The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

“Ella,” Clavin says, his voice thick with emotion. His hand continues its path, reaching for me, his fingers brushing the velvet sleeve of my gown before I can pull away.

“What,” I whisper, taking a few steps back, wanting space between us. “What was that?”

“I don’t – ”

Before he can finish though, we both turn towards the darkened doorway to the balcony. I instantly recognize the silhouette I see there as my mate’s and breathe out a breath of relief.

I mean it’s not that I think that Calvin or I did anything wrong, or that Calvin was going to hurt me, but whatever passed between us? It was strange.

And suddenly as I remember the pulse that happened last night, when Calvin touched my hand – I want my mate here, now, at my side.

“Is everything all right out here?” Sinclair growls, his voice low and full of the threat that his words don’t carry.

He takes a step forward into the darkness as Calvin takes a step away from me and bows to him, both a formality shown to a king and a display of deference to an Alpha who thinks he might sense a threat to his mate.

“Everything is fine, Dominic,” I say, holding out a hand to him, doing my best to keep my voice light though I suspect I’m failing a little bit. “Prince Calvin was just telling me about his children. Did you know that he has a son just older than Rafe? And his daughter is three.”

the Atalaxian prince. “Your family keeps

closest friends. And I very much hope that after this trip that

Calvin that I’m on his side, and to persuade Sinclair that no matter what he sensed, Calvin has

pressing his hands into his pockets and looking Calvin up and down. “Especially after the stunts your delegation has been pulling

genuinely pained. “I

to look me in the eye. Calvin sighs deeply

that there was and is dissent within our nation. While I’m sure that some of our delegation encouraged Xander and support his disgusting ideas, some of us want

“Then I’d look forward to speaking

you’ll allow me to set it up,” the prince says quietly, “I will do

mouth, clear that that’s his final

each of us, and then says he’ll put the wheels in motion before stepping towards the door. When he reaches it, he clasps Conner on the shoulder and bids him a good night as well, a move that adds another tick in his favor as far as I’m concerned. I quite like it when persons of power make a point to acknowledge people in positions of

moment, I look

I’d ask you the same,” he says, looming over me a bit, clearly

confused.

you doing out here, Ella?” Sinclair says, shaking his head at me a little. “Having private conversations with a member of our enemies’ royal

Dominic!” I say, waving a hand towards the door. “He wants to

Sinclair growls, “to get you on his side. He knows you’re soft hearted! He told you about his children who

can’t have it both ways – you can’t love that about me and then use it as a reason to discredit me when it’s

we agreed that you’d let me take the lead on these things – that you would allow me to take care of you, to set our

trust my instincts, and they’re telling me to trust him. Prince Calvin – he speaks to me and if this is an in with the Atalaxians? A way to create an alliance, to avoid war, to perhaps even help some of the women within that nation? Wouldn’t