Moping around Eden's room, Lily finally gets dressed for the festival. Rubbing her organic Shea and coconut oil on her legs, she pouts the entire time.
"Lily Jade Rivera, stop pouting! I'm telling you Isy isn't that mad at you. He's definitely mad, but only like to rearrange your guts kinda mad!"
"Ayy cállate, estúpida!(shut up, stupid!)" Giggling, Lily waves Eden off. "No he's mad, like he won't even text me back!"
Crossing her arms she sits on the bed and pouts more.
"He's not going to either! From how you said Isy was actin last night, he's showing you he's your alpha. Don't get it twisted little Miss Feisty Lawyer, asswipe may be the alpha of this pack, but those three Haven men all have an alpha complex. So no, a text will not get a response, a phone call will not get a response. Israel wants a face to face apology to look you in those sexy ass eyes of yours to see if you're really conceding to him. He's tryna break that attitude, Lils."
"Ugh, why him though?! Like he's such a fuckin, ugh!"
"You're not used to being challenged, brat!"
"I don't care! Whatever! Anyways, you and Rome?"
"Nope. He wants to call me a liar and believe other people? Go right ahead, I'm not playing those stupid ass games. He had the nerve to accuse me or insinuate that I fucked Ty before coming home!"
"Seriously?!"
"Yes! So no, we are no longer on the same page. And to be honest I don't know if we ever were."
"Por que?! You must have been. He was calling you baby, taking you on dates, and very affectionate, verdad(right)? Mami y'all were working towards something. I believe that."
"Yes, he called me that in private. He only took me on one date that ended disastrously. And all we did was fuck. We didn't really talk or express too many true feelings."
"Well knowing you as well as I do, Edee. I'd have to say you probably weren't expressing your feelings." Smirking at her knowingly, Lily laughs as Eden flips her off. "Exactamente!(exactly!) But even still you're right his behavior at times has been a little sus, so yo entiendo(I understand.)"
"Whatever, we gotta finish straightening your hair after what Isy did to it!"
"Uugghhh! Leave me alone!"
Twisting the top half of her hair into a bun, Eden smiles at her reflection. She decided to apply her makeup light and fresh with shimmery eyeshadow and a simple lip gloss. She looks beautiful, sexy, and sophisticated in the snow white, crop top, two piece, Egyptian cotton, blazer and skirt set from her mother's summer professional line. The length of the skirt provides the false impression of elongated legs. And her legs are lengthened by her shimmering silver summer strappy heels.
Stepping into the bathroom, Lily too is in a signature piece from the line. Her petite curvy silhouette is accentuated in the two piece cerulean blue and magenta floral print blazer and short set. It looks like it is a one of a kind piece created specifically for Lily. The way it hugs her curves and is tailored to her ample behind, one would think it was sewn around her frame. Deciding to wear nothing underneath the blazer, but a thick ornate decorative necklace that falls perfectly into her cleavage, sets the outfit over the top. That and the cage like gladiator magenta heels that compliment the pops of pink in her outfit.
"Ooohhh chica! You tryna piss Rome off! Looking like a sexy little executive! And you know without a doubt Ty is here! You're too mala(bad), Edee!"
"Meee?! You tryna have Isy put a baby in ya womb! You literally look naked under that blazer, which you are! And you have the hair all wavy and sexy! You tryna have him glued to ya ass!"
"Shiiit, I'm not gonna lie! I want him so badly!"
"So how do you know he's not your mate?!"
"I don't! But for higher ranking wolves we only know for certain under a full moon. Like we can tell some what, pero(but) a night together under the full moon tells us."
"How?! I thought it was like zing, you're my mate!"
As they giggle hysterically, Lily shakes her head at Eden.
"You're muy loca, Edee!"
"I'm serious! I've never known the true way mates work! My parents never told me. Like it was always the same bullshit story about a matchmaker! So tell me, Lils!"
"Well technically there is a matchmaker...Nefessa the moon goddess. But no, so for other wolves it kinda is like 'zing you're my mate!' Their wolves call to each other. So they sex, and during they have this compulsive need to mark eachother. So they do and become one. But with higher ranked our senses are always so heightened that it becomes harder for us to tell each other's inner wolves apart. We may hear another wolf as if they're our mate, but it might just be our impeccable hearing. We may feel physically drawn to another strong wolf essence, but that may just be our need for natural selection of the strong to survive. Or we may be drawn to a particular wolf because of their pheromones. But again it might just be due to our heightened sense of smell. So it makes it hella hard. But under the full moon the high ranking wolves abilities become so strong that without a doubt you can tell if your partner is your true mate. Like for instance when my dad met my mom under the full moon he saw her wolf aura color and it was the same as his. That only happens with true mates. Every wolf has an individualized specialized aura color. And only soulmates match 100%."
"Wow! Oh my gosh, I love that! So do you think that could be the case with me?"
"Well being that you're like a super-duper rare once in 500 years kinda special wolf, I have no idea. But probably. I mean hell nobody is alive that would know. So you'd have to do some trial and error to find out. But who would you be trying that with? Because truth be told mami, if you did it with Rome and found out he wasn't I know you would be devastated that you had to stay with him and make a life. But if he is, right now you don't like him as a person so would you be happy? I mean we know that Nile and Legend really seem to like each other, but their human counterparts make it very hard for them to spend time together. Do you think you guys might be able to do that, just for their sake?"
"I don't know, Lils. When you break it down like that maybe it's better if I don't know." Shrugging sadly, Eden tries to hide just how disappointed and forlorn she is.
"Babe, soy yo(it's me). You don't have to pretend to be ok if you're not."
"I know." Replying barely above a whisper, the tears start streaming down Eden's face.
"Aww, Edee. Please don't cry. I hate seeing you cry!"
Wrapping her arms around her, Lily just strokes the back of Eden's hair. Seeing her best friend so destroyed over a situation that she can't control really rips her heart apart. But seeing Eden cry is even worse, everyone that knows Eden can probably count on one hand how many times they've actually seen tears leave her eyes. She'd rather hold it all in until she explodes privately rather than someone see her at her weakest point.
"I'm. I'm alright, Lils. I just gotta get over it, is all."
"Oh hell no! Why is my gorgeous baby crying in my other gorgeous baby's arms?! Who do Honey and I have to kill?!" Running into the bathroom in her self designed silk Venetian print collared shirt and skinny dress pants outfit, Elise surveys the scene in front of her.
"Oh gosh, mommy!" Laughing in spite of her tears, Eden smiles at her over protective mother. "I'm ok, just a little sad."
"Why mama?"
As the girls explain everything to Elise, she listens sadly and nods in understanding.
"I figured you were still holding out hope for a true mate."
"How?"
"Well one cause I'm your mother and I know my die hard romantic baby! Even in spite of how stoic and stubborn you can be Edee, you love the magic of love. And two because I hear about all this fresh sexy time that you and Rome have, but I haven't seen any affection between you and my future son-in-law. Like not a special kiss, hug, glimpse, smile, wave, nod, shit even a wink will do! But nothing? That's not what I hoped I'd see after you two being together everyday for two months."
"It didn't help that I avoided him for the first month after finding out about Brooklyn. And then two weeks ago we started whatever it was and I really began enjoying him. But as of late it's been pretty hard to be in each other's presence without arguing. Or in his case saying messed up shit to me."
"Do you wanna get back to where y'all were?"
"Yes and no."
"Explain, baby."
"Yes because. Because I kinda miss him." As her voice breaks, Lily and Elise exchange a furrowed brow look and head tilt. "But no cause he believed other people over my word. And he said really hurtful shit to me. And I don't fully trust him with Blake."
"Ooook, so what I'm hearing is there is potential to grow, but only with improvement from him and time for you to open up to trusting him. So work needs to be done on both of your parts. But it's not a solid no, like when you first moved here?"
Looking at her daughter with a new ember for hope of a true loving marriage, Elise smiles.
"Yeah, if he really tries. Then yes."
"Ok mama, but you gotta try to!"
"How, ma?!"
"Umm it's called being vulnerable, Edee!" Lily giggles at Eden's cluelessness.
"Ok, I'm willing to be more vulnerable if I see he's worth it."
"AAWWWW YAY!" Dancing and clapping hopefully, Elise and Lily celebrate at Eden's vow.
Finally to the venue, Eden's heart swells in appreciation at how packed the enormous venue is with all the guest packs and her own, even though the event hasn't even started yet.
"Day two looks promising, beautiful!"
"Aww thank you, Pops! Don't you look handsome!" Eden squeals as Scott hugs her.
"I know I told you it yesterday, but I am so proud to have you in our pack and most of all in my family. You really are a beautiful young woman both inside and out, Edee."
"Stoooop! You keep tryna make me cry! And I hate crying!"
"Ok, ok! I'll leave you ladies to it!" Squeezing Elise and Lily quickly, he trots off.
"If shit doesn't work out with Israel I might have to challenge Luna Asia for his old sexy ass!"
"Lily Rivera!"
Eden and Elise shriek and cackle.
"Whatever! I'm just sayin!" Shrugging, she walks up the stage stairs with them.
"Hey best friend!"
"Hey brother!"
Hugging Israel, Eden smiles. Watching as Lily sulks and takes her seat makes Eden laugh hard.
"You really mad at her?!"
"Hell yeah, she's not gonna talk to me like that. She can literally talk to EVERYONE else like that, but us? Nah we not bout to deal with each other like that. So if her attitude has improved then we can talk."
"Ok, Isy and Chief! Tryna tighten that ass up!"
"Exactly."
"Well hopefully she'll pull it together."
"Hopefully." Nodding at her, Israel goes back over to his seat.
Quickly glimpsing at Rome, Eden sees just how undeniably sexy and handsome he looks in his all black ensemble. The way his fitted T-shirt and dress pants seem painted onto his muscular physique. Especially sitting gap legged in his chair.
But how unapologetic and blah he seems and for some reason it really bothers her. It's like a blow to the heart and stomach that truly makes her nauseous.
Seeing Eden enter makes Rome's stomach flip and Legend pace gleefully. But seeing her acknowledge his brother before him pisses him off in a way he didn't think was possible. Especially with the warriors informing him of her time spent with Ty.
So he wants to make her feel just as unimportant and invisible as she's treating him. Even though she looks absolutely gorgeous in her cropped suit set with her shapely flawless legs being flaunted. No he can't let her see just how much of an effect she's having on his lower region or the smile that wants to plaster itself across his face.
"What he say?" Lily quickly inquires.
"Like I told you! He wants an in person apology."
"Ayy el es una idiota!(He's an idiot!) Seriously?!"
"Yep!"
"Lo odio!(I hate him!)"
"Ahaha! No you don't! Go say sorry!"
"Fine, mierda!(shit!)"
Laughing as Lily walks backstage to go find Israel, Eden goes and peeks to see.
Finding him on his phone, Lily stands in front of him with her arms crossed, waiting for him to acknowledge her, which he purposely doesn't.
Becoming annoyed , Lily begins tapping her heeled foot.
"Israel?!"
Slowly looking up at her, he pulls his bottom lip into his mouth and folds his arms across his broad chest. Not saying a word he looks at her.
"Israel?!" She almost whines at him not acknowledging her. "Sorry!"
"Nah, the right way."
Glaring at him, Lily pretends to be mad because her body is having all the completely opposite reactions being in his authoritative presence.
"I'm sorry."
Stepping closer to her, Israel truly towers over her by at least a foot. Slowly wrapping his hand around her throat, he stares directly into her eyes.
"Lily, I said the right way."
Gently squeezing her throat, he listens to her moan and bite her bottom lip.
"I'm sorry for going off on you antes(before), pero(but) I was wrong. Do you forgive me?"
Looking down at her, he licks his lips and whispers something in her ear that turns her face bright red. Within seconds Lily's hands are tangled in his locks as he picks her up by her full behind. Meshing their lips in a heated erotic liplock, Israel walks their entangled bodies to the nearest backstage dressing room. Covering her mouth, Eden snickers gleefully at the fact that her two best friends were able to make up.
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Thoughts?🐺
💗A.J