Bastien
The Eclipse Festival sprawls before us, a whirlwind of lights and colors so overwhelming I can feel my mate leaning close to me for comfort. It’s not only the size of the event and deafening noise around us unsettling her, it’s also the attention. We’re still in the VIP section, and wherever Selene and I walk people turn to stare, and I can’t help but notice how different things are from the past.
Four years ago these aristocrats would have been whispering behind their hands and curiously eyeing Selene’s unmarked neck. Tonight there’s a sense of reverence in their attention, an admiration and respect my sweet mate is still struggling to get used to. Even though it’s the proper response, I can’t help but feel angry it took my pack this long to see Selene for the treasure she is. They should have been bowing down to her from day one.
“How are you doing, little wolf?” I murmur as we enter a shining pavilion, pausing to nibble her earlobe and relishing the blush that bursts across her cheeks.
She peeks up at me from beneath her lashes, “I could use a distraction.”
“Oh?” I reply, moving my tongue to the soft spot behind her ear, “What kind of distraction?”
“This is working fairly well.” She admits, turning to face me completely and closing her eyes as I continue to taste her. “I can almost forget they’re all watching.”
“It’s just a little while longer.” I promise, glancing up at the moon. It’s almost completely obscured now, a huge red orb rimmed with a crescent of pearly light. As soon as the eclipse is complete we’ll go out to the main festival stage and kick off the fireworks. I’ll make a short speech, and then we’ll be free to go.
Just then a chirping noise sounds from the vicinity of Selene’s hip, followed by a soft vibration.
She pulls her phone from a hidden compartment in her gown, flipping open the notification center and scanning the contents. Then Selene looks up at me with a brilliant, contagious smile. “Drake finally told Sophie!”
“And?” I ask, grinning back at her.
Her smile widens, a mischievous glimmer appearing in her lovely eyes. “Let’s just say he’s going to be incommunicado for the foreseeable future.”
Sliding my hands around my mate’s waist, I pull her close again, not liking the slight distance her text message imposed on us. “Mhmm, I know what that’s like.” Lowering my lips to her throat, I trail kisses over my mark, “you know, you and I never had a real honeymoon.”
“Well you certainly did your best to make up for it.” Selene quips, reminding me of all the hours we’ve spent locked away in our bedroom. “It’s not like we had time, let alone the opportunity.”
Shaking my head in disapproval, I decide, “When things calm down, we’re going to have one.”
“Oh really?” Selene asks, arching her brow curiously.
“Yes.” I confirm, “Just you and me. We can go to the islands, take Lila and spend a few days playing at the beach. Then you and I can sneak away to our own private bungalow and make up for lost time.”
“What, and leave Lila by herself?” Selene remarks, “hire some sea turtles to babysit and hope they don’t slack off?”
Cutting my eyes to her, I scold, “You know what I mean. We’ll figure something out.”
Selene giggles, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I catch the back of her head and keep her mouth locked against mine, drawing kiss after kiss from her lips until we’re both breathless. When we part, I can feel all the ogling shifters around us, but my attention remains on Selene.
My mate’s smile flickers, a shadow of what it was a few moments ago. “When things calm down.” She repeats, “Do you really believe such a time will come?”
Flattening my mouth into a hard line, I vow, “Selene, I’m going to make this right. I’m going to make our family safe.”
“How?” She asks forlornly. “It’s not that I don’t believe in you, baby.” She assures me needlessly. “I just… this all feels so much bigger than us – so far out of our control.”
“I know.” I admit, cuddling her close and glaring at the people around us until the whole lot turns away and pretends they aren’t still watching out of the corners of their eyes. “I know it feels like that, but we can’t believe it. When we do, that’s when they’ve won.” I explain soberly, “We’re taking it step by step; searching the area around the cell tower, looking into the DNA, going through all the evidence from my father’s murder and the fire… and I’m going to deal with Blaise.” I promise, “I will not rest until the threats to us are neutralized.”
“Deal with Blaise?” Selene parrots, looking up at me uncertainly, “how?”
“I don’t know yet, sweetheart.” I admit, sighing heavily.
This isn’t entirely true. The more time that passes, the more I’m convinced my family will never be safe as long as the Calypso Alpha lives. However, taking out the most powerful Alpha on the continent is no simple matter, especially because challenging him would mean taking responsibility for his pack if I won. I’m not even sure I could win, and losing would mean abandoning Selene and Lila to his mercy
“But I will.” I swear to Selene. I don’t think of it as a lie, because I have to figure out how to deal with Blaise. I don’t have any other choice, and so I’ll find a way. “I will.”
—————————
Selene
After Bastien gives his speech and we move back towards the VIP pavilions, one of the elder councilors approaches us and pulls my mate away with a promise to return shortly. I’m left standing at the mouth of a market tent, one whose contents could easily fill a museum. Everywhere I look there are priceless jewels and artworks I’d feel too afraid of damaging to ever wear or display.
Frankly I would rather Bastien have left me among the throngs of shifters watching the fireworks. He wasn’t lying when he said the common people were much fonder of me than the nobles. Most people seem to have come around anyway, but I know my enemies are most likely members of this crowd – the ones who stroll through the tent’s riches dropping inordinate sums of gold left and right.
Right on cue, a familiar flash of red hair appears in the distance. Of course. I think grumpily. This woman must have some sort of special radar for knowing when I’m alone. In the past I would have run from her, but not today. I’m done being afraid of silly, vindictive she-wolves whose entire identity is constructed around being some wealthy man’s arm-candy.
I know she sees me too, she’s walking straight towards me and I can almost feel the spite radiating from the black hole in her chest. I can’t believe I’ve never learned this she-wolve’s name. She tried to kill me once, and attacked me twice – I suppose I felt like spending any time finding out who she is would be feeding into her power over me.
“You.” Red hisses, and for once she’s not surrounded by a flock of minions. “What did you do to us in that bathroom, you freak?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I arch a skeptical brow. “Was it not enough to teach you your lesson?” I inquire coolly. “I mean how dumb are you? The Alpha doesn’t scare you, me knocking you out without even needing to dirty my hands touching you, doesn’t scare you. So what will it take?”
“It’s not about me.” She spits, eyes glowing. “It’s not about what you say or do to try and intimidate me. It’s about what is right.” The woman continues fiercely. “You don’t deserve Bastien, you never have and you never will. I don’t care what you do to me, I am never going to let you off the hook.”
I let her hateful words wash over me, feeling my power begin to stir deep inside. Still, I don’t bring it forward. Cocking my head to the side, I consider the bitter creature in front of me. How sad her life must be, if this is the story she has to tell herself, if she feels the need to attack others for getting things she wanted. “I feel sorry for you.” I announce, watching pure outrage consume her features.
“Excuse me!” She barks.
“I,” I repeat slowly, “Feel sorry for you.” Red tries to move towards me, and this time I do reach for my power, sending out a pulse strong enough to knock her off her feet, but small enough to keep her conscious. Moving to stand over her, I keep her pinned to the ground with my foot, pressing my shiny gold stiletto into her belly. “Your life must be fucking miserable…” I reason coldly. “I mean, you must really hate yourself.”
Dark emotion flickers in her eyes, and I know I’m hitting close to home. “I know what that’s like. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to let you bring me down.” Pressing my heel into her flesh enough to pinch, but not break the skin, I add. “I used to believe it when bitches like you told me I don’t deserve Bastien. I used to believe I was worthless.”
I can feel Bastien coming closer now, and I have a feeling he’s going to appear behind me at any moment. “But guess what?” I continue, “The Goddess created us for one another. And I’m not the weak little girl you knew back then. I know my worth, and I know how to deal with trash like you.” My power swirls through my blood, rising up like a tidal wave. “The next time I see you in my path, you better disappear before you can cross it. You only get three strikes – I won’t give you a fourth.”
With that I send out another energy pulse, knocking her clean unconscious and stepping back from her prone body with a sense of true pride. Bastien’s oversized hand lands on my waist, and I look up to find him gazing at me with pure pride, and raw desire. Before I can speak, he glances pointedly to my left, and I realize he wasn’t the only person who witnessed my confrontation.
Dozens of aristocrats and elders circle us, their mouths slack-jawed with surprise and respect – even fear.
I guess Bastien was right. We really aren’t the same people we used to be – and now the entire pack knows it.
