In order to drive me out of the gathering hall, Aliona finally let the mask slip. The sweet, carefully trained expression she wore for the rest of the pack fractured, revealing the sharper instincts underneath. I could feel it immediately—her scent changed, turning colder, more territorial, like a wolf baring fangs behind a smile.
I paused for a split second, reading her the way one reads a predator before a strike. So this was her true nature. Not harmless. Not gentle. Just controlled aggression wrapped in silk.
"You two can go ahead and display your bond," I said calmly, letting my voice stay even. "It won't affect me."
I lifted a hand and smoothed my hair in the mirror, steadying my instincts, preparing to leave the confined pressure of the restroom.
But Aliona moved faster than expected.
