Chapter 11

(Emily's POV)

I stopped, waiting as he closed the distance between us. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear, but from the intense curiosity and confusion that his presence always seemed to stir within me.

“Alpha Rollins,” I greeted him, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “Is something wrong?”

He stopped a few feet away, his eyes fixed on mine. There was an intensity in his gaze that made it hard to look away, as if he was searching for something—answers, maybe, or understanding.

“No,” he replied after a moment, though his tone was heavy, laden with unspoken thoughts. “Nothing is wrong, exactly. I just… I needed a break from the crowd.”

I nodded, understanding all too well. “It’s a big night. A lot of pressure.”

He let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s one way to put it.”

For a moment, we just stood there in silence, the tension between us thickening with every passing second. I wasn’t sure what to say, or if I should say anything at all. T