Chapter 14

Syria’s POV

He paid no mind to my teasing at all.

Rather, he turned fully to me, his eyes mysterious and dark.

“What are you doing here at the banquet?” he asked, his voice low and sharp, cutting through the noise of the crowd.

I gave him a playful grin, not backing down. “Well, I came here to toast with a few Alpha fanboys,” I answered, shrugging casually.

His eyes narrowed at me, obviously not pleased. "The truth," he insisted, his voice firmer this time, obviously not in the mood for playing around.

I released a sigh, dropping the teasing act for a moment. "Okay," I said with a small smile, though I kept it light. "I was here for a blind date."

The instant those words escaped my lips, I saw the shift in his face. His smile disappeared altogether, replaced by something darker. Something unreadable.

Before I could get another word out, he flipped his cigarette on the ground and stomped on it with force. Then, suddenly, he approached me with slow, thudding footsteps.

The look in his