The Scent of Illusion (Published under IMMAC)

Chapter 44: The Afterparty

Trigger warning: May contain sensitive topics such as death, sex, profanity, suicide, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, mental health, sexuality, etc. There might be depictions or references to sexual harassment. Please be guided accordingly and read at your own risk.

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Early the next day, the Hudson Mansion was already busy with the buzzing instructions that came from Emilia. The sun had not completely risen yet when the light-ash-haired woman had started to work her magic. She felt that after everything that happened in the past months, they deserved to have a celebration that was neither a front for a scheme nor was it for matchmaking.

There were so many things to do but Emilia managed to pull it off with the help of Aurora, who seemed to be in a better and brighter mood than how she was a couple of nights before.

Dressed in a red silk slit dress, Aurora descended the stairs with Eli wearing a black suit with red accents. The fiery silhouettes of their outfit were befitting but it was also the work of Emilia. Remembering the night that they executed the plan, Emilia could not help but be enchanted by the way the dress fit Aurora and how ethereal looked. Unfortunately, when the plan was executed, the dress ended up in tatters. As beautiful as it was, Aurora was never able to wear it to its full potential as it became her outfit for sneaking and so much more. And Emilia just wanted to make it up to her.

"Oh Aurora," Emilia cooed at her friend, a beaming smile plastered on her lips. The red silk flowed down Aurora's figure, falling on the right curves. "You look gorgeous."

Pink crept to her cheeks as she felt the faint warmth that spread across her face. "Thank you, Emilia. You look wonderful as well."

On the other hand, Emilia was wearing a blue high-low dress that had floral details on the fabric which matched Hayden's blue suit with light blue accents. It was almost close to the shades that they wore at the last party and Emilia knew that they were not able to dance for a long time in their dresses and suits. And she was hoping that they could change that in this one.

Sprawled across the dance floor and in the vineyard were almost the same people from the last party that they threw. There were so many familiar faces, especially the Bushes and the Shatners.

"Is that Willie Bush?" Aurora asked, disgust dripping her tone as she spotted the young Beta by the door. Her eyes had grown wide as a scowl settled on her lips.

"Ew. Was he the one who tried to--?" Emilia let the question hang, not wanting those kinds of words to dance on her lips for the night. With just a nod from Aurora, she understood it almost immediately. "I don't see why he got an invite."

Aurora shook her head. "He doesn't matter. Let's go enjoy this, okay? This is our night, too!" The brightness in her voice was clear and Emilia knew that it was the bubbly Aurora that she had met from the very beginning.

As both the women exchanged glances, they could not help but admire each other and just how long they had come from the very first time they met. They had come a long way since then and as much as they would not voice it out in front of the two males, Aurora and Emilia were both glad to have become friends.

The four headed to the ballroom and decided to mingle with their guests first before they dared to dance.

Emilia was quick to take the spot next to her father with Hayden loosely next to her as she was not sure how Malloy was still going to take it. And it was not that long until the Shatners had joined the circle, especially when Hilda Shatner was there yet again to offer her son, Mack.

"It had been a while, Malloy," Hilda greeted, a smile on her face as she nudged her son next to her who could not even say a word without stuttering. "Since the party got interrupted last time, we weren't able to talk more about dear Emilia and Mack here."

Malloy knew that he got carried away last time but as he glanced at both Emilia and Hayden, who were loosely falling away from the circle as he gave more space to Emilia.

"Ah. Well, that's because I do not plan to set up my daughter. If she does decide to marry, it would be with whom she wants to." With a faint smile and a small nod, he turned on his heels and gave Hayden a pat on the shoulder.

Taking that as a signal, Hayden turned to Emilia as he offered her a hand. "May I have this dance?"

Emilia could not even deny the excitement that bubbled in her stomach. "Of course!" Too excited that she took his hand and pulled him to the dance floor, swaying to the current ballad that was playing.

Meanwhile, Eli was mostly greeting people here and there, smiling faintly as he answered some questions about the recent arrest but he would brush it off and tell them that it was time to celebrate. But just as he turned back to Aurora, he caught a glimpse of Willie Bush winking in her direction. This lit something in the pit of his stomach. With a huff, he snaked his arm around Aurora's waist to pull her closer to him. "Let's dance?"

Despite being surprised by the male's action, Aurora melted in his arms and nodded. "I would love to."

With every love song that played through the night, Eli and Aurora danced to each one of them. They were unable to get their hands off of each other. Even as silence hung over them, there was a sense of warmth that wrapped them in its embrace.

"I'm really glad you're here, Aurora," Eli said, cutting through the silence that was wrapping them.

A soft smile painted itself on Aurora's lips. "I am, too." She paused as she let her cupid-tinted gaze meet his. "Thank you for always being there for me. I can't believe that no matter how many times I run off, you'll always be there to follow me and find me."

There was a brief silence that followed, their hearts beating against their ivory cages with the sounds echoing into the fabrics that wrapped their bodies. The scent of their pheromones mingled with each other, wrapping them in its intoxicating combination that gave no way out.

Eli's gaze was soft on her, and a soft sigh of defeat left his lips as if to give in to whatever it was that was blurring his thoughts and filling his heart. "I really care for you, Aurora," he started, unsure about how he could voice it out as naturally as possible. He let the music move his feet, his arms a slave to the melody as he turned Aurora and swayed her to the rhythm. And while he was not the best dancer there was, he did his best to give her an enjoyable time. "I love you."

Pink crept to Aurora's cheeks upon hearing the male's declaration, one she was not expecting. Despite the bond that she knew they had formed, it was still quite bizarre for her to feel all the sunny warm, and blooming petals in her heart. It all felt known and yet not at all overwhelming. A sweet smile danced on her lips as she looked at the silver-haired man with loyal adoration in her eyes. "I love you, too."

Eli placed a free hand on her cheek as the other stayed on her waist. Leaning in, he captured her lips into a sweet yet endearing kiss. And it may be the first since their confession but it surely was not the last kiss of the night.

With the music and the laughter that filled the walls of the mansion, it truly was a celebration.

As the night grew deeper and the guests decided to go home, everyone in the house settled inside the comfort of their own bedrooms but Eli found himself knocking in Malloy's study.

"Is there anything I can help you with, son?" Malloy asked, a ghost of a smile passing through his features.

Eli pressed his lips together, sitting on the chair in front of Malloy's desk. "I was just going to ask what happens with Blood Rage now." There was a hint of genuine concern laced in his breath that reeked a little bit of whiskey.

Looking straight into Eli's eyes, Malloy could see a leader who had genuine concerns, concerns that extended outside of the pack that was not entirely wrong. "If you mean what happens to them now that the one who acted as their leader had been executed, then I think the first plan I do want to execute is to help them rebuild and improve their territory." Despite the authority that was evident in Malloy's voice, there was a sense of warmth that coated his words as he smiles at his son in front of him.

Eli's eyes widened in surprise but it was the kind that he welcomed gladly. "You mean you're calling a truce?"

Malloy would not simply put it that way but it was what it really was, and there was no denying it. "I am going to declare peace between Grey Shadow and Blood Rage, and we will do what we can to help them in any way possible."