The Grand Gathering was an event unlike any other. Held once every ten years, it brought together the most powerful Alphas, heirs, and supernatural elites, all seeking one thing—advantage, alliances, and power.
For the Four Fang Alliance, this year's gathering was particularly significant.
Because this year, Nani Hirunkit was at the center of it all.
The ballroom of the Golden Fang Estate was transformed into a breathtaking spectacle. Towering chandeliers cast a golden glow over polished marble floors, where hundreds of figures moved in effortless grace. The air was thick with the scent of dominance—powerful Alphas in tailored suits and embroidered robes, each radiating their own unique strength.
But none shone brighter than Nani.
Standing at the heart of the room, he was the focus of every gaze—some filled with admiration, others with pure, calculated interest. The heir of the Hirunkit household, an Omega of rare lineage, and the most desirable match in the supernatural world.
Every Alpha present tonight knew securing Nani's favor meant securing influence.
"They're watching you like you're a prize," Dew muttered under his breath, standing close by.
Nani exhaled, his expression unreadable. "I am a prize. That's the whole point."
Pond, standing protectively to Nani's right, barely hid his scowl. "They need to remember that just because you're available doesn't mean you're theirs to take."
Across the room, Alphas and their heirs whispered among themselves, strategizing their approach. Some were subtle—offering polite nods, waiting for the right moment to engage. Others were far bolder, already positioning themselves to get closer.
It was a dance of power, one that Nani had mastered long ago.
But even as he maintained his poised exterior, a lingering unease stirred in his chest.
Something was coming.
Something—or someone—who would change the course of the night entirely.
-----
The ballroom was suffocating.
Or at least, that's how Nani felt as another Alpha stepped into his path, armed with what must have been his best attempt at seduction.
"My lady—"
Nani blinked. My what?
Pond nearly choked on his drink. Dew made a sharp turn away, shoulders trembling as he desperately tried not to laugh. Even Win, composed as ever, closed his eyes briefly as if silently questioning the state of the world.
The Alpha, completely oblivious to how badly he had just ruined his own chances, smiled charmingly. "I've heard many tales of your beauty, but none do you justice."
Nani stared at him. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the first part of that sentence and just focus on the fact that you're wasting my time."
The Alpha faltered. "I—"
Dew clapped a hand on the guy's shoulder, offering him a pitying smile. "You tried. It was terrible. But you tried."
As the rejected Alpha slunk away in shame, another took his place.
This one had a well-rehearsed smirk and an air of entitlement that Nani could spot from a mile away. "We should dance," he announced, as if he'd already decided for both of them. "I'll lead, of course."
Nani exhaled slowly. "Or… and hear me out… I leave, and you pretend this never happened."
Pond was full-on grinning now. "Harsh."
Win took a sip of his drink. "Efficient."
The Alpha's smirk faltered, but before he could regroup, Nani was already walking past him, his patience thinning by the second.
And that's when the real problem arrived.
William was the first to make his approach, all smooth confidence and polished arrogance. His sharp features were accentuated by his impeccable suit, and his piercing eyes locked onto Nani like he was already his.
"Nani," he greeted with a refined smile, "You look stunning tonight. Though I suppose that's to be expected."
Nani barely spared him a glance. "Did you rehearse that line, or is this just the default setting?"
William chuckled. "Still sharp-tongued, I see." He reached for Nani's hand, intending to press a kiss to his knuckles—
But Pond intercepted.
With the reflexes of a warrior, he gripped William's wrist before it could make contact.
The room tensed.
"Touch him without permission, and I'll break that hand." Pond's voice was low, dangerous.
William merely smirked, withdrawing gracefully. "Protective as ever."
Before the tension could settle, a scoff cut through the air.
Drake.
Leaning against the nearby marble column, the Alpha heir watched the exchange with a smirk. "This is embarrassing."
Nani sighed. "I'd say the same about you being here."
Drake ignored the jab, pushing off the column. "The way you all hover around Nani, it's pathetic. What's the point of an Omega like him," he nodded toward Nani, "if he's never allowed to make a real connection?"
Dew's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you implying?"
Drake grinned. "That his guard dogs keep him from ever knowing what a real Alpha feels like."
A muscle ticked in Pond's jaw, but before he could lunge, Nani took a step forward.
"A 'real Alpha'?" His voice was smooth, deceptively calm. "I suppose you think you're the right one to demonstrate?"
Drake's smirk widened. "I'd be doing you a favor."
Nani tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "You seem awfully confident. Tell me, does that confidence come from skill or just a lack of self-awareness?"
Laughter rippled through the nearby onlookers.
Drake's smirk twitched.
Before the situation could escalate further, a third presence made itself known.
Gawin.
Unlike the others, he didn't interrupt. He simply watched—assessing, waiting. His lighter brown hair was neatly styled, his expression unreadable as he finally spoke.
"It's interesting," he mused, voice deceptively casual. "Everyone here assumes Nani needs an Alpha." His gaze flickered to the others, then back to Nani. "Yet none of you seem to realize—he's never needed anyone."
The words hung in the air, a subtle but sharp challenge.
Dew hummed. "Well, at least one of you has a brain."
Gawin smiled slightly. "I didn't say I wouldn't be the exception."
Nani sighed, barely restraining the urge to roll his eyes. "If you three are done with whatever this is, I'd love to enjoy the rest of my evening, goodnight"
Nani had barely turned away from William, Drake, and Gawin when a shift rippled through the air.
It was subtle at first.
A hush. A murmur. A shift in posture.
Then—the weight of it settled.
A power so distinct, so absolute, that the entire ballroom stilled.
The massive ballroom doors at the far end of the room swung open.
Not with force.
Not with aggression.
But with deliberate, controlled weight.
The shift was instant.
An event filled with some of the strongest Alphas in existence—reduced to a breathless silence.
And for the first time that night, Nani felt it too.
Four figures stepped into the room.
They didn't rush.
They didn't announce their presence.
They didn't need to.
Each step was deliberate. Each presence commanding.
But it was the one leading them that made Nani's breath catch.
Sky.
Tall. Poised. Unshakable.
The Alpha he had met before. The one who lingered in the back of his mind, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.
But he wasn't alone.
To his right, Bright moved like a shadow, golden eyes sharp and unreadable.
To his left, Phuwin carried an air of quiet control—a rare display of composure from an Omega that many had underestimated.
And behind them—
Fort.
A Beta.
A name everyone in the room recognized.
Stormveil's Beta.
A flicker of unease passed through Nani's mind—because he knew Fort.
He knew who Fort answered to.
And as that realization settled—so did the rest.
A shudder ran through the gathered Alphas as recognition spread.
Stormveil's unseen, feared leader.
The Alpha whose name was spoken in every political circle yet whose face none had seen—until now.
Sky Wongravee.
One by one, the Alphas who had spent the night vying for Nani's attention bowed their heads.
Not because they were forced to.
Not because of protocol.
But because instinct demanded it.
Even William, always arrogant, was unnervingly still.
Even Drake, who reveled in dominance, was unnaturally quiet.
Even Gawin, always composed, had nothing to say.
And as the weight of Sky's presence settled over the room, Nani's world tilted.
Because everything he thought he understood about this night—
Had just changed.
And Sky?
Sky was looking directly at him.
Nani barely breathed, his mind scrambling to process what was happening.
This wasn't just bold.
It wasn't some Alpha posturing for dominance.
It was something else.
Something undeniable.
And yet—
His body reacted before his mind could catch up.
A sharp inhale. A pulse racing beneath his skin.
Something deep inside him recognized Sky before he could even think.
"Tell me I'm hallucinating," Dew muttered, voice unusually low.
"You're not," Win replied, his gaze razor-sharp, locked onto Sky's every move.
Pond didn't speak. He didn't need to. His entire body was wound tight, coiled like a predator on the verge of striking.
And behind them—
William. Drake. Gawin.
Frozen.
Everything they had done tonight—every carefully calculated move, every attempt to win Nani's favor—
Rendered meaningless in seconds.
Sky moved as if none of them existed.
As if the outcome had already been decided before the night even began.
And Nani?
He felt like he was standing on the edge of something inevitable. A shift he couldn't stop, no matter how much he tried to deny it.
Then—the air changed.
Another ripple, heavier. Colder.
The crowd parted.
And they stepped forward.
The Four Heads of The Four Fang Alliance.
Leading them—Nani's father.
They weren't here as mere spectators.
Tonight, they had a purpose.
To meet the Alpha of Stormveil.
But now—they were staring at Sky.
---
For the first time, true recognition flickered across their faces.
Because this was not just some Alpha drawn to their heir.
This was Sky Wongravee.
Not a question.
A realization.
The name finally clicked into place.
A name known in the supernatural world.
A name with power.
Sky wasn't just an Alpha heir.
He was the Alpha.
The unseen force that ruled Stormveil.
And he had just walked directly to Nani.