ELENA’S POV
After dinner, London drove me back to the Shadow Moon pack. The car hummed softly as we made our way through the quiet streets. Our conversation had lightened after he asked me to be his date for the Alpha King’s party, but an underlying tension lingered, unacknowledged by either of us.
When we pulled up to the gates, the car idled. Neither of us made a move to leave. The stillness stretched, thick and suffocating, until London finally turned to me. His eyes, usually so guarded, softened as they met mine.
My chest tightened, my breath catching in my throat. He reached out, his arms opening for what I thought would be a simple, fleeting hug. But I didn’t want simple—not tonight, not after everything.
Before I could second-guess myself, I closed the distance between u
