The hum of conversation was steady in the hall, half-laughed jokes, and formal introductions. Glasses clinked as stewards moved discreetly between alphas and their escorts.
Sage stood near Jason, smiling that well-trained smile, though her heart hadn’t settled since the evening began. Jason himself looked stiff...commanding yet restless, a presence impossible to ignore even in a hall filled with leaders.
Then headlights swept across the tall glass windows, cutting into the glow of the chandeliers.
The moment seemed ordinary to most, but Sage felt Jason stiffen beside her, his head lifting like a wolf catching a scent on the wind. His body betrayed what his face refused to: curiosity sharpened by tension.
A car pulled into the drive.
Jason’s gaze locked forward, posture deceptively ca
