Page 2 of Eclipse Sector

“Go find another Alpha to dance with, Ivana. I’m not interested.”

Those final three words packed a punch, one I was used to receiving from him. He’d been claiming that lie for years.

I would believe him if I didn’t frequently catch the heat in his eyes when he looked at me. Like now as he tried not to notice the deep V-neck of my dress.

He clenched his jaw, his irritation palpable as he returned his attention to the Blood Sector King.

“My Queen and I are retiring for the night,” King Kieran announced suddenly. “Enjoy the wine. It’s spiked with blood.”

Cillian snorted beside me while several others startled at the Blood Sector King’s abrupt announcement—one he punctuated by promptly escorting his Queen out of the room.

Lorcan joined us in a blink, his intense focus on the room as he inclined his head toward Cillian slightly. The latter grunted, telling me the two were conversing mentally about something.

Likely Kieran’s early departure.

The whole point of a coronation was to celebrate the newly crowned King and Queen, but apparently our royals had a different evening agenda on their minds.

“We can still dance,” I told Cillian. “In fact, I think we should. How else am I going to test the functionality of my dress?” I twirled to emphasize my dress’s skirt, the carefully designedslits meant to allow for fluid movements. “Cameron called thisversatile fashion. I’d like to show off his creation.”

I nearly winced at my ridiculous excuse. Cameron didn’t need me toshow offanything. He was Blood Sector’s primary dress designer, one everyone sought to work with. And Cillian definitely knew that.

The Alpha’s jaw clenched again as he noted my exposed leg. “I’m in charge of security for the night, Ivana. You’re going to have to find someone else to waltz you about the room.”

I heaved a long, drawn-out sigh. “Always working.”

“Yes,” he agreed, his dark eyes burning into mine as he met my gaze once more. “Yes, I am. Now go find another Alpha to pester.”

I rolled my eyes. “One of these days, you’re going to ask me to dance, Cillian, and it’ll be too late.” It was a lie. I’d wait for him for eternity. My wolf had chosen his, just as I was certain his had chosen mine. I just needed the stubborn man to realize the truth.

“We’ll see, won’t we?” Cillian murmured.

“I suppose we will,” I chirped and shadowed to the other side of the room, primarily to stop myself from shaking some sense into him.

“Still playing hard to get?” a deep voice drawled to my right, causing me to loudly sigh in response.

“Yes.” I gritted my teeth like Cillian had a few minutes ago. “He’s infuriating, Benz.”

My best friend chuckled as he handed me a much-needed drink. He was the reason I’d chosen this side of the room to teleport to—I knew I’d find his hulking form near the buffet and drinking station.

Although, for the amount of food I knew he could consume, his body didn’t show it. The Beta male was pure muscle—all six feet, two inches of him.

Taking a sip of the bubbly liquid, I peered at the shifters moving around the ballroom, my lips tugging into a scowl. “He told me to find another Alpha to dance with.”

Benz whistled low, his turquoise gaze running over me with intrigue. “In that dress? He must be in a killing mood.”

“Or he just doesn’t care,” I muttered.Stubborn fucking Alpha.

Cillian could probably hear me.

But I didn’t care.

He deserved the insult.

“Trust me, darling, he cares,” Benz replied, his subtle Germanic accent caressing the endearment. “He’s just preoccupied with Kieran’s ascension. The minute he sees you twirling around with another male—let alone anAlpha—he’ll lose his damn mind, and his possessive instincts will take over.”

“Hmm, no. I’m starting to think those possessive instincts don’t exist.” I was talking more to myself than to Benz. However, to him, I added, “And you know I’m not the type to try to provoke him like that.”

“Maybe you should be the type.”