Page 3 of Eclipse Sector

My eyebrows rose. “Oh? The type to do what, exactly?” I asked, suspicious of whatever idea he’d just concocted in that wicked mind of his. Because Benz had a knack for indulging in pranks, something that often got him into trouble

“Dance with another wolf,” he replied, his dark brown eyebrows dancing with the suggestion. “A wolf like, oh, I don’t know,me.”

I gaped at him. “You want to dance?”

“With you? In this dress?” His gaze ran over me again. “Yes, I very much do.”

I laughed. “If I didn’t know you any better, I’d say you were trying to flirt with me, Beta Benz.”

“Darling Omega, I might be a Beta, but my wolf is too proprietorial to let me flirt with you while you’re craving an Alpha’s knot.” He held out a hand. “But I will absolutely enjoy showing you off on the floor if it means waking up that Alpha’s possessive side.”

“Didn’t you just imply Cillian might kill another Alpha for dancing with me?”

He shrugged. “I’m a Beta, not an Alpha.”

I shook my head. “You just want to prove you’re right about hispossessiveness.”

“Of course I do,” he admitted. “But I also want to show you off.” He wiggled his fingers at me. “Indulge me, Sunshine?” The nickname—one Benz had given me—rolled off his tongue in a sugary caress, causing my cheeks to heat. Not because I was necessarily attracted to him, but because I couldn’t deny his appeal.

While I might crave a certain Alpha, there was no escaping Benz’s alluring traits. Even if some of those traits resulted in devious schemes.

One of which I was considering now as I glanced down at my gown. It was glittery, giving it an ice-blue appearance that matched my eyes. And it made my skin appear that much paler.

“Well, it really is a crime not to show off Cameron’s creation,” I mused. “Although, we’ll need to shadow to the other side of the room to ensure Cillian sees us. Otherwise, he won’t even notice.”

“Oh, he’d notice you anywhere. But if that’s your preference, then I’ll follow your lead.” He mock-bowed. “After you, my lady.” His brown hair tickled his ears, the unruly strands always managing to be artfully sexy.

Blowing out a breath, I shook my head and shadowed to the opposite side of the room again. Only this time, I didn’t materialize beside Cillian, just close enough for him to definitely see and hear me when Benz arrived.

Except the sound of Cillian’s deep tones had my eyebrows lifting in interest as he said, “Maybe you should just let your wolf knot her, see if that helps cure you of the distraction.”

Cillian? Talking about knots?I smiled.Yes, please.

If he heard me thinking about him, he didn’t show it. Probably because I was one of the many minds he had blocked in the room. I wasn’t a potential threat, something he more than knew, so why monitor my mind?

“Are you projecting, Cillian? Is your wolf craving a certaindistraction?” Lorcan taunted back at him, causing my lips to part.

Because Lorcanneverspoke out loud.

“I don’t crave Ivana or anyone else.” Cillian’s flat reply had me blinking.

What?

“It’s just hard to ignore such a determined Omega, even if she’s playing in the wrong league,” he went on, causing me to stop breathing.

A snort echoed from someone. Lorcan, maybe? I… I wasn’t sure. I was still replaying Cillian’s words through my head.Playing in the wrong league…

“She really needs to start looking for a more appropriate mate, someone who won’t mind her misguided penchant for telling Alphas what to do,” he added, each word piercing my chest with a sharpness I’d never known Cillian was capable of.

Except… yes, I did.

He constantly rejected me.

But… but I thought…

I thought he was just in denial.

“I think she enjoys irritating you”was Lorcan’s reply, his comment barely registering over Cillian’s harsh statements.