Page 131 of A Sunwoven Ascent

He followed her lead, finding the rhythm as she guided him through each turn. He would endure the steps, the stares, the whispers, all of it, if it gave her this moment. If it gave her a life where she no longer felt torn between him and the people she loved. That thought steadied him, even as instinct stirred beneath his skin.

He noticed the way men looked at her, the lingering interest that followed her every movement. How had Evelyne lived twenty-three years without realizing how much she was wanted? His mouth hardened as possessiveness coiled low in his chest. Every part of him wanted to step forward and make it unmistakably clear that she was not theirs to admire. Wolves understood such things. Humans, apparently, did not. But he forced himself to remain still and kept his concentration where it belonged.

On her.

Only her.

But of course, he still took stock of the room, of the others, of Holden. His second stood across from him with Aurelia, posture rigid and movements so controlled they seemed almost unnatural.

Good. He was holding himself together.

Kaldrek returned his focus to Evelyne as the music carried them on. The steps came easier now, his body finding the rhythm it had resisted moments before. He learned through her, matching her pace and following the subtle pressure of her hand, until the noise, the watching eyes, and the expectations slipped away.

There was only this.

He moved with her, not perfectly, not with the polished grace of the others, but with certainty. And when she smiled—

Holy hell.

He would do this all night if she asked. He would stand in a hundred rooms like this and endure every glance, every judgment, every whispered word, so long as she kept looking at him like that.

No force in this world could make him let her go.

“You’re doing better than I expected,” Evelyne murmured, a hint of amusement lifting her voice as she guided him through the next turn.

“That sounds like an insult,” he replied dryly.

“It is a compliment,” she said, her lips curving slightly. “You’re not only skilled with a dagger—it seems you’ve found your footing here as well.”

He huffed a quiet breath. “Do not let that spread too far. I have a reputation to maintain.”

Her smile widened, but before she could answer, his gaze flicked briefly across the room.

“Holden looks as though he is being slowly tortured,” Kaldrek muttered.

“You shouldn’t let your eyes wander during the dance, remember?” Evelyne teased, but followed his gaze. “Oh dear,” she whispered. “Aurelia is turning red.”

“She may combust,” Kaldrek said.

Evelyne bit back a laugh, her shoulders shaking. “At least they are trying.”

“That is one word for it.”

“You truly are doing well,” she added softly. “I mean it.”

“For you,” he said. “Only for you.”

His attention shifted toward the edge of the room.

“Your mother is watching.”

“She always is.”

“She looks as though she expects something to go wrong.”

“At least she is smiling.”

Kaldrek raised a brow. “She is likely counting the seconds until the music ends and praying we do not disgrace her before it does.”