Camila's POV
The music swelled around me, but I barely heard it. My heart pounded as I turned away from Aiden and Sasha, forcing a smile onto my lips as if their presence didn't unearth every ounce of pain I had buried.
Nathaniel had stepped forward from where he had been standing near the edge of the ballroom. His expression was unreadable, but I knew him well enough now to recognize the tightness in his jaw, the way his fingers curled slightly at his sides. He had noticed them, too.
Good.
Let him see.
Let him understand.
But what I hadn't expected was the sudden, possessive way he reached for me.
Without a word, he slipped a hand around my waist, his grip firm as he turned to Lucian. "I believe I'll be taking my fiancée now."
His voice was smooth, controlled, but I could hear the underlying edge in it.
Lucian raised an amused brow, his gaze flicking between us before he released me with a small smirk. "Of course, Alpha."
Nathaniel didn't wait for a response.
