The Alpha's Rejected mate

's

ectly on my shoulder. Maybe it was nerves. Or maybe it was because I had design

casting a soft golden light across the ballroom. Everyone looked like they belonged-tall, polished, confident. And th

gainst the marble floor as I stepped farther into the room. My dress shimmered with ever

ing, eyes burning. I couldn't afford to buy anything

lf. The truth was, his coughs had grown sharper. His skin is a litt

yx

red gown that screamed wealth. She was the kind of friend who alw

he'd spend the night introducing me to rich strangers and trying to get someone to inve

looked around, scanning the sea of tuxedos and diamonds,

ere. His suit was black, tailored to perfection, and his eyes-God, his eyes. Even from across the ro

eath

Black

face had graced every business magazine in the country. People whispered ab

was enough to make something twist low in my

as thudding too fast, and I was

e, needing something to hold. The bubbles danced in th

e trying to blend in

a man with slicked-back hair and a crooked smile. His friend, ta

ll in," I said wi

the first one aske

friend is around

er one said, already reaching for a drin

sita

g a little too low for my comfort. "It's just champag

tions, remember? That was the po

e tall one said, clink

out their energy made my skin prickle. Their attent

barely t

do?" Slick Hair a

gner," I replied, k

the other said. "Bet y

aw t

ng to step away, but the

off," he said. "We're

ime, just to stall. But as soon as the

ion wo

ts swirled above li

o, no

s didn't feel like mine. My stomach

ing wa

y w

e caught me. Not one of the men

d near my ear. It didn't

was a blur. Faces stretched like reflecti

eel right...

u," the voic

ges like someone was drawi

-maybe Mollie's?-but i

ed through the crowd, ar

alled for security. But I cou

ttled deep in my chest. I could

iven me t

touching

was I

nt black befo