Burnt Lies

Beyond the Horizon

Alara

The joy in me had sparked and fizzled the moment I set eyes on my once beautiful book store. It was utterly destroyed and the tears would not stop. It was a solemn journey back home the total opposite of what it was like on the way here. 

Cameron did his best to comfort me but I couldn't get past it, hadn't kidnapping me been enough for Dane Laurier? Clearly not. 

Once home, I wanted to bee line for our room and just cry into my pillows, or even scream into them. I wanted to let out all this pent up anger but I had no outlet, and I didn't know how violent I could get with this much unfiltered rage pulsing through my veins. 

That was when Cameron stopped me, "Hey Alara wait,"

I was at the base of the stairs but turned at his call, "What's up?"

He held up a letter, it was a beige coloured envelope with a red wax seal against it, the writing on the back was a neat cursive which had printed 'Mr and Mrs Grayson' on the back. 

I scrunched my nose at the address, "We're not even married yet,"

He gave a light chuckle, "Are you that disgusted at taking my name?"

I edged closer to him crossing my arms over my chest, "And who said I was going to change my name?" 

He gave me a sly smirk before extending his hand out to me, and almost twirling me around, the coolness of his finger tips against my arm sent a wave of chills down my spine, "Would it be so bad, to be Mrs Grayson?"

I had to catch my breath back before I could respond, "Maybe, Maybe not."

I then added in a joking tone, "Why don't you become Mr Mortello?"

He scoffed, "No thank you," his face twisted into a look of horror, "God that would mean me and Theo would have the same name,"

I laughed heartily at the comment, eliciting a smile from him as I realised that he had said that just to make me laugh. To distract me from what had happened, and for that I was thankful. 

"That's the reason why, I should've known," I took a hold of the letter, noticing that not only did it bear a wax seal it was tied together with twine to hold the bindings of it together. 

"Well are you going to open it or are we going to stand here staring all day," I scowled at him which just made he laugh even more. 

I felt the rough twine between my fingers carefully pulling it free from the letter. Next was the wax seal, what looked like a wolf howling at the moon was imprinted on it, it looked beautiful with unidentifiable plants curling around the sides of the wolf, I didn't want to break it so ever so gently I pried it free from the paper. 

The letter unfolded itself into a sheet, I began to read over the contents:

Mr and Mrs Grayson,

 You have been cordially invited to the Wolfsbane Gang's annual ball in which we will celebrate the beginnings of our humble gang, we will also be celebrating the anniversary of our leaders Owen and Kayla Ross.

We would be honoured for you to celebrate with us. 

Sincerely, 

Wolfsbane

I turned to Cameron, "The Wolfsbane gang are you close with them?"

He nodded, "They have always been great allies but they are quite a selective and small gang they deal a lot with weapons and arms but I have such respect for Owen and Kayla they are really great people,"

I mused over what had been said before adding, "I've heard of them, The Wolfsbane gang I think they do have some connections with my Father, but a ball sounds like a lot of fun."

"When is it?" Cameron glanced over the letter and turned it over to reveal the date of the event. 

"It's tomorrow," I responded reading the date.

"The letter must have gotten lost in the post, which means we've got it quite late," Cameron deduced. 

"Well, I have nothing fitting of a ball to wear," I huffed thinking about all the comfortable non chic looking clothing that filled my wardrobe. 

"I have a few suits I could wear but I could also go for a new one,"

My face lit up, "Does that mean we can go shopping?"

He cupped my cheek lightly eyes resting on my curved lips, "It's nice to see you smile again,"

The blush was back and even redder than usual. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, the way he looked at me was indescribable, moments and flickers of what resembled deep care. But they were just that, moments, nothing to grasp on something so elusive that I questioned whether it was ever there. 

"So shopping?"

He laughed, "Yes, shopping. Women and shopping you absolutely love it,"

"What can I say, I'm a girl with expensive tastes," I winked at him.

"You're really going to make my bank account hurt aren't you,"

"Oh don't you know it," excitement bubbled to the surface as I imagined all the beautiful dresses I could get to try on. A really hidden secret part of me, wanted Cameron to see me in all those dresses, I wonder what he would say, what he would think, whether he would give me those furtive looks that I so desired. Or would it all just be a mask of something unreadable. 

There was always something beyond the horizon with him, never the full story never completely readable always something beneath the surface. Something that would fall between my fingertips whilst I tried to grasp on to it. 

But it was there, those looks were real even if they were temporary and I hoped to see them more.