[ Back at the Party ]
Laughter, howls, metal clinking and rowdy drunken chants... it was like being trapped in a cage with every primal instinct screaming.
Kieran thoroughly hated this.
He set the goblet down with a thunk, eyes narrowing at nothing in particular.
Lyla sat on one of the couches as he stood at the corner, downing his third drink in the row.
But nothing helped. He was still stuck... in those emeralds and red... his thoughts were starting to get too disoriented. He looked up at the clock. It was hardly nine. He still had three more hours to kill, before the clock struck midnight.
That was when the after party would begin. And that would be his cue to sneak out of the Bloodfang perimeters. Till then, he had to blend in, without getting into any confrontation.
Just shake hands, nod, smile... all of which Kieran failed to do thoroughly.
Alpha Gideon,clapped him on the shoulder with enough force to stagger a lesser wolf. Kieran simply turned around at the smiling drunkard. "You look like someone pissed in your wine, Blackmoon. Drink up, man! This is a party!"
Kieran’s jaw twitched. "I am aware."
Gideon, grinned. "Then why aren’t you partying?" He gestured wildly toward a group of giggling she wolves near the chocolate fountain. "Plenty of pretty things here. Even for a grumpy bastard like you."
Kieran’s grip tightened on his empty glass. "Not interested."
Gideon snorted. "Bullshit. Every wolf’s interested in something tonight." He leaned in, breath reeking of whiskey. "Me? I am here for the women. Rafe? Here to punch me. You?"
Alpha Gideon squinted when Kieran turned the other way."You are here to brood, aren’t you?Well, this isn’t the right place for that you know.Should have stayed at home, maybe ? "
Kieran did not dignify that with a response.
Nearby, Alpha Rafe who was still nursing his bruised knuckles from earlier,glanced over with a smirk. "Careful, Gideon. He might brood you to death...we all heard how the rumor goes. Kieran turning his nemesis into ashes with just his gaze.No bodies,no traces left!!! Ring a bell??"
Gideon barked a laugh. "Nah,tonight he is too busy staring at..."
"Finish that sentence," Kieran said softly, "and I will remove your tongue!"
Luna Meira of the Stormfangs walked upto them from the other end, her sharp eyes assessing. She stopped right in front of Kieran, bowed and smiled. " Alpha Kieran, so glad to meet you again. How have you been?" Her eyes darted between Kieran and his detachment towards his Luna, who sat all alone in the corner, the wine glass intact in front of her.
"You are not usually at one for these...spectacles." Miera muttered, looking Lyla up thoroughly.
"I am not," Kieran agreed flatly.
"Then why are you here?"
’Because I am lost without her... too lost to even understand what I am doing.
To seek every last straw... to repent...’
"Business," he said instead.
Meira’s lips curled. "With Velor?"
Kieran’s gaze flicked toward the high table, where Velor Bloodfang lounged like a king among fools, goblet in hand, smirk in place.Women all around him.
"If necessary." Kieran added. " Please, excuse..." Miera grabbed Kieran’s arms, taking him completely by surprise.
" Please can we talk a little. I am bored. I like your company! " She held Kieran’s gaze and in a not very friendly way of course .
Kieran grabbed her arm and gently shoved it away. " Maybe you should start looking for your husband! "
Luna Miera laughed. " Fuck me if I find that bastard tonight! He already found some pretty holes to dig in! "
Before Kieran had to respond to that, a commotion diverted their attention from each other.
Alpha Rafe, now thoroughly drunk, was arm wrestling a Gamma from the Frost pack and guess where??? On top of the dessert table!!
A half crushed cake oozed between their elbows as the crowd cheered on.
"Ten gold coins on the Frost wolf!" someone yelled.
Kieran exhaled through his nose.
That was what the Bloodfangs did best.He grabbed another drink.
This one, he did not down.
Then he slowly started to move away, but was immediately intercepted by Luna M
"Alpha Kieran," she said. "You should try one of these." She grabbed an orange glass of sunshine and offered it with a sultry smile. "Rumor is, it will make you forget your name...and all your worries along with it. "
" No thanks Mrs.Stormfangs. I would rather remept look too pleased.
"Alpha Kieran," came another voice just at that moment!
Alpha Lucien of the Desertclaw Pack stepped forward like he was on a fashion runway, obsidian silk draped over his chest, a chain of onyx looping around his neck. His eyes, rimmed in kohl, sparkled with mischief.He looked more like a vampire Lord than a werewolf. But what can anybody do? Guy had the weirdest fashion sense!
"I thought you would skip this debauchery," Lucien said, offering yet another wine glass that looked pink. "This is hardly your aesthetic."
Before Kieran could take the wine or respond to him,someone else barked from the other end.
"Alpha Kieran," He turned to see Alpha Varric of the Stormfangs approach. Shirt half unbuttoned.One fang poking past his grin. Two women clung to either side of him.
There were visible lipstick marks all over him. Guy was probably taking a break from his ’hole digging’ sessions.
"Saw you rubbing with my wife! " He threw a lethal smirk at Luna Miera who now sat beside Lyla, without even staring up. "Are you here for politics or pussy?" Varric asked bluntly, raising a brow. "No shame either way.You see I already have my hands full! "
"Watch your mouth, Varric," Kieran growled.
Varric just raised his hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Relax, Blackmoon.Just teasing. Can’t say I blame you. Too many pretty faces to get confused. "
Then he turned all the way round and pointed at the stairs that went upstairs. "That red dressed girl over there...Whew!!! Would sell my left claw for a minute alone with her."
Kieran’s body went still.
He did not reply. Just took another drink, slower this time as he looked up.
His entire sense went into overdrive. She was there... standing... all alone... looking even more mysterious... even more ethereal!!!
"Don’t tell me you noticed her too?" Varric asked, leaning in.