#Chapter 18: Exposed

Elara Throughout the rest of the evening, Alaric stayed close to me and the children, his presence a silent shield against any further incidents. He maintained a calm, stoic demeanor, but it was clear he was deep in thought about everything that had transpired at the banquet. And I couldn’t blame him. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, either—Olivia and Mason, Asher’s comment about Alaric’s late wife, and then, of course… There was the kiss. I kept telling myself that it was just a kiss, that there was nothing more to it. It had only happened out of pure necessity, the only way to get the onlookers off our backs. But when we had pulled back, and I had seen that look in Alaric’s eyes… A tiny, hopeful part of me couldn’t help but imagine what my life—what our lives, the girls included—would be like if that kiss had been real. Zoe and Ella were blissfully unaware of the tension, happily nibbling on pastries and dancing together. I spent most of the ni