NOLAN

Nolan’s eyes darted around the ballroom. There were so many important people here. And press reporters with cameras.

Gina was baiting Yena. She had been telling the princess lies to rile her up. Trying to get Yena angry in public, to embarrass her.

Nolan put his hand to Yena’s cheek. She did not flinch but gave him a sharp look that made him pull away.

“Just take it from her,” Yena said. “She won’t leave you alone until you do.”

Nolan nodded and turned to his ex.

“Gina, I’ll take your gift and say thank you, but then I must ask you to please leave. You were not invited here. Neither my wife nor I appreciate your presence here.”

Gina flashed him a smile.

She held out the little box and Nolan took it. He was about to slip it into his pocket, but then Gina said, “Wait, will you just open it please?”

“Fine,” Nolan said. He popped the lid off and saw that there was a watch inside.

“It’s imported,” Gina told him. “From the human world.”

Nolan closed the box and put it in his pocket.

“Gina, can I please escort you to the exit now? This is a private event and you know very well that you were not invited.”

Deep inside him, Nolan’s patience was running out. But he was trained to keep calm in delicate situations with stubborn opponents.

Gina held out her hand. “Nolan, dance with me, please. Just one dance.”

He looked at Yena. Her face was flushed. She was standing still as a statue, trying to keep herself from reacting.

Gina raised her voice. “One dance, and then I promise you I will leave. I’m not asking for much.”

Nolan told Yena, “I’m so sorry about this. I promise I will explain more later.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, back toward Luna. The queen was standing where Nolan had left her, watching him carefully.

Nolan noticed there was now a Gamma warrior behind his mother, standing in the dark of a shadow, trying to get closer to the scene without drawing attention.

The prince did not need to look around the room to know that all eyes were on him and the two girls. He had been keeping his voice down, but the prolonged, awkward exchange between the three of them was starting to make people curious about what was going on.

He took Gina’s outstretched hand. It was cold and hard. She beamed at him as they walked out to the dance floor.

Nolan figured he could lead them over to the opposite edge of the dance floor, near the front entrance of the ballroom. From there he could get her out the door.

The band was playing a slow song, and it was almost over.

“Finally,” Gina said, once Nolan began stepping in time with the music. “Finally we can talk.”

Nolan gave her a stern look.

“I am telling you now,” he said. “You need to leave. And please, go without making a scene.”

“Why are you being like this, Nolan? Why can’t you just let me say one thing to you?”

“Because our relationship ended a long time ago. You’re being meddlesome.”

Another pair of dancers came swirling by, within earshot. Nolan gave the noble couple a nod and waited till they were further away before he spoke again.

“If you have any respect for me at all, you will do as I say.”

Gina gave him a blank look.

Nolan spun her away from him, and then back. Part of the dance. They were working their way toward the door.

“I respect you a lot, Nolan,” Gina said when they were face-to-face again. “But there is something that you just really need to know.”

Nolan had a bad feeling. With Gina there was always “something.”

Always “just one more thing.”

And then it would be “just one more thing” after that.

YENA

I hated to admit to myself that Nolan did seem sincere. About his distaste for Gina, and probably also the fact that he didn’t actually invite her here tonight.

He and I were so connected now.

It wasn’t just when we were having sex, anymore. It wasn’t just that I knew his body. What the wolf inside him wanted.

It was more than that. Lying beside him in bed, I could feel when Nolan was sad or worried.

I knew what it meant when the air around him felt heavy. I knew what it meant when he went stony in the eyes. It meant he was pushing his true self down into a cage in his mind, in order to let the prince take over.

There was a strange moment when I realized Luna and I were standing right next to each other, both of us watching Nolan and Gina as they moved across the dance floor. Both of us tense and alert.

It was the first time I felt kindred to her. We were united against a common enemy.

Watching my husband dance with his ex-girlfriend, I found I was angry that they looked so good together. I knew Nolan was a beautiful dancer. It made sense he would dance like that with any partner.

I just wished they looked more awkward. The way he held her was not overly affectionate. But the way he moved was just sexy.

The crowd was watching them. Maybe wondering who was this pretty mystery girl with the tiny waist and silky black hair, who looked more the part of a werewolf princess than I did.

The band finished their song and Nolan and Gina completed the last move of their dance. He took her hand and moved to pull her away from the dance floor.

And then Gina collapsed.

Nolan had been holding her hand. He reacted quickly and did not let her hit the ground.

“Wish he would have,” Lily grumbled in my mind.

Nolan caught Gina in his arms. Then he was kneeling on the ground holding her. Her head was hanging, limp, against his shoulder, and her eyes were closed.

And then – I swear to Goddess – I saw the bitch’s lips twitch.

She was holding back a smile.

NOLAN

“Gina!”

Nolan shook her shoulders gently. He could not tell if she was unconscious, or…

Surely, she would not be faking this? Gina was needy and annoying, and obviously was trying to get back together with him. But what kind of person could stoop so low as to pretend to be ill?

A woman nearby, wearing a sparkly purple gown and a heavy fur shawl, identified herself as a doctor.

Then a handsome man at the doctor’s side took the fur as she shrugged it off her shoulders. The man came and took over for Nolan, wrapping the fur around Gina’s shoulders and gently lying her flat on the floor, using the shawl like a warm and fluffy pillow for her head.

Nolan took the opportunity to get as much physical distance between Gina and himself as possible.

Just a little. He did not want to appear too eager to flee from the side of a woman who had just fainted in his arms.

This party was an important opportunity, Nolan reminded himself. To look the part of a true prince.