Chapter 114 114
Aurélie POV
I turn away from him deliberately, pretending he doesn’t exist while giving him a perfect, unfiltered view of my ass. Why was he even out here this late? He should have been asleep.
The celebration itself was wrapped in mystery. No formal dress code, just a simple directive: dress to party.
I chose a dusky pink strapless dress, fitted tightly to my body and ending just above my knees. My white-blonde hair was styled to one side, left loose to cascade freely over my shoulder. On my feet were designer black heels with a flash of red beneath the kind that demanded attention with every step.
Delphine wore a dress the same shade as mine, a classic little girl’s party dress with layers of tulle she could happily twirl in all night. Dominique was dressed in tailored trousers, a crisp shirt, and a small bow tie that made him look far too grown for my comfort.
Fabrice had chosen a navy suit and had just stepped away to fetch me a drink, giving me the chance to scan the room properly.
Alphas from numerous packs filled the space many within my alliance, though several I hadn’t yet met. They studied me openly, unaware of who I was. I kept my aura tightly leashed, offering no hint of my status.
Some of them stared longer than I liked. Their gazes lingered, slow and assessing, tracking the lines of my body. Perhaps the dress was tighter than I was used to. I’d had to wear a thong to avoid any visible line the fabric clung in all the right places.
Not something I normally chose. I was far more comfortable as the Darkvale Alpha in leggings and an oversized shirt. But tonight wasn’t about comfort. Tonight, I had a role to play.
“You look sensational.”
Maurice’s arm slides around my waist from behind, his lips brushing my cheek.
“Thank you, Maurice. You look very handsome yourself,” I reply warmly.
Bloody Alpha genetics. Designed to tempt and distract.
He’s dressed in a black tuxedo, a perfectly crisp white shirt beneath, finished with a black patterned bow tie. His grin turns dazzling at the compliment, and suddenly I feel the weight of attention as eyes shift toward us.
“Well, look at that, Aurélie,” he chuckles, leaning close to murmur in my ear. “All eyes on us.”
“I wonder what could have caused so many Alphas to suddenly lose focus,” he continues softly.
“You’re teasing me,” I say, shooting him a look.
“Not at all. Watch.” He steps away with practiced confidence, moving toward an empty table and pretending to study the menu for the evening. “See how they follow me not to talk, but to find out who I was standing next to. Who the woman in pink is.”
He doesn’t have to wait long.
A small crowd of Alphas and Betas converges on him, whispers passing quickly between them. His eyes meet mine across the room, and he gives me an amused wink before engaging them fully.
I turn, searching for Fabrice, and spot him at the bar deep in conversation with Lucas. Those two had grown unexpectedly close lately thick as thieves.
My cheeks warm again as I feel eyes on me.
But this time, it’s different.
This time, I know exactly who’s watching.
I turn and find him speaking with Beta Simon and Alpha Quentin. He appears absorbed in the conversation, nodding at the right moments but I know better. He isn’t hearing a word.
His gaze is fixed on me, hungry and unrestrained, slowly tracing my body from head to toe. Just as the other Alphas had done throughout the night but this time, I’m doing the same.
He looks devastating.
So much so that a soft gasp slips from my lips before I can stop it.
He’s wearing a light grey suit tailored perfectly to his frame, every line emphasizing just how muscular he is. A navy silk tie runs down his chest, held in place by a tie clip that draws my attention far too low tempting thoughts unfurling in my mind before I can rein them in.
My fingers itch with the imagined urge to touch him. To trace the line of that clip. To slip a finger beneath the gap between fabric and skin… and then, far too quickly, to tear the whole thing away.