It’s impossible, I tell myself, forcing my gaze down. He’s dancing with Sabrina. He’s promised to her. But the weight of his stare lingers, heavy and undeniable. I glance up again, just for a second, and his piercing grey eyes meet mine. My heart pounds painfully in my chest.
“Talia.” Ronan’s voice pulls me back to reality, and I turn to see him standing beside me, smiling nervously. I follow his gaze to a girl across the room—a soft-spoken she-wolf with warm brown eyes and a shy smile. She glances at Ronan, and her cheeks flush pink.
“I’m going to ask her to dance,” Ronan says, rubbing the back of his neck. There’s a hint of nervousness in his voice, but also excitement.
I nod, smiling despite the ache in my chest. “Go. She’s lucky to have you.”
He gives me a grateful look before crossing the room, his movements confident yet humble. I watch as he approaches her, offers his hand, and she takes it with a timid smile. My heart swells slightly, pride overtaking my sadness. Ronan deserves this. A place in the pack. A chance to find his mate. He’s worked so hard to earn it.
But as I glance back toward the dance floor, the heaviness returns. Kael and Sabrina move effortlessly, Sabrina’s laughter ringing out as she twirls in his arms. Yet his smile falters, his movements becoming stiffer. And then, as if pulled by some invisible force, his gaze drifts again—toward me.
I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. Sabrina notices it too. Her laughter fades, her steps faltering as her smile twists into something sharper. She says something to Kael, her tone low but laced with irritation. Kael’s response is calm, unreadable, but it’s clear that whatever he says doesn’t satisfy her. She clenches her jaw, trying to keep her composure as he releases her hand.
He steps off the dance floor, his movements deliberate as he walks through the crowd. My heart thunders in my chest as I realize where he’s going.