Chapitre 7: Consummate my marriage

The feast went well for everyone in the Shadow Hunter Pack celebrating the return and the victory of their alpha. The glory which they had once lost finally returned to them.

Gregor came toward Radulf with a wine glass in his hand. "I am Gregor Tarquin. Please accept this," he offered.

Radulf lifted the wine glass and clinked it with him before taking a sip. Gregor sipped the wine after him.

"I don't believe we've been introduced before," Radulf said evenly. "Your face is unfamiliar to me."

Gregor smiled faintly, his eyes glinting under the light. "You wouldn't know me. I'm not from this pack," he replied. "I'm Gregor Tarquin, the next Alpha heir of the White Moon Pack." He paused for a second before adding, "And a childhood friend of Melissa."

At the mention of Melissa, Radulf's got a strange feeling again. His gaze instinctively flickered toward her, who was seated next to her.

"I hope Alpha Radulf keeps my friend happy," Gregor said, his tone calm but edged with a hidden meaning. "She has sacrificed a great deal for you, after all. From waiting for messages that never came to building this pack so no one would dare look down on it."

Radulf's grip tightened around the rim of his wine glass, the pressure almost enough to shatter it. His gaze remained fixed on Melissa, who was simply smiling. A storm brewed quietly in his emerald green eyes.

Sensing the tension, Melissa quickly intervened. "Gregor, isn't it getting late? Your parents must be waiting for you," she said with a polite smile, rising gracefully from her seat. "Come, I'll escort you to the carriage."

Before she could take a step, Radulf spoke, "I will do that."

Melissa froze mid-motion, turning her gaze to her husband. He stood from his seat, his towering presence commanding as always.

"Please, this way, Gregor," Radulf said.

Melissa watched the two men walk away, her heart heavy with worry. She knew Radulf's temperament too well—his pride and possessiveness were forces that could not be easily tamed. What if he said something harsh to Gregor? The thought of her childhood friend being hurt, even verbally, left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As Radulf and Gregor stepped into the quiet corridor, away from the cheerful voices in the feast hall, Gregor began, "I don't want you to hurt Melissa. For four years, I've watched her yearning for you, waiting for the smallest gesture of affection from the man who left her on the wedding night without saying a word to her."

Radulf's footsteps halted, his sharp gaze turning toward Gregor. "And why do you think I'm hurting her?" His tone was laced with a quiet menace, his eyes narrowing as they bore into Gregor's, seeking even the faintest trace of something that would give Radulf reason to act. If Gregor harbored feelings for Melissa, even the tiniest of them, Radulf looked as if he'd kill him right there and then.

"Everyone knows how you ignored Melissa for those four years," he replied bluntly. "And then, suddenly, you returned with a woman from the West. Miss Nina, isn't it? Do you know what it has done to Melissa? How the people whisper about their Luna being cast aside? Speculations are spreading like wildfire, Alpha. Will you strip Melissa of her title to hand it to this woman?"

Gregor pressed on further, his voice taut with restrained anger. "Melissa endured humiliation, even from the Alpha King, all because she clung to the hope that you would one day acknowledge her. She stood by you, built this pack for you. If you cannot give her the happiness she deserves, then you should let her go."

A dangerous silence fell over the corridor. Radulf's lips curled into the faintest, coldest smirk. "It seems you are far more concerned about my wife than you should be, Gregor Tarquin." He stepped closer, his towering form casting a shadow over the other man. "Perhaps you should keep your eyes on your own pack instead. Who knows? I may decide to conquer it one day."

The veiled threat hung between them as Radulf turned his head slightly. "Savio," he called, his voice echoing down the hall.

From the shadows, one of Radulf's beta emerged. "See that Gregor finds his way out," Radulf ordered coolly before brushing past Gregor without another glance.

Gregor watched Radulf's retreating back as he disappeared into the feast hall.

Meanwhile, Radulf re-entered the hall. His eyes instinctively sought out Melissa across the room smiling with a pack elder's wife.

"Alpha Radulf, why don't you take some rest?" Nina's voice rang out softly, filled with subtle warmth as she approached him.

Radulf, however, paid her no mind. His focus was already fixed on Melissa. Before Melissa could decipher what was happening, he reached her.

Melissa blinked in confusion as Radulf took her hand in a firm hold. Before she could utter a word, a small gasp escaped her lips as he effortlessly scooped her into his arms.

The entire hall fell silent. The conversations, the sound of clinking glasses—everything came to an abrupt halt as every eye turned toward the Alpha and his Luna.

Melissa's eyes widened in shock. "Radulf—what are you doing?" she whispered urgently.

Radulf ignored her question as he turned to address the room. "The feast is over," he announced, "My Luna and I will retire for the night. I have yet to consummate my marriage with my wife."

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