Chapter 119

Jaxon's POV

I feign a smile. "Alpha Philip, how nice to see you again." I want to tell him to fuck off, so I can watch Melanie, but I have better manners than that.

I've met Alpha Philip a few times. My pack has an alliance with him and every time I've gone to his pack for meetings with Alpha Damon, he seemed like a good guy. Still looks can be deceiving, and I refuse to let my guard down around someone who was close with him.

"Have you found your mate?" he asks, poorly sneaking a swig out of the silver flask in his gray dress-jacket. By the smell on his breath, this isn't his first drink.

With this being my third year going to the Mating Ball, I can quickly spot who's drunk and who's painfully sober, silently wishing for someone to kill them so they don't have to be here anymore.

My throat grows tight. "Unfortunately, not tonight. Maybe I'll have better luck next year."

A brick forms in my stomach from the lie and Shadow's growing irritation. It feels wrong not being able to claim her