Zane’s POV
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, shifting under his stare.
I leaned against the doorframe, watching Mabel step out of the bathroom. The oversized tank top she wore was a tease—long enough to pass for a dress, loose enough to reveal more than it hid. My throat worked as heat curled low in my chest.
She pressed her thighs together, folding her arms like she thought it’d shield her from me. Cute. Didn’t she know by now that I’d memorized every line of her body already?
“Can I help you?” she asked, voice sharp, but her eyes slid away.
I tilted my head, letting a smile tug at my mouth. “No need to be shy, wife. Remember the hotel room? I’ve seen and touched almost everywhere.” I let the pause hang on almost.
Her sigh carried both exasperation and nerves. “Why are you here?”
“To sleep.” I said it l
Mabel’s POV“Sullivan looks like trouble in the best way. I swear I could march right over and introduce myself,” Dawn said with a sigh, her gaze fixed on the shadowed booth upstairs. She leaned closer. “You think he’d notice me?”I didn’t bother answering. Dawn knew what she was fishing for.She frowned when I didn’t bite.Vivian picked up the silence for both of us. She already knew Sullivan wasn’t the type to play around. The rumors were clear enough. Midnight Guardians were different. They waited for their mates, and they didn’t waste time with meaningless flings.That only made Sullivan more dangerous. Every single woman wanted to be the one to break that streak, to claim his first time. Some of the men too. No wonder he carried a permanent scowl.Dawn groaned and leaned back, but my attention had already shifted to Vivian. Or more accurately, to the way she wa
Mabel’s POV"Are we interrupting?"The voice cut through the music. I turned with Ronan, and there stood Iver and Finch.Heat rushed to my cheeks. My hands were still on Ronan’s shoulders, and we were too close in the middle of the dance floor. I stepped back, trying to breathe, but Iver’s grin told me he had seen enough."Thought I’d steal a dance," Iver said, eyes locked on me. He ignored Ronan’s glare."Me next," Finch added with a laugh.Ronan’s jaw flexed. I couldn’t explain it, but the thought of either of them dancing with me set his whole body tense."We were just about to grab drinks," Ronan cut in, answering for me."Perfect," Iver said easily. "We’ll join you."So the four of us pushed through the crowd toward the bar. Vivian was already perched on a stool, watching everything with her usual calm.I slipped onto the seat beside her. The gu
Mabel’s POV"How about you, Beta Vivian? Want one of my specials?" Ronan twirled a bottle in one hand and winked.Vivian shook her head, tapping her glass. "I’ve had enough."I hid a smile. Everyone knew Ronan’s experiments could be dangerous. Vivian wasn’t about to gamble her stomach tonight.I drained the last of my first cocktail and started nursing the second. Across the counter, Ronan kept up his show. Bottles spun through the air, ice rattled, liquids poured in neat arcs. He never spilled a drop. My eyes stayed locked on his hands."You work here?" I asked when his movements slowed."Not really. I stop by to help Nia. Wouldn’t call it a job."Help Nia. The way he said it, casual but steady, made me wonder what kind of bond they had. The teasing earlier hinted at something close. Friends? Lovers? My chest tightened with curiosity, but I held my tongue. If I pushed too hard, I might r
Mabel’s POV“Stick close. If you get lost in here, I’m not coming to rescue you.”Vivian’s words carried over the bass that throbbed through the narrow hallway. I kept a hand near her back as the sound grew heavier with every step.The door swung open and music slammed into me. My ears rang. Lights cut through smoke and haze. For a second I forgot how to breathe.The place was massive. Shadows of bodies moved as one, their sweat and perfume mixing with alcohol in the air. Even without sharp senses, it was overwhelming.I stayed inches behind Vivian. If we got separated, I’d never find her in this sea of moving people. Somehow, though, the crowd shifted aside. Paths opened as if the room itself knew to give way.I didn’t know Vivian was pushing her Beta aura. All I cared about was keeping balance on heels that already punished my legs. Ronan’s brutal workout earlier had left the
Mabel’s POV“Is the food not to your liking?”Tina’s voice cut through the heavy silence of the kitchen.I froze, fork hovering above the plate. The stew tasted fine. Better than fine, actually. But my stomach twisted like it wanted to reject everything.I forced a smile. “The food’s good. I’m just full.”Tina tilted her head. Her eyes searched my face. “Funny. You were eating well before you brought that last dish into the dining room. Something change?”I dropped my gaze to the plate, dragging the fork through mashed potatoes I had no intention of finishing. “Nothing happened.”Her brow rose. She didn’t believe me. “Are you sure?”“Of course,” I said, raising my voice just enough to sound convincing. I wasn’t. My chest tightened, heat crawling up my neck. If I admitted the real reason, they’d laug
Mabel’s POV“Can you take this dish to the dining room?” Tina pressed the plate into my hands before I could step aside.I wanted to refuse. My throat tightened with all the excuses I had already used tonight. But Tina’s look told me no wasn’t an option.So I pushed through the door.The dining room was alive with voices. Vivian sat at the head, hosting in Zane’s absence. Alpha Adrian and his son Sullivan occupied one side of the long table. Their presence filled the space with quiet authority.And then Navy made her entrance.She glided across the room, chin high, irritation flickering in her eyes. “Where should I sit?” Her gaze landed on Zane’s chair at the head. “Is that his spot?”“Yes,” Vivian answered evenly.Navy’s heels clicked against the floor as she moved toward it. Adrian frowned, shoulders stiff. He expected her to