sensitive skin.

"Remember," I murmured, voice low enough only she and Adrian could hear, "you belong to me."

Bethany flinched, and Adrian took a step forward. But Bethany moved first.

She slapped my hand away.

The sound echoed like a gunshot. The crowd collectively sucked in a breath. Adrian's lips curled into a smirk.

And for the first time in years, I felt the heat of embarrassment crawl under my skin. Bethany straightened her shoulders.

"I belong to no one."

Her words slammed into me, but I forced a cold smirk onto my face.

I leaned in, dropping my voice to a dangerous whisper.

"We'll see."

Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and stalked away, the crowd parting once again. But the damage was done. Eyes followed me, but not with the same amount of respect.

Whispers sparked like embers, and I didn't need to hear the words to know they were questioning me. Her.

Him.

But I wasn't done with them. I was going to make sure they paid for embarrassing me in front of the pack like this.