The Party

Macy's POV

The party had started, and the crowd poured in. It was a grand event, filled with so many important people, and it made me wonder just how rich the Torres family was.

Well, that’s a question for another day.

“Now, aren’t you the most gorgeous woman under this roof?”

Derick’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I smiled at his words. He always knew how to make me happy.

“Thanks, babe.”

“Come on, dance with me.” He took my hand and led me to the dance floor. We started moving to the rhythm of the music.

I noticed several women staring at Derick, their eyes filled with longing, while they glared at me like I’d stolen something that belonged to them.

I ignored them and focused on enjoying the moment with my man, who couldn’t take his eyes off me.

We danced for a while until my bladder demanded relief. Excusing myself, I headed to the ladies’ room.

When I returned to the party, I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I couldn’t figure out who it was, but the feeling made my skin tingle.

It was like I was being drawn to someone—but who?

Derick found me just then, and I couldn’t have been happier to see him. He leaned in to whisper something in my ear, making me giggle.

Then he gave me a quick kiss and pulled away, his gaze fixed on someone across the room.

Following his line of sight, I spotted a tall man in a tuxedo standing with his hands in his pockets, staring right back at us.

Derick grabbed my arm and led me toward the man.

“Liam! Bro, I missed you. How have you been?” Derick exclaimed to the man, who remained silent, his eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression.

My throat tightened as his intense gaze made me gulp hard.

“I’ve been good, brother,” the man finally replied after a long pause, glancing at me briefly.

“I want you to meet someone special,” Derick said, taking my hand. “This is my girlfriend, Macy.”

Mr. Gorgeous looked at me without a flicker of emotion.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand.

He glanced at it but didn’t move. Instead, he turned around and walked away, leaving me standing there with my hand still outstretched.

What the hell just happened? Why did he leave like that? Embarrassment washed over me. Even Derick looked confused.

“I’m so sorry about that, babe. I think he got distracted.”

“You’ve been talking about your brother for so long, and I’ve been looking forward to meeting him. And this is how he acts?” I said, frustration evident in my voice.

“I apologize on his behalf. Something must be wrong; he doesn’t usually behave this way.”

“I think he doesn’t like me, Derick.”

“Don’t think like that. I know my brother, and he’s not like that. Just relax, okay?”

Liam’s POV

I stormed out of the pack house, my chest tight with hurt.

My wolf was howling in my head, begging me to go back to her, to claim and mark my mate right there.

But that was the last thing I could do now. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, and it took every ounce of strength I had to hold my wolf back.

The bond pulled at me, urging me to take her in my arms and kiss her. But doing that would destroy my brother and confuse my mate, who had no idea who I was to her.

I ran to the woods behind the house and shifted into my wolf form, letting Rage take control.

I retreated to the back of my mind, giving him free rein. I didn’t know how long we ran, but it felt like hours.

Exhausted, I finally stopped. After shifting back, I grabbed some clothes hidden in the woods for emergencies and made my way back to the pack house.

Entering through the back door, I went straight to my room. After a long shower, a knock sounded at my door. I knew it was my mom.

“Come in, Mom. It’s open,” I called out.

She stepped in, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. “Son, where have you been? You missed everything.”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I had some business to take care of,” I lied.

“Are you okay, son? You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine, Mom. Just a bit stressed, that’s all.”

“If you say so. Come join us for dinner since you missed the party.”

“All right,” I said, kissing her on the forehead before she left.

Heading to the kitchen, I froze when Rage surged forward for a moment.

There she was, sitting at the table with my family, having dinner.

What the hell was she still doing here? I thought she would’ve left by now.

“Son, are you okay?” Dad asked, and all eyes turned to me—including hers.

No, I wasn’t okay. I wanted to scream it, to make everyone understand the storm raging inside me.

My eyes briefly flashed the color of my wolf, but I quickly masked it.

Her intoxicating scent filled the room, making my body respond in ways I couldn’t control. I hated it, but I loved it too.

Our gazes locked, and I smirked. Her ocean-blue eyes drowned me, pulling me deeper into the bond I was trying so hard to resist.

“All right, let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Mom said, breaking the moment.