CHAPTER 63: THE FAMILIAR CREEPY GAZE

Eleanor’s POV

Today was the day of the gathering. Representatives from all the major racing companies and their riders would be there, and the unspoken rule was clear: dress to impress, even if you’re usually covered in grease and track dust.

The Vexxon company had provided our attire. Mira stood before a mirror, smoothing down the sleek, black trumpet gown that contrasted sharply with her sharp pixie cut. Roxy was scowling, tugging at the straps of her daring, backless crimson gown that set off the purple highlights in her black hair.

"I hate dresses," she grumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

Mira shot her a sly look. "Maybe it’s just that it doesn’t fit your... particular physique."

Roxy’s eyes narrowed. "Oh, it fits just fine. It’s your flat chest that’s making you jealous, isn’t it?"

I tuned out their bickering, my own nerves fluttering. My gown was a deep sapphire blue corset dress, its structured bodice and flowing skirt designed to compliment my silver-white hair.

It was beautiful, but i didn’t think that it suits me.

The gathering was being held in a glittering skyscraper, a monument to the wealth and power we were now tangentially a part of. As we stepped out of the car, the towering building seemed to loom over us, a silent reminder of the high stakes. My stomach was a tight knot.

As we approached the skyscraper’s glittering entrance, a discordant sound cut through the hum of the city: shouting. A small group of people, their clothes simple and worn, stood off to the side, holding up hand-scrawled signs.

"Where is my son?" one woman cried, her voice raw. "Give him back!"

Another sign read: ’Pinnacle Corp Knows The Truth!’

Security guards were trying to usher them away, but the protesters stood their ground, a stark, grieving contrast to the opulence around them.

Most guests simply averted their eyes and swept inside, but I couldn’t look away. A cold dread settled in my stomach.

"What’s happening?" I whispered to Mira as we moved past.

"It’s... common lately," she murmured, her voice low. "People have been going missing and there has been no trace. Some are blaming our kind, saying it’s to satisfy primal urges." She glanced at the retreating protesters. "There’s never any proof linking it to the companies, but that doesn’t mean much. Power has a way of burying things."

We stepped into the elevator, the polished doors sealing us in with a few other impeccably dressed guests. The silence was heavy. When the doors opened again, we were swallowed by the murmur of a lavish party.

People in elegant outfits clustered together, holding champagne flutes, their laughter light and airy. It felt like we’d entered a different world, one that had simply walled off the suffering at its doorstep.

Mira subtly nudged me and nodded towards a group of men near the center of the room. Among them, I recognized the sharp, arrogant features of the man--the CEO of Pinnacle Corp, the Vexxon brothers’ main rival.

"I can’t count how many times his company trying to sabotage the Vexxons. They’ve always failed." I watched the man laugh. "Now that the K-trios are here in person, it’s going to be a lot harder for him to keep pulling his stunts."

We found some empty seats facing a sleek, modern stage. Soon, the lights dimmed slightly, and people began to settle. The host, a man with a polished smile, took the stage and started the formal introductions.

He called out the names of the major racing companies and the riders representing them. Each teams had five members. I counted only a handful of women across all the teams, with two being the most in any single group.

The host’s voice boomed, "And last, but certainly not least, the Vexxon Corporation!"

Our cue. Mira, Roxy, and I stood up. A wave of murmurs and strange, assessing looks followed us as we made our way to the stage. Two other men from our training sessions joined us, making our team complete. I scanned the crowd, but the Vexxon brothers were nowhere to be seen.

The host gave us a slightly awkward smile. "Welcome, Vexxon Raiders. You may return to your seats."

The brief moment in the spotlight was over. After more speeches and presentations, the formal part of the evening ended, and the room dissolved back into a loud, social mixer.

My eyes scanned the crowd, a habit born from a lifetime of anxiety, and then they landed on a face that sent a jolt of pure ice through my veins. I felt the blood drain from my face.

Mira, noticing my sudden stiffness, leaned in. "Don’t be nervous. In this place, most people, if not all, are supernatural creatures."

"That’s not what I’m worried about," I whispered, my voice tight.

I was looking at him. The man from the Kingsley Hotel. The one whose face I had slashed with my claws to escape. He was here, standing across the room, looking polished and powerful. Our eyes met for a terrifying second. I quickly turned away, my heart hammering against my ribs. But it was too late.

"Mira, I need to leave. Right now," I hissed, my composure cracking.

But before we could move, a smooth, familiar voice cut through the air right behind us. "Its a lovely surprise to see that the Vexxon brothers brought some women to their team."

I peeked to see him extend his hand. "I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Mr. Hans."

Mira, ever the diplomat, took his hand with a formal smile. "The pleasure is ours."

His gaze slid from her to me, his eyes glinting with a cold, knowing light. "It seems your friend is a bit too nervous to speak to me."

Every instinct screamed at me to run, but I was trapped. Forcing my muscles to move, I turned and faced him fully, offering a tight, brittle smile and a slight, formal bow of my head. "A pleasure to meet you," I managed, the words feeling like ash in my mouth.

"There’s no need to be nervous around me," Mr. Hans said, his voice a silken trap. "We’ll be seeing quite a bit of each other, I’m sure. I do hope we can get to know one another better."

The sheer audacity of him, standing there and making polite conversation after what he’d done, made my vision swim with red. Inside, Beatrice was a raging inferno.

He is here! We should finish him! Let me out! I will tear his throat out and feast on his lies!

We can’t! I screamed back internally, my fists clenching so tightly my nails bit into my palms. I could feel the primal rage boiling up, a terrifying pressure behind my eyes. My control was slipping.

"If you’ll... excuse me," I choked out, not waiting for a reply before turning and walking away as fast as my trembling legs could carry me without breaking into a run.

Why are you running?! Beatrice roared. Sparing him means he will come for you again! For us! He is a threat! We must eliminate that bastard!

I burst into the restroom, the door slamming against the wall. I stumbled to the sink, turning on the cold water and splashing it onto my face, trying to drown the fire inside.

"He’s a political figure with massive influence!" I whispered fiercely to my reflection, to the wolf raging within. If we kill him, his people will hunt us down. It’s stupid to do it in public! I don’t want to die!"

"And who will believe me if I tell people the kind of man he is? Mira and Roxy would, but they are powerless."

And do not forget, he tracked their scent from you at the hotel. They are targets because of you. They deserve to know the danger they are in because you are hiding this!

She was right. I had been so focused on my own fear, I hadn’t considered that my silence was going to put Roxy and Mira in danger. Again.

Just then, an intoxicating, familiar scent filled the air. It was almost like the same scent from the storage room. The bathroom door was thrown open, and a man stumbled in, his hands pressed over his face as if he were in agony, his shoulders hunched.

"You’re in the wrong restroom," I said, my voice shaky.

He didn’t seem to hear me, just made a low, guttural sound of pure trauma. I looked closer at his broad shoulders, and my breath hitched.

It was Mr. Kayden. One of the K-trios.

The alluring, calming, terrifying scent was coming from him. Beatrice, who had been a storm of fury moments before, went utterly still. Then, she purred, a deep, resonant sound that vibrated through my entire soul.

And she spoke a single word that flipped my world on its axis.

Mate.