Chapter 43: Attraction

Sofia’s hand trembled as Damien’s fingers closed over hers, guiding her toward the grand double doors of the ballroom. The sounds of lively chatter, clinking glasses, and a string quartet drifted from beyond the heavy wood. She could feel the pulse thrumming in his wrist, mirroring the frantic beat of her own heart.

​”Remember what I told you,” Damien’s voice was a low growl, meant only for her. “Don’t look at them. Don’t speak. You are with me.”

​The doors swung open, revealing a breathtaking sight. A massive ballroom, lit by crystal chandeliers that dripped light like diamonds, stretched out before them. Hundreds of Alphas, Betas, and high-ranking pack members mingled, their expensive clothes shimmering, their laughter echoing. The air was thick with the rich scent of fine wines and an intoxicating mix of powerful wolf scents.

​And then, they stepped in.

​It didn’t happen all at once, but rather in a ripple that started at the entrance and spread through the room like a cold wave. A laugh died. A conversation halted mid-sentence. The string quartet, mid-note, faltered, then slowly faded into silence. Every single eye in that vast, opulent room turned to them.

​Sofia, despite Damien’s command, couldn’t help but lift her gaze. She felt the weight of every stare, every calculating, lustful, or shocked glance. She saw the women, their faces tight with jealousy, their eyes raking over her chubby frame in the emerald dress. She saw the men, their expressions shifting from surprise to overt hunger, their gazes lingering on her rounded hips, the swell of her breasts, and the unapologetic curve of her ass—all now highlighted, not hidden, by the shimmering silk.

​The emerald dress, designed for a body far more slender, clung to her fuller figure in a way that defied expectations. It didn’t make her look thin; it celebrated her curves, molding to her ample bust and round hips with a brazen confidence that Sofia herself didn’t possess. The plunging neckline, which Damien had cursed, now framed her generous cleavage, and the deep cut in the back revealed the smooth, ample curve of her spine.

​The silence was so profound that Sofia could hear her heart hammering against her ribs. She felt like a specimen under a microscope, every inch of her curvy body being devoured by hungry eyes. Her face burned, and she instinctively tried to shrink into herself, to disappear into Damien’s shadow.

​But Damien didn’t let her. He held her arm tighter, his scent flaring out, marking her as his. His chin lifted, his eyes sweeping over the frozen crowd, daring any of them to speak or come close.

​”Keep walking,” Damien instructed as he continued leading the way.

​Sofia followed behind him, feeling exposed as hundreds of eyes were openly fixed on her.

Damien stopped in front of Alpha James, the host of the summit, who was watching Sofia with an expression that sat somewhere between awe and hunger.

​”Damien,” James greeted, his voice echoing in the quiet hall. He then turned his focus entirely to Sofia, his eyes roaming over her emerald-clad curves. “And you… you look like a goddess tonight.”

​Sofia’s heart staggered. She didn’t believe him. She felt like a girl playing dress-up in a body that was “too much” for the thin silk. She felt heavy and out of place.

​”She’s mine to look at, James,” Damien warned, his voice a low, dangerous vibration.

​Before James could reply, Alpha Zach sauntered over, a glass of champagne in his hand and a predatory smirk on his face. “Damien, your slave is looking breathtaking. Truly. You better be careful, though… you can’t fight us all off if we decide we want a taste.”

​Zach laughed, but the sound was grating to Damien. It was a joke meant to poke at Damien’s temper, and it worked. Damien’s eyes flared gold, his muscles tensing as if he were ready to shift and tear Zach’s throat out right there on the marble floor.

​”Enough,” Alpha James interrupted, sensing the coming violence. He looked at Damien with a serious expression. “Damien, we need to talk. The council is restless, and there are matters regarding the border that can’t wait. Alone.”

​Damien frowned, his gaze darting to Sofia. He hated the idea of leaving her exposed in this room full of starving wolves, but pack business was the reason they were here. He leaned into Sofia, his scent heavy and possessive as he whispered into her ear.

​”Stay right here. Do not move. Do not talk to anyone. If I find out you so much as looked at another man, there will be consequences. Understood?”

​Sofia frowned; she wanted to tell him to go to hell—that she was a human, not a puppy—but she swallowed back her words and nodded. Damien lingered for a second longer, his hand trailing possessively over her bare lower back, before he turned and followed James into a private side room.

​Left alone, Sofia felt like the air had been sucked out of the ballroom. She felt the eyes of the crowd returning to her like heat lamps. Feeling desperate for a distraction, she walked to the long buffet table and helped herself to a glass of sparkling cider, her hands shaking so hard the glass rattled.

​”A goddess shouldn’t be drinking alone,” a voice purred behind her.

​Sofia jumped, nearly spilling her drink. She turned to find Alpha Zach standing close behind her. He didn’t stay behind her; he moved until he was right in her space, his eyes fixed on the swell of her chest.

​”He’s quite the brute, isn’t he?” Zach said, his voice smooth as oil. He reached out, his fingers inching to touch her face. “Tell me… does he treat you as well as a woman with your… generous beauty deserves?”

​Sofia frowned but didn’t say a word. That was a clear indication that she didn’t want to talk to him, but Zach wasn’t backing away.

​”Silent, are we?” Zach mused, his hand finally making contact. He ran a finger along the line of her jaw, his touch light but possessive. “I suppose that’s how Damien likes his toys. Quiet and obedient.”

​Sofia’s skin crawled, and without hesitation, she slapped his hand away.

​He scoffed. “You know,” Zach whispered, leaning down so his lips were inches from her ear, “the rumors say you’re a traitor. But looking at you now, in this dress… I don’t see a criminal. I see a woman who is being wasted on a man who only knows how to growl.”

​His eyes dropped to her exposed cleavage, and he let out a low, mocking whistle. “If you were mine, I’d dress you in diamonds and let you sit at my right hand, not make you wait in corners like a dog.”

​Sofia finally found her voice as she snapped at him. “I am not a dog.”

​Zach grinned, his teeth sharp and white. “There she is. A little bite behind the beauty.” He moved his hand from her face down to her bare shoulder, his thumb stroking the skin near the strap of her emerald dress. “Tell me, does he make you scream?”

​Sofia felt a wave of nausea as she slapped his hand away from her body. He was openly touching her, and no one was even stepping in to stop him.

​”He’s busy talking politics, Sofia,” Zach continued, his hand sliding further down her back, grazing the exposed skin where the dress dipped low. “He wouldn’t even notice if we slipped away for a moment. I could show you what it’s like to be handled by an Alpha who actually appreciates a woman with… curves like yours.”

​He began to lean in, his intent clear. He was going to kiss her right there in the middle of the ballroom, a direct insult to Damien. Sofia’s heart hammered—not with pleasure, but with a pure, cold panic. She looked around the room for an escape, but the crowd was watching with sick curiosity, waiting to see if she would give in or if the Alpha would take what he wanted.

​Just as Zach’s lips were about to touch hers, a hand made of iron gripped Zach’s wrist and wrenched it away from Sofia’s shoulder.

​”I believe the lady didn’t give you permission to touch her,” a cold, unfamiliar voice hissed.

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