Katrina~

The moment I stepped into the ballroom, the wealth and mour hit me like a rush of heat. Everything gleamed and shimmered—the ceilings soared high above, heavy chandeliers spilling light like broken stars, their crystals scattering color across the polished marble floor. The room smelled rich and heady—aged bloodwine, roasted meat, roses in full bloom, and underneath it all, that faint metallic edge of tension. A string quartet yed from the corner, their haunting tune threading through the room like a heartbeat you couldn''t ignore.

Vampires owned the space. They drifted through the crowd in silks and satins, movements too smooth, too perfect—like predators wrapped in elegance. Their pale skin glowed under the chandeliers, smiles shing quick glimpses of fangs. Along the edges stood the werewolves—my kind. Bigger, heavier, more grounded. They hung back in tight groups, drinks in hand, their stares sharp, like they knew they were only guests here, never family. Not Vampire and werewolf was as cool as Dad and uncle Sebastian or Nick and I. Anyway, conversations buzzed low,ughter cracked sharp, and no matter where I looked, eyes were on Nichs and me.

We drew them like fire draws moths. Vampires, wolves, hybrids—it didn''t matter. They pressed in, voicesyering over each other.

"Kathy, you''re stunning tonight—those eyes could shame the moon itself," one vampire purred, brushing a little too close.

Another wolf leaned in, grin full of mischief. "Princess, just one dance with me. One spin, and I''ll owe you forever."

The crowd circled tighter, theirpliments dripping with that needy energy, as if touching me might change their lives. Nichs wasn''t spared either. A flock of vampire women and wolves surrounded him, giggling, whispering, tugging for his attention. A burly werewolf pped him on the shoulder with a boomingugh.

"Nick! We''re nning a hunting trip this weekend. You in?"

Nichs just smirked, cool as ever. "I''ll think about it."

But no matter how loud the room got, my eyes kept finding Vincent and Winter. They lingered near the entrance like they''d stumbled into the wrong world—two shadows caught in too much light. Vincent stood stiff in his jacket, sharp features carved tight, those piercing eyes swallowing up every flicker of darkness they could find. Beside him, Winter clung quietly to his sleeve, her pale face unreadable yet fragile, like porcin under strain.

They didn''t try to blend in. They hovered close, whispering in quick bursts, ncing around as if every gaze burned their skin. Out of ce didn''t even begin to cover it—they looked like fish dropped on drynd, fighting for air. And yet, there was something oddly tender in the way they leaned into each other. Winter tilted her head toward his shoulder, and he shifted just enough that his arm brushed hers, protective without even thinking about it.

Through our mind link— that unbreakable thread forged from years of friendship and shared secrets—Nichs''s voice echoed in my head,ced with curiosity and a hint of suspicion. "Kat, look at those two. Vincent and Winter... what''s their deal? They can''t be siblings; they look nothing alike. He''s all sharp angles and intensity, she''s like a porcin doll carved from ice. No family resemnce at all."fn9733 Content originallyes from f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?/fn9733

I felt a pang in my chest, sharp and unwee, as I watched Vincent murmur something to Winter, her lips curving in a rare, vulnerable smile only for him. "Yeah, Nick. I was thinking the same. What if... what if they''re a couple? The way she clings to him, the way he shields her—it''s too intimate for just friends."

The thought twisted like a knife in my gut, igniting a fierce, possessive fire that I hadn''t expected. Unhappy didn''t cover it; jealousy roared through me, hot and irrational, urging me to march over and pry them apart. Nichs''s mental response came back edged with the same dark emotion. "If they are, I don''t like it one bit. Makes my blood boil. We need to figure this out, Kat. Before it drives us crazy."

"Agreed," I shot back, my heart pounding. "Let''s split them up. You grab Winter''s attention—use that brooding charm of yours. I''ll handle Vincent. Pry whatever we can out of them. Subtly, of course."

"Subtly? With you? This''ll be fun," he teased, but there was a thrill in his voice, a shared excitementced with that underlying tension.

Ignoring the swarm of boys still buzzing around me—"Katrina, please, just one dance!" "Your hair, like mes in the night!"—I locked eyes with Vincent across the room. My pulse raced as I wove through the crowd, the silk of my gown whispering against my legs, I could see through the ballroom mirrors, that my reddish-blonde hair was catching the light like embers. It was perfect. I looked perfect. So, I reached him before doubt could creep in, slipping my hand into his without a word. The moment our skin touched, those same sparks in the alley erupted again—electric, searing, racing up my arm like wildfire through dry grass. My knees nearly buckled, a gasp catching in my throat as that undeniable pull, the mate bond Sapphire had howled about since the alley drama, surged to life.

Vincent''s eyes widened, but he didn''t pull away. Instead, a flicker of something raw and unguarded crossed his face—surprise, desire, maybe even relief. I started pulling him gently away from Winter, toward a quieter alcove draped in velvet curtains. Surprisingly, he followed without protest, his steps syncing with mine as if we''d danced this path a thousand times. In the corner of my eye, I caught Winter''s movement—she stepped forward, her hand reaching out instinctively—but Nichs was there in a sh, his tall frame blocking her path with that effortless vampire grace. He took her hand smoothly, his dark eyes locking onto hers, and led her in the opposite direction, toward the balcony doors. She hesitated, ncing back at Vincent, but Nichs murmured something low, and she followed, her enigmatic mask cracking just a fraction.

We stopped in the alcove, the music a distant hum now, the air cooler and shadowed. I turned to face Vincent, my eyes searching his, my heart thundering like a storm. "Vincent," I said softly, my voice trembling with the weight of it all. "I... I need to talk to you. About what''s happening between us. I don''t know if you can feel it, or if your wolf has told you, but my wolf—she''s made it crystal clear. You''re my mate. The pull, the sparks—it''s undeniable."

He didn''t say a word at first. He just stared at me, lost, like the world had tilted off its axis and he was adrift in the chaos. His calcting gaze softened, his ambitious charm fracturing into something vulnerable, as if I''d stripped away his armor with those simple words. I thought maybe he hadn''t heard me over the lingering echoes of the party, so I opened my mouth to repeat myself—"Vincent, did you—"

But before I could finish, he surged forward, pulling me into his arms with a desperation that stole my breath. His lips crashed onto mine, fierce and consuming, like a dam breaking after years of restraint. The kiss was fire and shadow intertwined—his mouth hot against mine, tasting of mystery and midnight, his hands tangling in my hair, pulling me closer as if I were the only thing anchoring him. I melted into him, my body yielding like wax to me, every nerve alight with that electric bond. I could hear his heartbeat, frantic and wild, mirroring mine in a chaotic symphony that drowned out everything else. His raw strength held me firm, yet tender, his shadows curling around us like a protective veil, while my celestial light flickered in response, sparks of gold dancing at the edges of my vision. Time stretched, the world narrowing to the press of his lips, the slide of his tongue, the way his breath mingled with mine in ragged gasps.

It felt eternal, that kiss—passionate, raw, a collision of worlds that shouldn''t fit but did, perfectly, devastatingly. My hands roamed his back, feeling the taut muscles beneath his shirt, my wolf howling in triumph inside me. But slowly, reality intruded. Whispers rippled through the crowd, eyes turning our way. It took the first sharp sh of a camera—blinding, intrusive—for the moment to shatter. Phones were out, videos rolling, shes popping like fireworks in the dim room. "Is that Kathy?" "With him? Who is he?" The murmurs grew, a wave of shock and delight.

Vincent froze, his eyes widening in rm. The lights seemed to spook him, shadows recoiling as if burned. Without a word, he pulled back, his face a mask of panic, and bolted—slipping through the crowd like smoke. I stood there, lips tingling, heart aching, as he reached the balcony. There, Winter and Nichs were lost in their own bubble—her head tilted up to him, his hand still in hers, voices low and intimate. Vincent grabbed her arm, yanking her away with a fierce protectiveness that made my blood boil. "Winter, we have to go—now!" he hissed.

Nichs''s face twisted in fury, his dark eyes shing red. "Hey! What the hell—" But Vincent was already dragging her toward the exit, her protests faint—"Vincent, wait!"—as they vanished into the night.

Rage and hurt surged through me. "Nick!" I shouted, pushing through the gawking crowd. We ran after them, my lycan speed kicking in, Nichs blurring ahead with his vampire swiftness. The estate grounds blurred—manicuredwns, moonlit fountains, the chill night air whipping my hair. But they were gone. No scent lingered, not even a whisper of shadow to track. We searched for what felt like hours—circling the perimeter, darting into the woods, Nichs shing ahead in bursts of speed that left me breathless. Nothing. It was as if they''d evaporated into the ether.

Finally, we stopped in the middle of nowhere—a clearing under a canopy of stars, the party a distant glow behind us. My chest heaved, not from exertion, but from the hollow ache where my heart should be. It felt caved out, raw and empty, like a vital piece of me had been ripped away. Nichs stood beside me, his brooding facade cracked, eyes haunted. "Kat... they''re gone," he whispered, his voice breaking.

I nodded, tears stinging my eyes, the mate bond throbbing like a fresh wound. "Yeah. But we''ll find them. We have to."