Page 8 of Run Little Fawn

Lucian's lips curve into a wicked grin, his eyes glinting with promise behind the wolf mask. "I'll hold you to that, little fox."

A shiver runs down my spine as I slip out of the coat room, the ghost of his touch still lingering on my skin. Natalie spots me first, her sequined wings catching the light as she rushes over. "There you are!" she says with a giddy laugh. "I was starting to think the big bad wolf had eaten you alive."

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I glance back at the door. It's open, and I don't see him. Did he already slip away? Did she hear anything? "Not quite, but it was a close call."

She pulls back, her eyes wide and sparkling with mischief behind her mask. "Judging by that face, it either went really well or really bad."

I bite my lip, fighting back a grin. "Let's just say if your definition of 'going well' is getting fingered in a coat room, it's going swimmingly."

Natalie throws her head back and laughs. "Aria Moreau, you absolute slut! I'm so proud of you!"

I shove her playfully, my face burning. "Shh!" I drop my voice pointedly. "Would you hate me if I abandoned ship early to go home with him? I don't think he was finished with me yet, if you know what I mean."

She grins, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Babe, I'd hate you if you didn't. Jules is three sheets to the wind, and the rest of us are well on our way. You've done your duty. Go get your wolf."

I go back toward the coat room, but I don't see any sign of him at all. After a thorough search around the ballroom, searching for a flash of dark gray among the riot of color and feathers, I'm starting to realize Damien wasn't the only guy who disappeared into thin air tonight.

I should've at least given Lucian my number.

I went back to Natalie, fighting back the sting of disappointment. "I think he might've given me the slip," I mutter.

She frowns, scanning the crowd with narrowed eyes. "Want me to track him down and drag him back by his tail?"

I shake my head, forcing a smile. "Nah, it's fine."

It's probably for the best, anyway.

She studies me for a moment, her expression softening. "His loss, babe. You're a fox—literally tonight—and you're fucking brilliant. If he can't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."

I can't help but smile. "Thanks."

Natalie drapes an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as she steers us back toward the dance floor. "Now come on. Let's make that first asshole regret inviting us here."

I let her drag me into the throng of dancers, the pulsing beat and the press of bodies chasing away the lingering ache in my chest. We lose ourselves in the music, laughing and twirling and singing along to songs we only half-know.

And for a while, I almost forget about the wolf and his magnetic pull. Almost. But it's a little hard to get over being ghosted by not one, but two guys in one night that went from eating me alive with their eyes to wanting nothing to do with me.

I had higher hopes for Lucian, too. He actually seemed interested in me for some reason. Guess not. If he wanted to find me, he could.

I push the thoughts aside, focusing on the here and now. On Natalie's infectious laughter, on Jules's drunken and horrifying attempts at twerking, on the sheer joy of being young and alive and surrounded by friends.

All the shit I missed when I chose to put my dreams aside.

I don't regret any of it, not for a moment. But sometimes, I worry I passed up every opportunity to live a life that feels more than… mundane. Nights like this make it a little easier to swallow that uncertainty.

Tomorrow, I'll nurse my hangover and my bruised ego.

Tonight, I'm going to fucking dance.

Chapter Four

THE FAWN

The morning light filters through my curtains, casting a soft glow across my bedroom. I groan, burying my face in my pillow as the events of last night come rushing back.

Despite the pounding in my head and the cottony dryness of my mouth, a small smile tugs at my lips. It's been a long time since I let myself let go like that, since I allowed myself to get swept up in the moment and just enjoy something without overthinking every little detail.

I roll out of bed, wincing as my feet hit the cold hardwood floor, and stumble to the bathroom. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I barely recognize myself. My hair is a wild mess, my mascara smudged beneath my eyes, and there's a brightness to my gaze that wasn't there before. A spark of life.

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