The next few days flowed as Noah was busy with his duties as Queen. He was finally able to interview the applications sent by Mina and choose his new temporary assistant, Jane Meyer.
Jane was a beta girl who graduated with a degree in management and experience in this field. She seemed like a well-organized, sweet girl, so Noah didn't hesitate to hire her.
"Sir, you got several emails, and there are several invitations among them."
Jane informed him as he entered his office.
His office was located on one of the higher floors, the same floor as Jace's. It was designed according to his taste with cozy and pastel colors. There was a large table in the middle of the room with a laptop, phone, and other papers Noah needed to go through the day. And there was a cozy sofa set in the corner of the room adorned with plush cushions and several soft blankets in case Noah needed some rest. There was also a mini bar counter area with drinks, cups, and glasses.
The best thing about his office was the large window dominated one wall that was greeted by the breathtaking view of the garden around the castle as well as the town. The window was grand and arch-shaped, giving the room a touch of grandeur. It was embellished with delicate curtains in complementary pastel hues, allowing him to control the amount of sunlight that filled the room while adding an extra layer of charm.
On the windowsill, there were beautiful jasmine, lilac, freesia, lily, and several other flowerpots infusing the room with a delightful and soothing fragrance mixing with Noah's own scent. The white blooms, cascading gracefully from the pots added more beauty to the atmosphere.
"Invitations, what are they?"
Noah wasn't surprised to receive invitations, but what he was curious about was what they were.
"Here."
Jane pointed to several cards lying on top of his table. Noah sat on the chair at the desk, took the cards, and started to look through them. There were several invitations for openings, exhibitions, and other functions. Noah knew he couldn't attend on all these occasions, so he asked Jane to politely reject them and offered to send someone instead of him.
But except one.
Noah started with a purple card in his hand.
Then the phone on his desk rang, startling him.
"Yes." He answered the phone, still with eyes on the golden printed letters.
"Noah, did you receive an invitation for the Annual Crystal Gala?"
Nathen's voice came from the other side.
"I'm just starting at it."
"Shit. Wait, I'm coming."
Then the line was disconnected.
Noah stared at the card in his hands with a frown on his face.
Then there was a knock on his door, and the door opened, revealing Nathen.
"You are fast." Noah commented with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't start with me." Nathen groaned, smoothing down his hair. "Where is it?"
Noah handed him a card.
Nathen's frown deepened as he read the card. And Noah had a good idea about why his friend had been so worked up about a little invitation. Actually, Noah himself wasn't expecting this.
The Annual Crystal Gala was held every year as a charity event with the participation of Lunas from all the wolf packs around the country. It was a huge event because all the Lunas of packs came together, so it usually got lots of public attention. As the queen of supernaturals as well as Luna of the world's largest pack, Noah should attend this event.
"I told them to postpone this until this is all over."
Nathen groaned, plopping down on the sofa.
"But they didn't?" Noah guessed. Otherwise, this invitation shouldn't be on top of his desk.
"This fucking..."
Nathen started, but only to chook his own words, because at that moment the door of Noah's office opened, and Jane entered with a tray of tea.
On the other hand, Noah had to cover his mouth to prevent bursting out laughing.
If it was Mina, it shouldn't have been a problem. Because she had been used to cursing coming from Nathen when he came to see Noah with a problem. But now both Noah and Nathen didn't want to scare this poor girl too early.
"Thanks, Jane."
Noah thanked Jane as she placed the tea on the table. Then, with a small bow, she left the room, leaving them alone.
"So, should I order a suit?"
Noah went to sit on the sofa facing the black-haired fox shifter.
"Why are you asking me?" Nathen groaned. "Shouldn't you ask your husband?"
"Because you are the first one who came here after I received this invitation."
Noah poured tea into two cups.
"Are you going to plan my funeral with your husband?" Nathen asked with an oddly serious voice. "Can you please bring lilies as the main flower? I love them."
"Idiot." Noah scolded. "Why should you be dead?"
"Because, my dear queen, your husband asked me especially to stop this event because this would be a golden opportunity for attackers." Nathen said. "But these bitches didn't care about my words and organized this all. On top of that, you got an invitation."
"Well, we knew I got an invitation every year." Noah said, sipping from his cup. "So, you cannot stop this now."
"Yeah. You know what these bitches said when I called them this morning." Not waiting for an answer, Nathen continued with frustration. "They cannot do anything now because all the invitations have been sent. And the queen was also invited, so nothing is going to happen."
"Well, you have to arrange extra security, so everything is going to be okay." Noah said the best solution.
But he also knew how hard it was and, actually, how risky and stupid it was to have this kind of important gala without security measures. As Nathen said, this was a great opportunity for attackers. Especially if hunters were with attackers since there were lots of omegas going to be in this event.
In the past week, any attack didn't occur, and it caused everyone to be eager. Jace was also not in a good mood, and he knew this was going to make everything worse.
"I need to inform Yoongi so he can do something about that." Nathen said with a defeated sigh. "But he was going to be pissed off."
Noah could imagine the grumpy alpha's reaction. Yoongi hated sudden situations like this. Especially with extremely risky and stupid things. Like this. Actually, who was stupid enough to pull a stunt like this?
"Who is the organizer of the gala this year?" Noah asked. The major packs took turns organizing the gala every year. Usually, Noah kept track of who organized. But with current events, this had slipped out of his mind completely.
"It is..." Nathen hesitated before answering. "Luna of the Medow Pack, Diana Melson."
"Of course, she!"
Who else could be? Noah cursed in his mind. Who had gone out of her mind to do something crazy like her?
Diana Melson and Noah had been on each other's bad side since the day Noah married Jace. Well, that spoiled girl had always been jealous of Noah because she always wanted to marry Jace and become a queen. So, it shouldn't be surprising that two omegas were now at each other's throats.
"Well, Jace cannot order to ban the gala because it could create panic among people." Nathen whined. "But he is going to have my head for not stopping this."
"Don't be dramatic." Noah rolled his eyes.
"How could I not be dramatic?" Nathen complained. "You are his precious queen, going to attend that possible attack ground with his pups."
"Shit!" This time, Noah cursed loudly.
It had slipped his mind that he could bring his pups to the event. Well, as Nathen said, Jace wasn't going to like this.
"I will only take Owen." After some deliberation, he decided.
"Why him? Shouldn't you introduce Esmin to them?"
They used this Annual gala to introduce their pups to the supernatural world. But since Esmin's bad health and shy behavior he didn't take him to the past two galas. And he didn't want to take him on this one either.
"If I take Esmin, he won't going to leave my arms." Noah explained. "So, if there was an attack, it could be hard for me to defend us."
"So, in that case, isn't it better to take Kayden with you?" Nathen questioned.
"Kayden would be able to defend himself. But he wouldn't stop there. He would want to defend others, and that would put him in danger. On the other hand, I could easily handle Owen and he will listen to me if something happens."
Nathen understood what Noah meant. He had seen how little alpha prince was trained under Yoongi. He was best for his age, and the royal alpha blood on him made him protective over others easily.
"Let's hope nothing like that happens." Fox shifter said with a sigh.
"Yeah." Noah also hoped nothing would happen. "And Kara would be there also. Isn't?"
"Yeah!" Nathen exclaimed. He had forgotten it. "You would be safe with her."
"I can defend myself, Mr. Hale." Noah spoke with a stern voice. "Did you forget who almost broke your neck at the last sparring session?"
"Of course, how could I forget?" Nathen blamed his bad luck on his underbreath. "I mean, Jace could relax her being with you there."
Noah narrowed his eyes at the black-haired man in front of him. But before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door, and Jane came from the opened door with an iPad in her hand.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir, but you have an appointment with Kayden's homeroom teacher in thirty minutes."
Jane reminded.
Only then did Noah glance at the clock. His morning was wasted with this invitation and gala.
"Jane, can you inform David to get the car ready?" Noah asked his assistant. "And can you pack the documents I need to go through so I can do that from home?"
"Of course, my queen."
With that, Jane left, leaving alpha and omega behind.
"I have to go to Kayden's school, so you also should go and do some work." Noah scolded the alpha stretching on the sofa.
"Did little alpha prince get himself into trouble?" Nathen asked, looking at the ceiling, hoping it could give some answers to his problems.
"Well, my children weren't like yours, so no." Noah gathered some documents from his desk. "It's just an annual teacher-parent meeting."
"My children aren't bad." Nathen protested. But after some time, he added this by himself. "Well, sometimes they would be little devils."
"Well, at least you admit it." Noah laughed. "I feel bad for poor Rachel."
"It is unfair." Nathen pouted. "How would your children turn out to be little angels and mine turn out to be little devils?"
"Well, they inherited genes from certain one. So, I wasn't surprised."
"I'm not that bad." Nathen's pout deepened. At times like this, Noah really wondered how all these bad alphas became childish like this.
"Stop pouting and go back to work." Noah scolded. "Didn't you complain a few minutes ago that you have a lot to do? You are wasting time here."
"Okay. Well, I'm going." Nathen said, grumpily standing. "I need to meet with Jace and Yoongi."
"Don't anger my alpha too much." Noah shouted as Nathen walked out of his office. "I don't want to have a grumpy alpha at home."
"Deal with it." Nathen shouted back, muttering how he was going to meddle between overprotective alpha and troublesome omega.
***
"Mama, what are we going to do today?"
Kayden asked as they left school. The meeting with Kayden's homeroom teacher went well, and she was full of praise about his boy making Noah proud.
"Well, how about we go some shopping?"
Noah purposed. Since the annual gala was coming, he needed to find something to wear. And his kids were growing like trees, so they needed new clothes.
"But Mama, can we go fly after that?"
Kayden asked with hopeful eyes. Due to parent-teacher meetings, the school finished early, and he didn't have any training with Yoongi today. So, he wanted to do something fun with his mother.
Noah was actually hoping to do some quick shopping and go home after taking Esmin and Owen from Emily's place. But looking at Kayden's beautiful amber eyes, he couldn't say no. He could understand how much his firstborn wanted to spend some alone time with him. Since he was always busy with his duties and younger kids, he realized he hadn't spent some alone time with Kayden.
"Okay, we can go shopping and eat at McDonald's. Then we can go to fly."
"Yes!" Kayden exclaimed while clapping. Noah smiled, happy to see his son's happiness.
It didn't take much time for the mother-son duo to finish their shopping tour. Kayden bounced off, holding his mother's arms the whole time, just like a seven-year-old child, not a powerful heir. And Noah was really happy to witness his son's happiness.
Noah quickly mind-linked his husband, informing him he was taking Kayden to fly after going shopping with him. Jace connected back and grumpily told them to be careful. With his grumpy voice, Noah assumed he had already heard about Gala. So, he knew alpha needed some time to get over it, so he didn't push Jace over it. But he made sure to buy something nice for alpha in order to cheer him up later.
After both mother and son were filled with unhealthy McDonald's food, Noah asked David to take them to their secret flying spot. It wasn't like Noah usually allowed his children to eat those gross foods. But today he let it go because it was Kayden's favorite.
It didn't take much time for them to reach a certain place in the forest. David stopped the car, as it was the only way to go since the path had ended there.
"I will stay here, My Queen." David said with a bow as Noah and Kayden took a small footpath deeper into the woods.
Kayden bounced with energy and took every step with happiness. And Noah was happy to see his son's happiness.
As they walked, Noah pointed out herbal plants around them and introduced them to his son. With the excellent memory his son had, he knew they could come in handy one day.
It didn't take long for the mother-son pair to reach a clearing area that bordered a cliff.
As they got closer to the cliff, they could hear a faint murmur grow louder and more distinct, evolving into a thunderous roar. Then the source of it came into their view.
The scene in front of them was simply awe-inspiring. No matter how many times Noah visited this place, the scene never stopped taking away his breath. The world around him seemed to fall away as he gazed upon the sight in front of them.
The focal point of this masterpiece was the waterfall cascading gracefully from the sheer face of the cliff, a shimmering silver ribbon that weaved its way down through the rocky crevices. Its descent was gentle and ethereal, with droplets sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight, creating a mesmerizing play of rainbows that danced across the landscape.
The lake at the bottom of the waterfall caught the cascading water with a resounding splash. The lake's surface was a smooth mirror, reflecting the cerulean sky above and the verdant trees lining its shore.
In the distance, a hazy outline of mountains stood tall, their peaks kissing the heavens and serving as guardians of this untamed paradise. The interplay of sunlight and shadows in the landscape created a captivating play of light and dark, accentuating every curve and crevice and lending an almost ethereal quality to the scenery.
"Wow, it has become more beautiful." Kayden was lost in the beauty of the scene in front of him. He couldn't believe a place magical like this existed in the world.
Noah smiled and put an arm around Kayden's shoulder. He could understand what was going through his son's mind. Because the same thing occurred in his mind.
The wind gently swept past their faces, carrying the earthy fragrance of the land and nature. The grass and wildflowers that clung tenaciously to the cliff's edges swayed in harmony with the breeze as if performing a delicate dance for their audience.
"So, aren't we going to fly?"
Noah asked after a moment, breaking the peaceful silence around them.
"Yeah, we are." Kayden exclaimed happily. His golden eyes ran around the valley, filled with awe and happiness.
"Okay, then what are you waiting for?"
With that, without a single warning, Noah leaped off the cliff.
"Mama!"
Noah could hear the faint shouting of his irritable pup, but soon it faded away with the winds making him giggle loudly. Wind passed his ears as he dived down towards the lake. Just a moment before he collided with the crystal-clear water, a loud flapping sound pulled him up. Big ripples appeared on the lake as he hovered over the water. He looked down at his reflection in the water.
There was a pair of pure white wings behind his back, which seemed to shimmer like freshly fallen snow under the light of the moon. They were huge and magnificent.
They were adorned with intricate golden trimmings that glistened like rays of sunlight dancing on water. The golden edges traced the edges of each feather, creating an enchanting display of craftsmanship that left all who beheld them in awe. The golden trimmings seemed to hold a trace of celestial magic, giving the wings a subtle glow that lit up the sky.
Not only that but there was also a mesmerizing pattern that adorned them. Woven into the fabric of each feather was a delicate golden pattern that shifted and changed as though it were alive with a mind of its own. It appeared to be an intricate dance of celestial symbols, weaving together constellations and ancient runes, resembling a map of the stars etched into its very being.
Noah grinned widely as he stared up at the sky and shot up like a shooting star. He let out a laugh as he spun in the air. He soared through the air and into the clouds before hovering in the air. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cool air.
He felt free and safe in the sky. He felt like nothing, or no one could hurt him.
"You could have waited for me."
A sound complained behind him.
Noah spun around to meet his son in the air.
His baby boy was in the air with an adorable pout, complaining about his mother's childish behavior.
Kayden's look wasn't seconded by Noah's. When Noah looked more elegant and eternal with pure white wings, Kayden looked powerful and deadly with midnight black wings. It wasn't large like Noah's wings because Kayden was still a child. But Noah knew that with age, Kayden's wings would grow even bigger than his own.
"Where would the fun be in that?"
Noah said, childishly flying around his son, rubbing their wings together. Kayden responded to his mother by rubbing his own wings on those ivory ones. It was their own thing, which they did every time they flew. Noah explained that when they did that for the first time, it was a way of showing affection, like grooming in their wolf form or scenting in human form.
"Let's race."
This time Kayden became more playful as he took off first. Noah laughed loudly as he chased his son through the air. His long silver hair danced behind him swinging with the wind, creating a beautiful picture.
As they fly, they become one with the wind, their figures blending seamlessly with the natural elements surrounding them.
After racing around, they dropped to the lake, only to straighten out horizontally at the last minute before they dived into the lake. Their wings gazed at the surface as they titled back and forth, spraying water at each other. Their joyful laughs echo through the valley, taken away by a gentle breeze.
The pair danced among the clouds, exploring the heavens and embracing the freedom that only flight could bring. Their hearts were filled with joy and serenity as they reveled in the wonder of their shared time.