The ball was everything I had imagined it would be and everything I dreaded at the same time.

The chandeliers sparkled overhead like a thousand captured stars, throwing golden light over the glittering dresses, the polished floors, and the steady movement of bodies swaying to music that was far too elegant for the chaos I felt inside me. The air reeked of perfume, wine, and power — the kind of scent only an Alpha’s gathering could exude.

Kristen walked beside me, his tall frame ...