Chapter <b>21 </b>
Ara’s POV
The closer he got, the louder the whispers became.
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By the time he was <b>just </b><b>a </b>few steps <b>away</b>, one of the girls beside me <b>squeaked</b>, “A–<b>Alpha </b><b>Grayson</b>, it’s <b>such </b>an honor-
But he didn’t look at any of them.
Instead, his eyes locked straight on mine. “What are you doing here?”
Everyone whipped their heads toward me with wide eyes like
ke Why
the hell is she talking to the Alpha<b>? </b>
“I–I had something to do here.” I stammered.
“You followed me?” His voice dropped dangerously low as <b>he </b>narrowed his eyes.
“No! I swear. I didn’t even know you wereing here!“.
He didn’t respond <b>right </b><b>away</b><b>, </b>just kept <b>staring </b><b>at </b>me like he didn’t <b>buy </b><b>a </b>single word I <b>said</b>.
Whatever excitement I felt when I first saw him just evaporated. I remembered <b>how </b>badly we’d fought <b>not </b><b>long </b>ago–and the way he told me we need space. Maybe he was already nning to kick <b>me </b>out of the vi, and now I’d suddenly popped up here like <b>some </b>clingy stalker.
“Alpha, aren’t we supposed to dance?”
A tall, stunning girl appeared at his side, <btching </b>onto his arm with practiced elegance. She was gorgeous–model–level gorgeous. Perfect body, perfect dress, perfect everything. Her existence alone <b>made </b>half the girls in the room self–conscious.
My breath caught as I looked at Grayson and <b>his </b>perfect date.
Disappointment hit me like a freight train. For a second, I even wanted to flee.
“<b>Aria</b>, you shouldn’t be here,” he said coldly, eyes still on me.
“I—I know. <b>I’m </b>sorry. This was a huge mistake…” My voice was shaking. “I really didn’t know you’d be here. I’m sorry–I’ll leave now.”
I turned quickly and walked away, heart pounding-
I was so humiliated. Even my wolf <b>was </b>whimpering deep inside..
But then I heard footsteps behind me,
And a hand caught mine!
“Wait,” he said.
He nced back at the tall girl. “You can go.
Everyone around us looked at him like he’d <b>lost </b>his mind–including the tall girl. And, obviously, me
“You’re sending me away?” she hissed, ring at me like I was a roach. “Seriously? You’d rather dance with this—?
“Brenda,” he cut her off, voice sharp. “You heard me.”
She bit her lip in fury <b>and </b>stormed off, heels clicking like gunshots.
<b>Grayson </b>gently pulled me forward–and suddenly, I <b>was </b>in his arms. And we were gliding into the middle of the dance floor,
I couldn’t believe it.
I was dancing. With him.
I didn’t know the first thing about dancing, but he made it so easy. One hand rested on my <b>waist</b>, the other holding my hand, guiding 1/3
me through the steps so e
so effortlessly I felt like I was floating.
“Why did you ask me to <b>dance</b>?” I whispered.
“Do <b>I </b><b>need </b>a reason?”
“Well, yeah… You already had a date. A perfect one,” <b>I </b>muttered, <b>tasting </b>jealousy like <b>a </b><b>mouthful </b>of lemon.
“I guess it was the way you looked at me. All desperate <b>and </b>pleading He smirked. “Felt like not inviting you would’ve been a crime.”
My cheeks burned. “I did not look at <b>you </b>like <b>that</b>.”
He let out a softugh, and then, after a brief pause, he <b>said</b>, “I’m d you’re here, Aria
My heart nearly exploded.
“I swear I wasn’t following <b>you</b>. It was Delh-
“I know. I’ll deal with herter for breaking grounding orders. But at least she did one thing right tonight. His voice softened like <b>velvet</b>.
<b>“</b><b>You </b>look beautiful.”
could’ve floated off the floor right then and there.
Some part of me knew I shouldn’t let him affect me this way. It wasn’t healthy–<b>the </b>way he could crash and lift my y world in a second.
But let’s be honest. I had zero control
He had total control of me.
The song ended way too soon. It felt like we’d just started.
I wished we could stay for one <b>more </b>song, but Grayson had let go of me and guided me to the edge of the dance floor.
And that’s <b>when </b>I realized how many people were watching. Some had literally crowded around the edge, standing on their toes to get a better look
And unlike the reverent way
“Hey, Arial”
way they looked at him, the way they looked at me was… critical, Judgmental.
Delh appeared like a happy whirlwind, <b>Jace </b>trailing behind her looking like he’d swollen a fly.
“I saw <b>your </b>dance! It was amazing! <b>Why </b>did you say you couldn’t dance? You were incredible-
*Delh Hart, you need to exin why you are <b>here</b>,” her brother’s sharp voice cut her off.
Delh instantly wilted under his <b>stare</b>. “I–I know I’m grounded… but the summit’sing up, and <b>Jace </b>had business here<b>, </b><b>so </b><b>I </b>figured… why note with him…..“.
Grayson’s eyes shifted coldly to Jace. “So <b>you </b>knew she was grounded. And <b>you </b>still brought her here. That means you knowingly defied my orders.”
Jace’s face turned an ugly shade of gray.
“She’s not in high school anymore. <b>Isn’t </b><b>‘</b>grounding‘ a little over the top?” he muttered.
“What’s appropriate is up to me. Or are you under the impression that you <b>make </b>the rules in the Hart family now?”
Jace’s jaw twitched. He looked like he was biting back every insult he wanted to spit <b>out</b>.
“I wouldn’t dare, Alpha Grayson,” he said finally, <b>voice </b>full of sarcasm.
“And I see you’ve <b>got </b>time toe dance, but <b>no </b>time to sign the prenup,” Grayson added, eyes narrowing.
“That’s a family matter, <b>Alpha </b>Grayson. I hardly think this is the appropriate time or ce-
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<b>my </b>
business. That prenup ensures Hart property stays in the right hands. Away from people with questionable motives.”
Jace turned a dark purple. I stared at him coldly. For someone with <b>his </b>massive ego, this must’ve been devastating
But I mean he deserved it.
“Grayson, please, not tonight.” Delh begged. “Aria’s here, you’re clearly happy. <b>Can </b>we just not fight for once?”
“Get it done,” Grayson repeated coldly before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and turning to leave.
But I <b>caught </b><b>Jace’s </b>eyes before we walked away. His <b>gaze </b><b>was </b>sharp–ice cold, hateful.
And for the first time <b>in </b><b>a </b>while, I felt a flicker of real fear.
Once we were far enough away. I leaned closer to Grayson and whispered, “I’m a bit worried about Jace. He hates that Delh and I are getting close. He thinks <b>I’m </b>trying to ruin his life. I’m scared he might do something reckless..”
“He won’t
But
Don’t worry<b>. </b>Losing <b>his </b>manager title was enough to keep him in line. Il make sure he signs the prenup. Without power or money, he can’t do much.”
I didn’t say anything.
But inside, I <b>wasn’t </b>convinced,
Grayson might be underestimating just how <b>far </b>someone like Jace could fall. Especially when <b>they’ve </b>got nothing left to lose.