s P

the grand staircase of our ballro

wept up, adorned with a few small, diamond-like star-pins. Eliza had done my makeup to highlight my

, nervous girl who used to attend these functions was gone. In her

familiar faces, jewels, and polit

ss of dark liquor in his hand, looking more like a predator observing its hunting ground than a guest at

e gaze was

stinct to look away, to blush, t

deliberately looked away, my expression unchanged, as I turn

my elbow moments later, her g

u see? Alpha Darius can't take his e

at so? Perhaps he's just assessing his p

rprise, but she didn't have time to respond. My father was

jokes, greeting people over his shoulder. I was the perfect hostess, the radiant

m. Every nerve in my

as chatting with a grou

yn Wash

ssy hair and a graceful posture. She approached Darius, and

is shoulders eased. He wasn't smiling, not really,

spoke, listening with an intensity

n it ha

, caught the heel of her shoe on the hem o

t out, his arm circling her waist to steady her, pulling

for one unguarded

concern. A flicker of ge

, and wept for across two lifetimes. And he h

worse than his indifference, worse than his public

over me. The frantic, hopeful bi

rful fizz against the sudden calm in my soul. I turned my back on them,

lder gentlemen. I headed in his direction, deliberately choosing a

compete anymore.

, his brow furrowed in a slight, irritated frown. He saw me approach Felipe.

even from across the room. It was annoyance. It w

d we fell into a comfortable, easy conversation about ancient history.

voice ringing with pride. He spoke of my recovery, of family strength, and then he

e awarded to the champion, along with a signif

nd excited murmurs w

me. "My daughter, Alys, wo

I looked out at the sea of faces, my gaze sweeping o

nfident smile that did

announced, my voice clear and steady. "I hop

for marriage and managing a household, competing in a physica

of my friends, the pride on my mo

eaction that m

rritation was gone, replaced by a deep, penetrating scrutiny. He was look

e, my heart ca

s his mate. But as myself. And our roads, from