I stand frozen in the middle of the polished marble floor, the world spinning around me in a blur of silk gowns and tailored suits. The word human echoes in my head, sharp and jagged, cutting deeper than any werewolf’s claw. Killian—my brother, my protector, the only person who has stood by me since the night our world turned to blood—just looked me in the eye and saw a stranger. No, worse than a stranger. A delusional human.
The air in the ballroom suddenly feels like lead, thick and impossible to breathe. I want to scream, to run after him and shake him until the "Mason" mask falls off, but my legs feel like they’ve been fused to the floor. Tears prick my eyes, hot and humiliating, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of them. I can't let them win. Can't let him win.
“
