Chapter 7

Early in the morning of the King's birthday, Kate and Bella woke up to get ready. They were surprised to meet with Stephanie White and her assistant, Carline Kloe, two most influential stylists in the country at their doorsteps. 

When the security at the gate and the Alpha got to hear who sent them to Kate, they let them in without any protocol. Alpha Gary returned to her mate, he couldn't imagine what all this meant. 

He didn't want to persist too hard, he always wanted to please his little mate so persisting would make it seem he still had interest in Kate. He was stuck in a miserable situation. 

"If I had a way, I wouldn't attend this birthday party. It seems like a trap," he told Lina. She curved her hands around his arm, pulling him closer to herself. 

"You're mine! So leave her to whoever she wants to belong to."

"Hmm," Gary heaved. His breaths were uneasy. Lina raised her eyes with a scolding gaze, this made him compose. 

"I don't want to hurt you," he said in his heart. 

Bella assisted as her best friend had her makeup, dressed and got her hair styled for this special event. She was styled immediately after they were done with Kate. It was a one-hour, thirty-minute process. 

Bella and Kate had sat for their breakfast at 8:40 AM before the makeup which finished by 10:30 AM. Arrival of guests began by 10 AM but they didn't mind because they were going for the red carpet by noon. Meanwhile, the Alpha King was set to arrive at 12:30 PM. 

They took tea and some chips, some other light food knowing that when they arrived at the birthday party, there would be lots of delicacies and drinks waiting for them. 

At 11 AM, Kate and Bella were out of the apartment. A black G-wagon was waiting outside to take Kate to the party, as the Special Guest of the Event, a special invitation card labeled with this title was sent to her from the palace yesterday. King Lucius got this specially designed. 

"Wow, such a sparkling dress!" Lina commented that she was standing with Gary ready to get inside the car. 

"Thanks much," Kate gave her a warm smile. She rolled her eyes on Gary who was staring at her with jealousy. 

All eyes were on Kate, next to Bella. 

Kate was dressed in a sparkling red, open-back long gown that was designed at some points with a transparent net showing her smooth body. The body of the dress dangled with tiny red stones and beads. The worth of the dress went for three million dollars, the most expensive dress worn for an event in three centuries. 

Kate wore a pair of glass heels, which displayed his beauty as she walked with the gown swaying to reveal it. Her hair went with the popular French bridal style, diamond fascinators were used to hold it in place and to beautify it. 

Coming to her makeup, it was deep and all colors blended with her skin. Her red lips complimented it all, making her look all glamorous like a beauty goddess. Not forgetting, she had a diamond tiara on her head which matched the jewelry she used and her silver purse. 

Bella was her second definition of beauty. Kate couldn't let her best friend dress any lower. Being her companion for the event, she needed to look glamorous as well. 

She could hear a lot of people whispering and grinning over her dress. It was unusual not to admire such a sexy, great-looking dress. 

Even Gary admired the dress but he couldn't say it out loud. 

"Thanks," Kate replied to all who made comments about her dress and her overall beauty. 

They were walking towards the car waiting for them. 

Lina left Gary's side and rushed to her. 

"Aunt, you look super gorgeous but this isn't what you usually wear?" She teased. 

Kate, as everyone knew always had a taste for super modest outfits but here she had her cleavage exposed, looking super sexy, rather than iconic. She looked like a single young woman dreaming of finding her mate at the occasion. Gary saw this but he couldn't stop her because she was suspected of having some relations with the Alpha King. He couldn't wait to know what exactly was going on between them. 

"I'm just having some appetite for changes, Lina," Kate snapped, feeling she was here to get information from her to tell Gary. She became self-conscious of her words. 

"I don't wanna reveal my secret before the right time," she told herself. Bella was exchanging suspicious glances, knowing Lina was here to spy on them. 

The servant who was gonna accompany them in front of the car opened the back door for her. Bella aided her inside, holding the train of her dress and placing it gently at her feet. Bella got inside the car and sat beside Kate. 

Kate ignored Lina, pretending as though she didn't know of her existence. She stood outside glaring at them through the window. Kate hissed at her, with Bella. 

"See how foolishly she's gazing through as if she can see anything." The windows of the G-wagon were tinted. 

Alpha Gary came up, taking Lina with her. It was an embarrassing moment for him, seeing her stand there gazing through a tinted glass, looking so hopeless and helpless. 

The drive was a thirty-minute drive to the auditorium, they arrived at almost the same time with Alpha Gary and Lina. All the red-carpet guests had to wait and walk together. 

Lina and Gary walked up to Kate who was standing with Bella. Gary assessed her dream a second time, trying hard to hide his jealousy. The cameramen and women were flashing so hard on Kate, almost blinding her. 

Bella was grinning so hard seeing her best friend's success. 

Three men in black, secretly armed, were detached by the King's protocol to protect Kate. They stood behind her, not sparing a glance at Alpha Gary who was staring at them. Lina, all through, tried distracting her attention away from Kate. 

When her tactics didn't succeed, she tried to cover up by playing cordial with Kate. 

"Ma'am," she called, making Kate glare at her with surprise. She smiled. "The dress you are wearing, It's truly exquisite," her lips lit with a nervous smile. 

"Thank you!" Kate smiled briefly, taking back her focus to pose for the camera. 

When Gary's eyes landed on Gary's cleavage, Lina growled at him. He expertly took it off. 

"Don't you know you are before the cameras?" She scolded him in a mind link. 

He tried to maintain a cool face so it wouldn't be obvious that he was hurt. 

This continued to disturb him until he couldn't bear it again. "Your dress looks so glamorous but don't you think it's a little too sexy for a married woman?" 

"Do you want me to refuse the King's gift? On what grounds? Who am I married to?" 

"No, it's fine. It's fine, I didn't mean that though!" Gary stammered. 

His heart ripped to pieces at this moment but there was nothing he could do. The girl he used to have as his only was slowly drifting apart from him to another man more superior than him. 

His wolf went dull. It remembered all the sweet moments they used to have with each other. 

"You don't have to mind them," Bella whispered into Kate's ear. "Focus on the camera before you get a bad pose." Kate nodded, realizing what both Gary and Lina were trying to do. 

"They can't even hide their jealousy outside!" She affirmed with a smirk. 

It was time for them to walk through the red carpet to their designated places. 

Kate made sure to carry her head high, walking with dignity like the iconic model which she looked like. She was the special guest of honor, so she walked in front. 

"What's going on between Alpha Gary and Luna Kate?" Many whispered among themselves as they saw Kate walking alone and Gary with another girl. Most of them didn't know that the Alpha had taken another mate until this moment. 

"And she did nothing about this?" Others murmured, referring to the Luna they knew, Kate. 

"Look, she is even wearing a sexy gown. It seems she's back in the market looking for another mate!" The whisperings continued. No other guest attracted much attention than Kate and Gary, seconded by Lina at the event. They were the main focus of gossip. 

"And the king chose her as his special guest?"

It was a complicated situation they couldn't understand. 

"The king dislikes relations with women, why would he choose a woman as a special guest?"

"And this is the very first time he celebrated a birthday in his entire life?" Another question to arouse attention came up. 

"I want it to hurt the haters more!" Kate remarked on one of the questions she got to overhear. With a smile, she continued with her majestic walk no longer paying attention to whatever people might say. 

When she walked up to the podium, she waved at the guests, blowing a kiss on them. There was resounding applause and cheers from each and everyone except Gary and Lina whose jealousy was slowly eating up inside. 

Gary imagined how an event was held in his pack and he as Alpha wasn't the special guest of honor but his wife whom he even thought of divorcing. 

A lot of people came up to greet Kate. Others came to congratulate her on her exalted position before the arrival of the king. 

"Hello," she greeted with a soft smile. She acted quite polite. 

"I'm Alpha Herel," the young man introduced himself. He looked to be in his late twenties as well, "Alpha of the Colon Hills pack."

"Ah, that's great," she responded with a warm smile, shaking hands with him. 

"A compliment from someone like you is a compliment indeed." He grinned. 

"Luna Kate," another Alpha addressed, coming along. "Looking gorgeous as usual." His arm draped around hers, making the first Alpha growl in warning. 

"It seems they have a crush on me, haha!" Kate exclaimed inside of her. 

"Have you forgotten she's married?" Herel asked his colleague. 

"No, probably she's out!" They are linked with each other. 

They both thought she was back on the market and was searching for another mate. They thought she was probably divorced, that's why she wasn't with her husband, Alpha Gary, rather she was with another girl. 

Every single Alpha in the country was present. They all eyed Kate. 

Though she wasn't interested in any of them, she loved the attention. It was an extra revenge on Alpha Gary who left her for Lina as if she was that undesirable. 

"It's good he's watching!" He gestured to her wolf. Bella sat at the first table in front so she could easily reach out to her if she needed her. She was glaring at Gary, nodding her head with satisfaction, she held a mocking grin on her lips. 

Kate was indirectly torturing them with the attention she was getting from Alphas who were ten times handsome and wealthier than him. 

Kate felt like a woman again, but more was yet to come. 

Soon a loud growl was heard. A strong aura filled the entire room, the cheers and whisperings seized, and the Alphas who were speaking with Kate scurried to their seats. 

The Alpha King was here. 

A strong scent hit Kate in the nose. She got immersed in Alpha Lucius' overwhelming presence. His gaze was hot and burning on her, immediately he set his eyes on her, and he grinned. 

Most people were surprised as he had never done this before. He had always kept a serious face. 

Everyone stood on their feet as they welcomed him. He walked over to the podium where a Royal throne chair, plated with gold stood. Kate's chair was to his right, the podium was designed in such a lovely style. 

When the cheers had died down, he walked to Kate and extended his hand reaching out for her hand. 

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," he stood by the mic stance to address everyone. "Before anything, I want to honor this special lady now." 

All ears were fixed on him, their hearts beat a billion times with anxiety to hear this from a man who disliked relating with women, for fear he would be tempted. 

"Lady Kate, as everyone knows, is the first Luna of Delta Pack which is hosting this event. The Alpha, Gary, as it has come to my knowledge has taken another mate, his fated mate. In the light of this, I discovered Kate here," he grabbed her by the wrist so firmly.

"Is my fated mate….." Alpha Gary fell to his seat as the king announced this. Lina tried to pull him up, fearing he would faint. King Lucius' eyes landed on him, but he rolled his eyes off. 

"She's my one and only. I can't let her be with a man who doesn't know her worth!" He continued. 

He grinned for the first time, as he was about to continue. "A clap honor for her!!!" 

"With this, we officially begin this party!" He exclaimed. 

King Lucius shifted away from the mic, motioning Kate to make her speech. He was so engrossed with her revenge plan. He wanted to do everything possible to please Kate and hurt Alpha Gary who caused his mate so much pain. 

Kate promised herself to use this golden opportunity to the best of her ability. She was gonna use it to clear doubts from all minds who had controversial views on her sexy dress and her attitude towards Alpha Gary. 

"First, I want to thank you all for honoring my mate, his majesty and coming out here to merry with him and wish him well." She began with such eloquence. 

"Yes," she took a brief pause, assessing the crowd of guests. 

"My Alpha mate," she referred to Lucius. "..... Is right there having the most blissful moment of his life because of me," her gaze shifted directly to Gary who was now back on his feet but with a sullen look. 

"Same way my ex-mate is having a cool time with his mate, Lina. What do you say about that? Shouldn't I have my fun here for you all who guess why we aren't together?" She rolled her eyes with style. Gary was mumbling, winking, pleading and wishing she would stop saying what she was saying. 

He didn't want the visitors to see him as a bad Alpha. He enjoyed the anonymity of the situation before, where most couldn't guess what and who was wrong. 

"What do you want me to do? Get in the far corner of the room and cry my eyes out, because he chose to take another mate, my niece, after he promised before the moon goddess and everyone at our wedding not to? He made his choice and—" She gulped down the saliva in her throat. 

"I have to move on…." She concluded her speech with a sweet smile, which endeared her further to the people. The eyes of the guests switched to Alpha Gary as they began glaring at him with sinister eyes. 

"He didn't know the value of such an angelic, faithful Luna." They began to comment among themselves. 

"It's even better it happened that way so we would have an Alpha Queen." 

Alpha Gary smirked, he looked at both the king and his wife, smiling while shaking his head. When he couldn't bear what was in his mind, he came forward to the midst, facing them. 

"Your majesty," he bowed. Turning to Kate who was talking against him, he chuckled. Kate narrowed her eyes, wondering what he was up to. 

"You think you can easily leave me when you're pregnant with my pup?" The entire hall fell into deep silence. Gasps were heard from the guests, even the Alpha king couldn't contend with this. 

"What?" He exclaimed, leaning towards Kate with a great shocking expression on his face. 

This was a secret Kate kept to herself after finding out, it was when Lina already returned as Gary's mate. Kate had hopes of one day leaving later on upon seeing how Gary treated her, she knew it would cause a controversy letting the pack know. 

Little did she know that Gary was also aware of this. He impregnated her all of a sudden so she wouldn't be able to leave the marriage. 

Kate sank to her feet, collapsing.