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Skylar

I am staring intently at Dmitri, who has just started dancing with Elanor. She stated adamantly that she and Dmitri are not in a relationship, and she seemed okay with that. Even after smelling Dmitri's 'intimacy' on me, we had laughed and joked over champagne. My intuition about her behavior now was that she was jealous. But maybe I'm reading too much into it? I don't know. I look down at my plate when I see her arm trail up and around Dmitri's shoulder, her hand snake into his hair and around his neck at the back.

My gaze is brought back up when I hear someone clearing their throat.

"Sky," Ben says, a smile on his face.

We haven't spoken since last night when I found out he is a werewolf. It wasn't him I was angry with, more my ignorance at not noticing things that now seem so obvious. How huge he is. How in all the years I've known him, he has never been sick, never hurt himself. The time I asked him to help me move some boxes in the garage at my aunt's place, and he picked up three heavy boxes as if they were filled with feathers.

The way he was always able to find me when we played hide and seek, no matter how far I was or how difficult I tried to make it. The way he knew my period had started for the first time when I was thirteen years old. We were together at the mall, and he told me he could smell the blood. At that time, I thought it was normal and always took extra care to put on nice-smelling creams and perfume whenever that time of the month came, just to make sure I didn't smell like blood. I'm mentally punching myself and physically shaking my head at my stupidity.

"Sky, are you okay?" Ben's question brings me back to the present. We once again have an audience. Our table and those close to us are watching and listening to our interactions. They must be wondering how a human knows yet another werewolf.

"Hey Ben, yeah, sorry," I say, smiling. "How have you been?" I ask, glancing around at those staring, not really wanting to get into everything here in public.

He looks around, noticing all the eyes on us. "Fine, thanks. Would you like to dance?" he asks, winking at me like he knows I don't want ears listening to our conversation. He also knows I can't really dance.

"Don't worry," he whispers, "you just have to sway and move your feet a bit," he chuckles, his head moving side to side slightly. I laugh, getting up from my chair to join him as we head to the dance floor. His hand is lightly resting on the exposed skin of my lower back.

Mmm, no tingles, I think briefly as we get to the dance floor. Must be a Dmitri thing. Maybe it's because he is a lycan.

Other couples have joined, each swaying elegantly to the music. I spot Dmitri and Elanor close by, Elanor's body smashed up against Dmitri's as they gracefully move with the music. They look good together. She is taller than I am and much slimmer. Dmitri's eyes lock with mine, anger clear in them before he looks at Ben.

Ben grabs my hand, bringing my attention back to him. He pulls me closer, his other hand finding a place around my waist. I place my other hand on his shoulder. Ben is around 6'1", with pitch-black straight hair that falls over his ears and light blue eyes. He has a sharp jawline and a swoon-worthy smile. He is good-looking, but my eyes dart back over to Dmitri, and nothing compares, I think, bringing my gaze back to Ben's. Not to mention getting together with Ben would be like committing incest. He is more like a brother.

We are swaying softly to the music, Ben inching us slowly away from the tables to the other side of the room, closer to the wall.

"I'm sorry, Sky. I should have told you I just didn't want to put you in any danger." He seems sincere, a pained look accompanying the words.

"You don't have to be sorry, Ben. I'm irate with myself for not realizing something was up. The more I think about it, the more obvious everything becomes. I'm such an idiot." I can't help the laugh that follows.

A comfortable silence follows as we move from side to side, staying in this more secluded part of the dance floor.

"Why are you here?" I ask, curious as to whether he is in a pack like Dmitri is.

"I'm standing in for my Alpha, who couldn't attend, as his wife is having a pup. My duty as the second in command of the Shadow Wolves Pack, the military school you thought I was going to," he laughs, and I smile, still kicking myself for my stupidity.

"Why are you here?" The mood turns serious at his question. "And with Dmitri of all Alphas? You know he's a lycan, right?" There was no missing the warning in his tone.

"He is moving into bordering land, and apparently, there is an agreement in place for him to protect the town folk. Because I'm part of the town folk, he feels an obligation to protect me, so that's what he is doing. That's all there is between us. And yes, I know he is a lycan, though I'm not sure exactly what that entails." Talking about the man causes my eyes to search the dance floor, only to meet with a pair of green ones already looking in this direction.

"Protect you from what, exactly, Sky?" Ben asks me, worry thick in his voice.

"Hunters. That's what he told me. Apparently, my name has been circulating among them. We're not sure why. But one was caught outside my house the other night."

"Geezus, Sky, why didn't you call me or your aunt and uncle? I could have helped you. I should be the one protecting you." He pulls me closer, his face angled down, so that it is mere inches from mine.

"Well, everything happened so quickly, and I didn't want to put you guys in danger," I respond, trying to pull back slightly, not comfortable being this close to Ben.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a large frame approaching us. I look over, my suspicions confirmed, as I see an angry Dmitri making his way through the dancers.

I stiffen, my eyes glued to Dmitri as he comes to stand in front of us.

Elanor is standing on the other side of the dance floor, slightly pouting, her arms crossed over her chest. People are staring at us.

"Benjamin, I'm cutting in." Dmitri's tone is laced with authority and leaves no room for argument. Ben lets go of my hand and waist, stepping back slowly. I can see he doesn't want to, but from what I understand, an Alpha's authority trumps that of the second in command, and he doesn't really have a choice. He also knows me well enough to know I don't want a scene. That will mean more eyes on me, and by the looks of it, we already have quite the audience.

"I'll catch up with you later, Sky," Ben says quietly, retreating.

Dmitri is watching his every move, and as soon as Ben is out of sight, Dmitri grabs my hand, jerking me towards him. My other hand is now lying on his chest.

His hand snakes around my waist, covering the same spot Ben's hand lay moments ago, but this time tingling ignites the skin.

There is a low growl from Dmitri as I hear him whisper, "Mine."

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