Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One Chapter 238: Outing

Hailee POV

Cira and I had barely stepped inside when I already felt a rush of sothing I hadn’t felt in years, freedom. The kind that wasn’t loud or wild, just freeing.

"Co on!" Cira shouted over the music, her eyes sparkling like she was a kid again. "Let’s get drinks!"

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "You’re still the sa."

"And you still think too much!" she teased, dragging toward the bar.

The bartender smiled the mont he saw her, clearly recognizing a regular. She winked at him and ordered two glasses of sothing that shimred gold under the club lights.

"Here," she said, sliding one toward . "Drink it before you change your mind."

I hesitated, then sighed and took a sip. It was sweet, smooth, and stronger than it looked.

Cira raised her glass. "To lost youth."

I smiled faintly and clinked mine against hers. "To second chances."

We drank, we talked, and slowly the music began to feel less like noise and more like energy.

After a while, I noticed the way people’s eyes lingered. Not at Cira, but at . n at tables turned to look. A few smiled. One even raised his glass toward in quiet admiration.

Cira noticed imdiately, her lips curving into a sly grin. "Oh, look at that," she whispered loudly. "You’re making heads turn already."

I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. "Don’t be ridiculous."

She leaned closer, pretending to whisper. "Hailee, these n are practically drooling. You’ve been hiding too long. They probably think you’re so royal mystery woman."

"I am," I said dryly.

She burst into laughter. "Exactly! A beautiful, mysterious royal, single, graceful, and probably untouchable. That’s dangerous, you know."

I gave her a flat look. "Cira, please."

She giggled, bumping my shoulder. "Oh, co on! Let them look. You’re stunning, and you deserve to be admired once in a while."

I sipped my drink again, trying to hide the heat rising in my cheeks. "You’ve gotten worse."

"And you’ve gotten prettier," she said with a wink. "So it evens out."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You never change."

I was still laughing at one of her stories about a trip to Greece and a jealous hotel manager when I caught sight of soone across the room. Tall, broad shoulders, sharp jawline that the dim light couldn’t hide. And those eyes.

Rylan.

He was leaning casually against the railing, talking to soone, dressed in a dark suit that did nothing to hide the way power seed to hum off him. The mont our eyes t, his smile curved slowly, not surprised, just amused.

He started walking toward .

Cira followed my gaze and let out a low whistle. "Well, well. Who’s the walking sin headed this way?"

I didn’t answer. I only frowned. Rylan stopped a few feet in front of , the music fading just enough for to hear the warmth in his tone.

"I didn’t expect to see you here," he said.

I blinked, forcing a small, cool smile. "You’re a king. Shouldn’t you be, not here?"

He chuckled softly, his eyes glinting. "Maybe. But kings are still n, Hailee."

I crossed my arms, trying to look composed even as my pulse betrayed . "This isn’t exactly royal territory."

He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping low enough that I felt it more than heard it. "Then maybe I’m here for sothing worth breaking a rule or two."

Before I could respond, he extended his hand. "Dance with ?"

I blinked, surprised. "What?"

"Just one dance." His smile was easy, confident. "I promise not to bite."

I hesitated, torn between amusent and disbelief. "No, thank you."

He didn’t push. He Just nodded once, his gaze lingering on mine. "Alright."

Then, with that sa unbothered calmness that both irritated and intrigued , he turned and disappeared back into the crowd.

Cira was watching with wide eyes. "Okay, I need details."

"There are no details," I said flatly, turning back to the bar.

She laughed. "He’s handso."

"Too handso," I muttered.

She smirked. "You’re complaining?"

I shot her a look, sipping my drink again. "Cira, please. Have you seen the fathers of my sons? Handso isn’t exactly new to ."

She laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink. "Oh, you’re terrible!"

"Just honest," I said with a grin, finishing the last of my glass.

Cira ordered another round before I could object. The music shifted, louder, deeper, sothing that made the floor pulse under our feet.

"Co on!" she yelled. "Dance with !"

"I don’t dance anymore," I protested weakly.

"Then tonight, you start again!" she said, grabbing my hand.

Before I knew it, I was pulled into the crowd, laughter bubbling out of as we moved with the rhythm. The lights flickered blue, pink, gold, faces flashing in and out, people spinning, laughing, alive.

It felt strange at first, but then freeing.

Cira twirled around, her laugh contagious. "See? You still got it!"

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop smiling. "I think I’m getting too old for this."

"Lies!" she shouted. "You’re glowing!"

Maybe it was the drinks. Or the music. Or just the simple fact that for the first ti in years, I wasn’t worrying about anything.

Not the council.

Not the fathers of my sons.

Not the ghosts of what I’d lost.

Just .

One drink turned into two. Then three. The room began to blur at the edges, the lights softer, warr. I couldn’t stop laughing, really laughing, until my sides hurt.

Cira was still dancing beside , waving her glass like a trophy. "This! This is the Hailee I rember!"

"Maybe she never left," I said, giggling, though my words ca out slurred.

She threw an arm around . "That’s my girl!"

But then the spinning started. The music, the laughter, the crowd, everything began to tilt, just slightly.

I blinked, trying to steady myself. "Cira..." I said softly, laughing breathlessly. "I think... I need to sit down."

She laughed. "You okay?"

"Perfect," I said, though the word ca out half a giggle.

I turned, trying to make my way toward the edge of the crowd, but the floor didn’t seem to know which way was up. The lights shimred too brightly, the air too thick. I stumbled slightly, reaching out for balance, and instead, crashed into sothing solid.

Soone.

A hard, warm chest that didn’t move when I did. Strong hands caught my arms before I could fall.

And just like that, the world stopped spinning.