While the female omegas were preparing his attire for the annual ball, he stood at his window, staring out at the rustling, snowy trees of the Woodlands. Although the sky was painted in various shades of orange, night was undoubtedly upon the horizon.

But even the beauty of the sunset could not calm his nerves.

Tonight would mark the first time the Wolves and Fae would be together under one roof since the territory expansion—that greatly benefitted the Wolves but disadvantaged the Fae—decades prior. There was no telling how the night would go, but he was certain he, like most of the pack, was right to be on edge. The only difference was he was more worried about his own kind than he was about the magical winged creatures.

And it was that concern that made him want to avoid the ball at all costs.

Just as an omega slid a tailcoat over his shoulders, he heard a knock on his chamber door. When he turned away from the window, another omega was already scurrying towards the door before he could call out for the visitor to enter.

After she opened it, her head immediately lowered before taking a few steps back and clearing a path. Seconds after, his father walked in, and the rest of the omegas, including the one tending to him, lowered their heads and backed away.

"You may leave us," his father's deep voice broke the silence.

The omegas quickly left his chambers, and the last one out closed the door behind her.

He had a feeling whatever his father came to say, he was not going to like.

He looked down and began to button up his coat. "You insisted upon them serving me against my will, yet command them as if they are yours."

"Are all subjects in this castle not the Alpha's to command?"

He smiled—what else could he do whilst knowing he could not counter that particular fact—and as he finished fastening the last of the buttons, he lifted his head and looked at his approaching father. Brown eyes identical to his own but brimming with an unmatchable intensity stared back at him.

"What brings you here on such an important night?"

His father reached inside his own coat and pulled out a sheathed dagger. "I came to give you this."

He looked between the dagger and his father.

The weapon was more like an heirloom and had been in his family for decades, passed down generation to generation, Alpha to future Alpha. But as a boy nearing his eighteenth year and no intention of becoming the Alpha anytime soon, he was perplexed by the sudden gift.

"Your dagger? Why?"

"Tonight is a very important night in more ways than one. My hope is that this monumental night, where the Wolves and Fae will be coming together, will be marked with another kind of union."

"What are you getting at, father?"

His father stretched out the dagger towards him to take. "'Tis time for you to choose a mate."

He shook his head and walked past his father towards the door.

He had already made it clear numerous times that finding a mate was at the very bottom of his interests and thought the matter would not be brought up again.

Clearly, he had thought wrong.

"Stop walking," his father called after him.

"We will be late for the ball."

"I said stop walking!"

The distinction between an alpha's command and a father's stern tone was like night and day. As he was more used to the latter, hearing the former, in that moment, made him stop out of shock more than obedience.

He did not turn around when he heard his father's nearing footsteps but kept his eyes on the door. On the other side was an escape to this inevitable conversation, but also a path leading towards a future he did want.

"You are my only surviving heir. If you do not continue our bloodline, our legacy will end and the throne will be taken from us."

"And is that truly so terrible, father?"

To the outsiders looking in, being the only surviving heir of both his parents' bloodline was a tragic fate, but to him, it was retribution for the sins his bloodline could never rid of but only pay for with death.

"How could you say that?"

He turned around then. "How could you ask me to take a mate when you already know why I am so against it?"

"My fate will not become your fate."

"Then why tempt it when I am determined to make that true?"

His father stared at him for a few silent seconds before closing the space between them and reaching down to grab his hand. His father lifted it and placed the dagger in his palm before curling his fingers over it—forcing him to accept it.

"Cruel is a word you can never use to describe how I raised you, and I hope you will not think of me as such should I be forced to take matters into my own hands. Before the night is over, you will either choose a mate or one will be chosen for you."

* * *

Secluded in a corner, he watched his father engaged in conversation with an older male and young female across the room. Judging by the symbol of an arrow shot through a full moon embroidered on their cloaks, they were of the Archer Moon pack.

It was the only moment throughout the night's festivities where his father had not been watching him like a hawk, hovering around him, or forcing him to converse with every eligible young female in the room.

And he was not going to let that moment of distraction go to waste, but, instead, use it to escape.

He headed for the Throne Room doors, weaving around and in between pack members and guests. Those who happened to notice him bowed their heads, and having to acknowledge them in return slowed him down, but he was not to be deterred. However, when he chanced a glance back at his father, he was coerced into stopping when their eyes met from across the room. His father used the opportunity of catching him off guard to begin leading the young female and older male in his direction.

He sighed and lowered his gaze, accepting his fate while internally berating himself for getting caught. While he prepared himself to lift his head and force a smile, the music suddenly stopped, sending the room into silence.

A guard burst into the room, drawing all eyes towards him. "They have arrived! The Fae have arrived!"

He looked around as gasps and whispers replaced the silence. The pack's beta had joined his father's side and was whispering something into his ear. Seconds later, the two turned and headed towards the dais.

Alas, fate truly was on his side.

While everybody was distracted, he made a break for the doors, easily sliding out of the Throne Room and into the brightly lit corridor. The guards meant to be positioned outside of the room were all huddled together further down the corridor and conversing—no doubt about the Fae's arrival. When they took notice of him as he approached, one stepped forward.

"I do not require a guard," he said without slowing his step. "I shall return shortly."

He had no intention of returning, but they did not need to know that.

Since the Fae had arrived, he avoided going to the main entrance to, instead, slip out of the castle through one of its many secret passages. The one he chose led outside to the large courtyard at the back of the castle, as he knew it would not be guarded and he could, therefore, be alone.

He walked the snowy grounds towards the labyrinth in the courtyard's centre, stopping just before its entrance. He stood there for only a minute before the sound of footsteps from behind interrupted the silence.

He balled his fists as he wondered which guard dared to follow him there of all places. "You must long for death, as I can assure you that will be your fate should the Alpha learn of you coming here."

When the footsteps stopped, he turned around, expecting to see a guard, not a small, hooded cloaked figure. Because their head was slightly lowered, much of the hood hid the intruder's face, but the long dark hair peeking out from the sides and falling in waves to the figure's waist convinced him it was a female.

"My apologies." She lowered her head in a bow then turned and began to walk away.

The warmth of her soft voice sliced through the chilly winter air and caught him off guard when he felt—or, most likely, imagined—that warmth hit him in the centre of his chest and spread itself throughout his body.

It could not be...could it?

"Wait!" He called out but she did not stop.

He went after her, the advantage of having longer legs than her enabled him to reach her in only a few strides. He grabbed hold of her arm, which he instantly regretted when she stopped and turned to face him rather than pull out of his hold.

Large dark eyes stared up at him, luring him in with his own reflection. Moonlight glowed off of skin darker than his, bouncing off the high points of her cheekbones and the tip of her nose. The curves of her full, slightly parted lips made him yearn for her to speak just so he could witness how they moved as she spoke. The longer he stared, the harder he fought between looking away or continuing to be enthralled by the young creature.

Standing before him was a face painted with an ethereal beauty he could confidently admit would never be found amongst his own kind. The type that could only belong to a fairy.

He let go of her arm and took a step back. "I apologize for my earlier aggression. I mistook you for somebody else. This place is a sacred one, and should you be caught trespassing...well, be thankful 'tis I who caught you and not the Alpha."

She bowed her head, and he assumed that meant she was going to try and leave again. But he was not yet ready to let her go.

"You are far from your people."

"Yes."

He smirked. "By choice?"

She nodded.

"Do you not wish to be here?"

He knew how important the Fae's acceptance of the Wolves' invitation had been and what could potentially come from it moving forward, but he had not thought about whether they truly wanted to come tonight or not.

"I do not enjoy parties very much, is all. And when I am forced to attend, I often find myself seeking out a place—"

"Where you can be alone?"

He did not think she could get any more beautiful, but then she smiled, and he fell for her a little bit more.

"'Tis usually an abandoned corner in the room, or that one wall that never seems to be as brightly lit as all the others."

"I am sorry to say the Throne Room has exceptional lighting, and although you may find an abandoned corner or two, being spotted in one is as good as an open invitation to being dragged into conversation as us Wolves have this unfortunate ability to not leave well enough alone."

Her smile softened as she looked down. "Oh, dear. What do you suggest I do?"

"If it is your wish to be a wallflower, then I suppose I can be your dimly lit wall."

Like he had hoped, her gaze lifted from the snowy ground and her large eyes stared directly into his.

Very few ever dared to look him in the eyes, so maintaining eye contact was unfamiliar to him. But doing so with this intriguing little fairy was not so bad.

"Are you certain?" She looked around the courtyard then back at him. "Did you, too, not wish to escape?"

He had. And taking her back would undo everything he had done to avoid his father's plans. But whether he did not wish to send her off on her own, or simply did not wish for their interaction to end, he was not entirely sure.

Perhaps it was a bit of both.

"I have been gone long enough, 'tis only right I return."

"It will be a demanding job, as you cannot leave me."

"You have my word, I will not leave you."

He moved to stand next to her and offered his arm for her to take. "Shall we escape together then?"

She gave him another soft smile and nodded before taking his arm. "I would very much like that."

As did he.

* * *

Dagger in hand, Michael was almost to his chambers.

When he woke in the West Wing, dagger clutched tightly to his chest, he did not know exactly how much time had passed. And that realization had pushed him to his feet and out of the dark room to quickly return to his chambers before he was discovered.

When he turned down his corridor, he spotted Lukas in his usual black attire standing in front of his door, hand raised to knock. He stopped and tucked the dagger in the back waist of his trousers before continuing the walk to his room.

"What is it?" He asked when he was nearly there.

Lukas turned his head first then his body to face him. "I did not realize you were not in your chambers." He looked Michael up and down, probably noticing that he was wearing the same clothes from the night before. "Were you gone all night?"

"I only stepped out for a bit. I woke up early this morning and could not fall back asleep, so I thought a walk around the castle might help tire me out."

Michael turned away from Lukas and reached for his door handle. He was not concerned whether or not Lukas believed him, he only hoped it was enough to get him to leave.

"The Alpha wants to see you in the Throne Room. But, if you wish, I will tell him that you are...tired."

There was a certain level of snarkiness in Lukas' tone that made Michael pause, but it was hearing that his father wanted to see him that made him turn his head and stare at the guard.

"The reason?"

"You should know the reason better than I."

Michael thought about what his father could possibly want, but came up with nothing as the two had rarely seen or talked to each other for days. Since hearing his father's threat to make his life a living hell days ago in the West Wing, if it did not pertain to pack matters, Michael had tried to avoid him at all costs.

"Can you really think of nothing?"

Perhaps it was because his mind was still fresh with the memories the dagger had shown him that he truly could not think of anything in particular.

He faced his door, hand still on the handle.

Going in blind made him not want to go at all, but nothing good would come from refusing. And if he had no choice, perhaps he could use the meeting to his advantage.

Michael let go of the door handle and turned to face Lukas. "Let's go."

A/N: Back in Moonrise, I hinted there was a wolf and fairy who fell in love just like Michael & Ellette. Here they are, and their story was the catalyst for how the Fae became confined to the Woodlands, though we'll only see a few 'flashbacks' of their story in Moonfall (prequel anyone? Just kidding! Once Moonfall is completed, I don't plan on writing anything fantasy/supernatural related for a while!).

Any name suggestions for our fairy and wolf? Ya'll already figured out the angel theme back in Moonrise with Michael & Gabriel. Should we continue that theme for this wolf? Let me know your suggestions in the comments!  :)