Twenty six
*Freya*
“I’ve been thinking about you for a while.” I whispered to Connor as we danced across the floor, along with a couple of other ladies and gents.
“Is that so?” He raised his eyebrows, a mischievous smile on his boyish handsome face. I couldn’t help but smile back at him. I had missed him.
Connor spun me around the dance floor, a wide grin on his face as we moved to the pulsing beat. “You look stunning tonight,” he said, eyes twinkling. “That dress is perfect on you.”
I managed a smile back at him, trying to focus on our dance and conversation. But somehow, I could feel Rafe’s piercing gaze boring into me from across the room. Before I could stop myself, I stole a glance in his direction.
The Alpha was leaning against the bar, arms crossed over his muscular chest. His chiseled jaw was clenched tight and stormy grey eyes narrowed as they flicked between Connor and me. If looks could kill, Connor would be a pile of ashes on the floor.
I quickly averted my gaze, pulse picking up speed. The simmering tension between Rafe and I was palpable, stretching taut across the crowded ballroom. My skin tingled with awareness of his dominant presence.
Memories of our almost-kiss flashed through my mind – the heat of Rafe’s breath on my lips, the solid press of his body against mine, desire crackling in the charged space between us. If Connor hadn’t interrupted when he did…
No. I couldn’t let my thoughts wander down that dangerous path. Getting involved with Rafe would paint more than a huge target on my back. The comments and vicious snubbing from the other women pursuing him was already enough. This time, it would escalate into an all-out war. Especially with Kelly still around. I had to keep my distance, no matter how much the primal magnetism pulled at me.
Forcing a bright tone, I focused back on Connor. “I’m so glad you could make it tonight. This party has been a bit overwhelming on my own.”
“I think you’ve been doing just fine on your own, beautiful” Connor commented, making me blush. He had his way with words I would give him that.
As we twirled to the music, I resolutely ignored the weight of Rafe’s stare, determined to stay far away from the controlling Alpha. No matter how desperately I craved his touch, I wouldn’t give in to him.
As the dance ended, I turned to Connor with a curious tilt of my head. “So, where have you been lately? I feel like I’ve hardly seen you around.”
Connor’s expression shifted, a sign of discomfort passing over his features. “Oh, uh, Rafe sent me on an important mission outside the palace.”
My brows furrowed. “A mission? What kind of mission?”
He shook his head, avoiding my gaze. “I’m sorry, Freya, but I can’t tell you about it right now. Alpha’s orders.”
A twinge of unease settled in my gut. Connor and I had always shared everything with each other ever since I got here. For him to hide something from me now felt… wrong. “Since when do you keep secrets from me?”
“It’s not like that,” he insisted, but the defensive edge in his voice only heightened my suspicion. “Look, just trust me on this, okay?”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the arrival of Addy cut me off. She hurried over to us, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
“Hey, Ad” I greeted, pulling her in for a kiss on the cheek
Leaning in close, Addy whispered urgently, “Freya, the Alpha king hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night. Even when he’s dancing with other women, he’s still watching you.”
Heat crept up my neck, my cheeks flushing at the thought of Rafe’s intense gaze following my every move. I risked a glance in his direction and immediately regretted it. His piercing stare locked with mine, a predatory hunger swirling in those mesmerizing eyes.
I quickly looked away, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was bad. Very bad. If Rafe’s interest in me was so obvious that even Addy had noticed, then Kelly and the others would have noticed too. At this point, everyone at the ball would notice.
Swallowing hard, I grabbed Addy’s hand and steered her towards the refreshment table, determined to put as much distance between myself and Rafe as possible. “Come on, I need a drink.”
As we wove through the crowd, I could still feel the heat of Rafe’s stare searing into my back. Every instinct urged me to turn around, to meet his gaze and let the magnetic pull draw me into his arms.
But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. No matter how much my body ached for his touch, I had to stay strong. The consequences of giving in to my desires were too dangerous to risk.
I would spend the rest of the night avoiding Rafe at all costs, even if it meant denying the part of me that yearned for him with every fiber of my being.
Before I and Addy took a few steps away from Connor, a group of masked strangers burst into the ballroom, causing chaos and panic. The air filled with the scent of smoke and a loud clamor echoed through the opulent hall. The strangers moved in unison, their masks concealing their identities as they brandished weapons that gleamed under the chandeliers’ light.
“What’s happening?” “Addy?!”
“Freya! stay close to me. come on!” Connor’s hand reached for mine, pulling me behind a large marble pillar as the commotion unfolded before us. Fear gripped my heart as I noticed the glint of malice in the strangers’ eyes, their movements coordinated and precise. Panic spread like wildfire among the guests, their elegant attire now torn and disheveled in the midst of the sudden turmoil.
Questions of who they were and why they were here buzzed through my mind as I watched the masked figures advance with purpose. The once jubilant atmosphere of the ballroom now transformed into what almost looked like a battlefield, the music replaced by shouts and clashes of metal.
“Connor, where is Rafe?” I asked, terrified. I could hardly make out anyone on the dance floor and even as I searched for him, I knew we had to get out of here.
“He.. He just spoke to me with his mind Freya. He said I must protect you with my life. Come on, we must leave the room before it gets worse.”
“What about the other girls? My sister..” I couldn’t help but feel worried about her.
“They’ll be fine. Do you trust me?” He asked quietly. I nodded.
In that moment of uncertainty and danger, Connor’s eyes met mine with a silent promise of protection. Without words, we shared an unspoken vow to survive this nightmarish ordeal together. We began running for the exit of the hall. It happened in a split second, one moment, I was running with my hand in Connor’s, the next, a sharp pain busted on my lower back. I screamed at the excruciating pain.
I’d been shot.
“Freya! No! Freya!”
Connor’s voice sounded more distant as the pain blinded me and I fell into a deep darkness.
****