Damsel in Control (18+ Only) - The Rogue Pack

Chapter 45

Sam approaches me from across the room. She's gorgeous in a tight blue suit that perfectly accentuates her muscular form. The first time I'd met her, I'd truly realised why everyone spoke of her so highly. She wasn't a power hungry, controlling, charming, manipulative Alpha as we've come to know them. Nor was she a strong, dominating, powerful, overwhelming Alpha like Isaac. She was her own style of Alpha, far superior to the rest. She was charming and powerful for sure. But with an almost sisterly affection that made you trust that she had your best interests at heart, that she would protect you, and push you, and challenge you. Standing beside me now, I can feel that comforting, powerful aura pulsating around me as she grasps gently by the shoulder

"I've got a surprise for you." She nods her head towards the entrance where Isaac and Adina stand side by side. They're receiving quite a lot of stares, but they ignore them all regally as they make their way towards me. Adina grips me in a tight bear hug.

"You look beautiful, Reyna. As always." She smiles at me, a conspiratorial smile that makes my stomach flip and my heart race.

"Look like you're putting a bit of muscle on, doll." Isaac ruffles my hair paternalistically and I smile at his old fashioned ways. He'll never change, and I love every bit of him for it.

"Aren't you worried she'll be taking you on soon?" He nods at Sam. He makes the joke lightly, but I know he's implying something much deeper. A warning for what will happen if two Alphas belong to the same pack.

"Oh she can always try." Sam's upper limb muscles ripple, accentuating her words, her eyes blazing red briefly as she glances at me in warning. But the expression on her face is that of amusement, so at least I know I don't have to take the warning too seriously. Although I think that's more to do with her self-assured confidence in her own impressive abilities as opposed to any judgement directed at me.

With that she leaves us, making her way towards the small stage that has been erected so that she can welcome the guests. I barely have time to return Adina's compliment before Sam claps her hands, and the room quietens, all of us turning to her respectfully.

"Welcome! This is a party to remind us of what this pack is about. A pack that allows us all to be our truest selves, away from judgement and discrimination." She pauses, glancing towards the stage as if checking for something. A small hand gives her a thumbs up from behind the curtain.

"That is why," Sam's grin is so wide it's as if she will burst with pride, "I would like you all to join me in welcoming my mate, Tay, as they show us a part of themselves they have been forced to keep hidden for far too long."

The room explodes into applause as Tay takes their place on the stage.

Their outfit is stunning. A layered skirt made of finest silks, each a slightly different shade of red. The topmost layer is the thinnest, and sewn on it is the most intricate pattern I have ever seen. A single thread of pure gold dances across the fabric. Roses and peonies bloom on the waist of the skirt, then below smaller flowers, daisies and forget-me nots, that gradually transition into fallen petals, small stray flowers, that become increasingly sparse. The bottom of the skirt remains free of embroidery, flowing around Tay's legs as they walk into the centre of the stage. Light and airy, it makes them look as if they are floating on air, the skirt changing colours around them as the light wavers.

The top, a deep red to match the deepest colours of the skirt, is cropped and fitted. Cut perfectly, it seems as though it has been made solely for them. The fine gold thread is visible here too, large flowers blooming across the material. But these are bigger than those of the skirt, a simple yet elegant pattern that spreads across their body. The edges of the top are finished in a criss-crossed pattern, decorated using the same golden thread. The top ends just above Tay's navel, exposing their midriff around which a single gold chain has been fastened. Simple in its appearance, the chain-link is slender and tasteful, interrupted at equal intervals by a small golden ball, not much larger than the chain itself.

Neck exposed by the off-shoulder design, they look like a princess of olden times. Proud and regal in their stance, back straight, head held high. The curves of their neck extended into the sweep of their collar bones, their shoulders lithe and muscular above the sleeves. These end just above their elbow, finishing in a gorgeous silk bell shape that mimics the movement of the skirt. Their slender neck has been left bare, allowing all the attention to remain on their face. They are wearing very little makeup, a slight hint of gold on their eyelids behind their long dark lashes, and a tint of rouge on their flawless cheeks. Two stray curls have escaped their intricate hairstyle, framing their face perfectly.

A faint smile plays on their lips as their kind eyes peer around at the pack members gathered before them. Then the music starts and they draw in a deep breath, their chest rising as they lift up onto their tiptoes, as if the very music was filling their body. At first they simply sway to the rhythm, then as the music builds, they start moving. It is like watching a bird flit through the trees. Like the ebbing and flowing of waves. Their dance is elegance and strength, their limbs moving purposefully but with a grace that makes it seem effortless. The dance is slow, yet so powerful that it captures every eye in the room. With every spin, their skirt twists with their movements, the layers shifting and combining, accentuating their every move. Their bare feet seem to fly over the stage, stepping and twirling and leaping in time with the rhythm of the song. The music builds, Tay's movements growing faster, wilder, their hands almost a blur as they twirl through the air. The skirt struggles to keep up, twisting and then shifting again before they've completed their motion, causing it to ripple through the air.

Finally they still, silence reigning through the room as the song ended. Panting, their chest rises and falls below their top, their eyes sparkling like a raging fire. And in them, I can see their fight, their pain, their triumph as they finally find the life they deserved. It is reflected in Sam's eyes, as she gazes lovingly at the angel before us, the pride within them enough to feed a starving man.

That is what I want. That kind of love. The pure, unadulterated kind. The kind of love that exists no matter the situation, no matter the action. Love that is neither used as a temptation or a threat. A love that is kind, and understanding, and ever-lasting. But to find that love, I need to be myself. So I allow Aida to remove the veil, allow her to expose us to the eyes of those onlookers.

And as I walk through my party, back exposed, marks of power and victory on display to others, I no longer see the pity in the eyes of the onlookers. I only feel my pride.