Lecia
My mind was still reeling from that stupid meeting and not even sitting here with Dylan and Nico at this table full of food was enough to ease the headache that was now pounding away at the inside of my skull.
The ache had actually started this morning when we had left with that massive guard, Reg. I knew his type, he was one of the biggest and strongest out there, but secretly had the softest heart and was actually a giant teddy bear.
Cliche, but I had to admit that he was really easy on the eyes. His courtesy and kindness, even veiled in gruff toughness was really charming.
Not only did he take us to go and find something to eat when we left from Tristan's suite, he also had one of the many aids who work for Tristan bring us clothes, shoes, and everyday essentials like deodorant, toothpaste, and perfume.
I had a feeling that this was from Tristan more than him, but still it felt really nice to have things of my own again. One really doesn't realize how much we take for granted until they're gone.
Even though being with Reg and the many others we met in the lobby and in the cafe was okay, I couldn't help but wonder how things were going with Dylan and Tristan.
Even in the short amount of time that Tristan had been with Dylan, I was curious how he hadn't realized that she would demand to go and search Blood Mist for Eren.
Dylan was one of the kindest people I have ever met. Even though she has been suppressed and secluded away from others most of her life and is also a bit socially awkward, she is there for everyone.
Regardless of those things, the only time that I have ever seen her be so fearless and outspoken is when it comes to helping, protecting, or defending others.
Essentially, that was how we finally met ourselves. Dylan had gone against Eren's so called friends to stop them from fighting with me and the guy I had gone on a date with.
It was also the first time that I noticed the way that Eren behaved around her. I had known that he was a friend of my brothers and the nephew of Alpha Rogan of course, but he didn't seem like the a**hole that he pretended to be.
Observing others was easy when you find yourself in their presence often enough but watching Eren was always fun. Probably because he tried so hard to be something that he so obviously wasn't, and no one seemed to be able to see it.
Still, Dylan, who had been the target of most of his transgressions, had been able to not only befriend him, and forgive him, but the Gods had allowed them to be mates and she had somehow accepted their bond.
Dylan had been going through changes almost from the moment that we had left Blood Mist, but they had seemed slight at first. I was ashamed to say that I had missed it because I couldn't deal with my own emotions for a time.
I was still ashamed to say that I hadn't truly apologized to Nico and Dylan for the way I had acted towards them. It wasn't just the fact that I had hurt them, it was more that I had been oblivious to their struggles.
There were things that I knew Nico was battling silently, and I was determined to be there for him, but it was Dylan's obvious and outward struggles that were the hardest to bear witness to.
As we sat in the cafe eating some of the most amazing pancakes and fruit, I felt I had ever eaten, all I could think about was what Dylan and Tristan were talking about.
Every few seconds or so I would look out the massive wall of windows to check and see if there was a storm brewing outside and each time I did, I noticed Nico doing the same.
There was not a lot of talk between our little group, but the others around us talked enough for me to pick up not only what they thought about us, but what they had started to speculate about Dylan.
While Tristan had announced that she was his long lost little sister to some, it was becoming obvious that most of the ones who knew were his wolves.
That was another thing that I had missed. There were so many wolves here and while it was obvious that they served and were pledged to a pack, it was not to Silver Moon.
If I had been paying closer attention to things from the start, I would have noticed that the twin alphas from Silver Moon, were not the ones who were leading these men and women.
Roane, who was so obviously scheming something about Dylan, wasn't the one who was leading them either, but I wasn't entirely sure that he was even fully aware of that fact just yet either.
No matter how strong Tristan is or at least, thinks he is, I know that he has no way of denying Dylan's request to go with him. There was just something about her that made it almost impossible to deny her anything.
We made it through the meal quickly, but I didn't miss the comments that had been thrown around or the fact that Reg took us on a detour around the building.
Everyone seemed curious about who Nico, and I were, and it seemed that our presence here had not been given even a hint of an explanation. Truly, I could care less, but it was fun hearing the speculations they threw around.
It was obvious that Reg was trying to give Tristan and Dylan more time alone to talk to each other, but I couldn't blame him. It was easy to see the way he and all of the others looked at Tristan.
Respect was earned, not just given, and the men and women here not only respected Tristan, but they were extremely loyal to him. More so than I had ever seen anyone be to Alpha Rogan.
The fact that Reg wasn't just a big softie, but a born tour guide helped make our longer than necessary meal seem like a damn excursion. Nico seemed to be having just as much fun as I was, or at least we had been until the elevator opened.
When we finally got back to Tristan's suite, I couldn't help but be a little annoyed at the fact that we were not the first ones to have arrived.
When Reg had finally brought us back to Tristan's floor, we saw Roane standing in the hall outside the door. Annoyance had surged in me the moment I saw him, and it had sat under my skin the rest of the day.
Brea seemed to be both annoyed and intrigued by Roane, but right now my annoyance was winning out for the both of us and she was siding with me.
Walking straight past him, I knocked once swiftly on the door before a resounding, "come in," rang out in unison followed by soft laughter.
Roane had followed us into the suite and while it had bugged me seeing him skulking outside their room, I wasn't entirely surprised.
Even though I wished to know what the two of them had spoken about, I knew that Dylan would tell me if she wanted to and when she was ready to do so, I would not push her.
It seemed that our time away had been good for the both of them. There were remains of their meal scattered across the counter, and they were sitting beside each other on the sofa.
We all sat in the living room of the suite on that eye sore of a sofa and made small talk for a bit, but we needed to get ready for the meeting with Roane's uncles.
Nico and I went to the suite we were sharing so that we could shower and get cleaned up before meeting back up at Tristan's suite.
We had also decided to take what little belongings with us from this room to Dylan's room.
She had stated that we would be staying with her there for the time being, and while it may have been to annoy Roane at first, I could see that she seemed to actually like the idea of roommates.
It had been less than an hour from the time we left to go shower and change and then showed back up with our handful of belongings and the bag I had brought with me from Blood Mist.
When I was packing things inside of it, I saw the small velvet bag that Eren had been holding onto when we were trying to leave that day and I made a mental note to give it to Dylan tonight after everyone left.
To my surprise, the others joined us here in Tristan's, or our, suite soon after we arrived back. Tristan also seemed completely fine with the idea of Nico and I moving in with them except he told Nico he would have to sleep on the couch.
Ezra, Blane, and Micah showed up at exactly the same time, but their expressions were much different from when I had seen them last. None of them looked as if they were in a very good mood.
These men, seeing them like that, let me know immediately that they were not just some of the most serious men I'd ever encountered, but they were f*cking scary.
Our little meeting was going smoothly. The plan was simple, and it helped that Rogan had been the one to set the terms of the meeting.
Everyone had seemed to agree on all the parts of the plan fairly quickly, but it wasn't the plan that had gotten everyone all riled up, it was who would be participating in each part of the plan that had led to chaos breaking out.
From the moment that Tristan had let everyone know that Dylan would be accompanying him to Blood Mist, everyone, including myself had gotten a bit outraged, but I wasn't angry for the same reason as the others.
The twin Alphas were pissed about the fact that Tristan wanted to let Dylan go back to Blood Mist.
Roane was angry that they had made the decision between the two of them only and had not consulted anyone else or asked for their opinions.
I was mad because they had decided that they were going with Nico instead of me, and I was to stay with Roane and be in the building when Rogan came for the meeting.
Nico, Micah, and Dylan were the only ones who seemed like they were not about to revolt or at least break the room apart. Tristan's mood also seemed to be souring the louder the others got.
Funny how the ones who wound up being the calmest were also the ones who would be going to Blood Mist.
Between the two twin alphas, the one who was louder seemed angry enough for them both, but it was the quiet one who made me nervous. Something about him let me know that he was the one I truly need to be careful of. Between of the two of them, he was the deadlier one.
Everyone was essentially arguing now because Tristan had agreed to Dylan's request to go back to Blood Mist, but the different reasons they were throwing out were by far the most annoying.
None of them were being honest about why they were so worried about Dylan. Truly, if Tristan, who was the one who had the most to lose if something happened to her was okay with this, then their opinions shouldn't matter.
I was upset about being left behind, but I knew that I had essentially come up with the idea about ensnaring Rogan with my scent. So, it was technically my fault that I had to be at the meeting, but I couldn't help watching Dylan's reactions.
We had all started sitting in the living area of the suite, but now most of them were on their feet and either shouting or growling at each other. Funny enough none of them were even bothering to address Dylan directly.
I felt the soft brush of fingers across my hand and then the brush of a voice inside my mind before I even had a chance to turn to look to see who it was.
"Please don't be angry that you are not going with us. I don't want you to be upset with me again."
Dylan's voice felt so comforting and soft as her words brushed softly but firmly in my head. I felt the worry and concern in them. Turning to her, I quickly slipped my hand over hers and squeezed.
For a moment, I was taken back by the fact that there was no hint of the silvery haze in her eyes, but I was quickly distracted when Nico's hand landed atop our clasped ones.
"Hey," he whispered leaning in closer to us, "if you are planning on making a break for it, I'm so in. These a**holes are really starting to pi** me off. Who the hell do they think they are anyway?"
I was about to snap at him, but when Dylan burst out laughing, it not only kept my snarky a** comment in my mouth, it shut everyone else in the room right up.
Neither of us had noticed it at first, but when Micah called out to us from where he still stood behind the couch, I noticed that everyone had gone quiet.
"And what are the three of you planning over there?" His words were probably meant to be funny, but even with the small smile playing on his face, it felt way too serious.
"Maybe they are trying to talk some sense into her," the louder of the twin alphas called out a bit too quickly and within seconds, the quiet of the room was now truly filled with snarls.
Micah and Roane were trying to hold a livid Tristan back as the quiet alpha seemed to be trying to pull his brother from the room as quickly as possible.
As we watched the five of them struggling with the others, I hadn't realized the Dylan had moved from her spot beside me on the couch.
In between one blink and the next it seemed like she had gone from sitting beside me to standing right in front of the twin, I finally remembered was called Alpha Ezra.
Well, he isn't my alpha, but it was at least respectful to know the name of the man I wanted to punch in the face. Or, I had wanted to punch in the face a moment before.
Again, the room seemed to go silent again because of Dylan, and I was glad for it because I might have missed the words that she whispered to him before she did exactly what I had wanted to mere moments before.
"At least have enough sense not to offend the person that you so obviously want something from."
Dylan had gotten in front of him and was standing on the tips of her socked feet as she leaned in close enough to touch but held herself just inches from his chest.
Her whispered words sounded soft, but the hint of the veiled threat was so foreign that I was struck speechless. It wasn't until the thwack resounded and Ezra and Blane both took a few steps back that I realized that she had hit him.
No one moved or even spoke for a few moments, but when Dylan turned towards Tristan, there was a look of hurt and sadness on her face that made me, and Brea see red.
Nico must have felt the same because he was up and practically dragging the two men out the door. Neither of them puts up much of a fight, but before he closed it, he called out to Roane, "you can get the f*ck out to if you just want to use her."
Tristan and Micah both looked towards Roane, but instead of walking to the door, he just went over and threw himself on the couch.
Dylan walked over to the kitchen and was getting a bottle of water, but I could see her hands shaking ever so slightly.
I was about to get up and go to her, but Tristan, of course, beat me to it. He had wrapped Dylan into a tight embrace, and I heard soft murmurs coming from them, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.
Brea was still so furious and the ache from earlier was much more intense. I didn't do anything as I sat still on the couch across from Roane who was avidly trying to avoid my gaze.
Finally, Tristan let Dylan go and announced that he was going to order dinner to be delivered and asked who would be staying.
Of course, we all stayed. Micah and Nico even put in requests for steak, roasted vegetables, and some seafood, but when the food was delivered, I didn't miss that most of the dishes were things that I knew Dylan liked to eat.
Dylan seemed to be in a bit of a better mood, but she still looked as if something was bothering her.
Suddenly Brea remembered the bag that I still needed to give to her, so I ran to the room and quickly grabbed it while they were finishing laying out the food.
As I found myself sitting at the table with Nico and Dylan, I wish I would have considered what the small velvet bag may have contained.
While it was just the three of us, I leaned towards Dylan as I pulled the little bag from my pocket. "Dylan, I'm sorry it took so long for me to give this to you, but I had forgotten about it after we got here. It's something that Eren handed me, it's for you."
The moment Dylan saw the bag, she froze. Slowly, I placed it in her hand and closed her fingers around it. "This is not meant to hurt you, but I didn't want to keep it from you either."
Nico had scooted closer to us and was watching intently at what I was doing. Dylan seemed to be forcing her breaths to come in and out slowly and steadily.
Tristan and the others were still talking in the living room, but I noticed that Tristan kept looking over towards where we sat.
Nico, who now stood beside us, had a hand on both of our shoulders and leaned in close before he asked, "do you know what it is?"
Dylan closed her eyes, and I listened as her racing heart began to slow as she continued forcing her breaths to come out slower and slower, but I neither of us were ready for her answer.
"Yes. I know what it is," she said softly before squeezing the bag tightly in her fingers and whispered, "it's my engagement ring."