Chapter 5

Violet

My heart pounds in my ears as I slip my red dress over my head. Tonight I’m going out with Mr. Crocodile Man, and I have no clue what to expect. Is he going to want me to do the talking? Should I be quiet and let him brag about himself and whatever manly things he has achieved in his life to feed his ego? Will he even find me attractive?

I look at my reflection and sigh. I hope he will find me beautiful. I worked really hard on my appearance tonight. My hair is newly cut into a page, and my makeup is right on point, yet I feel like there is something missing. 

My heart, maybe?

I stare at my reflection in the mirror, taking in the way the red velvet dress clings to my curves like a second skin. I bite my lip, feeling uncomfortable—not only do I feel exposed in this outfit, but it’s not quite me. Jeans and T-shirts are my style, not fancy dresses like this one. I can’t help but worry that my date will think I’m something I’m not. I’m a tomboy, not a girly girl, and yet here I am, trying to look beautiful by donning something so foreign.

Am I doing too much?

My eyes stay on my reflection until I see my father approaching in the background. There are tears in his eyes, and his bottom lip is trembling with emotion. “You look just like your mother!”

Here we go...

“I’m so proud of you, Violet. This date is going to change your life, you know that, right? You’re finally entering womanhood and taking responsibility by trying to find yourself a worthy mate. Someone who you can claim and have babies with so that the mantle can be passed on to your children—”

I tune out my father’s words as my gaze drifts to Jace. He leans against the wall with his arms crossed, the definition of his muscular body evident even beneath his suit. Once he realizes he got my attention, his lips twitch with a slight smile that sends shivers down my spine.

Was he always so gorgeous? 

The sight of Jace without his mask is breathtaking. I flush scarlet as I take him in, realization dawning on me: I’m attracted to my bodyguard.

My father clears his throat, and I snap out of my trance and lock my eyes on his. He smiles. “Jace will, of course, follow you and make sure this man, Von May Bite, is...umm...what do your sisters call it? Legit?”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact my father is trying to use words that he thinks are cool. I try to hold back my laughter as Jace steps forward, offering me his arm as if telling me I’m in good hands.

“Have fun tonight,” my father says. 

I laugh and smile. “I most definitely will.”

Jace strolls forward, and I take his arm when he offers it, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. He is dressed in a black suit, and my heart skitters with every step that I take as Jace leads me out of the house. A sleek black Mercedes that oozes sophistication and class is waiting for us. My father bought it for Jace, and it suits him. It’s dark and mysterious, just like my handsome bodyguard. 

As we drive to the restaurant, I listen to my favorite songs. Jace doesn’t seem to mind, or maybe he does. Who knows. He is mute and can’t talk, which means we will be listening to more of my favorite songs!

Once we get to the restaurant, Von May Bite is waiting for me outside, dressed in a pink suit. He doesn’t look like a crocodile but like a very stocky man. Big and proud, but...is that a freaking tail?!

My eyes widen, and Jace, the bastard, snorts. When I lift my eyes to his face, he tries not to laugh out of respect. But a silent laugh escapes him despite his efforts.  

I arch an unimpressed eyebrow. “Are you having fun at my expense, Jace?”

He gazes down at me, a wide smile gracing his lips. I want to scowl back at him, but the rare sight of him so happy warms my heart. His smile is infectious, and it envelopes me in warmth and security. How can I stay mad when he looks this cute and happy?

I let my anger vanish and instead let bubbles and magic replace it as Jace leads me to my date. He isn’t as tall as Jace, but he is broad. Very broad.

“You must be Violet,” Von May Bite says as he takes my hand with a warm smile.

“Yes, I’m Violet,” I smile politely. “And I assume you must be Von May Bite?”

“That would be me.”

He shows his teeth in a smile and looks normal enough, but when Jace leaves me alone to take a seat at another table, I feel...disappointed. I know he is just my bodyguard, yet I would rather spend time with him than with the crocodile man. 

I discreetly glance over at Jace’s table, freezing when I see he isn’t alone. He has a date of his own—a gorgeous red-headed woman, and I burn with hurt and jealousy. I don’t know why. It’s not like Jace is my partner, yet I’m sad to see him eating dinner with someone else. Gosh, am I developing a crush on my own bodyguard?!

I try to push the thought away as Von May Bite leads me to our table and starts talking about his successful business ventures. It’s all so boring that I can feel my eyes glazing over. As much as I try to focus on what he is saying, my mind keeps drifting back to Jace’s table.

Who is that woman with him? How long have they known each other? Why hasn’t anyone told me Jace is seeing someone?

Von May Bite clears his throat. “And that’s how I became the richest man in my family.” 

I snap back to reality, realizing my date has finished his story. “Ah, sorry about that. I must have zoned out for a second.”

He chuckles. “No worries, Violet. You look like you have something on your mind. Is everything alright?”

“No, I’m just a bit tired,” I lie, knowing I couldn’t possibly tell my date the truth. This is the first time we meet each other, for Pete’s sake. “Have you decided on what to order?”

Von May Bite nods, his eyes never leaving mine. “Yes, I actually ordered for us already. I hope you don’t mind,” he says, motioning for the waiter to bring the food.

I nod silently, still feeling a little lost in my thoughts. It’s not like I have any right to be jealous of Jace’s date. He is just doing his job, after all. But I can’t help the way I feel.

As the food arrives, Von May Bite continues talking about himself, but I find myself barely listening. I’m too busy stealing glances at Jace and the red-headed woman, trying to decipher what their relationship is.

“Something interesting happened at The Mate Matchmaking Bureau a few days ago.”

My date wins my interest with that sentence, and my attention snaps to his face. “Oh yeah?”

"Uh-huh," Von May Bite grins. “Alpha Lucifer, someone who has been missing for twenty years, suddenly appeared in their matchmaking systems, which is super creepy. The guy is thought to be dead.”

My heart races at his words. The matchmaker matched me with Alpha Lucifer, so I’m naturally curious about him. I’ve never heard about him before and find it chilling that he was put into the matchmaking system. Who did that, and why? Was it meant as a prank to scare people?

I wet my lips. “I haven’t heard much about Alpha Lucifer. What makes him so special?”

Von May Bite smirks as he leans in closer, eyes shifting around the restaurant before he whispers, “Alpha Lucifer was the Alpha of a pack with only ten members—the Black Jade pack—but despite their low number of members, they were the most feared pack in the world because every single member was a special creature. Even Lucifer himself was a hybrid between a demon and a werewolf, and he had a very special power.”

I tilt my head. “And what was his power?”

“I heard a strange rumor that Alpha Lucifer’s voice had dark magic in it and that he couldn’t control his own power. His spoken words would sometimes turn into spells and curses. Like, if he uttered the phrase ‘Fuck off,’ then suddenly the person he said it to could drop dead... It sounds unbelievable, but I guess anything is possible for a demon. Some people claim Alpha Lucifer accidentally killed off his Beta after they argued and Alpha Lucifer cussed him out. According to the legends, it resulted in the death of Alpha Lucifer’s Beta. After that, Alpha Lucifer stopped speaking and soon disappeared from the face of the earth. No one has seen him or the Black Jade pack for years, and most people think Alpha Lucifer committed suicide.”

I shudder at the thought of Alpha Lucifer’s power. It’s almost too surreal to believe a person could kill someone with just their words. I glance at Jace again, wondering if he has heard about Alpha Lucifer too. His glowing eyes meet mine for a brief second, and I can see a flicker of recognition in them before he looks away.

Von May Bite continues talking about the paranormal world, but my mind is stuck on the mystery of Alpha Lucifer. 

The matchmaker told me he is my perfect match, but how could I be matched with someone who has been missing for twenty years? And even more unsettling, how could they match me with someone who has the potential to kill with their voice?