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I fidgeted with my bracelet. I could handle the pressure of tonight. Esta had been a young, naive omega when she journeyed to the wildlands. And while I wasn’t discovering a new world, I was navigating one I had no experience with.

My gaze drifted to the traffic shifting around us. Being out in public made my skin crawl, and I wondered if that would ever fade. At least I didn’t have to worry about Chase being there tonight. I’m not ashamed to say I stalked his social media. His pack were on a trip to Astaly. My relief was dizzying, even days after finding out. I didn’t think I could face the public as Tully Hartlock and see him on the same night.

Ajax leaned down and nuzzled my neck. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

I accepted the velvet press of his lips, swiping my tongue to collect more of his taste. Coffee and hazelnut curled around my taste buds. This was a new beginning. Whatever happened, we were together. Ajax rested his forehead against mine, curling his hand around the base of my neck. He was a mountain, blocking out the scorch of the sun.

“Breathe, treasure.” His soft command, delivered in a tone threaded with a light bark, emptied my lungs. “I can feel your heart pounding like a drum. Nothing matters except us, and we adore you. The rest is noise. Yes?”

Pan groped my thigh. “If you need another distraction, I’m happy to assist.” He waggled his eyebrows, but there was something sharp in his expression, an edge, there and gone in a flash.

I opened my mouth, intent on rooting out the source of his tension, but the limousine crawled to a stop. A red carpet rolled toward the entrance and the crowd of people waiting. Photographers crowded the sides and their cameras flashed. Urgent shouts clamored in the air and made me shrink in my seat.

“There’s a red carpet?” I sucked in a nervous gasp.

Anxiety swallowed me whole. Pan shot me a look, softer than before, and both he and Ajax reached for my hands. They tangled their fingers through mine, and I took a deep breath. It was habit to fill my lungs with their comforting scent.

But there was none.

“There are a few special guests here tonight.” Ajax grimaced and as I stiffened, thinking he meant me, he added, “Toni, the human delegate, convinced one of her governors to attend and then there’s…”

“Who? Look at the security guards.” I choked on an inhale as I noticed the swarming muscle-bound shadows.

“The High Prince of Astaly is here. But that’s a good thing. It means no attention will be on you, or us. Everyone will want a glimpse of him.”

The pressure in my chest squeezed so tight a tiny wheeze escaped me. TheHigh Prince? OfAstaly? I didn’t think this gala was important enough for royalty to visit. I closed my eyes as a wave of nausea rolled through my stomach.

“You’re safe with us, Tully.” Ajax squeezed gently.

There was a flicker of something in his expression, anxiety. It wasn’t like him to be nervous.

“Promise.”

Pan’s hand tightened enough to make me wince. My gaze flew to him. He was nervous too, but better at pretending.

“Promise. Now, no more stalling. The paparazzi will get rabid if they don’t get their Pan fix soon. I’m the people’s prince.” The arrogant tilt of his lips made me laugh, and he folded out of the car with a bright smile I knew was fake.

His eyes were dull stones, but nobody seemed to notice. We posed for pictures, and Pan let Ajax take the lead, something I hadn’t expected from him. Pan seemed the kind to shine in the light of others’ admiration, but he folded in on himself.

“It’s all a show,” he said through a gritted smile as the paparazzi called for us to look in their direction. “I would prefer to be high as fuck right now, but that’s another promise I’m sticking to.” There was a wistful twinge to his low voice. Hunger whittled to a sharp point.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and Pan’s face transformed when he pulled it out. A true, blinding smile cut across his face, and he showed it to Ajax as we walked up the steps to the entrance. Ajax’s nose scrunched as he helped me walk. Imagine tripping in front of all of Starhaven.

Pan nudged me with his elbow. “My friend CJ texted that he’s inside. He’s one of my oldest buddies. You’ll love him.”

The gala was being held at the arts center and the entryway opened into a cavernous gallery with floor to ceiling windows on one side. Flowing blue fabric was draped from the ceiling, and it fluttered with gentle movement above the crowd. The polished wood floors reflected the subtle, low lighting. Groups of people milled around us. Their conversation was a low buzz through the room, adding to the soft music of a pianist on a platform. I looked at Pan and he shrugged.

“My parents are expecting me to play tonight. This was my little fuck you. They can watch someone else.”

Servers glided through the crowd, carrying trays of drinks and an array of tiny, bite-sized foods. I couldn’t stomach anything, even if I tried. There was a gallery wall with wildlands era artefacts cordoned off. More security, dressed in dark tuxes, bordered the precious history.

Pan grabbed my hand as if intending to spirit me through the milling crowd, but Ajax clamped me to his side with a sharp look.

“Behave, please. Tonight is about the pack. Don’t get carried away by him.”

Pan’s neck turned mottled red, and he gave a stiff nod. Embarrassment or shame? I couldn’t tell, because the comment made him close off like a wall of steel.

“Don’t worry, brother, I won’t ruin everything for you all. Do I have permission to say hello to CJ? I promise I’ll come right back.” Pan pressed his hands together in mock prayer.