Page 60 of Noah

Her eyes shifted up to catch his. It was like a bolt through his body, his mind racing at her meaning. He didn’t want to make assumptions; hope was a wild flutter in his chest, and he was locked in that moment as they moved around the dance floor.

Everyone else faded.

They became vanilla and wild mango, masculine dominance, and his panting beast.

Noah knew that he would have Adrienne tonight. The way she softened for him and how she came to him so freely…open.

“We should leave soon,” he said.

Noah wanted to get her to bed but he figured he shouldn’t say that. Ren didn’t seem particularly romantic, but he found he wanted to give her those things, and blurting he wanted her in bed was not romantic.

“We haven’t been here long,” Adrienne breathed.

Noah briefly wondered if that was her way of telling him no. Then she said, “One more hour, then we leave.”

Her hands patted his chest. He sighed in relief. “Mingle,” she ordered and pointed to the couples. His shoulders moved in silent laughter, and she rolled her eyes.

Whether they were mated or just coming for a night of fun and dancing they were all letting loose and enjoying themselves.

The music stopped and a live orchestra came on, playing softly as people slowed down and swayed.

Adrienne gave him an encouraging smile, waving him away, and urging him to talk to them. Noah growled low and rolled his eyes.

If Adrienne wanted it, he would do it.

Noah stomped over to the female he recognised and growled, “Hello.”

The female arched her eyebrows and spun with a plate in her hand and some kind of creamy spongey square in the middle. “Hello new male,” she cocked her head and looked at him up and down like she was assessing him.

Noah grunted.

She laughed. “Not one for conversation, are you?”

Noah shifted uncomfortably. A glance showed Ren checking on him and he knew he couldn’t walk away without really trying. “Noah,” he introduced himself.

“Yes. I figured that out. I know everyone here including most of the humans and trust me there’s more than there used to be.”

He studied her and noted how relaxed she was despite how tightly coiled he was. He also knew how strong his impatience smelled to her, but she stayed near him regardless and he was intrigued. “You are a balanced individual.”

She shrugged lightly and leaned in. He tilted his head as she mock whispered, “Yes and I can smell how strongly you want her.” Noah blinked and she pointed at Ren. “Your mate.”

Mate?

She watched him as she explained, “My olfactory sense is off-the-charts even for a Number.” She wrinkled her nose and nodded in Ren’s direction. Noah turned and saw her happily chatting with a female.

He turned back. “Wren,” the female introduced herself and offered her hand.

Intrigued by her and curious, Noah shook her hand. “How do you know that she is my mate?”

She gestured at her nose. “I can smell it way before anyone else will.” She tapped her chin in thought. “Apart from Perdy, of course. She can pick up things that…” She paused and shuddered. “…poor female picks up too much input which gives her headaches.”

“I heard about her. The female Alpha, right?”

“Yeah, and a general all-round badass,” she laughed when she saw his confusion and shook her head.

He got lost in conversation as Wren told him about Perdy’s struggle finding and helping her mate, then proving his innocence, and bringing down a despicable human from her past who was responsible for God knows how many crimes.

Over ten years, the human enforcement agency had recorded a total of forty-three victims whom they had recently determined were Howard’s victims.

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