Garden Party

I was grateful when I heard that Astrid had decided that the garden party needed a marquee. Walking out, I look around; the snow has stopped falling.

It's still deep, though, but Astrid had clearly thought of that and has made sure multiple pathways are cleared, making it easier to walk through.

While the marquee is there and it is big, there are a lot of tables and seating around the garden as well.

"I shall see you out there." Sage hugs me and walks to Beta Tony. Astrid planned this perfectly. We all walk in with someone, she of course is walking in with Darius.

"I'm here to replace you, Yori." Kellan pushes past him.

"You're meant to be spending time with others, Kellan." He plans to stay with me at my event and Sage's. He shouldn't be with me at this one.

"I'm simply walking you into the event. You can push me away after we get there, agree?" He smirks at me and I fail and laugh.

"I won't push you away, and can you stop calling me an alien? I heard you before." I narrow my eyes at him and glare. This is because at dinner, Lyra and Astrid had a full-blown breakdown and blamed me, and I just laughed it off.

"Are you not an alien?" He continues to smirk.

"No, I'm not an alien, Kellan." He steps back looking at me, I watch as he lifts my hair and looks at my neck. "Kellan, what are you doing?" Is he checking for marks?

"Looking for your chip? You're a cyborg, right?" Groaning, I push him playfully.

"Behave, we're at an event."

He laughs slightly. "Which is even better, I plan to taunt you."

Turning, I look at him as someone announces and introduces Astrid and the King.

"Why are you set to taunt me?" I don't understand. I watch as Darius and Astrid walk down and shake people's hands.

"Because it's fun." He grins and I hear them announce us, he guides me down. "Plus, you taunt me when I'm trying to be good with the whole no-sex thing. So I figured I could taunt you back." He stops talking as we stop at the first people.

Kellan introduces us and smiles, shaking their hands, we continue the same crap through the people. Most don't even shake my hand. They ignore me.

"We should go back and do it again and this time I teach them manors."

"No, Kellan, respectful garden party, not one where you tell the guests off for looking at me like trash."

"Some hot trash you are." He smirks, and I groan. "Okay, okay, I will stop for now." He is far too pleased with himself. I feel like throwing snow at him.

I won't, though, or maybe I will later. I watch as he walks away, and Sage comes to me.

"Kellan looked highly amused."

"He's calling me an alien, that's why."

She laughs. "It's his pet name for you, I'm sure of it." My eyes roll. "Everyone has heard him calling you an alien."

"I'm not. Now, I have said I'm not. He's convinced I'm a cyborg." She stands laughing.

"Okay, do any of these people look remotely friendly?" I laugh at her words. "I mean towards us, or are they all Lyra followers?"

Looking around, my head shakes. I don't know. My eyes stop on Darius and Astrid. I wait, but I don't feel jealous, or maybe I do, and I just mask it well.

"You're considering it now, right?" I look towards Sage. "Everyone said you do have emotions; you just block them and learn to ignore them. Now you're considering if there is a feeling of jealousy,"

Shaking my head, I smile. "No, I don't feel jealous. Annoyed, yes, but not jealous."

"You feel annoyed?" She laughs and picks up a drink before handing one to me.

"It's more that despite everything, I still sense he's fighting with himself over whether it would be right for me to be his Luna." I can still see the doubt in his eyes. Even though I have barely seen or spoken to him since the other day.

"Oh, you have company." I watch her disappear and look around and see Darius standing there. She could have stayed.

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" He looks at me.

"Never mind that. How are you now?"

"I'm perfectly fine, don't worry about me."

My eyes roll. "You weren't perfectly fine. I haven't really seen you since that day. I just wanted to know if you're fine."

"I'm fine, and I said that I am."

Of course, he is. "Okay, about what happened?" He shifted and used it to hide.

"I apologise for that. It was inappropriate, and I guess my wolf overpowered me. I apologised to Kellan as well for snapping at him."

He thinks I mean him kissing me. "I didn't mean that Darius, I meant you losing control and shifting."

"Oh, yeah, that's fine as well."

Standing, I laugh. He's in denial, clearly.

"Look, I will admit I struggled, okay? I'm fine now, I am sorry for what happened Elara."

"Darius, you don't need to apologise to me. I was only asking because I was worried about you not being okay. A lot has happened."

"I spoke to William. I have calmed down. He was her mate, so I understand what they did. I understand he made her happy, happier than our father had."

"Which is all that matters." It is. He made her happy, even if it didn't last long. She at least got some of the time with her mate.

"Should not be with Astrid?" I assumed she would cling to him throughout this.

"I made an excuse to escape and come see you. I can leave if you want?"

"No, I just didn't think Astrid would let you go." We both laugh, but it's the truth.

"I told her I had to discuss this person who keeps using your image. She was more than happy to allow me to leave her for that."

All I can do is nod, I don't know what to reply, I don't know why he is stood here with me? He usually avoids me.

"I'm trying, just so you're aware." I glance at him, confused. "To forget the beliefs my father had pushed on me. To stop, well, being a jerk towards you."

I laugh at him. "You weren't a jerk." Okay, he was, but I can't admit that he's the king.

"Elara, I was. I'm disgusted with how I treated you, so I apologise."

He doesn't need to apologise. "It's fine, Darius. I see Kellan is having fun." I watch him dancing with Sage, and I don't know what dance it is, but it looks ridiculous.

"He really does like you, Elara." I glance at him, confused.

"I know Darius."

"I'm just making you aware. Then maybe you won't leave him."

Shaking my head, I look away from Kellan and back to him. "I had decided I won't be leaving him, Darius, regardless of what happens."

"Even if he isn't your mate?"

"Even then." I can't see anything going so bad that I leave. If Darius is my mate, and he sticks to his finding the perfect Luna I will reject him, the feelings I have will eventually go.

I can't see how things can go bad as long as I avoid Darius if he does marry someone like Lyra.