One Night

Chapter 162

Audrey

Fiona’s smile was even more saccharine than I remembered it being as she approached, her eyes gleaming with false warmth. I tensed, my hand instinctively tightening around Edwin’s arm. I felt him tense, too, a ripple of discomfort flickering across our mate bond.

Edwin stepped slightly in front of me, his body serving as a subtle shield between Fiona and me just in case she tried anything. “Fiona,” he said, his voice carefully neutral. “I can explain.”

“No need.” Fiona waved a dismissive hand, her platinum blonde hair catching the light as she moved. “There’s nothing to explain. I understand that you two are fated mates. How… joyous

The word dripped with insincerity, but her face remained a mask of pleasantness. She continued, her voice syrupy sweet, “You cannot get in the way of fate, after all. I completely understand why our engagement had to be called off.”

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She paused, her eyes flickering over to me. Those cold blue irises darkened as she looked at me. “…And I’m truly happy for

you

both. Who knows: maybe I’ll find my fated mate now.”

With that last sentence, she leaned over and winked at me. I thought I might be sick.

Just then, I felt another flicker through the bond. Edwin and I both knew that she was lying through her teeth, that her words couldn’t be further from the truth.

The tension in the air was palpable, and I could practically feel the gears turning in Fiona’s head. She was planning something, I was sure of it.

At that moment, Edwin’s voice echoed in my mind through our bond: “Now is our chance. Try to touch her somehow. We need to read her memories.”

I nodded imperceptibly and stepped forward, extending my hand. “Thank you for understanding. Fiona. I hope we can move on from this.”

But before I could make contact, Fiona took a step back. Her smile never wavered, but her eyes were cold. “Of course. But please, enjoy the party. If you’ll excuse me, I have other guests to attend to.”

With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. I hated to admit it, but I was glad that I hadn’t had a chance to see into her mind just yet. I wasn’t sure if I was ready.

“Sorry,” I said, turning to face Edwin

Edwin put his arm around my shoulders and shook his head. “Nothing to apologize for. We’ll have plenty of time tonight. Let’s get a drink.”

With that, we began meandering through the bustling party. The house was crowded, each room stuffed with elegantly- dressed people. A few noticed my silver locket and shoes and curled their lips at me, but most people hardly even saw me, it

was so crowded.

“Edwin, there’s something else,” I said through our Mindlink. “When Claudia hugged me earlier, my wolf… she called her ‘Mother.”

I felt him stiffen, surprise emanating across our bond. “What? Are you sure? But Claudia only had one child, and that was

Fiona.”

I nodded, my hand unconsciously moving to touch the locket around my neck. “I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make any sense, but… the feeling was so strong. Her scent was so familiar. Like a forgotten memory.

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Edwin was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then “It’s possible your wolf might have mistaken Claudia as your mother because of your close relationship. Remember, you’ve only had virtual meetings with her these past weeks. Your wolf hasn’t had a chance to scent her properly yet. She might have just gotten confused due to your age difference and closeness.”

1 frowned, considering his words. It made sense, but something still felt off. “Maybe you’re right,” I said, not entirely convinced. “But Claudia said she used to have a locket just like this one. Isn’t that strange?”

“It’s a common design. I’m not trying to discount your experience, and I do think we should look into it. But try not to read too much into it right now. We need to focus on Fiona and Coldclaw tonight.”

“You’re right.”

We made our way to the bar, each grabbing a glass of champagne. We clinked our classes together and took a sip, the bubbles tickling the back of my throat. The warmth began to soothe my frayed nerves.

As we sipped, I scanned the room for Fiona. She was flitting from group to group, never staying in one place for long. Every so often, she would glance over her shoulder as if checking to make sure she wasn’t being

followed.

I wondered if she believed the lie that I didn’t remember how I fell; it was what I had told everyone, after all. Or maybe she knew that we knew and figured we’d come after her in the same way she had come after me.

“She’s certainly making herself hard to pin down tonight, isn’t she?” I muttered to Edwin

He nodded, his eyes also tracking Fiona’s movements with a predator’s grace. But if Edwin was a wolf, then Fiona was a lynx in the jungle. This was her terrain. Not ours. And she was good at what she did.

“She might suspect we’re up to something,” he added. “Or maybe she feels guilty about what she did to you and doesn’t want to face it.

I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking deeply. I still remembered the dream I’d had, clear as day, when I had seen the incident through Fiona’s eyes. “In her memory, it didn’t seem like she wanted to push me. It was more like she felt she had

to

Edwin’s jaw clenched. “That doesn’t excuse what she did.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I agreed. “But it might help us understand her motivations better, at the very least.”

As the party progressed, I made several attempts to get closer to Fiona. Each time, she managed to slip away just as I approached. It was becoming increasingly frustrating, and soon, that frustration had replaced my earlier fear.

“This isn’t working.” I hissed to Edwin after another failed attempt to talk to her at the buffet table-she had slipped away the moment she saw me. “She’s avoiding us like the plague.”

Edwin frowned, his eyes scanning the throng. “We need a new strategy. Perhaps we should split up, try to corner her.”

“I’ll circle around from the left, you take the right.”

We separated, each of us moving casually through the crowd. I grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter, using it as a prop to blend in. As I maneuvered through the party, I overheard snippets of conversation.

“Did you hear about the merger?”

“Alpha Wallace is going to take territory from Pinehollow Pack…

Such a shame, too.I really liked Maverick and Emily together

I tried to shove away the random snippets, instead keeping my focus on Fiona. She was standing near the window now, engaged in conversation with an older gentleman I didn’t recognize.

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Just as I was about to approach, the music changed. The DJ announced it was time for dancing, and couples began to flood the dance floor. I only glanced away for a second, and Fiona was already gone. I could see her platinum hair bobbing toward the dance floor now.

Edwin appeared at my side, offering his hand. “May I have this dance?”

I took it, allowing him to lead me onto the floor. As we swayed to the music, I whispered, “She slipped away again.”

“Not entirely. Look.”

I followed his gaze to see Fiona standing toward the center of the dance floor, swaying along to the music with a man I didn’t recognize. They seemed locked in conversation-oblivious to their surroundings.

“I have an idea,” I said. “Follow my lead.”

As we danced. I gradually steered us closer to where Fiona was dancing. Then, when we were just a few feet away, I pretended to stumble, breaking away from Edwin.

I spun, my hand reaching out to steady myself. My fingers brushed Fiona’s bare shoulder.

And in that moment of contact, I focused all my energy and slipped into her mind.