The music was blaring, and the loud laughter was jarring, but for Marian, the room might as well have been silent.
There, on a low stage set toward the end of the hall, a raised platform just two feet off the ground, and twenty feet wide, were seated Alpha Dax, his two mates, and her father, former Alpha, Corien.
A dark-haired, green-eyed man in his early forties with chiseled features and a neatly groomed moustache-beard. A handsome man by no mean measure.
A rush of warmth filled her chest and her stomach.
Why have I been avoiding him? She mused, angry at herself and yet happy as she laid her eyes on him, her only living relative, a man she had fought for, bled for, and nearly died beside, four years ago.
She caught her father’s eye, and his green eyes lit up. He smiled lightly at her just as Dax leaned in to whisper something in his ear.
Marian turned away from the sight.
Dad...she mused to herself, and right at that moment, a gong went off.
It was five minutes to midnight; the main event was starting – the mistletoe ball drop.
Everyone on the floor pulled out black eye covers and tied their eyes. The tradition was simple, when the music stopped, you stood wherever you were, and the mistletoes dropped from the ceiling. Whoever was under one was to kiss whoever was closest to them.
You couldn’t run, and you couldn’t refuse the kiss.
Of course, couples would be together, so part of the game was to spin around vigorously between all bodies while a gas that muted the wolf's sense of smell was released into the room.
The Alphas and strongest soldiers were not part of this game, just in case something dangerous came up.
Their pack, ever vigilant, would not allow such laxity in their security, not even at Christmas.
Marian was blindfolded by some young omegas and made to join in the fun. She had not fought them off, as she knew who had sent them.
Dad…she mused again, letting herself be pulled into the stream of spinning bodies.
Lone wolf she may be, but tonight, she had something to prove.
From the time her father was deposed, she had attended this ceremony every year.
The last one she attended was last year’s celebration, after which she had been rejected, just weeks later, during the New Year Moon party, and had fled into exile.
Today, she was back, and she was out to prove that the rejection that had made her run away from the pack was behind her.
She was not diminished.
She was not ashamed or afraid.
She was alive.
Her father was still her own.
She was adorned in the beautiful outfit he had prepared for her, a bright, shimmering gown that showed his thoughts toward her.
That she was his daughter, that she should shine.
==========
Marian spun around, bumping into some people and narrowly missing others, laughter and giggles sounding off everywhere.
This was the one time pack members, mated or not, could try being naughty – whether to tease their mates, push lovers’ buttons, or simply take a chance on a love interest.
Cheating was not allowed during the spin, but some tried anyway and were pulled out by designated guardians, who were the only ones on the hall floor not blindfolded.
The sound of the music increased, the spinning continued and with a resounding clang, right at midnight, the music stopped.
Everyone pulled off their blindfolds and eye masks and looked up as one to see who was under a mistletoe and who was closest.
Growls, groans, and snickering filled the hall as wolves saw where they were and who they were privileged to kiss first thing on Christmas morning.
Marian looked up and glanced around with a small smile on her face.
She was under a mistletoe, and that meant one thing – someone was going to be really embarrassed, real soon, for getting a kiss from the deposed princess.
There were people nearby, Roxanne, the golden-haired she-wolf, Juniper, the hybrid wolf, and…her smile froze on her lips as her eyes fell on the wolf behind her.
Wolf...?
Can he be called a wolf...? Marian mused as Dinka whined quietly in their mind space, backing away in her mind, with disdain.
Right behind Marian, the closest person to her, the one she would have to kiss, was the pack outcast; the largest, fattest, weakest pack member; an unranked pack member with no scent and no known wolf within – Reyland Garrant, Alpha Dax’s biological son.
He smiled shyly at Marian, backing away as he flushed deep red.
Reyland was tall, the tallest pack member, but he was also overweight, ungainly, and without any wolf traits to boast of.
He never went out on hunts and never trained or fought with the pack members.
He was the weakest of the pack. At best, due to his size, he may be stronger than some omegas, but even a handful of them were stronger than him.
He was an embarrassment to the pack, a shame no one spoke of, about, or against, and he should have been an embarrassment to his family, but his father kept him close.
He glanced around sheepishly, nervously searching for someone, seeming lost at sea.
Marian pulled back slightly, mirroring Dinka, but as she watched his eyes and his increasingly sweaty brow, she recalled how she had felt at the New Year’s feast not eleven months ago, when all eyes had been on her as Dorien rejected her in front of the pack.
Marian recalled how her chest had tightened and the world had spun.
Her hands tightened into fists.
What’s the big deal?
It’s just a kiss.
Before Reyland could turn away, Marian grabbed his soft cheeks and stood on her toes, pulling his head down to kiss him and get it over with.
Who cares who it is? She mused as she pulled Reyland’s round face to hers.
Let them watch!
Her eyes were closed, but her ears were not.
The silence in the room was deafening.
Alpha Dax had stood up. Marian heard his chair scrape back, and she felt the pack stiffen as they sensed their leader’s unease.
They could all feel his apprehension as his heart pounded in his chest – the ousted princess, his enemy, was standing before the entire pack, and their guests, with her hands on his son; his firstborn.
Marian felt Dax’s sky-blue eyes on her from across the hall, but she was not concerned about him.
She was supposed to keep her head down. To stay out of sight.
But circumstances had brought her here, and by this time in her life, she and circumstance were sisters.
No matter what she gave Marian, Marian took it and ran.
You can watch too, Alpha!
My father is your pet monkey?
Fine!
We won’t be the only ones on display today!
She swore at Dax in her mind.
Reyland grabbed her arm to pull away, to stop her but, she was an alpha, a warrior wolf, and he was wolfless, with the added bonus of being unusually weak; he had no chance.
She kissed him fully on the lips.
Dax went down on one forearm, still on his knees, halfway to lying prostrate on his office floor.“I gave YOU to her, not the other way around, young one,” the King retorted casually.The door burst open.“Father, please!” a shrill voice cried out.In less than a second, Luna Diane was on her knees before the King, her palms together as she gazed up at her father, her face pale and covered in tears.The door swung shut behind her.In the brief moment it took for the door to close, no eyes of the shifters outside the door dared to look upon the scene unfolding inside Dax’s office.From the first strike from the Alpha King, Dax had cut off his connection to his pack.Once that had happened, his Luna had found his last location and had hurried over.Dax fell forward, gasping as the weight disappeared.He struggled upright but didn’t quite make it, instead falling backward and sitti
Every shifter, Marian included, growled.They all turned to find the Alpha King stepping toward the gathered group.All Bloodrayne wolves immediately surrounded their Alpha and his Successor. Eaden also formed part of the protective circle.Alpha Tobais gasped as he locked eyes with the Alpha King.Before anyone could steady their minds, a single word filled the space between the trees.“Father.”==========Moments after Marian had left Lightmoon with Misha, the Alpha King had summoned Dax. The King was seated in Dax’s office, behind Dax’s desk, on Dax’s chair.He was alone.“Where is your shadow?” Alpha King Asher asked calmly in his soft voice as Dax entered, the door closing quietly behind him with no one following behind.“He has things to attend,” Dax replied evenly, his eyes on the desk as he stood before the King, his hands placed one over the other in f
“My mind was heavy at first, but once I shifted to human form, my mind cleared. It felt like a weight had been removed.”“I wanted to take him back with us. We tried to take him down.”“Aren bit him on the arm, bit down, holding on to him, but he shook Aren like he was made of paper!”“He did something to Zanel, and he fell. It looked like his eyes and ears were bleeding, but I didn’t get a good look.”“He kept looking at his Gamma, like some babe lost in the woods.”Misha sat forward, his eyes on his father.“So, we went for the Gamma. He was strong, as I’ve said, but it was the only option.”“It was when that Gamma of his went down that he went wild,” he explained, his eyes shifting to the spellcaster.He leaned forward more, his forearm resting on his father’s knee as he spoke directly to the older shifter.It was at this point that Marian’s eyes left the fire.This was a part she had missed. Jackson’s view had been blocked by his many attackers. She had not been able to see what h
Misha smiled, then leaned against his father, whispering in his ear.Marian did not hear what he said as she gazed between the two men.As Misha spoke, Tobias’ brow rose.“Oh?” he breathed, then smiled a wicked smile.Even with his injury, the Alpha of Bloodrayne was still striking.“There is another one…,” Tobias droned.“Well, it doesn’t seem fair that Lightmoon should have all the rare gems in the world,” Tobias remarked casually.“You want to help your Wild one?” he stated evenly, “Then I will oblige. If you will do one thing –” he continued slowly.“I have brought your son back to you. Is that not enough?” Marian cut in again.“Dear child, my son’s return has bought your Alpha and his pet my forgiveness, for the moment. For your Alpha’s son, well now, that will require something extra,” he retorted breezily.“What is your request?” Marian asked evenly.Tobias stepped forward and lifted Marian’s chin with one finger.“You, ancient one. I want you.”==========“Tell me what you kno
He is very strong, very skillful. Marian mused.He could be an asset to Lightmoon, and…If we could get a few pups from – Marian stopped her mind as Misha’s eyes refocused on her from the far distance he had suddenly gazed off to.Marian had a strange look on her face.Her eyes were large and round.Her breathing had slowed.Misha’s smooth brow furrowed.He sniffed.“Ha!” he breathed, his pupils dilating as his blue eyes danced on her face.Marian flushed, pushed him away, and headed off at a slow run.Misha followed silently, gazing at her from behind.Enjoying the view, and the scent coming off her.Marian was ovulating.And Misha knew he was the cause.==========Marian guided Misha out of Lightmoon. After half an hour, she finally stopped moving.Misha sauntered up to her.“It’s
Marian nodded at him, glanced at Dax, whose back was to the door, and hurried off.==========“Two times in one evening. I am lucky!” Misha cooed.“I’m here to take you home,” Marian replied evenly, her eyes locked on his.“My home has been destroyed,” Misha tossed back lazily.“To your father,” Marian retorted.“Ah! I see?” he droned, his brow rising.He did not see.“Here,” Marian said patiently, holding out clothes to him, all black, boots included.Misha gazed suspiciously at her.“I thought you had questions…” he said slowly.“I’ve asked them, all to my Alpha. He has agreed that we should find your father,” she replied conversationally.“And kill him?” Misha quipped.“No,” Marian replied flatly.“Trade me for information on your wild wolf?