The door shut behind Serena, the sound echoing through the vast chamber. Her heart thudded so hard it felt like it might burst, and for a fleeting moment she regretted refusing the wine Naya had offered.
Kaelen stood on the balcony, his back to her, moonlight spilling silver across his frame.
“I… I am here,” she whispered.
“I am aware,” he replied without turning, his voice flat, unreadable.
Serena lingered in the doorway, uncertain, her stomach twisting. He made no move toward her, no gesture, nothing to suggest this night had even begun.
But then, she thought too soon.
Slow, deliberate steps carried the Alpha across the room, until his towering frame loomed close. His piercing gaze locked on her face, narrowing at the lenses perched on her nose.
“What are these?”
She blinked. “Wh
