Giggling and stumbling my way out of the grand hall was not my finest moment. If Asra hadn't caught me the moment my foot caught on a step, I would've face planted the floor.
"How many did you drink?" He grumbled, holding me steady.
I giggled, shaking my head. "Like, four."
Asra scowled, and it only caused my laughter to unfold. I had way over four. Since he tried to restrict me, I would sneak them behind Piper. Apparently, after nine o'clock, they used a wolf concoction that meant wolves could actually get stronger! I sneakily tried one and couldn't help but marvel at how hard my head span.
I dragged Piper onto the dancefloor and slow danced with her, before the music turned upbeat and we spun each other around. Much to the dismay of prying eyes, the two of us didn't care. By the time I reached for my second wolf-drink, Asra had caught onto my plan and tore the glass from my hand before pulling me out of the room.
And that was where we were ladies and gentle people.
Asra shook his head, wiping something away from the corner of my eye. "You had too many."
"I barely had two," I scoffed.
"You just said four." His eyebrow rose. "Are you lying to me, mate?"
I snickered, shaking my head. "The only lie I can do is in bed, asleep."
Asra shook his head. "Shall we go back to our room?"
"It's barely tomorrow!" I pouted. "I don't want to leave Piper."
"She has only been gone for a month. It's not that long of a time-
"Piper!" I whined.
Asra sighed. "You can have her over breakfast if your head doesn't hurt too much."
I grinned, nodding. "Okay, I will go tell her!"
I faintly heard Asra groan, muttering an unfamiliar language beneath his breath. It made me grin, knowing he was going to get handsy with me in a minute.
Re-entering the room, I found Piper talking to a rather handsome older gentleman. He was talking to someone beside him, but I paid no attention as I wrapped my hand around Piper's wrist.
"Breakfast tomorrow?" I asked.
She turned to me with surprise, not expecting my sudden arrival. It seems the man next to her didn't, too, because he wrapped his hand around my shoulder and tugged me away from her. I squawked a complaint as my feet tripped over themselves, but the man did not let go. Glaring at him, I jerked out of his grip and smoothed down my ruffled dress.
"Well, that was rude of you," I tutted. "I nearly fell over!"
"Rude of me?" The man scoffed, exasperated. "Who are you, human, to be grabbing my daughter like that?"
I was about to sprout some other champagne influenced insult, but then what he said caught my attention.
Daughter?
My eyes narrowed as I scrutinised the older man, crossing my arms and scratching my chin. He was tall, like Piper, and slender, like Piper. He had dark hair too, but instead of brown eyes, his were blue, and his skin was paler. The man beside him was a nobody, and I barely glanced at him when I realised so.
Turning to Piper, I grimaced. "This is your dad?"
He scoffed. "I am an alpha. You speak to me as such."
I pursed my lips, wincing up at him. "An Alpha and a father never go well."
He blinked, his lips parting with an annoyed growl. About to sprout another useless insult to my hazy mind, a warmth that erupted across my back interrupted us. I looked skyward, finding Asra pressed against me from behind.
Aw, wasn't he cute from upside-down?You couldn't even see the frowny face or wrinkles.
"Alpha Cai, care to tell me why you man-handled my mate?" Asra growled.
"Mate?" Cai's lips smacked together. "I thought it was a rumour when Piper said you had taken a human."
"Dad..." Piper cautioned. "I told you countless times, and you never listened."
His jaw tightened, and he exhaled with an annoyed sneer. "Yes, well, you do often repeat yourself, sweetheart."
I glared at him, and he returned the gesture. I held his gaze, unfazed even when he growled.
"Challenging me, human?"
I shrugged, unaffected. "They say you get an alpha to submit you get their title, right? So I get your title and I give it to Piper."
"Ailia..." Piper shook her head.
"What? Like it's even hard." I scoffed. "Boo!"
His eye twitched, and I snickered, dropping my hard gaze. I could totally beat his ass, any time, any place. You say where? I say yeah.
"Your mate speaks so freely, Asra." Cai licked his lips. "It is rather... interesting."
"She does." I felt Asra shifted behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist. "She has also had too much wolfsbane champagne."
"Hmm, yes, it seems to bring out the worst in us." Cai's face lightened.
Who snapped his cheerful face on? Where'd the grumpy one go? Is it behind his hair? Does his head spin like an owl?
I haven't seen an owl in such a long time. There used to always be a barn owl outside my bedroom window as a child. It would sit in the trees and hunt for the mice that tried to eat our rubbish. Pretty easy pickings for both species to be fair.
Looking up at Asra again, his midnight gaze settled down on me. Huh, he has two chins at this angle, turns out he's not-so rugged. Oh wait, who am I kidding? He's still cute.
"Can we get a pet owl?"
"What?" His forehead crinkled. "An owl?"
"Yeah, like a cute fuzzy owl." I nodded, moulding its shape with my hands. "Or a big-ass horned owl. Those are like hundred-acre-wood style."
"Flower, are you okay?" He mumbled.
"Yeah, why?" I frowned.
Asra shook his head, sighing so deeply I felt my entire body move. I shrugged him off, looking back to Piper, who was watching with piqued interest. I heard Asra call over a server and felt his body move as he grabbed a drink, but I ignored him, turning my attention to Piper.
"So, breakfast tomorrow? In my room?" My eyes widened.
Brown eyes humoured me, and she nodded. "Of course, hopefully you are up to it."
"Asra said the same thing." I frowned.
She laughed, humoured. "Wolfsbane can knock an average wolf out cold after four drinks. I can only imagine what it does to a human."
"Well, obviously nothing because it is wolf-bane. Duh, Piper." I rolled my eyes.
"Right, Tulip." Asra smacked his lips together.
I turned to him, noticing when he placed all three empty glasses back on its tray. The server bowed at him and scurried away. Meanwhile, I was transfixed on how he just drank three glasses of spiked booze in a matter of a minute.
"Yeah, Butterscotch?"
He scowled. "Bedtime."
"Awe," I pouted. "Now?"
"If you want to have breakfast, you need to be up early. It stops at ten-thirty." He cocked his head.
I grimaced, my head falling with despair. We said goodbye to Piper, and he led me out of the main doors. The air was fresh, forcing the stray strands of my hair to billow wildly.
I sighed, taking in the dark sky. "Just when I started having fun."
"Running your mouth to alphas is fun?" Asra chuckled.
"So much fun," I grinned, linking my hand with his. "They squirm so bad because I am the weaker species."
Asra pulled me closer, dropping my hand to pull me into his side. "It's more likely because no human has ever made such bold eye contact before."
"What can I say? I am an eye-contact connoisseur."
He snorted a laugh. "If that is what you think you are, you go for that dream, Tulip."
I giggled with glee, turning into his embrace. "Carry me?"
Asra didn't hesitate, lifting me bridal style into his arms. I ran my hand down the exposed skin of his chest, the other tangling in the soft hairs at the back of his head. He had cut it shorter before we left for Wolfram, and its stubbly-ness was fun to touch.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed and my mouth practically salivated as I concentrated on his appearance. His arms were so strong, and his suit was so fitted and yet so casual. Trousers clad his thighs so tightly that I would happily let him step on me.
"What are you thinking about, Tulip?" Asra wondered, breaking me out of his spell when his jaw moved.
"How bad I am going to fuck you when we get into our room."
He rose an eyebrow, glancing down at me. "You fuck me?"
"That's what I said!" I nodded.
He chuckled. "Now that would be something."
I grinned, happy my eager plan had worked. Some doors opened behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see we had reached the grand house. Asra took his leisurely time walking up the stairs, his fingers flexing on my bare skin. Once inside our room, he lay me on the bed and stood at the foot of it.
"Where are you going? Get on the bed!" I pouted, spreading out my arms.
"I am going to use the bathroom. I will only be a minute." He reassured me.
"Okay," I sighed, my head flopping into the pillow.
His footsteps left the room as my body sank into the softness of the mattress.
This bed was super duper comfy. It was better than the one at home!
I closed my eyes with a happy sigh, taking in the warmth of its embrace.
Definitely need a bed like this at home. I could just fall right asleep...