Chapter 2 - The presentation

Mina POV – 7 days to go

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Her dress is too tight, her heels pinch her feet and the quick layer of make-up she’d slapped on before her mother demanded she came down, feels thick in the warm packhouse hall. Despite her neckline being low but modest, it feels like there's a strap across her through, making each breath a little tighter that it should be.

She fidgets as she stands at the doors to the packhouse hall, smiling and greeting guests as they continue to pour inside. She can't believe her mother invited so many wolves, but the Luna was nothing if a woman who like to flaunt Clear Blue's wealth other over packs. That, and she is desperate for Mina to find her mate. She had 7 days after she turned 25 to find her first fated mate to prove she was right to inherit the clear blue Luna title from her mother, otherwise, the title would be up for grabs and she'd lose the role she had worked her entire life to be ready for. 

After everything that's happened today though, the title is the last thing on her mind.

She hopes her make up covers the red rims of her eyes after her 10-minute break down the moment she made it to her bedroom. Before she had managed to weep everything out of her, her mother had demanded her presence in the hall, and she only had 15 minutes to get out of workout-mina mode and into Luna-Mina mode, ballroom edition. She had managed it, but the quick turnaround has left her with a ball in her stomach that squeezes every time she thinks of Owen.

"How you holding up?" Chloe asks as she slips in beside Mina.

“I feel like a prize deer on display just before a hunt.” She answers through a tight smile as the next wolf in line steps forward. Beta someone from some Lake something pack. “You took your time getting here.”

“Sorry, had to go find Sam, make sure he’s not getting lost in his work again.”

“And where is my dear brother?” Mina asks.

“Getting lost in his work. Don’t worry though, he said he’ll meet you on stage.”

“He better do, or mother will murder him. It’s his presentation too.”

“We all know it's about you though.” Chloe laughs. The pair lock eyes for a moment and Mina sees the flicker of worry pass through her friend's expression. "Geez, Mina, you look like shit."

"Thanks." She mutters.

"No, I mean you look drop dead gorgeous, but something's wrong. What's wrong?"

Mina deliberates what to say as she greets the next wolf, the Luna of some small pack out west of the Kingdom. Then, she sighs, needing to tell someone. "I found out Owen is cheating on me."

"What the fuck!" Chloe shouts, to which Mina gives her a look that quickly makes her apologise to the crowd and lower her voice. "That douche bag. Where is he? I need a new rug for my bedroom, and his pelt would fit perfectly."

Mina snorts, a small nugget of stress unwinding. 

"Here, take this." Chloe presses a small glass bottle into her palm and then takes Mina's place to greet the next guest as she turns around and subtly necks the shot-sized bottle of vodka. Goddess, she loves Chloe. If there wasn’t a crowd watching them, she’d kiss her.

The burn feels good, killing the butterflies in her stomach, but she'll need many more to face the rest of the evening. 

She's about to say as much to Chloe when she spots Owen in the crowd. He has changed since she saw him outside, now wearing a smart suit and has a freshly shaven jaw, looking as handsome as ever. But her stomach drops as she realises he's heading right for her. 

"Cover me." She whispers to her friend before ducking around a pillar and trying to walk as quickly as she can away from Owen, without drawing too much attention to herself.

Suddenly, an arm snags around her waist and yanks her through a side door into the corridor, the door slamming closed behind her with the click of a lock keeping it in place. A hand snakes over her mouth to stifle her protests while the other presses firm to her hip, keeping her rooted against the large body behind her. Only his familiar scent stops her from freaking out. 

Alastor shushes her when she growls through his fingers, and nods towards the door. The handle jiggles for a moment, before there's a sharp thump and then footsteps walk away.

She sags back against Alastor. That was a close one. She really can't face Owen right now, especially not in a room full of packmates and strangers, all watching and criticising her every move. She goes to pull free from his hold, but it doesn’t break. Instead, he leans close, hovering his lips next to her ear.

“Want to tell me why I'm saving you from my little brother?”

The brush of his breath chases down her neck, dragging an unexpected shiver through Mina. She Goddess-damned hopes he didn’t feel it, because what the hell was that?

She sucks in a breath and jumps clear of his touch. 

“Nervous, Princess?” He asks, a smile dancing on the edge of his lips.

“Nervous? Nervous of what? Of you?” She snorts. “Of course not. Why would you make me nervous?” 

His brow arches. “I meant for your presentation. Is that why you're avoiding Owen?”

"Oh, erm... No, well yes." She twists her hands together, wondering what to tell him as awkwardness grips her. Maybe he already knew and had been keeping it a secret from her? Or maybe he'd have the same thing to say as Owen, that it didn't matter. Unless she found her mate tonight or in the next 7 days, she might be stuck with him as her only choice.

The thought makes her queasy again and she rocks on her feet. Alastor's hand catches her shoulder, steadying her, his thumb tracing the edge of her clavicle. Mina looks up at him, tears building in the edge of her vision again.

He steps closer, as if shielding the world from her vulnerabilities, his hand lifting to cradle her face. "What happened?"

Mina doesn’t answer, her voice catching in her chest. He is so close, concern sparkling in hazel eyes that analyses her own like she’s his to take care of. She stares at him, unable to find the words that usually come so easily between them - cursing him for distracting her during training, or smacking his hand away and ordering him to leave her alone. But now she is just silent.

It takes Alastor a few moments to realise she hasn’t answered, and when he does, he seems to snap out of whatever had taken hold of him. He freezes, as if his behaviour finally hits him and takes a large step back, hands slipping into his pockets.

"You can tell me, Mina. I'll be your Beta soon, it's my job to protect you."

There's an earnest look to his gaze that pushes Mina's defensive walls to one side for a moment, ones that started to crumble the moment she saw Owen kiss Jessica. So she tells him.

"That bastard." Alastor seethes. "If you order me to, I will go and grba him by the scruff and have him kissing your feet for forgiveness in the next 5 minutes."

Despite the thick swell of emotion in her throat, Mina huffs a laugh. "I never want his lips anywhere near me again, thank you very much." She clips, but her voice laces with sadness.

She looks out the window, seeing the twilight drawing in, pulling a deep purple sky over the pack and letting the moon grow its shine. There isn’t too long until midnight, then she’ll officially be 25 and her pheromones will finally be fully matured to find her fated mates. 

There’s a good chance her first mate is already in the room with her. There's more than a good chance that it's Owen with the connection they've had for years. That's what everyone has told her. She had prayed to the Moon goddess a few times for it to be true, but now feels foolish. So much time wasted on the wrong person, but if she doesn't find her fated mate or another wolf befor her 7 days are up, she'll be forced to choose him or she'll lose her place as Clear Blue Luna.

"I'm going to have to accept him, anyway, aren't I?" She says in a small voice.

"No." Alastor growls. The sound shocks her and she darts her attention to him, eyebrows raised. He softens slightly and eases him temper. "You will find your fated mate. The Moon Goddess won't put you in a situation where you have to be mates with that weasel."

"That weasel is your bother."

"Only by blood." He huffs, then smiles. "Trust the Moon Goddess, Princess, she has good things in store for you."

He is closer than before, but Mina isn't sure when he moved. 

"How do you know?"

Her words are whispered and the hallway seems to grow quiet around them as she stares up at him. There's a light frown to his forehead as he searches her eyes, and she can't help but feel that same confusion as the past hour of stress seems to melt away under his gaze.

"Are you bothering my mate, brother?" A voice jerks her from her thoughts.

Alastor spin, keeping her hidden behind him but Mina sees the flash of Owen's face and immediately feels the dread return to her stomach. It pools there thick and chilling, making her feel unsteady.

It takes a heartbeat for Alastor to reset his composure and straighten before he answers. “Not at all. Just keeping our Luna company after she asked for some space from the crowd. Wouldn't want her to feel uncomfortable or upset on her big day." He meets Owen’s gaze, but gives him a winning smile that adds a playful tone that doesn’t quite land right.

"Of course not." Owen's smile is tight. "I was hoping to get a moment alone with her, if you could give us a minute."

"That's her choice." Alastor doesn't back down. "Mina?"

"I think it's time to return to the party."

"Maybe later then, brother." He steps forward and slaps Owen on the shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble forward a step. "Don't pout. If you’re fated mates, you’ll be able to spend all night talking.”

“When.” Owen crooks an eyebrow. “You mean when we’re mates.”

“Didn’t I say that?” Alastor turns so only Mina can see him and gives her a wink as he opens the door back to the ballroom. “After you, Princess.”

Mina doesn't look at Owen as she heads back into the part, but Goddess does she need another drink.