Two days of preparing passed and it was finally the day of the party. I was in my room, getting ready. The last time I spent time getting ready for something, it was my first date with Kai. Before that, it was the wedding. I did my makeup before getting my dress on. It had one strap and the top part was black with a small, jeweled pattern across it. It hugged my body to my hips where it freeflowed to my feet. The black bled into blue and red until it reached the bottom. It was stunning and elegant. I wore black heels with it and I had a single braid against my head while the rest of my hair was free. I stared at myself in the full-length mirror. I was pretty. No. Beautiful. My phone chimed. Another reason why I loved this dress was because it had deep pockets. I could fit so many things in them. I pulled my phone out to read the message.
Kai: The party started 30 minutes ago. You don't have to work so hard to look pretty. You're already beautiful.
My eyes flicked back to the mirror. I hadn't covered the few visible scars, but I wasn't too worried about it. I put my phone back in my pocket before leaving the room. The fabric of the dress was light and velvety so it was easier to walk in. When I made it to the stairs, I saw a flow of people walking around. I began walking down the steps slowly, using one hand to hold onto the rail and the other to hold my dress up high enough so that I didn't trip on it. When he saw me, he froze. A smile crept onto my face as I approached him. I tried to hide it, but it made me feel so special.
"Hi, there." He said when I got to the last two steps. He offered me a hand and I took it. "You look… absolutely beautiful."
"And you look handsome." I studied his deep blue suit. He even wore his suit jacket. I wondered how long he would last in it. His hair was nearly brushed and he had shaved the slight shadow of a beard that he had grown. I stepped in front of him, straightening his tie. He offered me his arm and I linked mine in his. We walked into a large room where everyone was gathered. We had to walk through the dining room where snacks and refreshments were set out on the long table. The large room was between the dining room and the living room in a corner. Everyone was dressed beautifully. The women wore elegant gowns and the men wore suits. It was amazing to see. Everyone's scents mingled together. Lilac, sandalwood, rose, spice. It almost overwhelmed my senses. When we entered the room, everyone turned and looked at us. My chest tightened and so did my grip on Kai's arm.
"Everyone, this is my Luna. Renley." Kai introduced in his deep voice. Slowly, everyone bowed. A sign of respect. "Please, enjoy yourselves tonight." They all went back to their conversations. I walked with Kai around the parts of the house to make sure that everyone was happy and cared for.
~~~
The sun had fallen nearly two hours ago and I was walking around outside with a glass in my hands. The party started four hours ago and I already talked to many people. I smiled when people passed by and offered their hellos. I was out near the pool because that's where the party gravitated. There were still people inside where Kai mingled with his company. I walked to the edge of the cement ground, looking towards the woods. It looked so dark. I had seen Lucah in his blood-red suit, talking to others. I wondered if Kara had come with him and decided to avoid him altogether just in case. I wanted her to have a good time if she was here. My eyes shifted up to the dark sky freckled with flickering, white lights. My eyes moved between each one, an unknown wish building up inside of me. I watched them for several minutes, distracted, before my exposed skin bristled. Someone was behind me. Well, duh. There are a lot of people here. No. Someone is waiting for me to turn around. I turned, looking at two people watching me. Lucah and Kara. Kara looked so different. Her dark, curly hair was pinned up with a few strands hanging free. She wore a deep purple and black, strapless dress that made me think of space. Even her makeup was flawless. Pain pinged in my heart. I felt my face beginning to contort, trying to show the pain. I quickly forced it into a smile.
"You… look beautiful." She said.
"You do as well." I set my glass on a nearby table before bringing my hands together and fidgeting. "I… wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I came to show support." She replied. I snorted quietly by accident.
"I thought we were too dangerous for your liking. That I was too dangerous." My eyes bounced to Lucah, who looked awkward, and then back to Kara.
"I'm sorry that I said that." She looked sad. "I never believed that you were dangerous…. I was scared and said things that I didn't mean." I didn't say anything.
"Will you forgive me?" Her eyes became glossy. Forgive her?
"There's nothing to forgive." I answered. A smile began to grow on her face.
"I miss being your friend." She spoke. Unable to think of what to say, I hugged her. She hugged me tightly, seeming happy and relieved that we made up. When we released each other, I felt a smile on my face.
"I'm going to go find the Alpha." Lucah told us and left.
"So, how have you been?" I questioned.
"Honestly… lonely." She smirked.
"But you have Lucah."
"But I didn't have you. I was going to use work as an excuse to keep an eye on you, but after they ...." She trailed off. "Lucah kept me updated."
"I knew that Kai and Lucah were talking about us. Kai wouldn't admit it." I smirked slightly. She asked about me. We were both quiet for a moment. I wondered what Lucah had told her. That I was depressed? That I hated being away from her?
"I'm sorry, Ren." She looked at the ground, her eyes glossy with tears. "I hated being away from you. I shouldn't have said what I did. Especially with you being in the hospital. I regretted it the second you ripped that IV from your arm." I lifted my hands and cupped her face, lifting it so that she looked at me.
"It's okay, Kar. You did what was best for you." I smiled kindly. "Even if it was wrong. Don't ever be sorry for doing what's best for you." Somehow, she looked sadder. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly.
"You're such a good friend and person." She sniffled, hugging me back. We stayed like that for a long time. When I released her, she wiped her eyes, being careful of her makeup. "So, tell me about you and Kai. Are things good?"
"Yes." I blushed.
"Oh? What's that look?" She placed a hand on her hip. I began telling her about the study. We never resumed what we were doing only because Kai was gone all night.
~~~
"I can't believe you live here. It's beautiful." Kara looked around at the garden that we slowly walked through. A lot of people had left for the night, but Kara stayed with me. "I guess it's safe to say you're not going to move back in with me."
"No…. But I might be able to convince Kai to let you move in here. I'm sure Licah would love for you to live with him." I told her.
"Would he be okay with a human living in his wolf house? Won't that get bad press?" She scrunched up her face a little, hugging herself against the cold.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but we already have a bit of bad press. We'd just be giving them something to talk about." I shrugged, running my fingers along the petals of a rose. It was soft against my fingertips. A breeze caused goosebumps to erupt over my exposed skin. I hugged myself.
"Ma-" A snapping sound to our left caught my attention. My gaze jerked to it, my eyes searching the dark trees. I searched them for a long moment, my ears zeroing in on the sudden quietness. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
"What are you looking at?" Kara nearly whispered. Before I could answer, thick, warm arms wrapped around me. It scared me enough to pull a yelp from my lips. Kai laughed and I saw Lucah hugging Kara. "So warm."
"You're freezing." Kai said in my ear, his voice soft and deep. My skin bristled, making me shiver. Oh, no. Don't do this to me. "Come on. Let's get you warmed up." He moved in one fluid motion, placing an arm across my back and one behind my knees. I gasped as he lifted me like I weighed nothing. My arms wrapped around his neck instinctively. He began walking away.
"Oh, Kara." He turned, walking backward. "Stay for as long as you like. You're always welcome here." He was so warm.
"Thank you." She nodded. Kai turned back around, carrying me inside.
"Why are you carrying me?" I smirked as we breached the threshold. Warmth coated me like a blanket.
"I want to show my Luna how special she is to me." He grinned, walking up the stairs. "I'm glad to see that you and Kara made up."
"You knew that it would happen."
"Why do you say that?"
"I know that you and Lucah talk." I loosened my arms as we arrived at our bedroom. I moved my nose to his neck, inhaling in an obvious way. Leather, smoke, sandalwood, and… whiskey. The whiskey smell wasn't strong, but it was there. He opened the door and I decided to play around. I kissed just under his ear and very slowly made my way to the collar of his shirt. He growled softly and seconds later, I was dropped onto the bed. When I looked up at him, he had the same look as that day in the study. Serious and full of intent.
"You better take that dress off before I rip it off." He told me. Not wanting to ruin this dress, I stood and slid the strap off before letting it fall to the floor. I crossed my arms over my bare breasts, leaving my black, lace underwear exposed. Something crossed Kai's face, making him look feral. My breath caught in my throat. He lifted his hands to his shirt and I found myself moving his hands. I didn't want him to rip another shirt to shreds. The second I unbuttoned the last button, he was pulling it off. He placed a hand on my lower back and pushed me back to the bed. I laid flat on my back and he placed both hands on either side of my head. His lips pressed against mine, one hand grabbing onto the blanket next to my head as if he were trying to control himself. Come on, Ren. Take control. I placed my hands flat on his chest, pushing him back. We both stood and I took my underwear off. I looked at him expectantly. Catching on, he undid his slacks and then dropped them and kicked his pants, shoes, and socks off. I allowed myself one glance. Swallowing hard, I took his hand and led him to the bed. Placing one hand on his chest, I gently pushed him down onto the bed. His eyes of night and day studied me as I turned the light off and climbed on top of him. I leaned down, kissing him passionately. This was the first time I've willingly had sex. I had no idea what I was doing. His hands glided up my thighs, hips, and to my sides. His touch made me purr. I moved my mouth to his neck as I slowly lowered my hips. He pushed against me, making me a little nervous. He was huge and I didn't know how he would fit in me. Suddenly, he was pulling me close, his teeth clamping down on the spot where my neck connects with my shoulder. I would've screamed, but I was too shocked to even breathe. His arms that were wrapped around me tightened almost painfully. Once he relaxed a bit, I sat up and touched where he bit me. He just grinned widely. He marked me. I placed my hands on his abs to stabilize myself as I slid down around him. A chill ravaged through me and Kai groaned, his hand grabbing my thighs tightly. I began to rock my hips, my breathing picking up. I released his body, one hand grabbing my breast and the other tangling itself in my hair. Kai grunted, a growl rumbling through him and into me. I moaned and he sat up. My heart thudded in my chest as he kissed me. Feeling his naked body against mine was euphoric. We spent that night riding the waves of euphoria until we were too tired and sweaty to continue.