The night air was cool when they left the hall. The faint music of laughter and clinking glasses followed them down the corridor, fading behind the soft thud of their footsteps. Ava’s robe brushed lightly against her legs, her head lowered, tired.
Edward walked beside her, saying nothing. The silence between them wasn’t awkward — it felt charged, like something unseen hovered just out of reach.
When she stumbled slightly on the polished marble, his hand went out on instinct. His fingers brushed hers.
A spark leapt through him — sharp, electric. His breath caught. The corridor swayed.
And then… his eyes flared gold.
Mate.
The word slipped from his lips before he could stop it, barely a whisper, lost to the hum of distant music.
He froze where he stood. Ava had already pushed the door
