—• AVERY POV •—Her heels clicked softly as she entered, her face drawn with false worry.The shadows pressed tightly against me as I crouched in the corner of the balcony, my pulse hammering in my throat. I hardly dared to breathe. From where I was hidden, I could see Damon’s broad back as he stood over Liam’s bed, his tall frame blocking most of the lamplight.His hand moved slowly, brushing across Liam’s small forehead. His voice was low, almost broken. “You scared me tonight, son…”The gentleness in his tone pierced through me. For years, I had imagined what kind of father Damon would be if he had known about Liam. Strong? Distant? Or protective? Now I saw it with my own eyes, and it made my chest ache with something I couldn’t name.But then Jessica’s shrill voice broke the silence.“Damon, you should leave him to the doctors,” she said, coming to stand beside him, her fake concern painting her face. “He’s resting now. Come with me. Let’s go.”Her hand reached out to touch his ar
—• AVERY POV •—The Maybach rolled to a stop in front of the mansion gates. I exhaled slowly, though my chest still burned from all that had happened tonight.“Thank you, Taylor,” I said softly, gathering my dress.He turned to me with that gentle smile of his, and before I could move away, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my cheek. It was brief, light, but it made me stiffen all the same.“Goodnight, Alice,” he whispered.I forced a small smile, slipping out of the car quickly. My heels clicked against the pavement as I adjusted my purse and straightened my posture.Knox was already waiting at the door. His expression was sharp, scanning me head to toe as if searching for cracks. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice low, careful.“Yes,” I replied quickly, not giving him the chance to press further. My eyes darted to Jess, who had just joined us. “Jess, find the Sinclairs’ address for me.”They both blinked at me, startled, as I brushed past them into the hall. My pace was qu
—• AVERY POV •—The music was fading, the last note stretching like a thread about to snap. Relief swelled inside me. If I could just slip away before he said anything more… before his eyes burned into me deeper than they already had.I loosened my fingers from his and turned, ready to leave.Then the hall doors burst open.“Alpha!” Lucas’s panicked voice rang out, breaking through the atmosphere of music and murmurs. “It’s Liam—he collapsed in the car!”My heart dropped straight to my stomach.I didn’t think. I didn’t weigh risks. I didn’t care that people were watching or that Damon was just a step behind me. The word collapsed was enough. My body moved before my mind could catch up.I bolted.The cold air outside struck my face, sharp and biting, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. My heels clattered against the pavement as I sprinted toward the black Bentley parked under the dim lit streets.“Liam!” My voice broke as I yanked the door open.He lay there—small, still, h
—• DAMON POV •—The moment I stepped into the hall, the sound of applause still echoing, my eyes froze on her.She stood on the stage beside Knox, her figure graceful, her black gown flowing like water. The red necklace glimmered against her skin. My chest tightened as if a fist had closed around it.Alice White. That was what people whispered. But to me—she was the woman I’d seen at the airport. The one who had unsettled my wolf so deeply.My wolf stirred again, restless and demanding. ‘Her… it’s her again.’ The same woman from the airport. The one who made my wolf stir after being silent for so long.I narrowed my eyes. Why was it only around her that my wolf clawed, howled, refused to stay silent?Before I realized it, she looked in my direction, our eyes met. Her gaze locked with mine. A flicker—shock, recognition, something deeper. Then just as quickly, she looked away.My chest tightened.She tried to slip into the crowd, moving with such practiced poise that no one dared to a
The surrounding guests stopped talking, their eyes darting between us. Murmurs rose again.Kira froze, her painted smile faltering, her eyes flickering wildly. “I—I beg your pardon?”I tilted my head slightly, my voice sharp as glass. “I don’t recall knowing you.”People stared, whispering furiously. Kira’s face flushed with shock, her body stiffening under the weight of humiliation.Jennifer quickly stepped forward, her hands trembling slightly as she forced a smile. “Miss White, my daughter received your invitation herself. I am Jennifer Coleman, surely you recall sending it?”Her husband joined in, bowing stiffly. “Yes, Miss White. We were personally invited by you. My daughter—”My gaze locked on him. I remembered calling him father not knowing he was never truly mine. He had always chosen Kira, looked through me as though I was nothing. He even let Kira stole my mate, my wedding, my life. And when I learned I wasn’t even his real daughter, everything made sense.“I don’t know wh
—• AVERY POV •—The car ride felt like forever. I sat quietly, my fingers brushing the jewel. Its weight pressed against my collarbone, grounding me in ways I didn’t expect. My reflection in the tinted window looked back at me—unfamiliar, almost regal.Taylor must have sensed the stiffness in me. He leaned slightly closer, his voice calm. “You don’t have to be nervous. You’ll be fine.”I forced a small smile. “I’m not nervous.”A lie. My hands clenched in my lap, my nails digging into my palm.The car hummed through the city, the night alive, but all I could hear was the sound of my own heart, beating faster the closer we came to the banquet hall.This was it. My first public appearance.The Maybach slowed, and before I could gather my breath, the grand hotel loomed into view. The entire place was glittering. Luxury cars lined the entrance, photographers flashing their cameras as if desperate to catch the next priceless moment.The chauffeur stopped at the red-carpet entrance. My puls