Delusional

"Godamnit!" Ophelia exhaled, but it resonated in everyone's ears for she was surrounded by beings with extraordinary hearing. She clamped her eyes shut, not wanting to make eye contact with the Alpha and Luna who were present, but she could very clearly sense their strong aura that breezed through the room, signifying the presence of superior beings.

Why did the Luna call out his name in such a fearful way? It was indeed odd that the alpha heir was dancing with a dragon, but she had a fearful tone, and there was no way the Luna was terrified of her. Or was she?

Ophelia didn't want drama to jeopardize her mission in any way. She could have killed him there and there, but she had to make careful calculations to prevent a violent war from breaking out. She didn't want to use logic in the same way as her gullible father and uncle, who hastily rushed her to a place where she had an 80% chance of dying. It was best to get away and return after everything had calmed down. She would try to dodge Nikolai's query as well, but a feeling kept coming over her that he must know something, making her stomach turn.

She jerked out of his grasp, thinking he was preoccupied, but instead of releasing her, he gathered her into his powerful arms, and she gasped in amazement, staring at him with her lips wide in awe.

The room was full of gasps and murmurs.

Nikolai was staring squarely at his mother, who was showing signs of apprehension at his impulsive decision to take the dragoness in his arms. He had not seen his father in three centuries, yet despite his deliberate avoidance of eye contact, he could sense his father's intensely angry gaze.

"Do you want to make a scene, mother?" Nikolai asked casually, his eyes flitting darkly. He desired to leave the ball. He was already getting bored. He'd already gotten what he wanted.

"You already started it by dancing with that dragon?" Alina hissed at him through her teeth, her olive green gaze moving to the woman who was firmly held in her son's arms. Her eyes widened with surprise. "That dress..."

"Actually, I started everything when I declared that she was mine, which she is," Nikolai grinned cunningly and coolly. Then turned to stare at the goddess in his arms, whose lips were agape from shock.

His eyes narrowed at her. "Didn't I tell you to shut them?"

Ophelia pressed her lips together, forming a smile that said, "Do not push me, Nikolai Novikov," eliciting a dark low chuckle from him.

Alina, who was watching this scene, couldn't believe her eyes. The ball was to commemorate her son's return after three hundred years. Everything was now ruined. She had cautioned him, but instead of taking her advice, he had done the exact opposite.

"Put her down," A deep irritated uneasily calm filled voice suddenly resonated alongside her, combining with the pressing overpowering domineering tension flowing from him.

The tension was so intense and overwhelming that everyone in the ballroom sank to their knees and bowed their heads.

Nikolai flashed a dazzling smile. His face was bright and welcoming, but his gaze was a crimson storm that crashed down on his father, who stared back at him with a steely gaze.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Nikolai arched his brow, keeping that eerie pleasant grin on his face. The tension in the room exploded like a bomb.

Alina let out a heavy sigh and shook her head, sensing the impending battle. "Please don't," She turned to face her husband, who was still staring at his son with intense rage.

His crimson eyes were lighter than Nikolai's, and his powerful and towering statue stood out much like his son's, indicating that he was the father of the foolish son who was challenging him. "I am your Alpha, and you must respect me."

"Alexander, don't." Alina exclaimed again, this time while clutching his arm. She looked much smaller standing next him, and her husband shifted his eyes from his son to her. His stare immediately softened, and he lessened the oppressive controlling tension he had placed in the room, yet everyone remained on their knees.

"Now that you've listened to your wife, I'm going to leave this unnecessary ball with what is mine."

"Alright!" Ophelia said, "Enough of the drama!" and Nikolai turned his gaze to her. His stare was loaded with rage, urging her to shut up, but she wasn't going to listen.

Who did he think he was? Was he just intending to drag her into his fight with his family? Hell no! She already had her own family problems.

"Nikolai, please put me down," She demanded in a crooning tone, feigning a smile.

"No."

In disbelief, she scoffed. Did he just want to make a scene? Why was he doing this in front of so many people?

"You're making a scene. Just put me down and go apologize to your parents." Her tone was a gentle lull.

Nikolai almost burst out laughing at her words. Apologize? She knew nothing, but he found her cute.

"You are mine; it is my choice whether or not to put you down."

Ophelia tensed as he spoke. Was he deranged? What type of statement was that? And in front of his parents!

"You are insane. I am not your property."

"You don't have the authority to say whether or not you're mine, Firestorm."

"And why is that?" Ophelia made a grimace.

Nikolai took a long breath and returned his attention to his parents. His mother appeared much paler, while his father kept a face that looked like he had demolished the castle.

He abruptly placed Ophelia on her feet and released her, allowing her to rush away. Even the crowd gave her space on the way to the exit, and he watched her petite elegant body fade into the darkness.

"Nikolai, you..."

"Don't speak, it will only provoke me," Nikolai cut off his mother in a casual tone, and his cheerful expression vanished.

"You're making a big mistake, Nikolai," Alina warned again, this time sharply and coldly.

Nikolai snarled angrily, then abruptly drew forward to her, pushing his face against hers. "I don't need your prophecies or what so ever," he said. A scathing smile came on his lips, his face was somber, his ruby-colored eyes sparkled, and he tilted his head like a lunatic.

"Do you think that you and the moon goddess will be able to split me from my mate?" He asked in a low, perilous voice.

Alina's shocked eyes widened.

Nikolai put his hand on her shoulder, leaned in closer, and said, "You can't," with a cheeky tongue click. "Remember to erase their memories, too." He chastised the multitude of pure bloods who were present and had seen the incident.

Poor souls, they didn't know that every exit had been closed, and if they panicked, they had nowhere to run. They weren't first-generation pure bloods like his family, who were descended directly from the original lycans. It would make it easy to wipe their memories of what they had seen and heard tonight.

Panicked murmuring flooded the room, and Nikolai leaned away, disappearing from view, leaving behind a thick grey whisp that resembled dark magic.