Page 57 of Dearest Alpha Brothers 1: Vampire Prince

I turned to see him holding up what could only be described as aristocratic elegance. The outfit was a masterpiece—a deep royal purple coat draped over the shoulders, the satin-like fabric shimmering subtly in the ambient light, edged in intricate embroidery that looked like it had been stitched with threads of moonlight. Beneath it was a black brocade vest designed to be worn over an open white silk shirt.

“It’s stunning,” I breathed, running my fingers over the sumptuous material. The hauntingly beautiful cut seemed to toe the line between courtly and seductive, every detail crafted with precision.

As Benedict helped me into the outfit, I couldn’t help but remember Archer’s excited chatter about this night. “The Park Clan always goes all out,” he’d said, eyes dancing with mischief. “We’ll have to make sure you outshine everyone, Luca!”

Now the thought of facing supernatural society’s elite without my brothers made my stomach twist. Not that I needed them. I was totally capable of attending my first major social event without three overprotective alphas hovering, right?

“Luca!” Sylvie’s voice sang out as she swept into my room. “Oh my God, that outfit is even more perfect than I imagined!”

Sylvie looked every bit the young supernatural aristocrat in a flowing midnight-blue gown that made her pale skin glow like moonlight. Her hair was swept up in an elegant twist, tiny diamonds catching the light like stars.

“You’re the one who designed it,” I reminded her, smoothing my hands over the rich purple fabric of the coat.

“And you wear it perfectly.” Sylvie circled me, designer heels clicking on the marble floor. Her excitement was practically tangible. “Can you believe we’re actually going to meet ECLIPSE? In person!”

Despite my nerves, I couldn’t help but smile. “You mean the group whose latest video you’ve watched approximately five hundred times?”

“Five hundred and twelve, actually,” she corrected primly, then ruined the effect by bouncing on her toes. “Did you see Aria’s crystal formation during her solo? The way she manipulated those light patterns? And now we get to see them perform live!”

“Ladies and gentlemen?” Aunt Senna appeared in my doorway, resplendent in deep burgundy that highlighted her elite bearing. Her eyes softened as she took us in. “Oh, my beautiful children.”

I found myself fiddling with the silver embellishments on my vest. “Is… is Archer…”

The slight pause before Aunt Senna’s answer felt like an eternity. “Thomas is waiting with the car, dear. Your Uncle Owen arranged for additional security.”

Right. Of course. Stupid to even ask. Why would I expect any of them to keep their promises after The Incident two weeks ago?

“The Grand Crystal Hotel’s ballroom will be packed,” Aunt Senna continued, smoothly changing the subject. “Remember to stay close to our security detail.”

“We know, Mom.” Sylvie rolled her eyes, but her excitement couldn’t be dampened. “Can we go? Please? I don’t want to miss a single moment!”

I took one last look in the mirror. The vampire prince who stared back looked refined, mysterious, and impossibly magnetic in his courtly attire—ready to face supernatural society.

If only he felt that way inside.

I caught Harrison’s approving nod as we descended the penthouse’s grand staircase. Our normally stoic butler actually smiled—probably pleased to see me in evening wear instead of my usual array of casual outfits. The past two weeks I’d thrown myself into work, practically living in the Whitlock Group’s marketing department while certain alphas were away on their “urgent business trip.”

At least the Beyond Beauty campaign was coming along brilliantly. Marcus and the team had embraced my ideas with enthusiasm, even if their actual boss was mysteriously unavailable for input. Their excitement about potentially working with ECLIPSE almost matched Sylvie’s—almost.

The private elevator whisked us down to the garage level where Thomas waited with the Whitlock Clan’s armoredlimousine. Four security SUVs flanked it, a reminder that even a simple party required careful planning when you belonged to one of New Vale’s ruling clans.

The drive through New Vale’s glittering evening streets gave me too much time to think. Two weeks ago, Archer had been so excited about this event, promising to make it “epic.” He’d even left one of his silly Post-it notes under my door with sketched chibi versions of us all dressed up.

Well, if they wanted to avoid me, fine. I’d spent the last two weeks proving I could handle myself just fine without them, thank you very much.

“Oh my God, look!” Sylvie’s squeal yanked me from my thoughts. “The fans are already lined up!”

She wasn’t kidding. The Grand Crystal Hotel blazed like a beacon ahead of us, its famous crystal spires catching the sunset in breathtaking patterns. But more impressive was the crowd—hundreds, maybe thousands lined the security barriers, many holding signs with ECLIPSE members’ names in glowing letters. Some even floated in midair, their supernatural powers on full display as they tried to get a better view.

“The Park Clan certainly knows how to throw a party,” Aunt Senna remarked as our convoy joined the line of luxury vehicles approaching the hotel’s private entrance. Through the tinted windows, I could see camera flashes going off like stars, paparazzi using enhanced lenses to try to catch glimpses of arriving guests.

My stomach did a nervous flip. “Are there… photographers?”

“Don’t worry, dear.” Aunt Senna patted my hand. “The security barrier is enchanted. They can’t get clear shots of protected clan members.”

The limousine glided to a stop under the hotel’s crystal-domed portico. Through the windows, I saw a parade of society’s finest ascending the grand staircase. Vampires in silkthat seemed to absorb shadows, wolf shifters wearing pelts that shimmered like moonlight, fox shifters in traditional hanbok that defied gravity. Their jewelry didn’t just catch the light—it created its own, marking them as elite members of New Vale’s ruling clans.

Thomas opened my door, and the sound hit me like a wave—excited fans, camera shutters, the low buzz of elite conversation. The air itself seemed to sparkle with energy, and somewhere in that gorgeous chaos, three very distinct scents teased at the edge of my awareness. Midnight and starlight. Lightning and winter storms. Citrus and sunshine.

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