Zodiac Aligned

12

I took a deep breath and made my way through the crowd, smiling and greeting those I knew as I went. My plan was to make an appearance, pay my respects to Ethan, and then slink back to my room for the rest of the night. I was still an outcast, after all, and being here with the other pack members only made me feel that more keenly. I wasn't one of them, and might never be again.

I spotted the Ophiuchus beta, Clayton, standing near a table with cute little hors d’oeuvres. He wore a black suit that stretched tight across his broad shoulders and tall frame. Beside him, his mate, Grant, popped a canapé in his mouth. Clayton met my eyes and raised a hand, waving me over to them.

"Merry Christmas," I said, trying not to let my hesitation show. I hadn't seen Clayton or Grant since before Kaden had removed me from the pack. I had no idea how they would react to me now.

Clayton wrapped his burly arms around me. "It's good to see you again. I was worried."

"Gorgeous dress," Grant said, as he looked me up and down with approval. "That green is the perfect shade for your hair."

"Thanks," I said, relaxing immediately. It was nice to know I wouldn't be treated like a reject by everyone in the pack.

"I'm glad you're back." Clayton's voice lowered as he leaned in close like he was disclosing confidential knowledge. "Kaden has been...distraught without you."

Grant exchanged a glance with his mate. "We hope this is a sign you'll be rejoining our pack soon."

I gave them a stiff smile. I appreciated the support from the other Ophiuchus, but their words only brought the hurt back in full force. "I'm not sure."

The two of them shared another glance, this one more worried than before. Then Grant turned his charming grin back on me. "What you need is some eggnog. Or maybe a gingerbread martini."

My eyebrows rose. "Do they really have that?"

"Oh yes." He looped his arm through mine. "Come with us."

Clayton chuckled as Grant led me to the open bar, where the menu boasted a variety of holiday-themed cocktails. The two men convinced me to try the gingerbread cocktail, which was way too sweet but did put me in a better mood. Everyone else was enjoying themselves—why shouldn't I?

They tried to convince me to dance next, but that was where I had to draw the line. I watched them go as I sipped on my drink, and caught sight of Stella and Ethan out on the dance floor. They were both grinning as he twirled her around and dipped her to the upbeat music, and I couldn't deny that they looked good together. They were both gorgeous, smart, and sensible. Was I seeing a mate pair form in front of me?

When the song ended, Stella spotted me and ran over, throwing her arms around me. “Merry Christmas! What are you drinking? Whatever it is, I need one immediately."

As she dragged me back to the open bar, I laughed. "You seem like you're having fun tonight."

"I do love a good party," she said, before ordering a drink like mine.

I caught sight of Ethan on the dance floor again, now with a Libra woman I didn't recognize. “You looked good out there with Ethan." I nudged her. "Maybe he’s your mate.”

Stella grinned. “He’s not, though I wouldn’t complain if he was.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Pretty sure. I don't feel any sort of pull toward him. I just think he's hot. But who wouldn't?” She took a sip of her drink and tilted her head. “I think we’re too similar to be mates anyway. Your mate should challenge you. Drive you a little crazy. Right?”

“Trust me, I know,” I muttered, thinking about how Kaden had always gotten under my skin like no one else could.

"Exactly. Besides, it would break Larkin’s heart if Ethan was my mate." She nudged me in the arm and I followed her gaze toward where Larkin stood on the edge of the ballroom, looking totally out of place and uncomfortable. Her eyes were stuck on Ethan as he danced with the Libra woman. “Poor thing has a huge crush on him, but he only sees her as a kid.”

Sympathy for Larkin flooded me. I wished I could do something for her. She'd been accepted as a powerful ally to the shifters, but she would never truly be one of us. Being stuck in a fourteen-year-old's body didn't help either. She loved to read romance novels, but she'd once confessed to me that she'd never been in a relationship. As I watched her stare at Ethan, I hoped she wasn't setting herself up for heartbreak.

I was about to go over to her when Kaden entered the ballroom and everything just...stopped. My breath caught in my throat. My heart skipped a beat. My eyes ceased to blink. All that existed was Kaden standing in a black suit, his white shirt open at the collar just enough to show off a sliver of skin. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to go to him, and my hands actually trembled from the effort of holding myself back.

Stella followed my line of sight and quickly downed the rest of her drink. "Time for me to be somewhere else."

"What?" I asked, snapping out of my daze. "No, don't go."

She cupped a hand around her ear and shouted over the music, “Sorry, can’t hear you.”

She darted off to join Larkin on the side of the room, leaving me all alone while Kaden approached me. I had no choice but to face him.

"Ayla," he said, his gaze traveling down my body like a slow caress. "You look stunning tonight."

I flushed, remembering when I'd bought the dress. I'd only let the girls convince me to get it because I'd imagined Kaden taking it off me. If things were different, that might have been tonight. "Thank you. You look very handsome too."

“Can we talk somewhere quieter?” he asked.

I nodded and quickly finished my drink. I didn't know what Kaden wanted to talk about, but I didn't want to cause a scene and ruin anyone's night.