Daryn took Maya's hand and stood there gracefully. As soon as the music started, he danced with her stylishly. At the same time Maya matched his grace. She extended her legs like a trained ballerina she was, and glided them along with him as he held her arms in front. Everything looked perfect. Maya felt great dancing with him—yes he was perfect for her.

Daryn would keep glancing at Dawn every now and then to see her reaction when he held Maya intimately. He was trying to show how close he was to her but to his utter disappointment Dawn wasn't even paying attention. She was looking at Azura who had brought his ear close to her. She must have muttered something in his ear that made him smile. His heightened sense of hearing couldn't pick up what she said because the music was loud. It resulted in him getting jealous to the extent that his expressions became bitter as a flash of anger bolted through his mind.

​​

As soon as the first formal dance was over, more couples came on the dance floor for the next one. Daryn left Maya and went to stand on the side. Shocked, she followed him. Irritated, she asked, "Why have you left me Daryn? Let's have another dance!" She didn't want to feel insulted. He had to dance with her.

"I am sorry but I need a break," he replied and picked another glass of wine from a waiter's tray.

"Are you joking? It's not that you are tired," she accused. "I am not liking the way you are behaving. You must dance with me. I demand it," she spoke through her teeth with forced restraint. Her hands moved in the air when she spoke as if she was talking with the hands instead of her mouth.

"No," he replied coldly.

Maya clenched her jaw and then threw her hands up in the 'I give up' gesture. She walked away from him and went to Pia. Shaking her head, she took her glass of wine and sipped it. Pia was standing with Caleb and Gayle, who were talking to a group of men. She had a pinched, tension filled expression on her face.

Azura held Dawn's hand and brought her to the floor. However, as soon as he held Dawn's hands in the dancing position, the emcee came running to him. "I am sorry Sir but someone has paid $75,000 to dance with Dawn. According to the rules, she can only dance with that person."

Azura's eyes became wide as football fields and Dawn's throat closed up. Her restlessness increased.

"Who has done that?" asked Azura, tightening his hold on Dawn's hands.

The emcee pursed his lips. With a frown he said, "Sorry Sir, I can't reveal that."

"I will pay back the money," Azura said. He wanted to tear that person in a thousand pieces. Dawn was his.

"Sorry Sir, it doesn't go like that," the emcee replied quickly.

"Let us go Azura," Dawn requested.

The emcee interjected, "I don't think it would be nice if you leave the party without giving the person who has paid so much for you for a dance. After all, the proceedings are going to go to the charity for a good cause. You must give it some face."

Feeling guilty, Dawn blushed slightly. Flustered as hell, she stuttered, "Ye- yes."

The emcee left them before Azura could speak anything. Azura left her hands gritting his teeth. Dawn watched him walking out of the dance floor. She went after him. His palms were hidden into his pockets and he had become unnaturally quiet.

Azura had planned on leaving the party after taking one round on the dance floor with her. After that he had planned on taking her for dinner. He had planned out a perfect evening with her, but this sudden unexpected intrusion tossed his mind into frenzy. And now he was not only stuck at this unbearable party of the pureblooded, whom he hated from the core of his heart, but he couldn't even dance with Dawn. He felt like a dog who couldn't eat the meat in front of him because his Master had refrained him.

None of them spoke much except in monosyllables. An hour went by and now the couples started to leave the dance floor. They proceeded to the lawns outside where the dinner was laid.

Daryn stood all alone watching her, watching her becoming irritated, restless and frustrated. Her cheeks were ruddy.

Meanwhile no one paid $50,000 to dance with Maya. She also kept standing like an idiot, highly embarrassed. She would look at Daryn hoping that he had changed his mind, but he looked reluctant for another dance. She could feel cold vibes emanating from him.

When almost all the couples had left for dinner, Dawn was also desperate to leave. Angered, she spat at Azura, "I am not waiting here for one more second Azura. This is enough of an insult for me. Next time do not make me a scapegoat in your political wars. I neither know them, nor do I have an intention of knowing them. I am done for the night. So if you will kindly give me the lift back, it is fine, else I will go back on my own. As for the seventy-five thousand dollars, I am going to send that money back to the person who bought this dance!"

"Yes, let's go!" Azura nodded. This was getting unendurable. They both got up and started walking to the door when someone from behind called. "You better give me that seventy-five thousand dollar dance."

Very few people were left in the hall and those included, Maya, Caleb and Pia. They were extremely shocked with what Daryn just said. Maya's movements froze as Pia and Caleb looked at Daryn with wide eyes. Maya pointed her finger at Daryn and asked Caleb, "Has your brother gone mad? Why is he asking for a dance from that neotide?" Caleb gaped.

Dawn turned to look at the person and her body trembled. A knot formed in her stomach. The devil himself was asking her for a dance. He was the one who had paid so much money for it? She couldn't comprehend the purpose. Her mind stuttered to find an answer. Her breathing became ragged. How could she deny?

"Su- sure," she replied and gave her hand to him. The moment she did that, Daryn pulled her very close to him. She stumbled but he held her immediately. The moment he held her close, the electricity between them set his skin on fire. The jolt, the heat and the burn – it came upon him like the time when he was a pubescent teen and had learnt how to shape shift for the first time. His wolf went berserk. Her scent set him into a heady trance—like a butterfly to the nectar—like a flower that was waiting to be plucked by him. As usual nothing made sense. There was no reason why a man like him got attracted to her, except that she was stunning. He had never been attracted to anyone this hard. All his adrenalin jerked his cock up, painfully. If that wasn't enough, he felt her arousal, the scent of which filled his nostrils. His fangs revolted as they glossed with his venom. He licked his tongue on them, ready to sink them in her flesh.

Mine.