#Chapter 32: The Artifact

Agnes & Elijah Agnes We moved from the ballroom at the gala to the auction hall for the next part of the gala—the auction. I took in the elegant surroundings, the polished floors and glittering chandeliers, feeling a bit more relaxed now that Elijah had solidified my place at his side to everyone. We settled into seats a few rows from the podium and waited for the auction to start. I glanced toward a group of shifters laughing and my breath caught in my throat when my gaze landed on a face I hadn’t seen in years. It was as though time stopped. The world around me blurred, and all I could see was him. Mason. My first love. The man who had been my everything back in college, and who had disappeared without a trace, leaving a hollow ache in my chest that had never truly healed. Memories I had long buried came rushing back—late nights studying together, stolen kisses under the stars, whispered promises of forever. I hadn’t expected to see him here, of