#Chapter 123: Confidence

Aria “Aria, would you do me the honor of a dance?” Darren stiffened beside me when William said those words. It wasn’t just his body that stiffened, though—our mate bond suddenly flared to life for the second or perhaps third time that night, a surge of heat and protectiveness that I could feel beneath my own skin. I glanced up at him, my heart skipping a beat as I saw the way his jaw clenched ever so slightly, his eyes fixed on William with an intensity that could’ve melted steel. He was still on edge from earlier, from the protesters and the tomato incident, and I knew his wolf was close to the surface tonight. But then, Darren surprised me. “It’s your choice,” he said, glancing at me with a placid smile although I could still feel his wary discomfort through the bond. His hand tightened around mine, a silent reminder that he trusted me. I didn’t hesitate. “Thank you, William,” I said, turning to him with a polite smile. “But I’m afraid I’ll