Alexander’s POV


    I felt drawn to Ste that night. More drawn to her than I probably should have been… But afterst night, I couldn’t help but feel a strange connection to her, and it wasn’t going away.


    Especially not when she looked like that.


    The dress made her look like a goddess. It fit her perfectly and in all the right ces, and it brought out the fact that sometimes, she really did look like a Luna.


    She held herself like one, too–back straight, chin lifted, that natural grace that couldn’t be taught. The way she smiled at the guests, the gentle curve of her lips, the demureugh she let out when she was talking to someone.


    It was exactly how E used to carry herself. Before everything happened that led to her being taken from me forever.


    I’d reached her booth before I’d fully decided to walk over. Ste nced up and our eyes met. For just a second, I saw surprise


    flicker across her face before she smoothed it away.


    “Alpha Alexander,” she said, inclining her head slightly and looking out over the crowd rather than at me. I couldn’t entirely me her for not wanting to look me in the eye after what happened–I had fucking thrown my arms around her and pulled her into bed because I’d been dreaming of E.


    I was honestly surprised that she was still Lucien’s nanny after that, let alonepeting in the Luna Trial.


    “That’s an impressive dress,” I said, clearing my throat.


    Ste nodded. “Thank you. Anya designed and made it herself. She’s incredibly talented.” Ste gestured to the young Omega standing beside the donation box, who looked like she might pass out from excitement at the mere thought of being


    acknowledged.


    “Really? You made this?” I turned to the girl.


    Anya nodded vigorously and beamed. “Yes–well, Ste helped. We beaded it together.”


    The mention of the beads made the tips of my ears redden. That damn bead that led to the whole debaclest night…


    I forced a smile. “Ste is right; you are very talented. I wish you’d told me sooner; I’m actually in need of a seamstress.”


    Anya’s face lit up. “Really?”


    “Yes.” I recalled that the girl was hired for menial tasks, likeundry and cleaning. With talent like this, she deserved a higher- paying position. “Speak to my Beta after today’s event. Maybe we can work out a deal.”


    Anya practically squealed with excitement. I nced at Ste, who was watching me with surprise written across her face like it was that much of a shocker that I’d give an employee a promotion based on their skills. But she quickly neutralized her expression again and looked away.


    My wolf stirred restlessly as I looked at her again. He’d been on edge all day, practically wing at my insides every time I caught sight of Ste across the room. Now that we were standing this close, he was going absolutely feral.


    I stepped away after that, returning to making my rounds around the event, but my eyes kept wandering to her. My wolf wanted me to go back to her, to be close to her again.


    Sometimes, he really did mistake her scent for E’s. Andst night… When she’d left my room, my wolf had insisted that he’d scented her while I was sleeping. That E’s aura had be so profound and intense that he had no choice but to take over and reach for her.


    I’d been dreaming about Est night. About us together, before everything went to shit. In the dream, she’d been lying beside


    Chapter 280 <fnb65b> Readplete version only at Find1Novel</fnb65b>


    me in bed, warm and alive and smiling at me the way she used to during those brief months when we’d been happy together.


    The mate bond in that dream had felt so real. So intense. Like she was actually there, like I could reach out and touch her and she wouldn’t disappear.


    That must have been why my wolf got confused. The dream was very vivid and the woman standing beside my bed held an uncanny resemnce to E, so he thought it was her in the darkness and made me pull her close.


    Chapter <b>281 </b>