Chapter 22: Stolen Heart

River

Dances really weren't his thing. In fact, as River got ready to go over to the main auditorium in the village where the ball was being held, he had serious thoughts of ducking out. He could have his mom tell everyone something important had come up, that he'd had to manage some work. No one would doubt that. Alphas were busy people, after all, and no one would understand that more than Ellie. But he knew he couldn't do that because even if he didn't want to go to the dance, he wanted to see her.

The talk they'd had earlier in the woods had been short, and they hadn't talked about too many deep subjects, but he'd enjoyed getting to know her a little better. She was a fascinating woman, and unlike a lot of the girls he'd known over the years, she was interested in more than talking about herself and trying to impress him. In fact, she asked all sorts of interesting questions, he'd noticed, whenever he'd been around her, and she was just the sort of person he could find himself get