Chapter 37
Lily's POV
I stood still, half-hidden behind a column at the edge of the grand ballroom, watching the celebration unfold. Applause shook the walls, bouncing off golden chandeliers and polished marble floors.
Joe stood at the center of it all, a vision of royalty, tall, sharp, impossibly regal. The royal totem glistened across his chest like it had waited its entire existence for him. His wolf howled inside him. I could sense it, even from here.
The entire pack was proud. Everyone cheered. Everyone except me.
I wrapped my arms around myself. The robe I wore suddenly felt thinner. Tighter. It should've been a beautiful night. A moment of pride for the kingdom, for the new Alpha, for all of us. But me? All I could think about was the taste of Joe's kiss. The sound of his voice whispering, Marry me. And the hollow space it had left behind.
"How dare he kiss me like that?" I muttered under my breath. "And how dare I kiss him back?"
