Music pulsed through the dimly lit lounge as I nursed my whiskey, watching James Knight—Alpha of the neighboring Cedar Moon Pack—basking in the attention of his birthday celebration. Despite the festivity around me, I couldn't shake the dark cloud hanging over my thoughts.
"Julian, you look like someone died," James said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Lighten up! It's a party."
I forced a smile. "Just distracted."
"You should be celebrating. You're finally free of that arranged mating." He lowered his voice. "And now you can be with Natalie properly. The way it always should have been."
I drained my glass rather than respond. James didn't understand. No one did. I couldn't stop thinking about Aurelia's face when I'd found her with Tristan Sinclair yesterday morning. The defiance in her eyes. The easy familiarity between them.
And now Violet was missing.
"Another?" James gestured to my empty glass.
"I'm good." I set it down harder than necessary.
