I yawned, the sun had just begun to rise and I wasn't ready to face the world yet. My bed was empty, but I couldn't figure out why I had woken until a door clicked shut.
There stood my mountain of a mate. He was shirtless, his dark hair slightly damp. Silver eyes narrowed as he took in my position.
"Comfy?" Az asked, his serious expression cracking with a soft smile.
I stretched out a hand to him, "Come join me."
My male's grin widened, he shut the door behind him, long legs striding across the room quickly. I pulled back the covers and he quickly joined me, groaning happily and stretching out on the bed.
"What were you up to?" I asked.
We laid there for a while, talking and listening to how Azrael had left to go meet up with Casi, Sel, and Rasten. Eventually my stomach began to growl and Az had to make sure the set up for the ball was going well.
Azrael and I got up, going through the closet that the servants had organized our clothes into. Pulled out a dark blue dress, it still poofed out at my hips, but there were less layers of fabric to it then there normally was. Az put on a white button-down, his muscles filling out the shirt in a way that was sinful. Or maybe my body's response to seeing his muscles bulging in the tight fabric was the sinful part?
"Don't look at me like that," Az growled, taking a threatening step closer to me.
"Why not?" I sassed, "You look so good I could eat you."
"Beautiful," He growled, grabbing my neck in one large hand, "I wanted to take you into the city today, but when you look at me like that I think it's better if we stay locked up in this room all day."
I grinned, "I wouldn't be opposed to either."
"Such a naughty mouth," Az growled, releasing his hold on my neck, "Come on. You'll get everything you need tonight, but for now... Let me show you the city I grew up in."
"Okay," I grinned, slipping into a pair of flats, "Let's go."
~~~
"How do you feel about my family?" My mate asked suddenly.
We were sitting in a small restaurant, sipping on imported coffee. I had laughed when my big, powerful, intimidating male began heaping sugar into the bitter drink.
"They are very nice," I replied, choosing the safest option. "Why do you ask?"
"Because," He reached across the table, grasping my hand and giving me a smile, "I've never had someone that makes me worry about what they think like you do."
"You don't need to worry about what I think," I rubbed his palm with my thumb, "I'm yours forever, even if your family hated me I would still want to be with you."
"I'm glad to hear you say that," My mate's smile faded.
"What's wrong?"
Az rubbed his free hand over his face, "Moonlight operrates differently than most places and I'm worried about how you will react to it."
"I'll be fine as long as you are with me," I grinned at him, laughing when he rolled his eyes at the cheesy line. "Besides Killian will be there as well right?"
"Of course," Az nodded, "Though he hasn't always been the most reliable male. I'm just hoping he won't end up in one of the back rooms with a female."
"I thought he's changed?" I tilted my head in confustion.
"He has," Az muttered, "But I'm always worried about him. He doesn't face his problems very well and I wonder if a night there might be too much temptation for him."
"Just talk to him," I suggested, not understanding the issue about him going to a club.
"I will." Az said firmly, his eyes growing distant.
~~~
"Are you sure this is appropriate?" I asked Maeve and Fia.
We were standing in Maeve's room, and I had already tried on five other dresses before deciding on this one. It wasn't like the normal poofy, layered dresses; it was a light gray. The silk-like fabric clung to my wide hips and my breasts. There was a high slit that stopped a few inches below my hip.
"Trust me," Maeve grinned, "This is tame compared to what the other females will be wearing."
Fia grinned, "The one time I went I wore a dress that stopped mid-thigh. I couldn't even bend over without fearing I was flashing some poor male."
The sisters laughed, but my eyes stayed on the dress. I wasn't wearing anything underneath it so my nipples were standing out, the low neckline left very little to the imagination. It was foolish to think, but a small part of me was hoping Az would see me in this dress and forget any other female existed.
"Let me put up your hair," Fia ordered, moving me over to a chair so she could start playing with my hair.
"You should wear something over the dress till you get there," Maeve muttered to herself, disappearing back into the closet.
"Thank you for doing this," I smiled up at Fia, one of my hands beginning to fidget with the thin straps that held up the dress.
"Of course," Fia grinned at me in the mirror, "Besides after watching our brothers tear into each other today it'll be good for Az to have such a beautiful female helping with his wounds."
"They fought?" I asked, frowning worriedly, "Do you know why?"
"I'm sure it's nothing," Fia rolled her eyes, "Those two love each other, but they still argue occasionally. I'm sure it was Killian's fault though. He has been very on edge lately. Rasten has started looking for a match for him, I wouldn't be surprised if Isa started showing her face around here again."
"Would she really go from one brother to the next?" I asked, the idea of Killian being mated to Isa made me want to pluck my eyes out so I wouldn't have to see them together.
"She will definitely try," Fia snorted, "There. All done. Do you like it?"
"I love it," I beamed at her, studying the loose bun she had twisted my hair into. A few golden strands hung down around my face, the soft curls reminding me of the golden threads that connected my mate and I together. "Thank you, Fia."
"Here," Maeve said with a smile, holding up a fluffy white fur proudly, "Wear this so you don't get cold on the way over."
"Thank you," I blinked quickly, overwhelmed by their kindness, "Thank you both so much."
"You've turned our brother into a big softie," Fiz laughed, "Playing dress up with you isn't a hardship."
"Stop being so mushy," Maeve laughed, faking a scowl, "Your tears make me sick."
"Go on," Fia grinned, "Az and Killian should be downstairs waiting for you."
I grinned, putting on the fluffy cloak and holding it together with one hand. It was so soft and comfortable, though I still preferred the black one my mate had given me. Maeve and Fia waved, watching me head down the large staircase that led to the front door.
If I hadn't been told that Azrael and Killian had been fighting I probably would have fallen to my knees upon seeing them. They wore matching black suits with the top few buttons undone. There was a deep gash on my mate's face, and I could see three large scratches on his brother's chest. The severity of the cuts was hidden by his shirt. They both had bruised and bloody knuckles, and their eyes were downcast.
"Are you okay?" I asked Azrael softly, reaching up my hand to touch his face only to stop when he flinched away.
"I'm fine." My mate bit out the word, shooting a glare at his brother.
"Are you alright?" I asked, turning to Killian and clasping my hands together.
"Let's get going," Killian growled out, hurt flashing in his eyes as he turned away from me.
I followed behind the angry males quietly. Taking Azrael's hand when he offered it to help me into the carriage. My mate sat beside me, our thighs pressed together in the small space. Killian joined us in the carriage, empty green eyes staring out of the window.
How did we get here? What happened between them?
The ride felt like it took hours, but it was probably only fifteen minutes before the carriage rolled to a stop. I opened the carriage door and stepped out into the night air quickly. I couldn't stand another minute in that sullen silence. "This way," Killian grunted, leading us towards a dark building that looked very unappealing.
He rapped on the door three times before pausing and giving another sharp knock. A slot opened in the door and feminine eyes appeared.
"Name?" She asked softly, her eyes darting towards Az and I before looking back to Killian.
"Killian and Azrael Lobosin," The red haired male replied gruffly.
"And the female?"
"A guest," Killian growled.
The slot snapped shut and there was a loud clicking sound before the door swung open, "Come on in, Killian. Jinna isn't here yet, but she will be in about an hour."
"I'll keep that in mind," Killian purred, giving the small female a flirty grin that had my stomach rolling.
We headed inside, and I handed my cloak to the female. There was a small table with various pins on them. Three letters A, B, and O were in different colors. Killian grabbed one of the As and disappeared without waiting for Azrael and I.
"What do they mean?" I asked quietly, embarrassed by my lack of knowledge.
"A is alpha meaning the wearer is dominant," The female explained kindly, "B is beta meaning both dominant and submissive, O is for omega so the wearer is a submissive. Red is for those looking for a partner to play with, blue is for those who aren't looking for anything and black is for those who are mated."
Az reached past me, grabbing one of the black As and pinning it to his white shirt. Following his lead I grabbed one of the black Os, giving the female an appreciative smile before turning away to follow my mate down a dark staircase. The sound of voices met my ears and soon light flooded the stairs.
We walked out into a crowded room and I resisted the urge to grab my mate's hand and hide in the safety of his arms. I had very little experience with crowds and anxiety crushed my chest.
Az glanced down at me, "Why don't you go get something to drink from the bar? Just have them put it on Killian's tab. I'm going to see where he went off to."
I nodded. Agreeing with him even though the thought of being left alone in a room full of people I didn't know had me rubbing my chest to try and relieve the tightness there. Following his instructions I headed towards the bar, my eyes struggling to take in all of the different sights I was seeing.
Females in various states of undress and some in just their undergarments were lounging on couches. Males prowled the room like predators, some sitting beside a female and flirting.
"Hello," A gritty voice called.
I spun, turning to face a brown haired male that was grinning down at me.
"Mated?" He hummed, "Let me know if that mate of yours is interested in sharing. Alright?"
"Sorry," I replied, holding up my chin and looking him in the eyes, "We don't share well."
The male frowned, "That's alright, you're too bold for my taste."
He quickly turned away, leaving me frowning at the small snub. I continued to head towards the bar, drawing a few male gazes as I went. Goosebumps raised on my skin, the slimy feeling of eyes on me made me shiver. I finally reached the bar, taking one of the stools and crossing my ankles so I didn't show too much.
"What can I get for you?" The male at the bar asked.
"Red wine please," I asked softly, my downcast eyes making the male laugh.
"Of course," He left, coming back with a large glass of wine, "Your mate better show up soon. These males can't stop looking at you."
"How can I make it stop?" I asked, squaring my shoulders and drawing a deep breath.
"Act confident," The male replied, giving me a wink, "Most of these males want an omega that is easy to dominate. The more confident and dominant you seem the less they want you."
"Oh," I took a sip of my wine, looking him straight in the eyes, "Like this?"
"Exactly," His eyes flicked over my shoulder, a deep frown taking over his face, "A word of advice, stay away from the male coming up to you. I've seen what he does to some of these females. Not a good one to be with."
"It's you," A strangely familiar voice growled in my ear.
"Excuse me?" I snapped, clenching my jaw and meeting the male whose face haunts my nightmares. "Oh... You."
"That's right," He growled, pointing a finger to his bent nose, "You did this to me."
A laugh sounded from behind me, but I ignored it, "What happens in the garden stays there. Leave me alone."
"I don't think so," The male snapped, "You're not so tough without your mate here."
"My mate is here," I growled, "I didn't need him to break your nose. I certainly don't need him now."
"You little bitch," The male growled, his hand cracking across my face.
Before I could move, wine was covering my front and the bartender had shifted. He launched himself across the bartop, tackling the larger male to the floor with a snarl. The dark haired male pinned my attacker to the floor and started slamming his fist into his face.
It only took a few seconds for the alphas in the room to pull them apart. A tall female with waist long black hair appeared, her jaw clenched tightly as she made her way to me. She stopped beside me and leaned against the bartop, dark eyes glued to the bartender that had thrown himself onto another male.
"Jax," She called softly, the male immediately stopped struggling against the alpha's, his black eyes meeting hers. "Come here."
He moved immediately, eyes slowly turning back to brown the closer he got to her. The female ran a comforting hand up and down his forearm, helping him relax.
"You," She snapped, pointing towards me, "Explain."
"I had broken that male's nose in the garden," I started, her dominant nature had words spilling from my lips, "He was still upset about it so he slapped me. That's when..."
"Jax," She supplied with a smirk.
"Right," I gave her a small smile, "That's when Jax jumped over the counter and started punching him."
The dark haired female grinned wickedly, "Always the hero, my Jax."
The male blushed, hiding his face in her neck the same way I did with Azrael. As if summoned by my thoughts my mate appeared out of the crowd, Killian following behind him.
"What happened to you?" Killian asked, his brows furrowing as he looked down at my chest, still dripping with wine.
"Just had a spill," The lie dripped from my lips easily.
"Really?" Az snapped, stepping forwards and grabbing my chin in a light grip, tilting my head towards the light, "Is that why you have a handprint on your face?"
"Boys." The female beside me snapped, "Let's not do this here. I think your poor female has been through enough for today. Come. Let's talk in my office."
The males towering over me stiffened, glaring at the smaller female. Their dominant nature was snarling at being ordered around, but they seemed to agree with her. Az grabbed my hand and I quickly pulled it away from him with a glare.
I didn't wait to see his reaction. Quickly following after the female and the male that had defended me. Angry snarls came from behind me, but I kept my chin up. He had left me, after making such a big deal about wanting to stay close to me here. I was not going to welcome Az back with open arms and let him play knight.