Chapter 26. Friends

Valerie

The weeks of celebration were coming to an end, the mating ceremony was closer than ever.

Everything should have felt final, but it wasn't.

I stayed by Alistair's side throughout. There were no more excuses, no more reasons to leave. And so I attended the luncheons and dinner parties, staying beside Alistair while making conversation with other guests and avoiding Alistair's flirtations.

Things should have been back to normal. I could ignore everything else and wait, ready to go home.

But I couldn't.

Every time, even when I tried not to, my eyes constantly shifted to him.

Tristan.

He had stopped avoiding the luncheons or dinners, coming to every event and sticking to Alyn's side wh