He Rejected The Wrong Wolf

Chapter 3

Brielle’s POV

I should’ve looked away first.

That would’ve been the easier thing to do. The smarter thing.

But I didn’t.

For a few seconds that felt longer than they should have, everything else in the room faded just enough that it stopped mattering. The noise, the movement, the constant shifting of people—it all blurred at the edges while his gaze stayed steady on mine.

He didn’t smile.

Didn’t move.

Just watched.

There was nothing obvious in his expression, nothing anyone else would notice if they happened to glance over. But something about it felt… deliberate. Like he wasn’t just seeing me—he was trying to understand something he hadn’t expected to find.

It should’ve made me uncomfortable.

It didn’t.

If anything, it made something in my chest settle.

Not calm exactly. Just… steady.

Like I wasn’t the only one aware that something had shifted.

“Brielle.”

Wren’s voice broke through, low and close to my ear.

I blinked, the room snapping back into place around me, the noise rushing in all at once like it had been waiting.

“What?” I said, quieter than I meant to.

Her grip tightened slightly on my arm. “You’re staring.”

I almost said so is he.

I didn’t.

Instead, I forced myself to look away, letting my gaze slide across the room like I hadn’t just been locked into something I didn’t understand.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

Wren didn’t respond right away, but I could feel the way she was watching me now, more focused than before. Like she’d noticed something she couldn’t quite explain.

Great.

“Brielle?”

That voice I recognized immediately.

I turned before I could stop myself.

Wren’s brother was already moving toward us, cutting through the crowd like people knew better than to stand in his way. Thaddeus Nightveil didn’t need to raise his voice or push past anyone. Space just… opened for him.

It always did.

He stopped a few steps away, his gaze dragging over me in a way that felt very different from the last time he’d looked at me.

Not dismissive.

Not indifferent.

Something else.

His brows pulled together slightly, like he was trying to place something that didn’t quite fit.

“Since when do you clean up like that?” he said.

There it was.

Not a compliment.

Not really an insult either.

Just enough edge to remind me exactly who he was.

I tilted my head slightly, meeting his gaze without flinching. “Since tonight.”

One corner of his mouth twitched, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Didn’t think you had it in you.”

Wren shot him a look. “Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting anything,” he said, still looking at me. “I’m just surprised.”

“Try harder,” I said.

The words slipped out before I could think about them.

For a second, I wasn’t sure who was more surprised—him or me.

His eyes narrowed just slightly.

Not angry.

Interested.

That was worse.

“Thaddeus.”

Caelan’s voice cut in, bright and sharp, and suddenly she was there, sliding into his space like she’d been waiting for the moment to claim it.

Her hand landed on his arm, fingers curling just enough to be possessive without looking obvious.

“There you are,” she said, smiling up at him like nothing else in the room mattered.

He didn’t pull away.

Didn’t lean into her either.

Just stayed exactly where he was.

Still watching me.

Something in my chest tightened.

Not pain.

Not jealousy.

Just… awareness.

Of the way she fit there.

Of the way everyone expected her to.

Of the way this was supposed to look.

“Brielle,” Caelan said, finally glancing at me as she’d just remembered I existed. Her eyes moved over me once, slower this time. Assessing.

Then she smiled.

It didn’t reach her eyes.

“You look… different.”

I shrugged lightly. “That happens.”

Wren snorted beside me, not even trying to hide it.

Caelan ignored her. “Well, don’t get used to it. Tonight’s not about you.”

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

Because for once—

It didn’t feel like she was right.

The feeling from earlier shifted again.

Stronger now.

Closer.

It curled low in my chest, not sharp enough to hurt but impossible to ignore.

Like something was pressing outward.

Like something was waking up.

I exhaled slowly, grounding myself, forcing my attention back to the moment.

To the room.

To the people in front of me.

To Thaddeus, who still hadn’t looked away.

“Stop staring,” I said quietly.

His brows lifted, just slightly. “Then give me a reason to.”

I almost laughed at that.

Instead, I stepped back.

Not retreating.

Just… choosing distance.

“Figure it out yourself,” I said.

Wren didn’t say anything as I pulled away, but she followed without hesitation, falling into step beside me as we moved deeper into the room.

I could still feel it.

That weight.

That presence.

Not behind me.

Not near Thaddeus.

Somewhere else.

I glanced across the room again.

And found him.

He hadn’t moved.

Still standing off to the side, still half in shadow, still watching.

Only now—

There was something different in his expression.

Not just interest.

Recognition.

My steps slowed.

Just for a second.

Wren leaned in again. “Okay, I’m definitely not imagining that,” she muttered.

“Imagining what?” I asked, even though I already knew.

She didn’t look at me.

Her eyes stayed fixed across the room.

“Whoever that is,” she said quietly, “he’s been watching you since you walked in.”

I swallowed.

Didn’t look away this time.

Because something told me—

He wasn’t just watching.

He was waiting.