Page 69 of Desired By Eros

Didn’t it?

She clenched her jaw and shook her head. Emotions were never something she allowed to dictate her actions. Logical choices, ones that protected her had always been her path. And being with Eros, a god with an existence so far removed from hers, had never made sense in the first place. But if it was theright choice, why did it feel like she’d just torn something vital from herself?

And why couldn’t she shake the feeling that something else was happening?

Psyche frowned, her fingers drumming against the mattress. There had been a dream—at least, she thought it was a dream. Eros and Bob talking. But about what? It was hazy, slipping away from her the more she tried to grasp at it.

“Damn dreams,” she muttered under her breath. They were always too vivid for her, always lingering in her mind longer than they should. But this one felt different. Important, somehow.

She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, staring blankly ahead. Something wasn’t right, though she just didn’t know what it was yet.

The flight back to Anchorage kept playing in her mind, like a cruel loop she couldn’t escape. The feel of Eros’s arms around her, the way his grip lingered even after they landed. The hesitation, the unspoken words. And then, just like that, he was gone, walking away before she could process it. Before she could even breathe.

She shook her head, inhaling sharply through her nose. Focus. The party was in a few hours. She had to keep herself together.

Psyche exhaled, forcing her shoulders to relax. She could do this. She had to. It wasn’t like she was new to navigating social situations—she’d done it her whole life. Masking was second nature by now, blending in, keeping herself from standing out too much.

She stood from the bed and moved to the mirror, studying her reflection. Her face was neutral, but if she just softened it a little—yes, that slight upturn of her lips, that would work. Nottoo much, not too little. Just enough to look like she belonged in the celebration without drawing attention.

She adjusted her posture, pulling her shoulders back. The plan was simple: slip into the party, make small talk when necessary, and blend into the crowd. No one would be paying much attention to her anyway, not with the twins being the focus of the day. And if she saw Eros…well, she would just keep walking.

Right. That was the plan.

Still, she couldn’t shake the lingering sadness in her chest. The way he had held onto her for that extra moment before letting go. The way he had walked away without another word. It had felt final, and that was what she wanted. Wasn’t it?

Psyche swallowed hard and turned from the mirror. It didn’t matter what it felt like. It was done.

She smoothed down her clothes and took a deep breath before stepping out of her room. Time to put the mask on.

Just as she reached the front door, she heard her name.

“Psyche, dear.”

She stopped mid-step, turning to see Aphrodite standing in the hallway, draped in a flowing golden dress that shimmered even under the soft lights of the pack house.

Psyche quickly plastered on a polite smile, her muscles tightening in anticipation. “Lady Aphrodite,” she greeted.

The goddess approached, her gaze sweeping over Psyche in a way that felt oddly assessing. “How are you, darling?” Her voice was light, but there was something beneath it, something careful.

Psyche hesitated, caught off guard. It felt strange, like an off note in a familiar melody.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly.

Aphrodite tilted her head, her perfectly manicured fingers brushing over a golden bracelet. “Are you sure?”

Psyche’s heartbeat ticked up a notch. She had no doubt that Aphrodite was perceptive, but it seemed unlikely that Eros had told her anything. He wouldn’t, right?

Trying to keep her expression neutral, Psyche asked, “Why? Do you think something is wrong?”

Aphrodite paused for the briefest moment, her lips curving into a slow smile. “Oh, I don’t, dear.”

Psyche held her gaze, the silver-blue eyes the exact same as her son’s. She tried to decipher the goddess’s meaning, but Aphrodite was unreadable—poised as always. A small flicker of unease curled in Psyche’s stomach.

Not wanting to linger on whatever Aphrodite wasn’t saying, she shifted the conversation.

“You’re here early,” she noted. “I thought the party wasn’t for another couple of hours.”

Aphrodite let out a light laugh, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. “Oh, Hephaestus and I had to speak with Eros about something. We thought it best to do so before the festivities.”

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