Chapter 42

“Caleb?” I said, peeking through the crowd. He was nowhere to be seen, and I was starting to get frustrated. I glanced up at the clock on the main wall behind me. It was only a few minutes until Daniel and I had agreed to meet if we hadn’t found Caleb yet.

Sighing, I turned back towards the balconies, but felt a harsh yank on my left arm.

“Hey!” I exclaimed, straining to see the short man dragging me through the crowd.

“This way, Miss Ruby!” He squeaked as we emerged onto the main marble dance floor in the center of the room. I hadn’t paid attention to the crowd moving as I was looking for Caleb, but now I realized the dance floor was completely empty and surrounded by expectant looking guests.

Caleb, his hands in his pockets, stood disinterestedly in the center. “Ah, there you are, darling.” He said, a wry smile on his face.

The emcee clambered up the announcement podium, and tapped a few times on the microphone to get the room’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen! It is the moment you have all been waiting for, and we are thrilled to finally be reaching the climax of the evening.”

I glanced nervously at Caleb, “What is going on? I don’t remember anything like this in the outlines we planned?”

Caleb’s eyebrows were raised, he looked as confused as I felt. “I have no idea. Maybe this is a joke Joseph is playing on us?”

I scanned the crowd, but couldn’t find Caleb’s friend.

“As is the tradition in our great Lycan Kingdom, the host and his partner will lead us in a dance as the moon reaches its peak through the great hall’s window.” He gestured to the large stained glass installation glowing in the north wall, where the moon was now perfectly visible through the clear top panel.

I looked at Caleb, and sighed. This couldn’t be too hard? I’d never danced with him before, but I was sure all we needed to do was move with the music.

“If you would, maestro,” the emcee said grandly, waving his arms to the musicians. The conductor cleared his throat in the silence of the room, and slowly began drawing a hauntingly beautiful melody out of the instruments before him.

Caleb offered me his hand, his eyes cast down and avoiding me. “It looks like we don’t really have a choice now, do we?”

I swallowed, placing my fingers delicately against his palm. The touch of his skin sent a rush of electricity through my body and up into my throat. The memory of our few moments on the couch of my apartment resurfaced, and all I could visualize was the way those hands felt caressing me and coaxing waves of pleasure out of me.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly, his eyes darting between mine.

“Fine,” I said, and steeled myself against a shiver as he slid his other hand to the small of my back. He was so warm, I could feel the heat emanating from his fingers as we began swaying to the tune of the music.

“Come on, Ruby, don’t lie to me. I can feel you, you’re as stiff as a board.”

“I don’t lie to you, calm down.” I said, irritated by his nonchalance. I looked up into his eyes, the piercing green color shimmering with the candlelight around us.

“Let’s hope not, because otherwise the rest of this arrangement will be very unpleasant for us both.” He said, looking past my shoulder.

I startled back a bit, surprised by the vehemence in his voice. “What does that mean?”

His hand travelled up to the back of my neck, pulling my ear to his lips so he could whisper, “I don’t appreciate betrayal, Ruby. That was one of the first things I told you when we decided to take up this charade, playing me will cost you.”

His hand loosened around my throat, but I grabbed him by the wrist, twisting out on the dance floor. The audience clapped, unaware of the tight grip I had on him.

As he tugged me back into him, I ran my fingertips up his arm and pulled him down, forcing him to hold me in a dip.

His face looked strained above me, and I laced my fingers through his hair to bring our noses just close enough to touch. “I’m sick of your attitude, Caleb. We both want this to work, we both need this to work. If you would rather run back to your fucktoys, be my guest. But I am going to take down Lucas, whether you’re willing to help me or not.”

The look of surprise on his face was satisfying, and he said nothing for a few moments as we returned to our swaying positions.

“You’re committed to this, then?” He asked.

“I have something that will help us. I have pictures of Harper and L:ucas’s gamma Adrian that prove she has been sleeping with him behind Lucas’s back, and the ring Adrian was planning to use to propose.”

“What–”

“But I need you to promise you’re on my side for this. Striking Lucas only works if we’re strong as a team, otherwise when he hits back we’re going to crumble, and so will our chances at the throne.”

I felt tension ripple through Caleb’s muscles. “Fine,” he whispered, swirling me around him so my skirt fanned out like the petals of a flower. “But, you’re not going to do anything without my say-so. Got it?”

His hand slipped just lower, grazing the top of my ass. My head tilted back involuntarily, and he quickly filled the space, nuzzling his nose in the vulnerable space just below my ear.

“Whatever you say, fiance.” I responded, angling my cheek to brush against the stubble of his. His breath was sweet, and just tinged with the scent of wine.

We spun in a final circle, the sound of the music dying around us. I barely registered the thundering applause coming from the audience. Instead, I heard only my heartbeat and the rhythmic exhale from Caleb’s lips.

After several moments standing still, we pulled away slightly, his arm remaining firmly around my waist as we waved to the onlookers. Whoever’s idea it was to perform a traditional Lycan dance, they ought to be congratulated, I thought.

The reporters in the far back of the room were jumping ecstatically in front of their cameras, and it struck me for the first time that public opinion might be starting to swing in our favor. Caleb and I waved together from the dance floor, and we looked like a real couple, sparkling under the chandeliers.

I looked up at his face, considering his expression. I couldn’t quite tell what was behind those eyes, but I knew he felt the same electricity I did.