_Calden's POV_
I adjusted my cufflinks for the third time in ten minutes, a nervous habit I'd developed whenever I was trying to keep my composure. The encounter with Cyric and Zarelle had rattled me more than I cared to admit, but I couldn't let it show. Not here. Not at the Missatian Pack ball.
This event was one of the most important networking opportunities of the year. The Missatian Pack rarely hosted such grand gatherings, making invitations incredibly exclusive and hard to come by. I'd pulled strings and called in favors just to get through those doors tonight. There was no way I was going to let personal drama derail what could be career-defining connections.
But damn it, seeing Zarelle on Cyric's arm had hit me harder than expected. The way she looked at him, the easy f
