"Aurora, don't tell me you'd reject this offer." Kate’s voice was a harsh whisper, laced with panic as she leaned closer to Aurora, her manicured nails digging into her champagne flute.
She felt the burn of secondhand embarrassment creeping up her neck at Aurora’s prolonged silence.
Kate’s inner monologue was less forgiving. "Aurora’s a bitch... a big f*****g b***h for this. She should just forget our friendship if she's too blind to see an Alpha crazy in love."
Aurora exhaled slowly, her heart thundering in her chest. The weight of dozens of judging eyes pressed down on her, but none of it compared to the suffocating intensity of Marcus’s stare. She bit her lip, shutting her eyes for a moment before grabbing Marcus’s hand.
The collective hiss from the crowd hit her like a slap. Inst
