Chapter 21

Lucas’s POV

My chest tightens uncomfortably as a growing sense of heaviness presses against my lungs. I can’t pinpoint the exact feeling no matter how hard I focus, but it becomes more restrictive the longer I watch them together.

Harper smiles and laughs at something Logan says, and the feeling intensifies.

Whatever it is, I don’t like it. I don’t think I should be feeling this way about a woman who isn’t my mate, either.

What is it about Harper that captures my attention? She hasn’t been here long, and I don’t know her, but the moment she walked in, looking like a Goddess in that dress, I couldn’t pull my eyes away.

She denied using magic on me to form a bond, but if that’s not what this is, then I’m at a loss.

Logan leans in and whispers something in Harper’s ear, and I bite back the growl crawling up my throat.

“They look like a cute couple,” Sierra says from my side. I can feel her hand on my arm, but I don’t look at her. My eyes stay firmly planted on my healer and the man who has come forth as her mate.

“They do.” Not.

I try to shake off the anger that is filling me, but each time he touches her, it comes back full force. I don’t understand why I’m reacting so unhappily to Harper finding her mate. It’s disturbing. No one should be so divided in their feelings that they neglect their mate to look at another woman.

“There are people who want to talk to you,” Sierra says. Her hand against my back provides a small amount of comfort. It sends a soft, warm feeling through me that unties the knot in my chest, and eventually, I’m able to pull my focus off Harper and Logan.

However, as I move through the motions of greeting and congratulating couples who have found their mates tonight, I find myself glancing back at Harper. She’s at the end of the table, sitting with Logan now, and they’re close.

Too close.

I try not to think anything of it, but my entire being revolts when Logan tucks hair behind her ear and leans in.

“Does that mean I can kiss you?” His words touch my sensitive hearing, and I freeze.

Harper’s POV

The feeling of being watched makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Someone is watching me, but I don’t dare take my eyes off Logan as his face inches closer to mine. Is he really going to kiss me?

We just met. We’ve barely talked.

My stomach flips with nerves and something that feels strangely like protest.

With a quick scan of the room, I realize bright blue eyes are fixed on me. Why would he be watching me when he’s busy talking with pack members? He has Alpha duties to attend, but I’ve felt his gaze on me all night. In fact, I think I’ve felt his gaze since the moment I got here.

I wrack my brain and finally come up with the reasoning that he’s probably keeping an eye on me because of the attack today. Either that or he doesn’t trust me, but I’m not sure because when our eyes connect, he doesn’t look worried.

Unwavering and blazing with an emotion I can’t read, Lucas’s eyes don’t move from me except to flicker toward Logan who is growing too close for comfort.

“I’m sorry, but I’m… I’m not ready for that yet,” I whisper, hoping no one else notices the rejection.

Logan pulls back quickly, hurt flashing in his eyes as he stares down at me. His hand comes up to rub at the back of his neck and guilt hits me square in the gut. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but kissing when we just met is too fast for me.

“No problem,” Logan says lightheartedly even though I can tell he doesn’t fully mean his words.

So, I take his hand in mine and smile softly, “I’m sorry, Logan. It’s just that today has been a long, hard day, and I wasn’t expecting to actually meet my mate tonight.”

“You’re not disappointed?” He asks, and another wave of guilt floods me.

“No,” I tell him. “I’m sorry if my reaction came across as being disappointed. That wasn’t my intention, but I don’t think we should jump right in when we know nothing about each other.”

Logan nods in consideration and scoots his chair closer while keeping enough space between us to not make me uncomfortable. I smile at his effort, thankful that he listened.

“I—”

“Can I have everyone’s attention please? It’s time to start the Ball,” Lucas’s voice booms through the room, cutting me off.

Logan glances at Lucas before smiling at me again, “We can talk about our relationship more when we have some privacy.”

Nodding, I smile and turn to listen to Lucas. He stands on the edge of the stage, looking handsome in his black tux. The thought comes so quickly that I don’t have time to stop it. My mate is sitting next to me.

I shake the thought out of my head. What am I thinking?

“The dance portion of the ball will be starting momentarily. For those of you who have never participated, let me explain,” Lucas says, scanning the crowd. His eyes stop on me for a moment before he begins speaking again, “Each unmated male has an assigned number and will be standing on the left side of the partition at the west wall.”

Lucas points to the west wall where a partition separates two lines.

“Unmated females will line up on the right side of the partition. If you came tonight with no mate but have found your mate, the male may give his number to his mate in order to dance together.”

I glance at Logan, and he whispers, “I’m number eighteen.”

“Make sure to keep to your side of the partition until your number is called for you to exit and then you may begin dancing,” Lucas announces. “Once you have your numbers, move to your respective lines and stand on your number.”

Everyone stands and makes their way toward the west wall. With one last smile, Logan breaks off to get in his line while I move to the right to get in my line. The women around me chatter excitedly, some saying they hope to find their mate while others gush over the mates they found while mingling.

I move to the space with the number eighteen and glance at the partition. It’s a soft material draped over some poles. When I touch it, the fabric moves, and a small sliver of an opening gives me a peek of a tall form in black.

Logan.

Smiling, I reach through and slip my hand into his and squeeze it. Tonight will be the start of our relationship, and even though I rejected the kiss earlier, I’m glad to have found my mate.

After he gently squeezes my hand, we separate. I move forward as each number is called, growing more excited and nervous with each step.

“Number eighteen.”

He steps forward and turns to me. All eyes are on us as he takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor, twirling me before tugging me to his body. The soft buzz that races through my body has my face heating and my heart thundering as I look up at the man holding me to his chest.

“Lucas?”