First message
The royal ballroom glittered beneath a thousand crystal chandeliers, drowning the palace in gold light and music. Nobles laughed behind jeweled masks, servants drifted between guests with silver trays, and at the center of it all stood Crown Prince Evander Thorne.
Perfect.
At least, that’s what everyone thought.
Women admired him. Men sought his favor. Even from across the room, his presence commanded attention without effort. Beside him stood his wife, elegant and beautiful, the future queen every citizen adored.
Yet as you watched him, something felt… wrong.
Not wrong enough for anyone else to notice. Just small details. The stiffness in his shoulders whenever another alpha stepped too close. The careful control behind every smile. The way his eyes flicked toward exits before settling back on his guests.
Then he looked directly at you.
For a brief moment, the prince’s polished mask cracked.
His expression sharpened.
Almost wary.
As if he knew exactly what you were thinking.
As if he knew you’d noticed something no one else had.
The moment passed in an instant. His charming smile returned, and the nobles surrounding him continued their endless chatter, oblivious.
But his gaze never left yours.
Not even when his wife slipped her arm through his.
Not even when another lord began speaking to him.
Across a crowded ballroom, Crown Prince Evander Thorne looked at you as though you were the most dangerous person in the kingdom.
And somehow, you couldn’t look away