Chapter 52: Going After Emerald

Michael’s POV

I kept my eyes on the far end of the reception hall.

Alaric had gone quiet beside me, which was unusual enough to make me pay attention. His gaze was fixed on a woman who had just entered the ballroom.

She was dressed elegantly and carried herself like someone accustomed to being watched. Nothing about her appearance suggested that anything was wrong with her.

But appearances had never been enough to fool us.

"She’s here," Alaric said quietly.

"I know." I had already sensed the actress.

There was something wrong. It was faint, almost buried beneath the scents of the humans surrounding her, but it was there.

Alaric glanced at me. "What do you think?"

I kept my eyes on her as I replied, "I’m not sure yet."

He frowned slightly. "You told me before that something felt wrong around Elias Roth." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

"Yes." I looked towards the actress again. "But this is different."

Alaric understood immediately. I did not need to explain further, he already knew of my suspicions about Elias.

"What you’re sensing from her is different?"

I nodded. "Whatever is wrong with her appears to be connected to her."

Alaric was silent for a moment.

The actress had stopped to speak with someone. She smiled, laughed and behaved exactly like any other woman at a wedding reception.

If she were an ordinary human, there would have been nothing unusual about her. But she wasn’t. At least, I was beginning to doubt that she was.

"Let’s get closer," Alaric said.

I agreed with a nod. We moved through the reception without drawing attention to ourselves.

Alaric had no difficulty approaching people. His reputation among humans made it easy for him to move around the room without anyone questioning his presence.

The actress noticed him almost immediately. Her eyes widened slightly before a smile appeared on her face.

"Mr. Blake."

Alaric smiled. "Nice to meet you."

They exchanged pleasantries, and she spoke to him with the confidence of someone who knew exactly who she was dealing with.

I remained a short distance away. Her scent remained faint, but my senses caught every change.

There.

Something shifted in less than a second. I narrowed my eyes, and Alaric noticed it too. Neither of us reacted.

The actress continued speaking as though nothing had happened. Alaric eventually excused himself, and we moved away from the crowd.

"Did you feel that?" he asked.

"Yes."

His expression became serious. "So we were right."

I emphasised, "Suspicious doesn’t mean confirmed."

"You don’t think she’s a shapeshifter?" He tilted his head to the side.

"I think there is something about her that isn’t human," I simply said. Whether this lady was a shapeshifter or not, we would come to that conclusion soon enough.

Alaric glanced back towards her. "Should we get rid of her?"

"No." I shook my head.

He glanced back at me. "Why?"

"There are too many humans here. And I don’t know whether she’s alone," I explained.

He understood. If she had come here with others, killing her without knowing who else was involved could create a bigger problem.

I scanned the room, but something else drew my attention, so I stopped.

Alaric noticed immediately. "What?"

I listened. The sounds of conversation, music and clinking glasses filled the ballroom, but beneath it all, I sensed something that did not belong.

It was faint and distant, gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

I frowned. "There is another presence."

Alaric’s expression changed. "Another one?"

"I’m not sure." I searched the room again, but I felt nothing this time.

Whoever it was had either moved away or deliberately concealed themselves. That was enough to make me more cautious.

I continued watching the actress. Then I heard Emerald’s voice. "I will be back. I want to use the restroom."

I turned towards her table. She stood before excusing herself from her friends.

I watched her walk away. She was looking down briefly, probably checking the direction she needed to take.

The actress was walking in the opposite direction. Neither of them seemed to notice the other until they were already too close, and they bumped into each other.

Emerald immediately stepped back. "I’m sorry."

The actress looked at her. "It’s fine."

Emerald gave her a polite nod and continued walking. I watched her disappear into the crowd, then I returned my gaze to the actress.

Her expression had changed. The pleasant smile had vanished. She stood completely still, her eyes fixed on Emerald’s retreating figure.

There was something in her face that had not been there a moment ago. Recognition. Interest. Perhaps even surprise.

I narrowed my eyes. Alaric had noticed it too.

The actress finally turned away and kept walking, but I remained focused on her.

Why had Emerald’s presence affected her?

I looked in the direction Emerald had gone, then back at the actress. Something was happening here, and I intended to find out what it was.

"Mr. King."

I snapped my gaze in the direction of the voice. Approaching me was one of the owners of a private jet airline. He had a glass of wine in his hand, and he was already extending his right hand toward me.

I nodded and reached out a hand as he stopped in front of me. After exchanging pleasantries, he turned to Alaric and greeted him as well. Then we chatted for a bit before he went his way.

"She’s gone." Alaric’s voice reached me.

I glanced at him. "The actress?"

He nodded. "She disappeared from the ballroom a few minutes ago."

Initially, I paid little attention to it. The ballroom had multiple exits, and guests kept moving in and out during the reception.

Then I looked towards Emerald’s table. She wasn’t there. My eyes scanned the room. Claire and Laura were still at the table, but Emerald wasn’t.

My expression changed instantly. Emerald had gone to the restroom. She should have been back by now.

The possibility struck me so suddenly that my entire body went rigid. The actress had watched Emerald leave, and now both of them were gone.

My aura surged before I could restrain it. I turned immediately and started walking towards the exit.

Alaric followed after me. "What is it?"

I didn’t slow down. "I have the feeling that she went after Emerald."