ATTENTION RADISH READERS! Please don't leave any spoilers in here or you'll be getting a spanking from Iona. Or Kole. Or Konnor. Whoever you'd prefer. 😘
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"So? What do you think?" Lucy asked, her hands clasped in front of her as I surveyed the damage. By damage I meant decorations. Somehow, this pint-sized werewolf had managed to get her hands on more bunting than I'd ever seen in my life and hang it from every available surface. It looked like a bachelorette Pinterest board had thrown up all over the pack house. The dining hall had been turned into a dance floor. There were games and food everywhere. The cake I'd asked for had pride of place in the middle of the room. I hadn't asked that it be shaped like a giant penis but I was okay with it.
"It looks great," I nodded, doing my best to look pleased...but not too pleased. Dinah's watchful eye reminded me that I had to play this carefully. Too much enthusiasm would raise suspicion, she would see through it in an instant. "Thank you for putting this together."
"My pleasure, it's so exciting! We've never had a bachelorette party before! Oh look, your guests are arriving!" My guests consisted of every female over the age of 16. I knew almost none of them but I quickly allowed Lucy to make introductions. I did my best to be polite and to not tug on the cocktail dress Kara had insisted I wear. I'd tripped in the heels twice already but I was persevering. For appearances sake.
Tonight was the night. It had to be. I didn't know how exactly I was going to get away yet, but disappearing in the middle of a party seemed just insane enough to work. It was the only time I was going to have my cuffs off. The only time Kole was going to be a far enough away to give me a head start. I just had to let the females get nice and drunk...but how I was going to get rid of Siobhan I didn't know. I was hoping I wouldn't have to hurt her but I had my eye on the cake knife just in case.
After saying 'nice to meet you' for the hundredth time, I excused myself to get a drink. I stepped into the empty kitchen, surveying the mass of beverages.
"Alpha said you weren't permitted to drink alcohol tonight." My shadow said behind me. I looked over my shoulder at Siobhan. Even tonight, during a party, she was wearing her hair in close braids and her clothing was loose and comfortable.
"I know, don't worry. I'm not drinking," I said, running an envious gaze over her outfit. "How did you manage to get out of wearing a dress anyway?"
"This is better for fighting."
"You expecting much action at a fake bachelorette party?" I asked which won me a hint of amusement on her usual stony face.
"You never know, Luna."
There was that damned word again, I winced every time I heard it. "Please don't call me that." Before she could answer, we were joined by a familiar face. The receptionist I recognised from the school.
"Oh, hello Luna! This is a lovely party, I'm so happy you're coming around to being a part of our pack." She grinned wide, her pink dress puffing like candy floss around her. I would never in a million years imagine this slight creature transformed into a giant wolf. I gave her a tight smile, trying not to throw up in my mouth.
"Thank you. It's Kat, right?" I said, picking up an empty glass.
"Yes!" She squealed, seeming excited I'd remembered her name. "Can I get you a drink?"
"I've got it." I waved her off.
"Please, allow me." She snatched the glass out of my hand. "What would you like?"
"Um...water with ice, please."
"Absolutely! You look so pretty tonight. Has Alpha Kole seen you in that dress? I bet he'd lose his mind." She said it like it was a good thing, Kole losing his mind was exactly what we were all afraid of.
"No, I got dressed after he went to...wherever all the guys have taken him tonight." Whilst I was having my own little soiree, Konnor had taken the opportunity to take Kole for their version of a stag night. Which might involve killing an actual stag. I didn't care what they were up to, but having them good and distracted was better luck than I'd hoped for.
"Well, maybe you should keep it on till he gets back, he won't be able to keep his hands off you!" She winked and this time I barely managed to keep myself from punching her in the face. "Here you go." She returned with my drink, smiling. I took the glass.
"Thank you." She was still smiling at me...waiting. I took a sip and she beamed even wider.
"You're welcome! Well, I'll see you back in the party!"
I turned, watching the hyper little bunny hop away. "What's she on?"
"She's just excited." Siobhan leaned against the wall, her arms folded.
"To get me a glass of water?"
"To serve you," she said and I snorted. That was ridiculous. "Don't brush that off, Luna. She's showing you respect, building her bond with you. It's important."
I wanted to argue, tell her that I didn't want to be served by anyone but instead I just nodded. "Better get back out there." But before I could leave we were joined by another very familiar face. Siobhan ducked her head in respect as Dinah stepped into the kitchen.
"Iona, do you have a minute?"
"Would you like me to leave?" Siobhan asked.
"No, you can stay." Dinah gave her a warm smile before turning back to me. "We've had a busy few days so I haven't had the chance to speak with you...there's something I wanted to discuss." She took up a seat on one of the stools, pouring herself a vodka and orange. "I hear that Alpha Kole's dominance is affecting you now."
I winced, the memory of Kole's power over my body making me feel suffocated all over again.
"I won't bother to ask how you feel about it but I am always here to talk to if you have questions." Her offer was kind on the surface but I had no doubt that anything I confided in her would be fed right back to Kole.
"No, thank you."
"Fine, then I'll talk. I wonder if it's occurred to you yet that you have a similar power to the Alpha." The thought had occurred to me. I'd seen Allie and Lucy respond in a similar way when I'd lost my temper in the kitchen but it wasn't something I'd had time to explore.
"I'd suspected it but I wasn't sure."
"Your influence is to a lesser degree of course but no less important. The more you bond with the females and solidify your place here, the stronger it will become."
"What does it do?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
"It affects energy, emotions, moods. It keeps the pack steady. You can't make anyone do or say what you want, but you can calm them and push them into submission."
"Anyone?" This could be really useful, but it would only be useful if I was getting closer to these people. Still, it would be good to know how much power Dinah had.
"Not Alpha's of course, but your influence should work on others though, as I said, to a lesser degree."
I nodded, wrapping my mind around what she was telling me. "How does it differ from the Alpha's power? Does it feel different?"
"Jonah only ever used his influence over me when I was in labour, to calm me. I don't know what it feels like other times."
"He never used it to make you be quiet when you were angry with him or to make you submit?"
She shook her head, sadness shining in her eyes. "No, he never did that. True, we didn't have the same arguments that you and my son are having but that doesn't mean we didn't infuriate each other from time to time. Even so, he never used it against me, no matter how much I pissed him off."
It must hurt her, seeing her son throw away everything his parents had taught him in favour of the advice of some crooked old cronies.
"But growing up here, your Alpha and Luna must have used it sometimes..."
"The Alpha yes, but the Luna never did." Her voice was soft, lowered, as if she didn't want anyone to hear our conversation.
"Why?"
"That's complicated."
"So...you've never felt it?"
"The safety of my Luna? No. I was waiting for you to get here." The weight of those words hung in the air and I had no idea what to do with them. I certainly wasn't about to pick them up but that didn't mean that her sadness was lost on me, even if I didn't completely understand it.
"Why haven't you used it on me?" There were enough occasions it would have made her life easier to shut me up and make me submit like Kole had done.
"Partly because I wasn't able to yet, though I probably could now, but besides that, I didn't need to give you more of a reason to distrust me."
"I wish Kole was following the same logic." I muttered and she nodded.
"So do I."
"Try it." I was probably going to regret it, but she seemed to want to feel this so badly, I had to know why. "Your Luna thing...try it on me. I want to know what it feels like."
"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded, even though I wasn't. "We aren't bonded as females yet so it won't be in full effect but you should feel something."
She gazed at me, her green eyes warm. I watched as Siobhan ducked her head, her eyes closing, but she didn't seem scared...she looked happy, content. Like she was snuggled under a blanket in front of a warm fire.
Then I started to feel it.
A warmth in my chest, different from the power I'd felt from Kole. This didn't dominate, didn't suffocate. His was an oppressive bubble, sealing me in. This was a gentle heat, warming me from the inside out. I felt syrup-like calm flood my body. It made me feel like I was home, like I was lov-
"Stop." I bit the word out, not wanting it to ever stop but the crushing fear that hit me in a wave was too powerful to resist. "Stop it!" The warmth went as quickly as it came and I gasped, catching my breath.
"Iona-"
"Don't ever do that again." I spat at her.
Calm down, Iona. You're supposed to be earning trust, not burning bridges.
Dinah didn't say a word, just watching me with those all-knowing eyes. I hated that look. Like she knew without my saying a word, that her flooding me with love after a lifetime of loneliness was more than I could bear.
She stood, brushing her hands off as if washing the tension away. "Come, you'd better get back to your party."
***
A.N.
Hey lovelies!!
Are you surprised that Dinah never tried to use her power on Iona?
Do you think Iona will manage her escape?
I'd love to hear any thoughts/predictions you've got!
This chapter is dedicated to @za_nina this one's for you, honey!! Thanks for being such an enthusiastic reader, I appreciate you!
See you all in the next one!
AJ
❤
P.S. Early chapters are available on Radish if you can't stand the wait 😉