VANESSA
"Roman."
His name echoed in my mind like a distant melody, familiar yet somehow out of reach. The fragment of memory had lodged itself in my thoughts, refusing to fade away—Roman asking me to say I loved him again. It made no sense. The man had rejected me, if my family was to be believed.
My mother guided me through the ballroom, her hand a gentle pressure on my lower back. "Smile, darling," she whispered. "Everyone's watching the future Luna of Blackwood Pack."
I forced my lips into what I hoped was a convincing smile, though inside I felt hollow. The engagement announcement still hung in the air like a storm cloud, suffocating me.
Across the room, I felt him before I saw him. Roman Vance's golden-brown eyes tracked my movement, intense and unwavering. Something about his gaze made my skin prickle with awareness.
"Vanessa."
