Asra jostling me from my sleep had me groggily roll away. His deep chuckle permeated through the air and I sighed, swatting him when he tried to reach for me.
"Tulip..."
"Go away," I grumbled, too tired.
"Got a headache?"
I could picture his teasing grin, and it only made me want to smack it right off. Arrogant alpha.
"Okay, but if you fall back asleep, you will miss breakfast with Piper..." He sang.
His footsteps retreating had me tense in the bed before a sharp curse left my lips and I forced myself upright.
"What time is it?"
He turned, half naked, and shot me a sly grin. "A little after nine. I told Piper ten o'clock for you when she came by earlier."
"She came by?" My eyes widened.
"About an hour ago," He nodded. "We thought the wolf juice may have knocked you unconscious."
"Well, I feel fine." I huffed.
Asra chuckled, moving to stand beside the bed. "You sure?"
"Yep, I nodded." I grinned. "Shame I got the best of you?"
His eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring. "Surprising. Do you remember fucking my brains out?"
I pouted, shaking my head. "No, and I am pretty sure I would remember that."
Asra chuckled. "That was the last thing you wanted to do before you passed out."
"Huh," I cocked my head. "Well, marvellous story, Butterscotch, but I am going to shower."
Stripping the duvet from my body, I found I was naked and gave Asra a glare.
He grinned, shrugging. "What? The dress was beautifully tight on you. You practically crawled out of it in the middle of the night. I wasn't complaining."
Rolling my eyes, I nudged him with my shoulder as I passed by him. He laughed, reaching over to tap my ass as I hurried past him. I made light work of showering, scrubbing my face and hair of last night's craziness. My mind ran with thoughts as I stood beneath the hot water, constantly flickering back to the strange man named Flynn.
Why did he seem so familiar yet so... Strange.
Shutting the water off, I shook the thought from my mind as I dried my skin and hair to the best of my ability. I left it to dry naturally, happy to have it so free from last night's confinement. Leaving the bathroom, Asra was nowhere in sight. However, there were fresh clothes and underwear laid on the bed, and I wondered if Serenity had been called in.
The clothes were simple and stylish; a long sleeve, knee-length cream dress with a simple neckline. Thankfully, the shoes were flat, and there was a necklace to pair with it. I quickly got dressed and ruffled my semi-damp hair. I pursed my lips, debating whether I should seek Piper out when there was a knock at the door.
She must've come to me!
I grinned as I opened the door, only to be surprised when I found Serenity on the other side. She grinned sheepishly at me, makeup and hairbrush in hand. I groaned, stepping to the side to allow her in.
"Again?"
"Afraid so," she quipped. "And good morning, Luna."
"Morning," I grunted, falling into the vanity chair.
Apparently, despite the ball being yesterday, I still had to look the part. It had grown tiresome in Evermore, and I had grown stubborn in my current ways, happy to not have to tame my hair or wear makeup. Plus, Asra and the pack didn't seem to care, all of them natural in every single way. It felt like I finally fit in. So, I guess I could deal with this for another day.
It didn't take long for Serenity to fix my tired face, and with a sweeping, tearing-my-hair-out brush through, the orange mess was smooth...ish.
"What do I do with it?" She murmured.
I frowned, staring at its slight fuzziness. "Up?"
She cocked her head before agreeing and tying it into a bun. Once again, it was stuck to my head, but the moment she left for the bathroom, I pulled some hairs loose around my face.
"Right, no time to waste." I told my mirrored reflection.
"Ready to go down?" Serenity wondered.
"Yeah, do you know where she is?" I asked.
"Of course, I was told to escort you." She blushed. "Is that okay?"
"Better to have a friend by my side in a strange castle." I smiled.
She blushed at being called my friend before opening the door and gesturing me out. I followed her quietly down the stairs, the halls quiet and strangely eery.
"Any idea where my mate is?" I wondered aloud. "It's awfully quiet down here."
"He's speaking with Alpha Black and a few other alphas."
"Oh? He is?" I frowned, stopping near a door. "He didn't tell me about that."
Serenity nodded, her hand resting on the door beside me. "Most of the lunas are wandering around, as it is appearing to be alpha only."
I pursed my lips. "When was it announced?"
"Early this morning, whilst you slept." She shrugged. "It didn't seem important."
I hummed, and Serenity laughed at me, pushing me through the doors. I soon forgot my thoughts when Piper's beaming face stared at me from the other side of a table. Thanking Serenity, I hurried over to Piper and we collided with a flurry of affection.
"How are you feeling after last night?"
I groaned softly. "I am fine. Asra seems to think I will be hungover."
"It was a lot of alcohol for a human," she grinned. "Top it with two strong ones and I thought you would be dead today. So did Asra."
I rolled my eyes. "Well, joke's on you guys, I feel no ounce of shit."
Piper giggled. "Good, now let's eat."
She gestured for me to sit with a slight raise of her hand and someone came over to us in a smart uniform. I quirked an eyebrow as they served us like we were in a restaurant, but happily ordered some food. I went with a sausage and bacon roll and a nice cup of coffee on the side. Piper had gone for porridge and tea, before asking for some jam to go with it.
I admired her for a moment, taking in the month-long absence. I wasn't being dramatic when I said it had been too long. Any day away from someone you called your closest friend was hard. Piper was someone I had grown attached to, someone who nurtured me the way a sibling did. She didn't care about my past, my title, or my blood. She just cared.
We engaged in casual conversation as we waited for our food to come, and I became hyperaware of the passing luna females that entered the room. A few were sitting at tables, most in pairs or threes, and I was just glad that Luna Black had not made her appearance yet.
By the time breakfast came, I started with the more personal questions.
"So, what's new in your world?" I wondered, taking a small bite of my food. "Did I fuck anything up last night by annoying your dad?"
Piper snickered. "Dad was surprised, but he wasn't mad. He may be old-fashioned in his pack, but he is alright with everything else. Dad knows I don't have a mate, and he knows Asra found his now. He's just happy I have a genuine friend."
I tutted. "Yet he was happy to set you up with him, despite knowing you don't have a mate, because he wanted his daughter to be an alpha female."
Her lips drooped with a frown, and she stared at her porridge. "I know, but we all honestly thought Asra did not want a soul mate, nor would ever find one. He was so... closed off about relationships. We were friends since we were young, so he at least knew me and it would've meant our pack would've had an heir at least."
I cringed. "But could you have lived in a relationship without a soul mate's love? To just be with a friend and never feel that spark?"
"I never will," she sighed sadly. "I lost mine, Ailia. There is no such thing as a second chance."
"I don't believe that." I shook my head.
"Nobody has ever had a second chance mate."
"That's probably because those who lost a mate probably died, too." I frowned.
"Perhaps..." She didn't seem convinced.
"Not perhaps," I interjected. "If someone as lowly, and depressing as me, aka the human with no concept of the outside world, can somehow have a mate, then someone as kind and beautiful as you cannot be without one."
She awed at me, stretching her arm across to take my hand. "I will marry you in a heartbeat, Ailia. It is to marry, right? That's what the humans do."
I laughed, nodding. "Yes, it is, and thank you, I am flattered."
Grinning, she patted the back of my hand before returning it to her spoon. "I had my mate, and I lost him."
"But that wasn't your burden. Wolves killed him. That is not your fault. That sounds like it was because of who your father is."
She blew out a harsh breath. "I have thought about it endless times, Ailia. Sleepless nights, thinking of the what-if's. Nothing makes sense. To meet him, and not even be able to kiss him before they took him from me."
"It was a test." I pointed at her with my teaspoon. "I am telling you, one day, somebody is going to walk into your life and everything is just going to fall into place. Bond or not, there will be someone."
"I hope so, but I don't see the point of holding onto that." She shook her head. "I am not getting any younger."
I snorted. "Please, Asra is like fifty."
She giggled, happy to be enlightened. "If he hears you call him an old man, he will crush you."
"Not if I crush him first." I beamed.
Her laugh was hypnotic, and soon I joined in. We finished breakfast over idle laughter and chat after that, and only when I realised we had been here for an hour did I look around.
To my surprise, Luna Black sat with a group of females around a large table, holding a steaming mug in her hand. I flickered my eyes down her pastel pink dress, chewing the inside of my cheek as I observed her body language. She appeared formal for a casual breakfast.
As if by cruel fate, the moment I think to look away is the moment she lifts her icy blue eyes. Blue meets blue and for a moment, I am unsure if I am to look away. But thankfully, I didn't have to decide because she did it for me. She excused herself from her table, bringing her mug over to our table and standing at the edge.
Wait.
Our table?
My eyes widened, looking up at the luna beside us. Piper bowed her head, greeting her softly.
"Morning, Piper." Luna Black greeted back before turning to me. "Good morning, I am afraid I did not properly introduce myself last night. I'm Luna Black."
My jaw flexed, and I stared up at her with trepidation. I didn't like the height difference, and pushed back my chair to meet her head on. She was the same height as me, which was strange because I always thought wolves were tall. Her eyebrows rose as I stood before her and nodded once.
"Luna Zenith, nice to meet you casually, Luna Black."
Her lips quirked with slight humour, eyebrows smoothing with a strange expression. "Luna Zenith, never thought I'd see the day."
Piper laughed from beside us, standing so she could be included in the conversation as well.
"I keep telling her that, but she never saw what Asra was like before, so she never got the chance to see how miserable he was without a luna." She laughed softly.
"Human too," Luna Black smirked. "Definitely did not see him accepting the bond for a human."
I narrowed my eyes, not liking her tone. "Excuse me?"
Her eyes darted to me with surprise. "Sorry?"
I folded my arms. "You make being a human such a bad thing."
"It's not that. Asra just despises humans." She frowned. "I am surprised you are not dead."
"Alpha Asra, is not that man you think he is." I cocked my head. "I am his mate."
She pursed her lips. "I...heard you dislike submitting."
The heck does that mean?
"Oh?" I scowled. "I don't like to listen to those who don't deserve it."
"So, it doesn't bother you?" She wondered. "You don't feel the need to fall to your knees?"
"Not in the slightest," I shook my head, slightly confused by the change of topic.
"Strange for a human..." she muttered.
Her eyes ran along my appearance before her nostrils flared. She leaned in close, taking in a deep lung-full of my scent whilst I wrinkled my nose with distaste.
"You smell... peculiar."
"Charming." I rolled my eyes.
"No, no, not bad." She shook her head. "You don't smell...human."
"Because of the mate bond." I shrugged.
Her frown deepened. "Something else..."
I didn't miss the way she peered into my eyes before she flickered her gaze over my hair. Her hand twitched by her side, before she gave in to impulse and reached across. She pulled it between her fingertips, spreading the hairs across her finger before finally letting it drop.
"It was nice to meet you, Luna Zenith. I must excuse myself. My mate is calling." Luna Black smiled faintly before dispersing from the room.
I turned, confused and rigid, to face Piper. There was nothing between us apart from the discarded steaming cup of tea left behind.