263- A Birthday Drenched in Blood and Roses
POV Elowen Grimwald:
“Forgive me, it’s those damned crows. Better to leave the windows closed.”
My gaze shifted between his deep green eyes and the arrangement in his arm. No one had ever, ever, ever given me one.
“Is it for me?” I asked, full of expectation.
He bowed with a serene smile and walked to me, handing me the bouquet. I brought the flowers to my nose, inhaling the sweet scent with spicy nuances that captivated my senses.
“Happy birthday. They don’t come close to how good you smell, but I hope they’re enough,” he said, lifting my chin and giving me a slow, warm brush of lips before letting me see his deep green eyes with tiny white reflections. “I have more gifts, but I’ll only give them to you during dinner.”
“Oh no! I loved the flowers, but I’m curious…” He let out a restrained laugh.
“I know. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Why did you… disappear today?” I asked coyly, eager to make him feel guilty. Flustering that wolf was my favorite pastime.
“Forgive me, I was making sure your night would be incredible, and I sincerely hope everything goes as I planned.” His confession calmed my anxious heart.
“I’m sure it will. How can I thank you? I can’t believe I’m going to spend my birthday with my sister.”
With the back of his fingers, he gently caressed the skin of my lightly made-up cheek.
“Don’t thank me. You’re beautiful, my she-wolf.”
A small smile played at the corner of my mouth.
“You too, crazy dog.”
“Crazy about you,” he affirmed, his voice thick and velvety. “Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Aldren glanced at my neck and neckline, then suddenly frowned slightly.
“Where did you get this necklace?” he asked, taking the stone in his hands.
“I didn’t buy it. Didn’t Nerin tell you? It was mine, but I lost it when I arrived here. It appeared out of nowhere in my room.” Aldren’s Adam’s apple slid down his throat, and his skilled hand moved to the back of my neck, undoing the clasp and pulling the jewel off me. “What…?”
Serious, he looked at me.
“I’m throwing this away.” He held it up at my eye level. The stone shone brighter. “Never wear any jewelry that wasn’t given by me.”
“But… why?” I widened my eyes in shock.
“It doesn’t matter. Promise me.” He seemed to be controlling his anger.
“All right, I promise.”
“Thank you. Don’t worry—you’ll have pieces far more beautiful and valuable than this one. Wait here,” he said before disappearing from the room with his inhuman speed, leaving me confused and full of questions that could not be answered that night.
My male carried me in his arms the entire way through the forest. Besides Nerin, in her dark-blue long-sleeved dress that reached her knees and mid-calf boots, three guards accompanied us.
Even at night, I was surprised by the size of Eldoria. As large and populous as Valmorin. I grew emotional when I saw the cozy fortress that was my little sister’s home.
It looked like a home. It smelled like a home.
Every detail in the decoration of the large, abundant table they had prepared for me was full of life—details that only a home filled with love could have.
I hugged my sister, dressed in a beautiful linen jumpsuit, and in my mind one word kept echoing: home, home, home.
I was also introduced to her new friends. Lyris, an omega with the fullest, most beautiful lips I had ever seen and dark-brown skin a little lighter than Andrei’s deep tone—Andrei, a strong alpha of muscle and striking features. Celindra, Lyris’s girlfriend, had an eccentric beauty, with medium-brown skin and almond-shaped eyes. They were all dressed in the same style.
They were even thoughtful enough to pull out her chair so she could sit. They loved her the same way I did.
I became more and more convinced that beautiful things could be born from pain. Lunara had gone through horrible things, but I was certain she would choose to overcome every barrier again if her choices led her back to where she was at that moment.
“Nerin, we need to use the abandoned dining room, just like they do,” I commented, sitting beside my sister. Edric and Aldren sat across from us, Andrei beside his alpha. Nerin on my other side, and the girlfriends just past Aldren.
“I thought you liked the kitchen table, dear,” she replied, placing the napkin over her lap.
“I love it, but on special occasions we should do fancy things like this.”
Nerin, Lunara, and Aldren laughed. Lyris smiled openly at me.
“It's incredible to finally meet you—you look so much like Sava,” said the omega.
“A little bit, yes,” agreed the beta beside her.
“A little is a euphemism. You look very much alike,” Andrei said.
“What do you think, Lunara?” I met my sister’s light eyes. “A little or very alike?” I touched her belly under the table; it was impossible to resist caressing it.
“I’d say, from zero to ten, a six,” she replied with an open smile.
“That’s quite a lot, sister.”
“If I weren’t committed, I’d put myself forward,” Andrei said, drawing my attention.
Aldren turned his head toward him and shot him a deadly look, just short of growling.
“Fuck, no infighting. I’m not in a position to lose any more friends,” Edric intervened, giving a nervous laugh to dispel the tension that had filled the air.
“I’m joking, Aldren,” Andrei said, then turned to Lunara. “Tell him white women aren’t my type, Lunara.”
“White women aren’t his type, Aldren,” Lunara confirmed, laughing.
My crazy dog sighed in relief, his scowl fading.
A pleasant lady, who introduced herself as Nicoleta, handed us the menus before withdrawing. The guards accompanying us would also be served in the kitchen.
The appetizer was zacusca, a roasted vegetable spread served with fresh bread. The main course was mititei, small grilled meat rolls served with mustard. And for dessert, papanasi—fresh cheese doughnuts, served warm with cream and red-fruit jam.