Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella
Chapter 12

"Evan, Claudia's my date tonight."

Ken's voice. It brought me out of my stunned reverie, and I glanced between both men. I might as well have not been there. The challenge in their eyes gleamed bright under the lights, and it didn't take much to sense there was something more than good-natured ribbing or jealousy behind Ken's words, or the stare Evan fixed on him. "Then lend me your dance partner for a while. I came all this way, you could be more generous."

He didn't let Ken reply. He grabbed my hand since I hadn't taken the initiative to accept his, and he pulled me to the dance floor where dozens of others had been rocking to the beat only seconds ago, before he made his entrance.

But as soon as he joined them and pulled me into position, it was as if a switch flipped. I had to wonder if he had mind-linked with several of them to warn them them to start dancing again, with how abrupt and synchronized everyone's recovery was. Was this really happening? Evan, dancing with me? Where had he even come from! He wasn't supposed to return until far later tonight, or so the head maid had said. That was part of the reason I hadn't been as worried about his reaction to my decision to come to the dance with Ken.

But far from barging in and dragging me out, and interrogating me on why I was coming to a party with someone he disliked, he had taken my hand and danced with me. Was still dancing with me right now. I was so confused I could make neither heads nor tails of my situation anymore.

But... since I didn't have a choice, I let myself enjoy the atmosphere. The music was good, if loud. And Evan's arms were so strong. That day he had lifted me... I remembered it all over again as we danced together. And he really was handsome, even if he was a narcissist. I couldn't take my eyes off of his as we danced and danced and danced...

Had his smile always been so attractive? He usually looked so fierce. How could I have missed it all this time? The sculpted jawline, the bright blue eyes, anyone would kill to have his looks.

And his hand on the small of my back was like a continuous bolt of lightning. I didn't have the courage to move away and free myself from the electrifying sensation, but I didn't know if I would make it through the night if he didn't let me go of his own volition. What was I supposed to do?

"I didn't think you'd be interested in parties," I said later when the music softened to a quieter song. "And didn't you have business to handle?"

"I took care of it."

(She looks beautiful. The dress is good, too.)

Oh, no. I wished I couldn't hear his thoughts. What was worse was that I couldn't even dance to begin with, so I couldn't pour my attention into that instead. All I could do was sway with him and turn, following his lead. We weren't even moving to the right rhythm, and since he didn't mind, I had no way of correcting that either.

It was terrible. It was amazing. It was simply too much. Every time I caught his gaze, I forgot every single thing I meant to say, and all I wanted to do was keep dancing, no matter how poorly.

But as all things, it had to end sometime. The music died, and a new song would come on in a minute. Ken was there beside us scarcely before the last note faded from the speakers.

"It's finally my turn now, right?" he asked with a smile. "Don't tell me no, Claudia. I'll be crushed."

I smiled back, holding back a giggle. Ken really was charismatic. What should have been a tense moment became little more than a friendly joke, and I was always at ease around him. If nothing else, dancing so closely with Evan made me too nervous to speak, but seeing Ken here to rescue me made all the knots undo themselves in my stomach.

But Evan wasn't nearly so happy to see him.

(You don't need to look at him when I'm still here), he thought privately, and I almost reacted to it. I held back just in time.

***

"Do you like him, Claudia?"

I had been admiring the decorations for the dance while resting. Ken had brought me to sit on the bench a minute ago since my feet were aching, and he was close enough and the music low enough here that I could hear him clearly. And understand him, too. He was talking about Evan.

If only he knew how strange and tenuous the relationship between us was. Did I like him, Ken had asked, but what would he say if he knew Evan had only brought me back at all because he had mistaken me for someone else entirely? Mate, Evan had said in his sleep. And then just as quickly, Evan had disclaimed me from being his mate the very next day.

"That's some question," I remarked. "You first. Why did you ask me to be your date to the party? We just met."

"Because I'm interested in you, of course. I want to get to know you."

"Even though it's impossible for me to be your mate?"

His eyebrows rose. "Mate?" he repeated. "It has nothing to do with that. Besides, having and waiting for a mate is only an option."

"A pretty important option."

"Sure. But fortunately, it's not the only one."

True. Some werewolves decided not to wait to replace their mates if it took too long, or some rejected their mates for various reasons... but not Evan. Finding his mate was his only option. There was no one else for him. What was he so desperate for that he would wade in a sea of blood for it, I wondered sadly. Why was he so blinded by the need?

Of course Alphas needed their mates to achieve their true potential. But if that was all Evan wanted, he would be content to wait for his mate to replace him, and for him to replace his mate. The Moon Goddess always provided, according to werewolf belief. And he was strong, stronger than any other Alpha in the region. No one had beaten him yet, and no one would dare to dream of it.

He didn't need a mate to strengthen him right away. He could keep fighting and fighting, if that was what he wanted. But he was so desperate without good reason. What would it take to make him slow down? What would it take to make him stop this insanity? I glanced at the dance floor. Evan was standing on the side of it, speaking with someone, but there were dozens of girls lurking close by and eyeing him with hungry stares. Of course. He was the reigning Alpha of this entire city, dominating more than ninety percent of the territories that made it up. And he was still single. No woman could ignore that. Handsome. Wealthy. Intelligent.

Even if he wasn't sensible enough to stop his constant conquering, and even if he wasn't sensible enough to simply wait for fate to take its course.

What kind of man tried to outrace fate?

And all those women jockeying for his attention. Evan deserved that kind of treatment, didn't he. He should just let himself enjoy it.

But the surprises weren't over for the night. Evan approached Ken after our next dance.

"It's time for me to take Claudia home," he said, and I fixed a wide-eyed stare on his face. What? It had only been four hours. Many people here were going to stay until the dawn light. Why was he making me leave already? Besides, we had come separately, so it wasn't a matter of having to carpool. Or had he come without a car again so we could take mine home together?

Either way, Ken obliged gracefully. He did raise an eyebrow, however, and managed to let slip a parting word.

"I trust you to keep her safe, since I won't have the privilege of showing her to her front door tonight."

"I own the front door you'd be leaving her at, so might as well."

Ken nodded again, but this time there was a faint thought in his head. (Poor Evan.)

Poor Evan? Why the sympathy? Or was it perhaps sarcastic? I couldn't tell.

"Goodnight, Claudia," Ken said with the charming smile that I had grown so accustomed to. "I'll see you soon."

Evan took my arm, and I followed him out of the building and off the campus. Just before we reached my car, the great bell on the campus chapel pealed in the distance. Twelve rings. Midnight.

The spell was breaking. The surreal dream that had begun with my strange, hypnotic dance with Alpha Evan and lasted until now - was fading.