68- The Party of the Elders
POV Edric Eldoria:
I swallowed hard.
"Who invited her?" I roared, turning to Aldren, the one in charge of invitations.
He looked in the direction that had caught my attention and frowned, confused.
"I didn't send her any invitation; I would never do that without your consent."
My breath was heavy, my chest heaving rapidly, and I felt my eyes flicker between blue and gold. My wolf was ready to take over again and carry her out of the party over my shoulder.
"Calm down, Edric..." Aldren whispered, as if he sensed the change that was about to happen.
"I'm trying, damn it," I panted.
"I invited her," Konrad interjected.
Aldren and I turned to him at the same time, perplexed. I clenched my hands into fists, tearing the skin of my palms with my long nails.
"What?" I heard myself ask, my voice barely a whisper.
My heart raced, my fangs were bared, and the gold had already taken over the color of my irises.
"She's the mate of an alpha; she has to be present at the parties if you attend. She needs to be by your side, as the elders declared at the dinner a few moons ago." He took a step, approaching. "It's her right, Edric. If you don't invite her, I will, because it's the right thing to do."
I would kill him.
Aldren placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me back, moving me away from Konrad.
"Go to your female, Edric. I don't sense your scent strongly on her. Any male can and will approach, not knowing who she belongs to," he instructed, trying to calm the insidious chaos growing inside me. I waited, concentrating on the pounding of my racing heart.
I needed to calm down or I'd rip his head off in the middle of the party, without thinking about the consequences.
I took one step, then another and another, pulling my body away from him.
Aldren cleared his throat.
"I think you need to go to her," he remarked, looking in the direction where Lunara was.
My eyes turned to the she-wolf and I could no longer control myself, losing the little sanity I had left when I saw that bastard with his hands on her waist while she smiled, enjoying herself, laughing and provoking me.
In the blink of an eye, I was standing in front of them.
(...)
POV Lunara Grimwald:
The party took place in a slightly deeper area within the Elders’ castle, on the opposite side of the dining hall where I had been taken a few days earlier.
It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. In the Twilight Pack, the parties were held outdoors, around huge bonfires that were lit as the sun disappeared. People went there to drink and have fun, although the females were shown no respect by any of the males.
The party their people attended, however, was, as Lyris had told me, an orgy. The flickering candlelight barely illuminated the room, casting a golden glow around the people. Shadows stretched across the floor like dark cloaks. The air was thick with the scent of sex, alcohol, and wolves. If I focused on the sounds, I could hear the moans coming from the corridors on both sides.
I felt a bit embarrassed. My father had barely allowed me to attend the bonfire gatherings—let alone come to a place drenched in sex. He would kill me; he’d rise from the grave just for that.
Screw him. It wasn’t the time to think about that. I needed to focus on clearing my head and getting back at Edric.
The doors were opened for me by attendants dressed in dark tunics that covered their faces. They said nothing when they saw me, as if they didn’t recognize me, and only allowed me in once I handed them the little bundle of herbs.
My chest tightened as my eyes landed on Edric, leaning against the bar, drinking whiskey beside Aldren. Although there were no females around them, many were watching, waiting for the right opportunity to approach.
I recognized some faces from the Eldoria Pack—members who had crossed paths with me before. I also recognized the alphas who had been present at that dinner, recalling their names.
Thalira wasn’t with Edric, but her eyes were locked on him, waiting.
Rage spread through my blood when the image of her in Edric’s lap invaded my mind. The hatred I felt for them was almost tangible.
I straightened my posture, focusing on having fun and letting loose. That’s what I wanted, and that’s exactly what I would do.
I felt the moment an omega approached me, smiling and eyeing me from head to toe.
"First time at the party, huh?" he asked, rubbing his square jaw.
I nodded. "Is it that obvious?"
His smile widened, making his greenish eyes shine.
"A little," he admitted. "You’re looking around with curiosity and... surprise. I was the same way my first time too."
"Have you been here many times?" I looked around.
"This is my third time. I guess as long as I’m a single omega and at the right age to mate, I’ll keep getting invited." He took a step closer, letting his arms fall to his sides. "And you? Which pack do you belong to?"
I thought about omitting the information, changing the subject, but it was so... trivial. A normal conversation, with no hidden intentions. If my life weren’t such a mess, that wouldn’t have scared me.
I lifted my chin, glancing over his shoulder. Edric looked alarmed, scanning the room. I dodged out of sight, hiding behind the large body of the male in front of me.
"Eldoria. And you?" I gave in to the urge to tell the truth, not caring too much about the future or what might happen with the information.
"Valmorin. We’re close to each other."
I gasped softly, nodding, though I had no idea which packs bordered Eldoria.
"What’s your name?"
"Bogdan. And yours?"
"Sava."
It wasn’t a lie—it was my nickname—so it was still part of the truth.
He took another step closer. He was so near now that I could distinguish the honey-colored flecks in his brown eyes.
"So, Lunara," he murmured, testing my name on his tongue, "what brings you here? Fun? Looking for true love? Or just curiosity?"
I rose on my tiptoes and spotted Edric. His eyes met mine, and I couldn’t help but lift the corners of my lips into a sharp smile. I took a step to the side, letting him get a good look at my daring outfit.
It was as if Nicoleta had known I would one day need to wear something like this—it was the most indecent dress I had ever seen.
I could feel the tension taking over Edric from where I stood. The golden hue lit up his eyes, spreading through his irises. The fact that he was furious, perplexed, and irritated only made me even happier and more excited.
"Fun," I replied, smiling at Bogdan. He arched a dark eyebrow.
"That’s interesting."
"Is it? Why?"
"Because I’m looking for the same thing." He was very straightforward.