"That makes things complicated," she admitted with a small smile.

"What does?" Lucien asked, genuinely confused.

"That you read me so easily. I’m beginning to fear all my future public appearances are going to end in disaster."

The fox male released her back and spun her smoothly around himself before catching her against him once more.

Their feet glided effortlessly across the polished dance floor.

Mirabelle had expected the delicate high shoes to make moving difficult, yet her body flowed through the steps as though it had practiced this dance a thousand times before. (Maybe it had.)

With every turn, the layered fabric of her dress shifted around her legs like flowing water.

The lantern light caught against the shimmering snakeskin scales woven into the blue fabric, causing silver-blue reflections to ripple across her body whenever she moved.

Beside her, Lucien’s deep reds and warm copper tones looked almost unreal against the cool glow of her gown.

Fire and water.

Autumn and moonlight.

Two entirely different forces colliding in the middle of the ballroom — and somehow moving in perfect harmony.

Again and again, eyes drifted toward them.

Not only the males’.

Even many of the females watched the dancing pair openly now.

You could assumed they were looking at Lucien.

After all, the heir of Rotwald was exactly the kind of male noble females admired.

But the longer Mirabelle danced, the more recognisable it became.

Their gazes kept returning to the lynxfemale.

Not hostile.

Not jealous.

If anything...

some of them looked almost wistful.

As though they wished they were the one currently holding Mirabelle’s attention.

Lucien noticed the lingering looks as well.

A dangerous kind of satisfaction settled inside him knowing he was the one holding what the entire ballroom suddenly wanted.

"I doubt others can read you as well as I can."

The lynx female snorted softly, still slightly breathless from the sudden turn.

"That doesn’t make it better. What if you betray me?"

Now Lucien pulled her even closer.

The music swelled around them.

He smelled like fallen leaves and pine trees.

Mirabelle felt his breath hot across the back of her neck.

Goosebumps spread across her skin.

And he noticed.

"Then perhaps," he murmured near her ear, "you should make sure I stay on your side."

Her heartbeat stuttered for a moment.

He wasn’t joking.

Oh.

For a brief moment, the world around Mirabelle seemed to blur.

The music.

The lantern lights.

The hundreds of watching eyes.

All of it faded beneath the feeling of Lucien’s body pressed against hers and the dangerous calm in his voice.

And somehow...

that confidence unsettled her far more than Silas’ open possessiveness ever had.

Lucien was already the third beastman within only three days — though she hadn’t even been in this world longer than that — to openly express interest in becoming her mate.

Even if he hadn’t said the words directly.

His tone...

and the unmistakable bulge pressing faintly against his trousers...

made his intentions painfully obvious.

Suddenly, strong fingers wrapped around her arm from behind — the same arm whose hand still rested in Lucien’s.

"I think your time is up."

Silas’ dark voice vibrated behind Mirabelle.

The words carried an unmistakable double meaning.

Lucien straightened instantly.

In a single moment, all the charming ease and elegant softness vanished from him.

Now he radiated nothing but icy calculation.

Still, he didn’t release Mirabelle’s hand.

Emerald eyes met her golden ones. Secrets swirled inside.

Then slowly shifted toward the panther.

"The dance isn’t over yet," Lucien said smoothly.

The shadows around Silas’ feet twisted violently.

"It is for you."

Suddenly, all the sensory impressions Mirabelle had managed to block out earlier crashed back into her at once.

By now, nearly all the females were dancing with beastmen around them.

The remaining males stood in groups, talking and observing.

Like predators unwilling to lose sight of their prey.

The music echoed loudly through the ballroom, yet underneath it she could still hear the constant murmur of beast voices.

The scent of flowers had long since been overwhelmed by the overwhelming presence of males.

Despite the enormous size of the ballroom, the space suddenly felt suffocatingly small.

And around Mirabelle, raw masculinity collided head-on.

A clear struggle for dominance.

For possession.

The tension between the two males had become almost tangible.

Several nearby females had already stopped dancing entirely.

But nobody interrupted.

Nobody dared to.

Because beneath the polished words and noble etiquette, every beastman present understood exactly what was happening.

Two powerful predators had set their sights on the same female.

And neither seemed willing to retreat.

"I don’t believe that’s your decision to make," Lucien replied, casting Silas a dismissive glance.

"Oh, she decided that quite a while ago."

Silas’ other hand settled possessively against Mirabelle’s shoulder. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"After all, you asked for one dance. And that dance is over."

Mirabelle suddenly felt like the only sane person trapped between two apex predators.

Around them, several weaker beastmen had already stepped farther back.

"You speak boldly for a guest in foreign territory," Lucien said coolly.

"If I remember correctly," Silas replied, "this entire banquet was organized for the males of Zasar."

"It was organized so the female nobles could choose their future partners," Lucien hissed.

"Partners from Zasar," the panther corrected smoothly.

"And unlike you," Silas continued darkly, "I have no need to pretend my interest isn’t political."

Lucien’s eyes narrowed faintly.

"You believe attraction and politics can be separated at this level?"

"That depends," Silas said.

His gaze sharpened.

"Are you dancing with her because you like her..."

A dangerous pause followed.

"...or because you dislike the idea of Zasar gaining influence?"

A few nearby nobles visibly stiffened.

Lucien didn’t even blink.

’Oh my god.

They’re doing political foreplay in public.’

Before either male could continue, Mirabelle abruptly pulled her hand free from both of them.

"Nope."

Both heads turned toward her instantly.

The lynx female smiled brightly.

"I think my next dance will be with Kaelith."

Silence.

Across the ballroom, the hyena beast froze mid-drink:

"...What?"

Silas blinked.

Lucien: "..."

A/N: Political tension or sexual tension?

Answer: yes.