Chapter 374

Judy’s POV

I had never been to a masquerade ball before. I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The girl’s got dressed in one suite and the guys got dressed in another. Irene looked stunning in her pink dress and white mask that covered only one eye, leaving the other bright blue and flawless. Her hair was curled to perfection and swirled down her shoulders and back. She had white and pink flowers entwined in her curls, and for a moment, she looked like her old self.

She wasn’t wearing sweatpants, and her hair was no longer greasy; she almost looked happy, though I knew she wasn’t. In reality, her insides were on fire, and her nerves were set loose. I could tell from her eyes and the way she looked at herself in the mirror that she was pent up with nerves.

Nan, on the other hand, was a ball of eagerness. She wore a yellow dress with a yellow mask with feathers. She said she was going for a duckling type of vibe, and honestly, not only did she look gorgeous, but she looked adorable. She dyed streaks of yellow in her short hair and had it styled so it was a bit fluffier than usual. Since having it done yesterday, she spent the night and today in Irene’s room, avoiding Chester.

She wanted to surprise him with her new look. She was currently on the phone with my parents, who were looking after Emalyn while we were on vacation.

“How are you doing?” I asked as I approached Irene, who smoothed down the skirt of her dress.

She turned to look at me, her eyes scanning my black dress and the black mask that hid most of my face.

“You look beautiful,” she told me with a light smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eye, and my question was unanswered. “My father is such a lucky guy to have a mate like you.”

She gave me a quick hug, and my heart both warmed and broke at her words. She was hurting, and I wanted to fix it so badly.

“Chuck’s an idiot,” I told her softly. “If he truly is cheating on you… He doesn’t deserve you.”

I hadn’t told her, or anyone, what Tabby had told me. She was right; Irene needed to find this out for herself. She would never believe us, and she might even hate us for bringing it up. I don’t want to be the cause of tension or heartbreak. We had dinner at the packhouse last night, and I could tell Irene’s mind wasn’t fully there. She kept looking around like she expected Chuck to just show up at any moment.

Hopefully, word about the Landry arrival hadn’t gotten to him yet. Tabby said he’s been busy with his patrol duties, so he isn’t in the loop about much these days.

“I’m so nervous,” Eliza said as she came into the room, Nan following after her as she put her phone in her small purse. “I’ve never been to a ball like this before.”

“You look gorgeous,” I tell her, admiring her light blue dress that hung off her shoulders and white mask that made her features practically glow. She certainly did not look like a typical pack doctor, that was for sure. The dress makes her look like Cinderella.

“As do you,” she said with a bright smile. “Black looks good on you. Very slimming.”

I chuckled.

“That’s what I was going for.”

I put my hands on the swell of my belly, feeling the light flutter of my baby boy kicking. There was a knock on our door, bringing us out of our thoughts. I was the one who answered it and smiled when I saw Beta Taylor standing on the other side. His eyes immediately went to his mate, who was standing behind me.

His eyes lit up, and I could see the love lingering in his eyes, leaving him speechless. After a moment, he cleared his throat and glanced at me.

“The car is waiting downstairs,” he announced. “We should get going so we aren’t late.”

“You mean the carriage is waiting?” Nan teased, sweeping past him with an exaggerated curtsy.

“It’s an SUV, not a pumpkin,” he said dryly, earning laughter from all of us.

Gavin entered behind him in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his mask a dark metallic silver hat matched the trim of his suit. The sight of him made my breath catch. He looked like sin dressed in velvet and authority.

“Wow,” I whispered as he offered his arm.

“You’re one of talk, ‘he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “If you didn’t have this mask on, I’d swear the entire ball would stop breathing when you walk in.”

I blushed, resting my hand on his arms as we made our way out. Eliza nd Taylor followed, chatting easily while Irne stayed silent. Here, we made our way to the bottom floor. Erik stood waiting by the entrance in his own tailored suit, looking more handsome than I had ever seen him.

He was speaking to the other gammas, and they looked to be teasing him, probably about attending the ball instead of working it. His cheeks were flushed, and he looked all too annoyed. When he saw us approaching, his face lit up and he smiled. Then, his eyes shifted to Irene, and his entire body stilled.

Irene didn’t seem to notice, though, but I did. I made a note to speak to Erik about this later. It was obvious he had a thing for her and probably did for a while, but I was getting the thought that maybe it was a bit deeper than that.

The drive to the ball wasn’t long, but it was quiet as each of us got lost in our own thoughts. Chester had his arm around Nan the entire time, and I kept hearing him murmur how beautiful she was and how much he loved her new hair. I smiled, happy for my best friend.

The road wound through the Blood Thorne territory, the night alive with glittering lanterns and fairy lights that hung like starlight above the cobblestone streets. When we arrived, the ball was already in full swing. Masked guests twirled across the marble floor under a chandelier that looked like it could hold a glaze within it. Luaghter, perfume, and the faint scent of wine mixed in the air.

Gavin guided me down the grand staircase, his hand steady on the small of my back. For a moment, the world seemed to slow. I could feel eyes on us, curious, speculative, but one of those matters when we looked at each other like I was the only thing in the room.

Alpha Jeremy approached, his smile sharp and smooth.

“Ah, Alpha Landry,” he greeted, extending his hand for a shake, which Gavin took immediately. “Glad you could make it.”

“Thank you again for the invitation, Jeremy. You’ve outdone yourself here,” Gavn replied, taking in the gorgeous atmosphere.

“I can’t take all the credit. My Luna did most of the planning. She usually does,”

I looked around the ballroom, seeing all the unfamiliar and beautiful faces. My eyes found Tabby, who was standing with a few other gammas in the corner of the room; she was wearing a dress, but no mask. She was also wearing her gear, prepared for a fight as always, like the other gammas were.

Nan and Chester were at the buffet table, sampling each dish, and I couldn’t help the light laugh that came out of my throat.

“Thank your mother again for keeping an eye on Matthew for the evening,” Gavin said. “He wouldn’t have enjoyed being dragged here.”

Jeremy smiled.

“My mother misses having a young one running around. It’s really no problem,” Jeremy assured him. “If you’ll excuse me. I need to say hello to some other guests. But please, enjoy yourself. We’ll speak more later.”

Gavin nodded and watched as Jeremy took off in a different direction.

I finally found Irene, who was scanning the area, her eyes on a mission, though her footsteps were hesitant. I tugged Gavin’s arm gently and glanced up at him.

“I need to check on Iene,” I tell him.

“I’ll come with you,” he said, his eyes finding mine.

I shake my head.

‘It’ll be better if I just go,” I say.

Before he could retort, we heard a gasp coming from nearby, and my body froze. I turned in time to see Irene frozen in place near the edge of the ballroom, her glass trembling in her hands.

My stomach twisted.

Her eyes were fixed on something specific, and I feared what it might be. I pulled my hand out of Gavin’s and rushed towards her, but it was pointless because he was following after me.

I stood next to her, my eyes remained on the side of her face, though it seemed as if she didn’t notice me there.

“Irene?” I asked, trying to gain her attention.

But it was no use…she was too far gone.

I followed her gaze, and then I saw him.

Chuck.

He was standing a few yards away. His arm was around the girl from the hotel. She was wearing a mask, but I knew right away it was her. She had a bright smile on her face and leaned into his touch as he wrapped an arm around her… like it was his duty to protect her.

There it was… in plain sight.

Chuck was cheating on Irene… and she knew it.