Someone had lied to me.
The journey was not six hours.
The car journey was half an hour.
But there were four on a damn airplane!
Pulling up in the death box to be led into another death box drained my soul from my body. The only reason I even got on the bigger death box, death tube, was because there were people taking pictures from a few hundred yards away.
Why?
I do not know, but I was glad Serenity made me not look so tattered.
The pilot greeted us warmly despite my obvious fear, and Asra's hand rested on the small of my back. After brief pleasantries on his part, he forced me forward until I fell into a comfortable chair. I hummed for a second, appreciating the soft leathery fabric. Arabella would've loved this chair to read her books. You could get all of your legs on it criss-crossed with ease!
"You didn't tell me we were going on a death tube." I muttered, glaring at Asra.
"A what?" Asra's lips quirked.
I glared at him, noticing his men line the surrounding seats. Asra fell into the chair opposite me, his attire catching my eye again. He was wearing some grey-scale checked suit trousers that hugged his thighs and ass, and I couldn't help but stare.
How could I not stare!
The shirt was short-sleeved, and white, and so tasty... It was a colour I often found him wearing, but today he just looked extra yummy.
I blame the hormones; my bleed was due in three days. And then finally, I could take the damn birth pills.
"A plane. A death tube. You think I am going to sit here in this when, in fact, I am going to run out of the door so fast-
"Tulip," Asra mused, leaning forward so he was closer to me.
My breath hitched at the mesmerising midnight of his eyes, pursing my lips as he successfully gained my attention.
"Butterscotch."
His lips quirked, unfazed. "They proved air travel to be fifteen times safer than a car."
"It is?" I wondered.
"Yes, trust me."
I eyed him with scrutiny, but I could tell he was being honest. With a sigh, I nodded once and used the chance to scour the surrounding death tube. Now I was more scared of cars.
I saw Serenity in the back, falling into her own chair, reclining it, and closing her eyes.
"Okay," I sighed. "But the idea of jumping out of the door isn't out of my mind yet."
He chuckled. "I wouldn't expect any less."
I smiled, amused, and leaned back into the chair to stare out of the window. The cabin fell into a soft hum as the engines shifted and the plane moved. Asra explained it was called taxiing, which meant it would only be a minute before we took off. Forced to wear a seatbelt, I stared at Asra with wide eyes as the world blurred beyond the window. With heavy breaths, I internally begged for it to be over so I could launch onto my mate's lap.
I wasn't allowed to leave my seat until it was safe! Meanwhile, I was going to have a mental breakdown!
My nails gripped the armrest and Asra's eyes were hard as my wide ones held onto his. I saw the twitch in his jaw, the clenching of his fists as he shifted his weight uncomfortably in his chair. He offered me soothing words as the plane launched into the sky, but I stayed mute, frightened to silence as we left the ground.
We were going to fall.
This death tube couldn't hold its own. It was impossible.
Metal and humans didn't fly!
A hand on my cheek jolted me from my panic and my head snapped around with alarm, unexpecting Asra to be so close.
"You can let go now. We're at cruising altitude."
I didn't know what that meant, but I allowed him to undo my seatbelt. The moment it was off my waist, I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He let out a heavy breath as I unexpectedly climbed him like a tree, before chuckling softly and moving backward so we could sit down in his chair together.
"Look." He murmured, nudging my head from his shoulder. "Look out the window."
I frantically shook my head, clinging to him harder.
"Ailia, look out the window. You will regret not doing so." He suggested.
I didn't like being taunted, and stubbornly turned my head so I faced the window. Ready to give him a piece of my mind, I narrowed my eyes. My words died on my tongue as I looked out at the expanse beyond the window.
An entire world vanished.
The plane was smooth as it slowly cut through fluffy white clouds. My lips parted with surprise, an intense amount of glee bubbling up in my stomach as I gazed across the horizon. I couldn't see the sun, nor the moon, not even the earth below us, but we were floating like a rubber duck in a bath.
I exhaled loudly, turning on Asra's lap, so I sat facing the window. My legs hung over the arm, ass firmly planted in his lap.
I may like the look of Neverland outside, but I wasn't leaving Asra's side.
"I told you so," He quipped. "I love coming on the plane because you get to-
I shushed him, smashing my hand into his face. "Silence."
He growled, nibbling my palm, but I ignored him, wiping his spit onto his own cheek. My hands curled around the edge of the small window, and I leaned forward to look around, sitting more on the arm of the chair.
It was just clouds!
We were all alone up here!
"You didn't tell me we were going on a plane." I mumbled after a few minutes.
"Because I knew you wouldn't come." Asra sighed.
I glanced at him, surprised to find his attention completely focused on me. It caused me to blush, dropping my eyes to his chest. I had expected his silence to be because he was on his phone or speaking to someone else, but he had been staring at me.
His lips twitched as he caught the colour of my cheeks, his spare hand moving to wrap around my waist and pull me back onto his lap.
"So, four hours up here doesn't seem so bad, does it?"
I suppose not but...
"You hid this from me."
"You would've run away."
"I nearly did anyway."
"True." He nodded. "But at least I got you here first."
I glared at him, huffing. "Touché."
Asra chuckled, planting soft kisses to my neck. "I shall have Serenity touch up your hair before we land, since she is going in a different car."
"Why are there photographers?" I wondered.
"I have kept you secret, Tulip."
"Have you?" I frowned. "Because I am pretty sure people know who I am."
"That may be so, but I have not taken you anywhere publicly like this," He explained. "They have not seen you entirely."
"So they are taking photos because..."
"You are a leader of a continent, Ailia." He shrugged. "You are important to the entire world. I have been in charge for a long time without a mate. It is unheard of to go so many years. Alpha Black hires them for events to boost his ego."
I am the... wait, what?
My eyes widened as I realised.
I was one of seven women in charge of the world?
Shit.
I was in way over my head.
"I am..." I whispered.
"A Contential Luna."
I exhaled loudly. "Wow, why did I not realise that?"
He laughed softly. "I thought you would've known. Why else would we have so much paperwork?"
My lips quirked. "That's true. There is a lot."
Asra kissed my temple. "Let's just relax, yeah? Before all the formalities."
"Formalities?" I sighed.
"You haven't forgotten what I told you last night, have you?" He mused, his hand playing with the ends of my hair.
I pursed my lips. "That I have to act like a lady?"
"That's not what I said..."
I gave him a look, and his nose twitched. "I have to let you lead and not outwardly speak to someone higher of status than me... Straight posture, soft smiles and pretty face... Sounds like a lady to me."
He laughed. "I see."
"I still think these ideals are preposterous. You are all continental alpha; you all have the same rank."
"That may be so, but Alpha Black is stronger in spirit." His hand fell to rub between my shoulders. "He does not submit."
"Not even his mate?"
"He is old school," Asra shrugged. "His father was head alpha before him and so forth. Old blood, old lifestyles."
"And his mate?"
"From his own pack, lucky bastard." He grunted.
I grinned. "Aw, was the little alpha sad I was so far away?"
He growled, pinching my ribs. "You are teasing me."
"Only because it's fun," I mused.
Asra bared his teeth playfully, and I copied him, much to his delight. "You, my little human, are more than I ever expected."
"Isn't that cute?" I teased.
He pinched my sides again, and I squealed. "That's the part where you tell me the same."
I laughed when he continued his torment. "Okay! Okay! You are way more than I ever wanted."
Asra growled. "That is not the same."
"It's a good thing." I shrugged. "Perhaps I wanted someone to sweep me off my feet, but I didn't expect the power, attitude and dog-likeness to come with it."
He bit my jaw. "Call me a dog again, and I will show you how much I can bone."
"Asra!" I groaned before falling into fits of laughter. "That was terrible!"
His winning smile didn't deter his cockiness, and with a gleeful sigh, I leaned my head into his shoulder.
"I love you," He mumbled.
"I love you too, doggo."
He growled, but I merely giggled, setting my eyes on the expanse beyond the window.
***
I was right about not being comfortable wearing a dress when travelling.
It was warm, and my nerves were getting the best of me, as the landing was a lot worse than taking off. Asra watched me, amused, from the opposite chair, lips twitching every time I moved. The sound of my bare skin peeling from the leather echoed around the cabin.
"It's not funny." I huffed.
He chuckled. "We are nearly there now. Just have to wait for it to stop."
"How are you so calm?" I breathed, eying him.
"I have done it many times."
"What? Meet with the top alpha?"
"I have met him a few times, yes, but I have been to many functions like this." He shrugged. "Wolves like to have a lot of pups, but the first is always a celebration."
I blushed when he shot me a wink and cleared my throat to hide the redness of my cheeks. His soft laughter told me he caught the reaction, and I glared out of the window only to see the air hostess open the door. The moment I rose from the chair, the damn dress rose so high my arse was nearly on show. But standing felt like a dream and I was out of the plane and onto solid ground with a hearty laugh.
Only to be forced back into a car.
"You are taking this journey well today." Asra commented as the car moved.
"I am dying internally." I admitted, scratching the side of my neck. "It has been too long."
Hours inside a death-box-tube should be illegal.
"We are barely two miles out." He reassured me. "Anything you want to go over?"
I gritted my teeth, thinking about it. It wouldn't hurt to double check my facts. The seven continental alphas would all be there, from the continents we used to know. The continents had changed from the books I used to read with father, and Asra explained it was because nobody willingly lived in what was Antarctica, so it was used to banish only the worst of worst. Instead, 'Canada and Alaska' gained independence as one when the wolves took over.
"Who will we meet?"
"Every continental and territorial alpha, and their mate, if they have one, will be there."
"No pressure then." I snorted.
"You are made to be a luna." Asra shook his head, taking my joke literally.
"I am a human, though." Frowning, I pointed out. "I have not been wolf-trained, or exposed to these kinds of things like everyone else has. Will there even be any humans there?"
He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "Yes... as servers... None of the continental alphas have human mates."
I groaned. "So, what if no other alpha has a human mate? How many alphas am I dealing with here?"
"I believe there are a few half-breed territorial alphas, but I don't know every single situation. Territorial alphas are not that important to me." He muttered. "But to answer your question, around two hundred."
I cursed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I'm going to fail. Lady etiquette plus humanness equals failure."
"Never."
His promising words had my heart flutter, and I dropped my hand to find his eyes. He smiled sympathetically at me, removing his warm hand from my thigh to curl the back of his fingers against my cheek. My eyelashes fluttered, a dizzying array of sparks shooting across my skin. Smiling softly at him, he moved his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me closer to steal a kiss.
My body erupted with warmth, the bond calming the raging thoughts in my head. I had so many things to think about, so many thoughts that had my nerves rattled.
I felt like an imposter in my own body. That I wasn't who I appeared as.
I just hoped I could hold on to some sanity whilst we were here.