Lyra’s pov

2

Lanterns hung from branches, gleamed beautiful golden lights. Wolves danced under them, masked, cheering and drinking, happily dancing.

The Night of Veils.

I knew that ceremony, I heard of it while growing up but never witnessed it. Feels good to finally appear to see one.

A once-a-year celebration where scents were hidden by enchanted incense so every wolf could forget their rank for one night.

I stepped closer, drawn to the warmth and anonymity. No one looked at me. No one called my name.

I slipped on a discarded pink sapphire gown from a merchant’s stall, tied a dark mask over my face, and stepped into the dance.

For the first time, I wasn’t Lyra the scentless Luna. I was just… a girl under the moon, to live in the moment.

Suddenly, I saw a masculine figure jolted across me.

He stood at the edge of the dance floor, tall and broad, his mask black and carved with gold. His presence speaks power. When our eyes met, I felt my heart sank.

He moved closer, then held out his hand.

I hesitated, stared at him for a while, then took it.

We danced as if the world had narrowed to that single rhythm. His gloved fingers brushed my waist, his breath warm against my mind.

“I can't smell you,” he said quietly, voice haste and rough.

I tensed. “Then why are you here?”

He smiled faintly, dangerous and soft. “Because I can’t stop feeling you. Have been staring at you the moment you walked in.”

I smiled, no other words, I continued my dance with him, I only needed to relief my mind from the mess I just ran away from.

Unknowingly, his lips touched mine, everything else vanished, the fear, heartache, pains in my chest. I didn't hesitate. He grabbed me closer and our kiss was a rush, like we've both been starving of it. He carried me to softly to a hallway, halted at a door, then pushed it open. We both collapsed on the bed.

I helped him pulled his shirt, his broad abs under his muscles were too hot to resist. I walked my finger slowly on them.

"You smell like candy, pretty." His voice sweet, complimented me. 

He pulled my dress ropes and I my dress dropped carelessly on the floor.

His laughter rumbled softly against my ear. I found myself laughing too, breathless, not because of what was funny, but because I needed to laugh out my bitterness, pains boiling in my chest.

He looked down at me, eyes half-shadowed by his mask, and brushed a loose strand of hair from my face. “You should smile like this more often,” he breathed.

“Why so?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.

“Because it makes your pretty face more charming,” he said simply, tracing my jaw with his thumb.

Silence lingered between us, his eyes locked on mine, unhurried.

For the first time in so long, I didn’t feel broken. I didn’t feel scentless. His presence wrapped around me like forever promise.

He leaned closer, his forehead resting against mine. “I'm a little bit tipsy, I might do something crazy to your body,"

I smiled faintly, heart beating too fast. “I know. Guess you can't hold your liquor. I don't mind too.”

He sighed, almost as if it hurt him to breathe. “ you seemed troubled like me too, my old man pestering me to get married, I'm just here to fun away with alcohol.”

In that moment I felt pity for his poor eyes. He must be growling in pains.

I closed my eyes. “Under the same moon.”

He went silent for some time then turned to me. We now stayed nose to nose. My heart beating fast as he stared into my eyes. 

Suddenly his voice broke the silence in the room.

"You're so beautiful."

I hate how my body responded quick to him. My nipples went hard as rock. Then his fingers found my breast, he played on my nipples, and when he sucked on them, I moaned shamelessly. I didn't want to think about anything else except this moment. I needed this.

Then he parted my legs and buried his head in between my legs. "You're so wet" he paused, stared into my eyes. "Should I go on?" 

"Yes honey. Please." I begged, clutching his head with my legs.

My moaning was the only sound responding to his Jacks. Next minute, I felt a hard rock slip into me.

"Ughh." He whispered into my ears." My God, you're so sweet."

"Please.....yeah....stay right there, don’t stop till you’ve had your fill." I said, almost pleading.

His groans made my nerves rise, he moaned harder just before he ejaculated.

Then, we collapsed against the bed, breathing heavily.

"That was fun." He muttered under his breathe and dozed off.

I never asked his name. I didn’t had the time to, he made me feel like a queen, smiling to the roof, before my eyes shut. Darkness.

When dawn broke, the bed beside me was empty.

What? He didn't care to know who I was?

I stared at his sides but only the warmth and a pillow where he’d been remained.

Which ever way it looked like, he was better than kael, my lifetime betrayal. Perhaps, I needed the fun more than he do, but it didn't seem that way, looked like he needed it more than I did.

I lay there for a long time, staring at the pale ceiling of the room, wondering if any of it had been real.

Few weeks has gone by, Days turned into night, but I choose to stay at my friend's place, Elora. She lived outskirts of the pack. I needed the air to settle, for everyone to move on before I go back home, then think of what's next to do with my life.

Elora had gone out with her boyfriend that night. I sat at the garden staring into nature.

Then my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

It was Vandora.

I answered weakly. “Vandora?”

Her voice trembled. “Lyra… are you sitting down?”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“The test results came in from your checkup last week. You’re pregnant.”

My jaw dropped open, heart sank into my chest.

“Pregnant?” I whispered. “That’s not possible…”

“It is,” she said softly. “You need to come in right away.”

I couldn’t speak. My fingers went numb. The phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor.