Chapter 19
Ethan’s
POV
The grand ballroom hummed with quiet conversation and soft music, but the moment Aria stepped through the ornate double doors, everything else seemed to fade into insignificance. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her pause in the entrance, the crystalline chandeliers casting a gentle glow around her like a halo.
She wore a gown the color of moonlight, the silk fabric flowing around her athletic frame like liquid silver. Her dark hair cascaded past her shoulders in soft waves, a striking contrast against the pale dress. Years of combat training had sculpted her body into a perfect blend of strength and grace, evident in every measured step she took.
Felix stirred restlessly beneath my skin, drawn to her presence with an intensity that made my hands tremble slightly around my champagne glass. As she moved through the crowd, I found myself cataloging every detail: the proud tilt of her chin, the elegant line of her throat, the way the dress hugged her curves before falling in a graceful sweep to the floor.
But it was her eyes that truly captured me – amber depths that held both warrior’s strength and hidden vulnerability. The flickering candlelight caught golden flecks in her irises, reminding me of autumn sunlight through whiskey.
My wolf whined softly, urging me to move closer, to breathe in the curious emptiness where her scent should be. That void should have been disconcerting – every wolf carried their own unique marker – but instead, it felt hauntingly familiar.
When she drew closer to our table, I could see the subtle muscles in her bare shoulders, the graceful sweep of her collarbones visible above the gown’s sweetheart neckline. A lock of dark hair fell across her cheek, and my fingers itched with the inexplicable urge to brush it back.
Emma’s voice cut through my trance, sharp and possessive, but I barely registered her words. All I could focus on was the way Aria’s lips curved into a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, the slight tension in her jaw as she exchanged pleasantries. Even her voice affected me – low and melodious, carrying hints of both strength and silk.
When she turned to leave, the dress swirling around her legs like captured moonlight, my chest tightened with an inexplicable sense of loss. I watched her make her way to the balcony doors, unable to tear my gaze away from her retreating form. The silver fabric caught the light with each step, creating an ethereal effect that made her seem more myth than reality.
Felix paced anxiously in my mind, pushing against my control with growing urgency. The moonlight streaming through the ballroom’s crystal windows cast ethereal shadows across the marble floor as she disappeared through the balcony doors. My wolf’s whine of distress echoed the hollow feeling in my chest, like watching a piece of myself walk away without fully understanding why.
“Ethan? Emma’s voice pulled at my attention. “You seem distracted.”
I glanced down at her, noting how her perfectly styled hair and designer gown suddenly felt too polished, too deliberate. “I need some air,” I said, gently but firmly removing her hand from my arm.
‘But-
I was already moving toward the balcony, my wolf Felix practically pushing me forward. The weight of Emma’s perfume and the stifling formality of the ballroom had become unbearable. More than that, the sight of Aria in that silver dress had awakened something in me I couldn’t explain – a restlessness that made my skin feel too tight.
The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside, carrying the scent of pine and moonflowers from the carefully tended gardens below. I loosened my bow tie slightly, bracing my hands against the stone railing as I tried to steady my racing thoughts.
Felix paced anxiously beneath my skin, more agitated than I’d felt him in years. Not even Emma, who supposedly shared that profound connection from six years ago, had ever caused such a reaction in my wolf. The very thought of Emma made Felix growl softly in protest, confusing me further.
the way
The full moon hung low and bright in the sky, its silver light remarkably similar to the color of Aria’s gown. The image of her entering the ballroom kept replaying in my mind – the dress had moved like liquid starlight around her athletic frame, the proud tilt of her chin, those haunting amber eyes that seemed to hold secrets I desperately needed to understand.
“What is wrong with me?‘ I muttered, running a hand through my carefully styled hair. As Shadow Fang’s heir, I had a clear path laid out before me. Emma had the pendant, the photos, all the proof that she was the mysterious woman from that night at Mountain View Resort. It should have been simple, straightforward.
But nothing about Aria felt simple. The curious void where her wolf scent should be pulled at me in a way I couldn’t explain. It was like trying to remember a dream upon waking – the details kept slipping away even as the feeling lingered, profound and unsettling.
Felix whined softly, pressing against my consciousness with increasing urgency. My wolf had always been strong–willed, but this felt different. Every time Aria was near, he reacted with an intensity that bordered on desperation. Tonight, watching her move through the ballroom with such grace, the response had been nearly overwhelming.
The sound of laughter and music drifted out from the ballroom, reminding me of my duties, my position, my supposed destiny. I straightened my tie and tried to compose myself, but Felix continued his restless pacing. For six years, I’d searched for a woman whose touch had branded itself into my soul. I’d built my future around the certainty that Emma was that woman, had let that belief guide every decision.
Yet standing here under the same moon that had witnessed that fateful night, doubt crept in like evening shadows. The woman from my memories had carried no wolf scent, just like Aria. Had moved with the same fluid grace, had stirred the same primal response in my wolf.
‘Coincidence, I told myself firmly, but the word felt hollow. Nothing about Aria felt like coincidence. She was like a puzzle piece I couldn’t quite place, but one that my wolf seemed convinced belonged somewhere vital in my life.
The night air had cooled my skin but done nothing to settle the tumult in my mind. I would have to go back inside soon, return to Emma’s side, play my part in this carefully choreographed dance of power and politics. But something had shifted tonight, like the first tremor before an avalanche.
Felix whined again, a sound of pure longing that echoed the ache in my own chest.
