Page 119

“Hey,” Chase says, pulling me closer to his body. “Relax, Moonlight.”

I swallow hard, my body practically buzzing from how close I am to him. I swear, if the bodice of this dress wasn’t padded, my hard nipples would be obvious to the entire audience we have.

“Trust me, you look stunning, and every alpha in the room probably wants to throw me into a fire pit with how jealous they are of me getting to dance with you.”

“That’s the scary part,” I say softly.

Chase’s expression grows somber.

“You’ve been hidden away all of your life. You deserve to be proud.”

I try to smile, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t reach my eyes.

The music starts and Chase immediately spins me around and dips me. I grab at the front of his shirt, barely managing to stifle a little scream from being spun around.

Chase grins down at me. “Oh, you’re so eager to take my clothes off.”

His words have me swallowing hard for different reasons as I eye the bare skin exposed at his collarbones.

I want to lick them.

Holy shit, where in the world did that thought come from?

“Thinking dirty thoughts, aren’t you?” Chase asks before he pulls me up and starts leading me along the more traditional and basic steps.

If I could, I’d bury my burning face in my hands, but as it is, I just smile sheepishly.

“I’m glad to see you smiling,” he says. “And look at you, you’re a natural.”

It’s so much easier to follow Chase’s lead than it was to follow my dance class partner’s.

He’s able to spin me around as we dance across the room, the glittering skirts of the dress sparkling from the light. It’s like he’s showing me off.

I clutch at him when I land in his arms. Is this room warmer on the dance floor? It really feels like it.

When I look up at Chase, his eyes are dark with need. He almost looks hungry. It lights up a thrill inside my body that has slick building in my core.

He leans down so we’re practically breathing each other in as we sway to the music. The rest of the world falls away.

We’re so close. So, so, so close.

I could tip my head up and we’d be kissing.

Before I have a chance to do just that, something twists in my gut. The pain has my knees nearly buckling.

“Are you okay?” Chase asks, shocked out of the haze we were in.

Before I have a chance to open my mouth and answer him to tell him I think something is wrong, he’s ripped away from me.

I blink, shocked as I watch one of the alphas I met earlier, I think from the fourth pack, gripping the back of Chase’s suit.

“No way in fucking hell you’re the one hogging this omega, not when she smells so delicious,” The alpha growls. He turns to look at me, the lust in his eyes obvious.

Another pang of pain hits me, and I can’t help but let out a keening sort of moan, my hands wrapping around my middle protectively.

Chase manages to rip away from the alpha’s hold, but he gets distracted by my noise, giving the alpha a chance to grab hold of the front of his dress shirt and punch him in the face.

“Chase!” I call out, taking an unsteady step forward.