A startled gasp escaped Jeniva's lips as she felt the world tilt. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, bracing her body for the hard impact of the palace floor. Instead of cold stone, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap securely around her waist and shoulders, halting her descent in mid-air.
She snapped her eyes open to find Dominick's face inches from hers. He had caught her in time thanks to his Alpha's speed. But that brought him down to one knee against the rug to absorb the weight of the fall.
"Careful," he breathed with genuine concern. He held her for a second longer than necessary before gently lowering her onto the floor rug.
"Thank you," she murmured, her heart still hammering against her ribs as she sat up, smoothing her skirt with trembling hands.
