Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Dantes POV The sharp pinch to my arms maile me growl low in my throat , my irritation eling juu below the surface . I glared at try father , who was putting on one of his signature fake smiles . You look like youre marching at a funeral instead of meeting your fiancee , he said , his tone far too jovial for my mood . I havent agreed to marry her yet , I snapped , flexing my claws beneath the thin fabric of my gloves You promised Id have the freedom to choose after meeting her . Thats the only reason Lagreed to this madness Caius walked ahead of me , his silver and black mask glittering under the glass chandeliers , his matching tuxedo a stark contrast to my own deep maroon and black attire . His ever present goofy grin was firmly in place as he bumped my shoulder and leaned in . Hey , just saw your future bride , he teased . She looks like shes ready for the wedding already Shes not my bride , I growled , my voice sharper than I intended . My wolf stirred restlessly , agitated for reasons I couldnt pinpoint . We entered the grand ballroom , the vast space shimmering with opulence . The Wolfe mansion was as extravagant as Id expected . The ballroom itself was massive , with towering ceilings adorned with gold embellishments and a central glass chandelier that refracted the light into rainbows across the polished marble floor . Ice blue and white silks draped the tables , which were laden with crystal glassware and silver cutlery . The centerpiece was an ice sculpture wolves circling doves . The imagery was painfully on the nose , but I supposed it was meant to inspire unity . I scanned the room , noting the strategically placed guards . Everyone here was on edge , their smiles forced , their movements calculated . It was no surprise two packs that had been at war for nearly a decade now forced into a room together under the pretense of peace . I accepted a glass of wine from a passing servant , the dark red liquid swirling in the goblet like blood . I tipped it back , letting the bitter tang linger on my tongue . As I swallowed , an image flashed through my mind : a woman in a wine red dress , her skin glowing under dim light , her whiskey colored eyes locking with mine . It had been four weeks . Four fucking weeks since Id met her Valencia And yet , she haunted me . No matter how much I tried , I couldnt shake her from my thoughts . It was like shed imprinted herself into the core of my being . Id even checked for a mate mark , paranoid that she might have somehow claimed me that night . But there was nothing no mark , no tether . Yet , my wolf was relentless , pacing and growling like a caged beast every time I looked at another woman . Nothing interested me anymore . No matter how beautiful the person before me , it was as if every ounce of desire Id ever felt had been siphoned away by her . She like a Id searched for her , of course . Valencia . An Omega with auburn hair and freckles . But I had found nothing was ghost . She had disappeared , leaving behind nothing but a name and her memory . And then there was the matter of this damned treaty , My fathers obsession with peace talks and marriage alliances grated on my nerves . The idea of tying myself to someone for political convenience made my skin crawl . But every time I remembered my mothers dying wish to protect the weaker , to end senseless violence I found myself biting back my protests 1/3 11:39 Tue , Jan 14 Chapter 22 Wed already taken our revenge on the Wolfe pack and 1 had accepted that after my Fathers hours of insistence . Their Luna was dead , killed in a manner so cruel it mirrored my mothers fate . Now fighting over the lost territory that had right fully belonged to us didnt seem as important as stopping the violence . The tolling of the eight hour clock pulled me from my thoughts The Wolfe family entered in a slow , deliberate procession . First came the Alpla , Roman Wolfe , flanked by his second and third in command . Next were the heirs , Jason and Jason Wolle both clad in sharp black suits- Then came the Kallistars . I recognized the eldest son , Aiden , with his pale blonde hair and scarred face immediately . He led the way , followed by three other men in stark white suits . My father muttered something about Always breeding , but I tuned him out as the women entered . Pastel gowns blue , pink , lavender , white flowed around them like soft waves . My gaze swept over them disinterestedly until it caught on something different . Someone different . She was in deep maroon , the rich color accented by black and brown lace . She looked completely different from all the others . Her mask was black , concealing most of her face , but her auburn hair framed it in soft waves , cascading down her back like fire . My chest tightened , my eyes widened , my claws digging into my palms . The word slammed into my mind like a sledgehammer , reverberating through me . My vision swam , and my claws extended involuntarily . I turned away , clutching the edge of a nearby table to steady myself . The sharp pulsating voice in my head was unfamiliar this wasnt my wolf . What the hell did Rumag mean ? Dante ? My fathers hand landed on my shoulder , pulling me from the haze . Im fine , I lied , forcing my claws to retract . After a slight pause my father spoke , Good . Lets go meet Celeste Kallistar . He gestured toward a girl in a plain white tulle dress , like a porcelain doll fragile and artificial . her orange hair curled and adorned with a flower crown . She looked My heart sank . As my father steered me toward the stage to greet the Kallistar Alphas , my gaze darted back to the girl in maroon . She was gone , After enduring the pleasantries with the Wolfe and Kallistar families , I slipped away to the terrace , Considering the fact that the Alpha had a daughter named Anastasia I had expected to meet her , but I understood why he was reluctant to send his one and only precious daughter into enemy territory . Throwing the daughter of his second in command under the bus instead . 2/3 11:39 Tue , Jan 14 ti Chapter 22 The cool air was a welcome reprieve from the suffocating tension inside . As I leaned against the railing , trying to calm my restless wolf , rised voices caught my attention . They were coming from a nearby powder room , the door slightly ajar . It seems just because Alpha Drogo was kind enough to take you a bastard daughter in , youve forgotten your place , a woman sneered , her voice venomous . I made that dress to suit your status . But just like your mother , youd rather dress like a cheap whore . Drogo Kallistar ? I could piece together what she was saying , I remembered hearing about another daughter . My lip curled in disgust . It wasnt mercy to take responsibility for your own actions especially not when those actions resulted in a child . This was exactly what I had expected from those revolting old Alphas The girls response was loud , but trembling . Dont call my mother that ! My breath hitched . I knew that voice . Valencia . Daughter . The door creaked as I pushed it open , stepping inside . Title: Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation In CrushReel's ongoing romance novel, "Assigned A Billionaire Husband By The Nation," a young woman finds herself without a home after a heart-wrenching breakup with her boyfriend of four years. Following state policy, she is unexpectedly matched with a billionaire spouse, forever altering the course of her life. 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