Chapter 5 THE FOX, THE WOLF & A SWAN (Natalia's POV)

As the evening progressed, Charles, ever the charming host, introduced us to a select group of his associates. They were a diverse bunch of both humans and supernaturals and I recognized some popular names.

Some of them were overtly charming, their compliments laced with veiled innuendo. Others were more reserved, their watchful eyes betraying their calculating nature.

Sun Hee and I mostly caught the watchful gaze of the witches who wondered how two measly humans were associated with a renowned millionaire who knew about the supernatural world.

But none of them dared to reveal their true nature but rather watched us with unabashed scrutiny and contempt, especially the women. So much for modern feminism.

Well, that's a shame for them because I glowed in the face of scrutiny and Sun Hee is ever an enigmatic magnet for attention, wanted or unwanted, and she ate it like a fox would its prey.

Ever the social butterfly she flitted from one conversation to another, leaving me to navigate the treacherous waters of small talk with scalding men, both humans and a few supernaturals.

One particularly persistent gentleman, adorned with a gold swan mask and a cologne that reeked of too much male testosterone, wouldn't take no for an answer. He droned on about the weather and the latest stock market trends, oblivious to my growing disinterest.

It was honestly, a replaying track of names and faces, each interaction carefully calculated, each word measured and deliberate. While I understood the necessity of maintaining appearances, I couldn't help but feel irritated and suffocated amidst the throng.

Around eleven-thirty, I excused myself from the endless stream of introductions and mingling. My feet ached from all the waltzes and tangos I indulged in, and I desperately needed a moment to catch my breath.

Leaving my last partner who was a little too handsy on the dance floor, I wandered towards the bar, to seek solace in a cool drink.

As I waited for my drink, my gaze fell on a captivating painting across the room. It was a stunning depiction of a Gumiho, the nine-tailed fox, rendered in soulful colors and meticulous detail. The creature's eyes, brimming with fierce intelligence, seemed to pierce through the canvas, holding me captive.

'Ay, Sun Hee, ¿alguna vez sabré tus verdades?' 'Oh Sun Hee, will I ever know your truths?' was the thought running through my head as I stood mesmerized, drawn towards the painting like a moth to a flame.

As I stepped closer, lost in its magnetic eyes, a voice broke the silence.

"How is a Swan seduced by a Wolf?"

The voice, coming from behind, was deep and smooth, laced with a pant-dropping British accent and charm. I turned, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of the man standing beside me.

His tall and imposing physique was accentuated by an immaculate beige tuxedo, his mask, a silver wolf, leaving no doubt about his supernatural identity.

He was a werewolf and the raw power emanating from him was enough to keep me euphoric for months. He stepped close to the painting and stood beside me, his movements radiating an aura of effortless confidence.

I bet he looked too damned good to be true but it was hidden behind that mask.

"A swan is blind, especially at night," I replied, my voice laced with a hint of amusement was unexpectedly steady. His aura was truly intoxicating.

With this level of power and energy, I had no doubt where he stood in the pack hierarchy. This wolf was an Alpha, a very powerful Alpha.

He chuckled, the sound resonating deep within my chest. "A fitting metaphor," he said, his deep blue eyes, hidden behind the mask, sparking with amusement. "But I wouldn't call you blind, Swan. You seem to know your way around these parts."

I shrugged, taking another sip of my champagne. "One can learn a lot by simply observing."

"Indeed," he replied, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "And what have your observations revealed about the Wolf tonight?"

I met his gaze, my own eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "That he has a penchant for philosophical questions," I began, pausing to take a deliberate sip of my champagne, "and enjoys the company of beautiful strangers."

That statement got a full-blown smile from him and by the stars I was blown away. "Ah, so the Swan recognizes her reflection," he quipped, his voice laced with a playful challenge.

"With a sharp tongue like that, I would say you are the fox and not the swan. What is your name, Foxy?" He asked looking directly into my eyes with a smirk and I drowned in the depths of the blues I saw and the timber of his voice. This one is dangerous, run Natalia as you have never done before.

"No one has ever compared me to a fox before. In fact, I know someone who would have a dramatic spin if she heard about it," I said with a half smile as I turned my face back to the painting to avoid blurting out my name since I was uncharacteristically drawn to him.

Sun Hee would really laugh after she heard of this conversation.

He raised an eyebrow, and said "If I get the accent correctly I would say Spanish and since I get the dismissal, I would call you... Foxy," he paused to take in my reaction, and since I gave none he looked at the painting and said, "an interesting choice, isn't it?"

"Indeed," I replied, my voice a low hum. "It's inviting to say the least. The artist managed to perfectly capture both the beauty and the danger of the legendary nine-tailed fox with this piece".

"Danger? More like allure and charm, wouldn't you say?" He asked and our eyes met again, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to fade away. His eyes glinted with an undeniable intensity, and they held me captive.

There was something about him, a dangerous edge beneath the polished exterior, that both intrigued and intimidated me.

"Perhaps," I conceded, indulging in this conversation with meaning that only our eyes interpreted. "But even the most alluring creature can be a force to be reckoned with." I of all people knew the daunting truth behind that statement.

Drawing closer to me, that I felt his breath all over me and his warmth cascading me, he said "What is your force... Foxy? Why do you smell both inviting and evasive at the same time, a scent I should have but cannot place".

He raised my chin softly with one hand and used the other to draw a slow rhythmic trail on my right hand that gave me goosebumps. Both actions left me spinning and trying to catch my breath but it just made me breathe him in more.

"There's something about you, Foxy," he whispered, his voice a husky caress. "Something that intrigues me."

With a steady breath that would make Sun Hee proud, I said in a flirtatious haughty manner, "If it is a scent you can not place, then it is a scent you should not have... Wolf."

I stared right into his eyes with an inviting smirk letting him know with my eyes that I was no squirming damsel and his eyes glinted with amusement and warmth as he mirrored my smirk.

"Dance with me Foxy, introduce me to the night, and let's dance to its tune. Let me discover what lies behind your mask and we will see if I will have you at its end," he said his voice close to my ears sending shivers down my spine.

Then he straightened up, with his left hand firmly placed on my waist, he offered me his right hand, his eyes daring me to take it.

My mind raced, the challenge in his eyes and his words flashing through my mind.

If I took those hands, what tune would the night play for us? I did not even know his name, but I could.

Even as I contemplated my decision, one thought kept whispering through my head. Sun Hee still hasn't told me why she invited me to this party, why she left 2 years ago, or why she is back now. That damned Fox!