a

roma of wine and expensive perfumes. I kept my posture relaxed, blending into the crowd, just another wolf among ma

en, I

nd chandeliers or demand attention with loud laughter and forced smiles. No, she stood alone, quiet half-hidden in the shadows,almost as if

n't loo

e, his voice low enough that onl

e. The way her fingers curled at her sides, the way she shifted under the weight of something unseen. The

on,but they weren't. They were... calm. Settled. It was almost as

f it. She had no wolf. I could tell. Yet

before pouring her another, but she waved him off, demanding more. Her movements were clumsy, her shoulders slumped, and yet the

moving before I

e blowing my cover, but I ignor

drink, swaying slightly on her stool. Up close, I could se

at me?" she slurred, pointing a wobbly finger at my chest. "You-

mused despite myse

me off my feet or... or, I dunno, fight a dragon for me." She giggled, then suddenly frow

chest tightene

er eyes. "Nooo, this is mine," she protested, clutching it like it was h

ssy, but the pain

ething else,something protective. I didn't know why I had been stari

gh,squinting up at me like she was trying to solve some great mystery. "Y'know," she mumbled, poking my ches

itated by her drunken rambling, but for some reason

more like flopped her hand against it-and stared at me with wide, unfocused eyes. "Are you-are you a secret agent? No, no...

eside me, but

py," I said,

y what a spy would say." Then, as if proving her o

he was ridiculous. Completely drunk, completely out of

against my chest with a dramatic sigh. "You smell good," she mu

steadied her before she could slide right off the stool. She

think the floor is mo

haking my head. "Hey,

expression one of pure betrayal. "How dare you? That's so ru

ed. A real, genuine laugh tha

had. But I didn't care. Because as ridiculous as she was right

aist before she could topple over. "Let's get you out of

amatically. "

ete her words,she fell

er toward the exit. This w