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An Inkling of Danger
"Uh oh, you're looking a little nervous."
I blushed, ducking my head for a moment, before glancing up into Jax's warm brown eyes. "I suppose that's to be expected, don't you think?"
He chuckled, "That's fair enough," he slung an arm casually across my shoulders in a comforting gesture, pulling me close. My face burned even more hot, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know how red my cheeks had grown. "To be honest, Rosie, you're holding yourself together better than I would be if I had to go to the alpha's castle in only a few hours."
My stomach dropped. Only a few hours. How had two weeks gone by so fast? I knew the answer, and it had a lot to do with the chocolate eyed blonde to my right. I had spent the past week reveling in the opportunity to train him at work and spend time with him without interruptions from Ash. It was something I had been pining for since we were kids. I had been so caught up in the excitement of it all, that I had almost forgotten to be worried about the impending ball– while I was awake, at least. Now, it felt as though I were cramming two weeks worth of anxiety into only a few hours. I wiped my clammy palms on my jeans. "Can I ask you a question?"
He looked down at me, "Of course."
"How many of them have you seen?"
He grunted, dropping his arm from around my shoulders, though I wasn't sure if it was from my question or because my house had come into view around the bend. He let out a humorless chuckle, "Mutts, you mean? A few here and there, but I've never gotten close."
I nodded, trying to choke down the ball of nerves that had risen in my throat. The day my father died had been the closest I had ever gotten to one, though time had long ago warped my memories of that day. My memories of him, at least, the one who had done it. He might have looked like the other monsters I had seen through the years from a distance, above average height and muscle-mass, but otherwise visibly indiscernible from a regular human man. If it weren't for the wide berth the other humans gave them, I might not have even been aware that they were there. Wolves among a flock of oblivious sheep. In my memories, he didn't look like that though.
No, to me, that day had become only a series of horrifying images and sounds. A flash of red eyes that might have once been a different color. A blood chilling animal growl. A face warped in pure, unfiltered hatred, and the unmistakable glint of white fangs. I shivered at the thought.
I glanced up at Jax, startled to find his eyes already fixed on my face, brows drawn in concern. My trepidation must have been written all over my expression. "Hey now, don't make that face," he said, reaching out to take my hand and give it a firm squeeze. "Come on, let's talk."
He tugged me around the side of my house. For a moment my fear was gone, and all I could do was stare wide-eyed at my hand clasped in his and allow myself to be dragged toward the woods that lined our property.
He found a secluded area at the edge of the tree line, dropping my hand as we came to a stop. I spotted a stump and sat down on it. He sat himself on a large rock beside me, our knees brushing together ever-so-lightly, and waited for me to speak.
I didn't know where to begin.
"I've been having nightmares," I admitted finally, keeping my eyes glued to my shoes.
He blew out air through his cheeks, "About the ball?"
The memory of the dreams came to mind before I could stop them. Dreams of running for my life from an unseen threat. It was the same nightmare every night. Always running, fear and dread clouding my thoughts as I tried desperately to outrun my pursuer. Each time, it would end the same, with me caught and, just before I catch sight of my assailant's face, I would jerk awake, shivering and terrified. "In a way, I suppose."
"Well," he started, voice light with forced optimism, "at least after tonight, the nightmare problem should sort itself."
I choked out a dark laugh, finally looking up at him. "It's not funny!" I exclaimed, thought I was unable to keep the smile from my lips. He chuckled along with me.
Our laughter died out, replaced by a heavy silence. I sighed, "It's the feeling the nightmares give me that's really bothering me."
He nudged my knee with his own, signaling for me to continue. I sighed again, "Helpless," I explained, "like everything is out of control and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I haven't felt that way since the day my dad was killed. I don't want to ever feel it again."
He let out a low whistle, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close to soothe the tension from my body. I hesitantly rested my head against his shoulder, unfamiliar with how to behave around Jax when he was being so touchy, but not hating it one bit. I glanced out to where my horse was grazing in his field across the clearing. "I don't want to do this," I grumbled quietly, relieved to finally admit it to someone. I had been scared to say it at home, worried that Ash would insist on going alone.
I couldn't let him do that. I would never be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to him.
He gave me a little squeeze before letting his arm drop, but not fully removing it from around my body. "It's going to be alright, Rose. It will probably be over before you know it, just keep your head high," his words almost made me feel better, until he added, "and don't look anyone in the eye."
"I'll try," I replied, sounding as hopeless as I felt.
"Let's focus on all of the good things that could come of this," he tried, shooting me a half-hearted smile.
"The good things?" I asked with a sarcastic laugh. "Like what? Being claimed by one of those creatures?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, I was hoping you would think of something," he admitted. "I'm just trying to help you feel better."
That earned him a genuine laugh.
"Well," he tried in an overly cheerful voice, "you're going to be in the same room as every royal family on the continent, that has to count for something." I raised my brows skeptically, and he shrugged again, trudging on, "Including the human royals. You might be able to get close enough to one of them to finally win us an ally out here. If they knew what was happening to us, maybe they would be able to do something about it."
I smiled at his optimism. I had used similar reasoning to convince Ash that I should go in the first place, but even I had to admit it was a fool's hope. "The only human prince with the potential authority to help us would be Prince Philip. Do you have any idea how many girls are going to be trying to get close to him?"
"Yes, but I doubt any of them are as pretty as you are."
My eyes shot up to meet his. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized that his deep, brown eyes had already been glued to my face. I was suddenly very aware of his knee brushing against mine and his arm still casually wrapped around my waist.
I stared into those chocolate eyes as his face slowly inched toward mine. My heart felt like it would beat right out of my chest. I prayed that he couldn't hear it. When mere inches separated us, I subconsciously licked my lips in anticipation and his eyes flicked down to watch the action. With butterflies raging in my stomach, I shut my eyes and began to close the remaining distance between us.
"Rose! It's time to get ready!"
We snapped away from each other at the sound of my mother's voice from the back porch of the house. He stood up fast, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "You should probably go, you can't be late to a summons from the alpha."
"Yeah," I said, just as awkward, unsure of what to do with myself.
"I'll see you before you go," he told me quietly, leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek, before strolling in the direction of the house.
I stood stunned for a moment, watching his retreating form.
He just kissed me.
I shook my head to clear it, before trailing behind him.
~*~
"Where did you get that?"
My mother at least had the decency to look a little ashamed of herself, "I couldn't let the two of you go to the royal castle in rags."
My mouth popped open, "You got Ash something new to wear too? How much did you spend?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, "It's a gift."
"We can't afford it!" I exclaimed, astonished that we were even having this conversation.
"I've been putting money aside for you and Ash for years," she explained, tentatively, gauging my reaction, "I just didn't know what to spend it on, until now."
I made a face, but my temporary nerve-fueled anger had already deflated. She held the garment out to me. "Now go put it on, you don't have very much time," she demanded, leaving no room for further argument.
Grumbling, I did as I was told.
"You look absolutely gorgeous," my mother said a few minutes later, as she stepped back to admire her work after adjusting the hair I had messed up whilst changing.
I had just spent nearly two hours sitting on a stool while my mother curled and styled my dark hair, and then, despite my protests, applied a coating of makeup as well, but it was the dress that I couldn't look away from as I stood in front of the full length mirror. The red fabric was flashy for my taste, something I never would have chosen for myself, but I had to admit, it was flattering nonetheless.
It fit me like a glove, the underskirts clinging to my hips like a second skin. The halter neckline plunged to show more of my chest than I was particularly comfortable with, but it was still modest enough that I knew I wouldn't win any arguments with my mother about it. My hair had been curled and pulled into an artfully messy bun, with wispy ringlets framing my face. My makeup was relatively light, but my lips were painted a bright, ruby red.
Pretty, Jax had called me. For the first time, I actually felt it.
I gave my mother a reluctant smile, nodding my approval. She beamed in excitement, handing me a shoebox. I pursed my lips, but otherwise refrained from expressing my disapproval of the frivolous use of our money as I slipped the silver heels onto my feet.
Smoothing down my dress, I looked at the clock. "We should leave soon," I murmured quietly. Who knows what the punishment for tardiness could be.
We followed the sounds of Ash and Jax's voices floating down the hall from the front room. My cheeks flushed as I remembered our almost-kiss only a couple of hours earlier. Both of their heads snapped in our direction as we entered the room. They stood in unison, Ash crossing to wrap me in a crushing hug, "You look great, sis."
"Thanks, Ashy," I grumbled, untangling his arms from around my body and smoothing my dress back down. I looked him up and down. He looked strapping in his crisp tux with red accents to match my own dress, a stark contrast to the dirty jeans he usually wore to work the fields of the plantation. "You don't look so bad, either." He chuckled, walking to my mother and whispering something to her that I couldn't hear.
I glanced up, and my eyes immediately locked onto a pair of brown ones. "You look beautiful," he said quietly, reaching out to fix a piece of hair that Ash had knocked loose from my bun.
Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I broke eye-contact as the blush darkened on my face, twisting the fabric of my dress between my fingers nervously, "Thank you."
He opened his mouth to say something else, but suddenly Reed's face popped into the doorway, "Their ride is here."
It had taken a bit of convincing on my mother's part, but Ash and I had eventually agreed to allow her to hire us a carriage to take us to the ball. Upon inspection, I realized we had made a mistake in not specifying what quality of carriage we were agreeing to. The carriage itself was painted a deep black, with intricate leafy designs carved into the wood. The horses pulling it were also black, their sleek coats shining in the waning evening light.
How fittingly foreboding, I thought. Not to mention, it looked too expensive for someone like me to even dream of riding in. I shot my mother a skeptical look, but didn't have time to say anything about it, as Lily and Daisy joined us outside and Ash and I were swept into a group hug. They wished us well, but there was an unmistakable hint of apprehension in each their voices that they weren't able to hide.
"After you, m'lady," Ash said as the driver held open the carriage door for me.
I gave him a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes, and climbed inside, settling against the cool, black leather interior. As Ash slipped into the seat across from me and the driver sealed the door behind him, we both fixed our gazes out the little window in the wood, where our family stood on the patchy, unkept lawn beside Jax.
My eyes remained on him, even as the carriage began moving and we waved our farewells. It struck me that this might be the last time I ever saw his face, and I had never told him how I felt. Now, I may very well never get a chance to. I wished that my mother hadn't interrupted us earlier. Above all, I wished that I had never been invited to the ball to begin with.
I held his stare until my house had disappeared from view, replaced by an endless expanse of forest. Ash reached across the space between us and grabbed my hand for comfort. I tried for a reassuring smile, dropping my head back against the seat.
The ride to the capital from Bresce was roughly two hours. Ash tried filling the time by telling me stories of the antics of his friends on the plantation, though I suspected that it was more to distract me than himself. It wasn't working, I could hardly pay attention to his words, simply adding a "wow" or a laugh here and there. My mind was entirely elsewhere.
"What if we lose each other in the crowd?" I asked suddenly, interrupting whatever he was saying mid-sentence.
He looked startled, then swallowed, clearing his throat. After a moment of thought, he finally replied, "Then we walk around with our heads down and try our best not to look like food."
I cracked a small smile at his stupid joke, rolling my eyes, "I'm serious, Ash. What are we going to do?"
He sighed, resting an arm behind his head as he slumped lower in his seat, looking out the window. "Before we go in, we'll set a rendezvous point. If we get separated, then at the end of the night we will meet there and everything will be okay."
I nodded, not quite satisfied, and turned my own attention out the window as we began passing the first of the red roofed houses lining the outskirts of the capital city. The buildings were all massive, each with its very own unique characteristics, all better kept than even the wealthiest merchants in Bresce could afford. I saw nothing even remotely close to the hovels some of the people in our town had resorted to living in.
"It is all going to be okay, you know that right?"
I turned back to meet his grey eyes, trying to hide the grimace that had formed on my face as I had stared out the window.
"Especially if you make that face," he added wryly, "no monster is going to want to claim you for a mate with a face like that."
A startled laugh slipped past my lips and I rolled my eyes again, "Says my twin."
The smirk fell from his face, "Touché."
I laughed again, turning my attention back out the window, gasping audibly when the largest structure I had ever seen in my life rose up before us.
The building, which could only be the royal castle, was eerily beautiful. It looked like something straight out of a storybook, with its dark grey stone exterior and gargantuan outer wall encircling land as far out as I could see.
As our carriage approached the gate and fell in line with the rest of the guests entering the grounds, I turned to Ash, "What if one of them tries to talk to one of us?"
He frowned, looking back down at me, "Then you say or do whatever it takes to get out of there." His tone had lost all hint of joking.
I snorted in an unladylike manner, "That's easier said than done. You know what they say, that they can smell a lie a mile off."
"And tear out your throat before you have time to scream." He grimaced, but shrugged, "Please, just promise me that you'll try to keep your distance."
No argument there.
"I Promise."
"Good," he nodded, satisfied. We studied our surroundings out the window, the cobblestone drive, flowers of every color lining either side. Perfectly manicured lawns, dotted with hedges and fountains sprawled into the distance. The hedges had been pruned into shapes, and I squinted my eyes to get a better look. My blood ran cold.
Wolves.
I craned my neck to peer at the top of the castle. Guards were posted everywhere, staring blankly down at us. My mouth twisted in a grimace, wondering how many more there were that I couldn't see. I felt a fresh tingle of fear run down my spine. Ash's eyes never left the line of people ahead of us, "Can you believe how many transports there are here?"
I looked around. While we weren't the only carriage in sight, the majority of the guests were arriving in the strange metal contraptions. I remembered my parents telling me stories of the human's cars of the past, but no story could not prepare me for the wonder of seeing the newly reinvented machinery in person, gleaming in the twilight. "For the price of just one of them, we could feed our family for years," I muttered, counting twenty just within my current line of sight.
When we finally reached the front of the line, our carriage rolled to a stop and the driver stepped off to hold the door open for us. Ash exited first, turning to offer me his hand. I thanked him, using it to climb down.
"That," Ash declared as we reached the top of the steps, dwarfed by the massive oak double doors before us, and pointed at a small fountain a few feet to the side of the door, "will be the rendezvous spot."
Before I could even nod at him in understanding, the great double doors swung open on heavy hinges.
Somehow, that alone felt like both an invitation and a threat.
~*~*~
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