VALERIE
The moment I saw Chris Storm out of the ballroom, I realized that our already severed bond had taken another blow.
FEW MINUTES EARLIER...
The grand ballroom shimmered with golden light, casting a warm glow over the elegantly dressed wolves and their partners as they danced gracefully across the polished floor. The massive chandeliers above reflected the opulence of the conclave’s final event—a night of unity and celebration, or so it was meant to be.
Yet, beneath the surface, tensions sparked, threatening to light up at any moment. I stood on the fringes, my back pressed against a column, observing the festivities from a distance.
My dress—a deep emerald green that hugged my figure and flowed around me like liquid silk—had earned more than a few admiring glances tonight, but
