The Banquet.

Zareth's POV

"I need a drink," I blurted out from where I stood with my mom.

I need to breathe, this can't be happening, the stranger I fucked at the club is my sister's would be husband.

I took a drink from the waiter's hand and gulped it down at once.

"There you are, Zareth," she examined me. "Are you okay? You looked kind of spooked, and I see you're taking your mind off things again with alcohol." She stared at me. "Yep, you know me." I took another drink and finished it at once. "Hey, easy with the alcohol," Mae advised. I snarled, "What the fuck do you want, Mae?"

She looked at me for a second, something flickering across her face before she smoothed it over.

"You know what, forget it." She turned to leave. "I'll introduce myself."

"Mae .... I am so sorry," I went after her and held her hand. "It's your day today, I am sorry for being a jerk," I apologized.

"That's alright, everyone is tense, even mom hasn't moved from the spot we left her." We both laughed and approached mom together, we held hands and presented ourselves to the Lycan Prince.

As we approached where he stood, I caught a glimpse of his attire, a dark blue suit. He looked breathtaking. The banquet hall was overwhelming, chandeliers dripping with warm light above us, the thick smell of candle wax and expensive wine hanging in the air, the noise of a hundred conversations pressing in from every direction. I felt small in all of it.

I stood in the back.

We bowed. "Your Highness, I am Maevyn Vale from Ashbourne Clan," my sister announced. "I see, you may rise, all of you," he smirked. "With further introductions, my mom and my sister," she demonstrated with her hands. I opened my mouth, closed it, then managed a quiet, "the honor is ours, your highness," and said nothing else after that. My mom and I bowed again, too ashamed to look at him. I stood and kept my head down.

"Since we are going to be family soon, I think it's best we call each other by our first names. I am Kaelor Draven of Crescent Veil."

I ached ... Family. I held my breath.

I didn't really know I was drawing back away from them with my head down.

"Zareth, I presume," Kaelor called. "I think you're shy, but I think a good king knows his subjects' faces, especially his sister-in-law."

I slowly looked up and met his silver eyes, those eyes that made me moan, those eyes that made me cum.

Recognition flickered across his eyes for a second.

"Hello, who might you all be?" She grabbed Kaelor's arm. She looked gorgeous with her blonde hair and silver eyes, they looked so much alike.

"Meet Princess Sabriel Draven, my baby sister," he smiled at her.

"Ohh, I am not a baby anymore," she smiled back.

"Meet my soon to be wife, Mae, her mom and sister."

"Aww, you look so beautiful," she hugged Mae and Mom, but barely spared me a glance.

That was my cue to leave. I bowed to the Prince, who seemed like he was observing everyone other than me.

I took 2 drinks and went outside the banquet hall to think.

How did I get so wrapped up in this, this is a fucking mess...

I took one of my drinks and finished it.

Why did it have to be him.

"I heard that the Prince is getting engaged today, a lady from the Ashbourne Clan. Ohh, do hope she's strong enough to be the Luna, because you do know that the Prince has a lover," the ladies gossiped and laughed when leaving the banquet.

Safe to say that he's a playboy and I fell into his trap. At least no harm done, we can move past this as if nothing happened.

"Hello beautiful," someone grabbed my arm. I looked at the man. "Leave me the fuck alone," I glared. "Or what? I can smell how weak you are, I am not even sure you have a wolf," he laughed.

And then it clicked.

I took the remaining glass of wine I had in my hand and smashed it on his head. "Ouch," he fell and I yelled, "Fuck you!" I stood there for a second, chest heaving, the broken glass at my feet. Then I turned and walked back into the hall.

"Now everyone gather around, the Prince and his future bride," the butler announced.

People gasped.

Some complimented.

My heart ached.

"Now the couple's first dance."

Mae looked beautiful. She was glowing. And I stood there at the edge of the room watching my sister dance with a man whose hands I still remembered on my skin, and I hated myself for noticing.

They danced. My sister looked so happy, I was so happy for her.

As they danced, Kaelor's eyes met mine. Each time they did, I would look away.

"Now everyone can participate." Surprisingly I joined the dance with a man whose name I don't quite remember, and traditionally there is always a switch for partners. We kept on switching until I got so tired of moving my feet.

Until.

The mark tingled and started burning.

As soon as we both touched, held hands together.

"Zareth, right?" Kaelor asked. "Yes, your Highness."

"Please cut the formalities, I thought we already established that," he smirked. "Okay," I stared down at my shoes. "Now a lady of little words, but when I was fucking you yesterday you were outspoken," he whispered in my ear.

"Fuck you," I said drawing back, and he brought me closer. He smiled first, slow and easy, like we were just two people having a pleasant conversation. Like he wasn't about to say what he said next. "Remember, I am still a prince, and just because you and I had sex doesn't mean I would condone any disrespect. It's quite simple really, don't breathe a word of this to anyone and I won't say anything either. Because being a stripper and all, well, that would ruin your family's reputation, wouldn't it, Zareth?"

He looked so confident.

Just sex.

It was just sex to him. I repeated it in my head like maybe it would hurt less the second time. It didn't. I barely knew him, I had no right to feel anything, but it still hit somewhere I wasn't expecting.

I inhaled. "Okay Kaelor, understood."

"Switch."

I danced with a lady.

"You dance well," she said first, swaying with me like we were just two strangers making small talk.

"Thank you," I replied.

A beat passed.

"He hasn't looked away from you once, you know," she said it lightly, almost casually, like it was nothing.

"Who?" I asked, already knowing.

"Kaelor." She smiled. "Who is he to you?"

"Excuse me?" She laughed softly. "Well I have just been noticing things, he hasn't engaged in conversation with anyone all evening, not even his bride. But whatever you two were talking about looked intense," her face gleamed with so much eagerness.

"You must be imagining things, how many drinks have you had already?" I smiled. "Not as many as you have had," she glared.

"I know exactly who you are, Zareth, and don't forget it for a second."

She walked away and I stood there, the music still playing around me, my feet suddenly unable to move. Something cold settled in my chest. Who was she.

The mark tingled and I looked at Kaelor dancing close to me, my wolf whispered.

"Mate?"