Chapter 5 Staring at Trouble

Damon

The moment I stepped into the ballroom, the scents of countless werewolves filled the air, mingling with the rich aroma of wine and expensive perfumes. I kept my posture relaxed, blending into the crowd, just another wolf among many with my Beta,at my side.No one here knew I was Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack, and that was exactly how I wanted it.

But then, I saw her.

She wasn't like the others, draped in jewels or clinging to status like it was the only thing that mattered. She didn't shine under the grand chandeliers or demand attention with loud laughter and forced smiles. No, she stood alone, quiet half-hidden in the shadows,almost as if she didn't belong here, yet her presence quiet impossible to ignore.Something about her pulled at me, and before I knew it, I was staring.

I couldn't look away.

"Alpha," Lucas murmured beside me, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "You're staring."

I heard him, but I didn't respond. My eyes remained locked on her, drawn to every subtle movement she made. The way her fingers curled at her sides, the way she shifted under the weight of something unseen. There was a sadness in her, but also strength. And for reasons I couldn't yet explain, I knew "she was mine."

My wolves normally restless, should have been pacing in frustration,but they weren't. They were... calm. Settled. It was almost as if they liked this, as if they wanted me to keep staring at her.

I exhaled slowly, trying to make sense of it. She had no wolf. I could tell. Yet, for some reason, I couldn't look away.

She lifted a glass of wine to her lips, tilting her head back as she downed another drink. I watched as the bartender hesitated before pouring her another, but she waved him off, demanding more. Her movements were clumsy, her shoulders slumped, and yet there was something almost defiant in the way she drank,like she was trying to drown something deeper than just the night's events.

I found my feet moving before I could stop myself.

Kane muttered something about me blowing my cover, but I ignored him. I needed to get closer.

As I reached her, she was already halfway through another drink, swaying slightly on her stool. Up close, I could see the redness in her eyes, the distant haze clouding them.

She turned to me, blinking sluggishly. "Why... why're you staring at me?" she slurred, pointing a wobbly finger at my chest. "You-you're too handsome to be so serious. Are you secretly a prince?"

I arched a brow, amused despite myself. "Not exactly."

She huffed, pouting. "Well, that's disappointing. I thought maybe you were here to sweep me off my feet or... or, I dunno, fight a dragon for me." She giggled, then suddenly frowned, as if she'd lost her train of thought. "But no one fights for me. No one ever does."

Something in my chest tightened at those words.

I reached for the glass in her hand, but she pulled it away, narrowing her eyes. "Nooo, this is mine," she protested, clutching it like it was her only lifeline. "It's the only thing that doesn't leave. Unlike people."

Her words were messy, but the pain in them was clear.

I clenched my jaw, my wolves stirring, not with frustration, but something else,something protective. I didn't know why I had been staring at her all night. I didn't know why my wolf was so calm around her.

Just when I was trying to figure out the whole situation,shewobbled on her stool distracting me from my though,squinting up at me like she was trying to solve some great mystery. "Y'know," she mumbled, poking my chest with her finger, "you're really tall. Too tall. Like... unfairly tall. What do they feed you? Magic beans?"

I bit back a smirk. Most wolves would have been irritated by her drunken rambling, but for some reason, I wasn't. Instead, I found myself... entertained.

She gasped suddenly, as if she had just realized something incredibly important. "Wait, wait, wait." She grabbed my arm-well, more like flopped her hand against it-and stared at me with wide, unfocused eyes. "Are you-are you a secret agent? No, no... a spy?" She leaned in conspiratorially, her breath warm against my skin. "You look like a spy. Too serious. Too mysterious."

Kane snorted beside me, but I ignored him.

"I'm not a spy," I said, humoring her.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "That's exactly what a spy would say." Then, as if proving her own theory, she nodded sagely. "Mmm-hmm. Thought so."

I couldn't stop the chuckle that rumbled in my chest. She was ridiculous. Completely drunk, completely out of it. But instead of annoying me, it was... oddly adorable.

Then, without warning, she slumped forward, resting her forehead against my chest with a dramatic sigh. "You smell good," she mumbled. "Like... the forest. And danger. And... and bad decisions."

I stiffened for a second, surprised, but my arms instinctively steadied her before she could slide right off the stool. She felt so small against me, her warmth seeping through my shirt.

She groaned. "Ugh. I think the floor is moving. Tell it to stop."

I let out a breath, shaking my head. "Hey,she-wolf you're drunk."

She gasped again, pulling back just enough to look at me, her expression one of pure betrayal. "How dare you? That's so rude." Then she poked my chest again. "You-you should apologize."

And damn it, I actually laughed. A real, genuine laugh that I hadn't let slip in years.

My Beta,Kane was watching me like I'd lost my mind, and maybe I had. But I didn't care. Because as ridiculous as she was right now, I found myself wanting to keep her close. To keep her safe.

"Come on, trouble," I said, wrapping an arm around her waist before she could topple over. "Let's get you out of here before you start accusing me of being an alien too."

She gasped dramatically. "Wait-are you?"

Not being able to complete her words,she fell in my hands and doze off.

I shook my head, guiding her toward the exit. This was going to be a long night.