*Evangeline*
As I return to the ballroom, I realize that I have pushed too hard, and in the pushing, I have shoved him away.
I should have taken the dance in the garden… joyfully, gratefully, but I’m weary of everything involving him being done in the shadows as though our relationship is shameful.
Even our encounter at the Crystal Palace is not without its deceptions. We pretended we were nothing more than passing acquaintances. Worse, I feel silly for continuing to invite him to affairs that he has no intention of attending. Even now, knowing that he will not make an appearance, I still keep hoping…
“Lucian Langdon, the Alpha of Claybourne!” The announcement echoes through the room like a death knell.
With my heart pounding furiously, I jerk my gaze to the stairs. And there he is
