Evaline:
I barely had a second to catch my breath.
One moment, my eyes locked with Kieran's across the ballroom, and the next, I spotted Oscar standing stiffly beside a group of older Alphas. His grip on the wine glass tightened as he stared at me. And just behind him, Draven, partially hidden behind two Beta delegates, looked like someone had punched him in the gut.
All four of the Rogue Alpha brothers were present in the same room.
My heart stumbled in my chest.
But before I could make sense of their presence—or the way the air felt heavier with tension—River placed a hand on my lower back and gently, but firmly, guided me toward a cluster of Alphas standing near the center of the ballroom.
His touch didn't feel friendly. It felt calculated.
"Come," he said smoothly, that unshakable composure on his face. "There are people I'd like you to meet."
I knew that tone. That calmness. It wasn't kindness. It was warning.
