y

ng, I stood be

to the silve

eavy against my skin, clinging to my body in a way that was p

of a military operation: sharp, winged eyeliner, a d

who had cried on a bathroom floor three

d whispered favors. The moment I stepped into the ballroom, the room seemed to pivot. Heads turned. Whispers rippled t

God, is t

ver, his eyes wide with astonishment. "You look... incredible. What hap

ress," I said wi

ping. He had always been sharp. He'd been one of the few who

st n

n his face. "His loss. Come on, Professor Ca

e crowd of academics

into the

d, his brow furrowed in recognition.

," I said, my voice clear and carrying. "As

Several prominent figures, CEOs and investors, turned to look at m

ut geopolitical risk models when

blood r

ative parasite. I had forgotten Blackwood was a major donor t

arrogant and proprietar

opped

primal blaze of stunned admiration that he couldn't hide. He was st

perfectly made-up face twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated jealousy. She leaned int

d with the predatory grace of an Alpha, cutting a path

"Kay," he said, his voice a low growl. "What are yo

, Leo subtly shifted his posit

my attention on the prominen

h as ice. "Allow me to introduce Alec

r emp

His face darkened with a mixture of hu

ng closer. I could smell the whiskey on his

didn't feel pain. I felt a profound, pitying disgust

sudden lull of conversation. "I believe you are invading m

Publicly rebuking an Alpha, her own mate,

re, not in a room full of powerful humans and rival pack members. He was exposed, stripped of his primary we

phere in the ba

a child's tantrum, rolled out from the entrance. The cha

by two imposing bodyguar

He looked like a king. His stormy gray-blue eyes scan

started to wa

-