Elara
The banquet hall glittered like a dream made of fire and silver. Golden chandeliers spilled soft light over marble floors, and every wall hummed with laughter, clinking goblets, and the high notes of flutes. The air was thick with scents roasted lamb dripping with herbs, venison glazed with honey, cinnamon wine that clung to my tongue with warmth. Nobles in silk and jewels swayed to the rhythm of the music, their faces flushed from drink.
But for me, the hall was not filled with nobles or food or music. For me, there was only him.
Xavier.
He stood at the head of the long table, broad shoulders wrapped in black, his wolf’s power resting heavy around him like an unseen crown. Every flicker of his eyes, every twitch of his jaw, caught me like a hook. I drank him in with a hunger I c
