Chapter 227: The First Dance
Evaline:
It wasn’t just my heart that skipped a beat.
The entire ballroom seemed to freeze with me. Conversations faltered. Music dimmed into the background. It felt like someone had snatched the air from the room. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination or if I actually heard someone’s wine glass clink against the marble floor nearby.
But my gaze remained locked on River.
He didn’t look the least bit bothered by the eyes now shamelessly staring at us. He simply stared down at me as if this room full of nobles, alphas, and their heirs didn’t exist... like he hadn’t just single-handedly caused the most attention-grabbing moment of the entire evening.
"River," I breathed, finally finding my voice. "What... what are you doing?"
It wasn’t panic in my voice. Not really. But it was definitely confusion. I wasn’t expecting this, not from him. River wasn’t the type to cause a scene, and he certainly wasn’t the type to touch me in public unless necessary. Yet here he was, holding me like we were much more than just friends, or a boss and assistant.
To my relief, his hand loosened almost instantly, and he took a small step back, allowing me to do the same. The warmth of his palm lingered on my waist, and I could still feel his fingers like phantom heat through the silky fabric of my dress. The space between us returned, but the attention didn’t fade.
I quickly glanced around the room and noticed something else - the Crescent Pack’s Alpha and Luna, who were speaking with River just moments ago, had tactfully excused themselves. How convenient. Or maybe how intentional. They were probably smart enough to pick up on the shift in tension... or whatever this strange, quiet pull between me and River was.
He let out a small exhale, brushing a hand through his dark hair before meeting my gaze again.
"I’m sorry," he said softly.
My heart stopped. Again.