Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 141

Chapter 141: Chapter 141

Aria’s POV

My brain stopped working.

Completely. Totally. Utterly stopped.

What the HELL was he doing?

I stared at him. My eyes went wide. I tried to communicate everything I was feeling through sheer eye contact alone.

*Are you INSANE?* 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

*What are you THINKING?*

He didn’t react.

Just stood there. Hand still extended. That calm, patient expression that made me want to scream.

The whispers started immediately.

"Isn’t that his assistant?"

"Why is he asking HER?"

Each whisper was a knife. Slicing through my carefully constructed composure.

I kept my face neutral. Professional. But inside, I was dying.

"Ms. Moon." Kael’s voice was low. Only I could hear it. "It would be rude to keep an Alpha waiting."

His lips curved slightly. That infuriating almost-smile.

He was enjoying this. The bastard was actually ENJOYING watching me squirm.

I couldn’t refuse him.

That was the problem.

He was the Alpha. This was his event. If I rejected his invitation in front of everyone, it would be a public insult. A slap in the face that no wolf could ignore.

It would ruin everything I’d worked so hard to build.

And he knew it.

My jaw tightened. My fingers curled around my clipboard.

"Of course, Alpha." The words came out stiff. Formal. "It would be my honor."

I handed my clipboard to a nearby server. Placed my hand in his.

The contact sent electricity shooting through my entire body.

His palm was warm. Strong. His fingers closed around mine with a gentleness that contradicted everything I knew about him.

He led me to the center of the dance floor.

The crowd parted like water. Every eye in the ballroom tracked our movement. I could feel the weight of their stares pressing against my back.

The string quartet shifted. Started playing something slower. More intimate.

Kael pulled me into position.

One hand on my waist. The other holding mine. His body so close I could feel the heat radiating from him.

"What are you doing?" I hissed through a fake smile.

"Dancing." His voice was casual. Light. "I would have thought that was obvious."

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

His hand pressed slightly against my lower back. Guiding me into the first steps.

I followed automatically. Years of training kicking in. My body moved without my permission.

"You’re supposed to be finding a Luna tonight." I kept my voice low. Urgent. "Not dancing with your assistant."

"I am looking." He turned us smoothly. "The view is quite nice from here."

My cheeks flushed.

"That’s not—I didn’t mean—" I stumbled over my words. Over my feet. He caught me easily. Pulled me closer to steady my balance.

Too close.

Way too close.

"Relax." His breath was warm against my ear. "You’re too tense. People will think you don’t want to be here."

"I DON’T want to be here."

"Liar."

The word was soft. Almost teasing.

I looked up at him. Found those black-gold eyes already watching me.

Something flickered in their depths. Something I couldn’t name.

"I just wanted to dance with someone familiar." His voice dropped lower. "Is that so strange? An Alpha should be allowed to enjoy his own party."

"There are plenty of women here you’re familiar with."

"None I want to dance with."

My heart stuttered.

"You’re being ridiculous." I forced my voice to stay steady. "This is supposed to be about finding your Luna. Not... whatever this is."

"And what is this, exactly?"

I didn’t have an answer.

The music swelled. He spun me out. My dress flared around my legs. Then he pulled me back. Closer than before.

My hand landed on his chest. I could feel his heartbeat through the fabric. Strong. Steady.

Unlike mine, which was racing like a frightened rabbit.

"You look beautiful tonight." The words were barely a whisper. Meant only for me. "That dress. That makeup." His eyes traveled down my face. Lingered on my lips. "Suits you."

My breath caught.

We moved together. Step after step. Turn after turn. The music wrapped around us like a cocoon, blocking out the rest of the world.

For a moment—just a moment—I forgot where we were.

Forgot who was watching.

Forgot everything except the warmth of his hand on my waist. The solid strength of his body guiding mine. The way his eyes never left my face.

She took his hand.

He led her to the dance floor.

I stood there.

Frozen.

Watching them move together. Watching her smile up at him. Watching his hand settle on her waist where it had been on mine just moments before.

Something ugly twisted in my chest.

Something I refused to name.

I was being ridiculous. This was what I WANTED. This was the whole point of the ceremony. For him to dance with other women. For him to find a Luna.

So why did it feel like someone had just stabbed me?

"Excuse me?"

A voice from beside me. Male. Hopeful.

I turned.

A young wolf stood there. Decent-looking. Well-dressed. His eyes kept darting between me and the dance floor.

"I was wondering if you might like to dance?" He smiled nervously. "You looked so graceful out there with the Alpha. I’d be honored if you’d share a dance with me."

I should say yes.

It would be the polite thing to do. The expected thing. Show everyone that the Alpha’s dance meant nothing. That I was just an assistant. Available. Unattached.

But I couldn’t.

Not right now.

Not when I could still feel Kael’s hand on my waist. His breath on my ear. His eyes burning into mine.

"Thank you." I forced a smile. "But I’m afraid I’m not here to dance. I’m working tonight."

"Oh." His face fell. "Of course. I understand."

He walked away.

I watched him go.

Then I turned.

Found a quiet corner.

And walked toward it.

The shadows welcomed me. Hid me from the lights and the stares and the endless whispers.

I pressed my back against the wall. Closed my eyes.

Focused on breathing.

In. Out. In. Out.

My heart was still pounding. Still racing from the dance. From his words. From the way he’d looked at me like I was the only person in the room.

What was wrong with me?