The Alphas & The Heiress

Syble (Magnolia)

The party is in full swing by the time we arrive. There’s a huge canopy tent set up with a full bar on either end and standing tables in the middle. Wait staff roam around with plates of hors d’oeuvres and champagne. There’s an enormous round table in the middle of the tent with more appetizers and finger foods. There are people everywhere, in the gardens, in the tent, around and inside the house.

I clutch onto Ro’s arm, “how many people did your mother invite?”

He laughs, “She invited the heads of two allied packs and their unmated members.”

I go to ask him what he meant by unmated but someone approaches and interrupts us. “Rohanor, good seeing you again old friend.” Ro shakes his friend’s hand while keeping his other arm firmly wrapped around my waist.

“Good to see you too, Alec. How is Alpha life treating you?”

Alec looks at me hungrily and smirks, “not as well as it’s been treating you.” He says addressing Ro but looking at me. This man clearly has a death wish. I may be in a dress but I could still kick his ass.

Ro snarls softly as Alec reaches for my hand and kisses the back of it. “Why is the most beautiful woman in the room hanging out with an ugly brute like him?” He asks me but I know he’s trying to provoke Ro, and it’s working.

“Not enough tail in your own pack, Alec?” Varian’s voice says from behind me and I try to hide my smile.

“Just trying to save this fair maiden from being burned by either of you.”

Ro spits out his drink laughing. Varian grins wickedly, “trust me, Alec, she’s too hot for you.”

Varian pats him on the shoulder before taking me by the hand and whisking me away.

“Sorry about that, he’s an old friend whose mission in life is to irritate us into flames. He thinks it’s funny to watch us lose control.”

“Does that happen to you a lot? Losing control?”

“Not as of late,” he says cryptically and smiles at me, almost adoringly.

He takes two champagne flutes from a server’s tray and hands one to me. I scan the room whilst sipping my drink. Kat has taken to dragging Incandis around with her, but he doesn’t seem to mind terribly. I remember her telling me about a guy she had a thing for, I wonder where he is and if she’s using Incandis to make the poor guy jealous.

I continue scanning around when my eyes catch Ro talking to Alec and Serena, the she-wolf I burned last night in their office. An unexpected feeling hits me square in the chest as I watch them together. This shouldn’t bother me, it’s not like either of us have laid claim to the other. I don’t understand these feelings of insecurity over someone who isn’t mine, I’ve never felt like this before over someone but with the twins… everything and nothing makes sense.

Varian lifts my chin up forcing me to look at him. He’s frowning and there’s a little v forming in the center of his furrowed brows. “What’s wrong?” He asks me.

How does he know? Can he read my mind? “What makes you think something’s wrong?” I ask him.

He thinks for a moment before he responds. “I could feel you tense up,” he says as he runs his fingertips from my shoulders down to my hands, taking them both in his.

I nod once in Ro’s direction where he is still talking with Alec and Serena. “I guess she is more a plaything than a parasite after all.” I say venomously. Why am I this upset? I have no reason or right, but it pains me all the same.

“Don’t do that. Don’t waste one second on her, please.” Varian implores me, turning me so my back is to their group before whispering softly in my ear, “soon you’ll understand.”

He pulls back just far enough to look at me. For the first time I feel like he can see right through my mask, there’s no hiding from him.

“I’m not, Ro can do what he wants, you both can.” I say the words but I know deep down I don’t believe them and the look Varian pins me with tells me he doesn’t believe them either.

His eyes cloud over for a moment and when they clear an impish grin crosses his face. “What? Why are you smiling like that?” I ask him when suddenly a pair of strong, muscular arms wrap themselves around my waist. Ro. He buries his nose in my neck and hair,

“You weren’t jealous were you, spitfire?” He says, smiling against my neck.

“What gave you that ridiculous impression?” I say flatly, the chill in my tone melts as he holds me in his embrace.

He just smiles, turns us around to face the crowd, and points out Alec and Serena on the dance floor. “I hope you don’t mind, I set Serena loose on Alec. Win-win.” He says ever so pleased with himself.

“How is that a win-win?” I ask.

“Because, Serena will be someone else’s problem… and Alec will stop getting ideas about what’s mine.” He deadpans, pulling me closer to him and nibbling at my ear.

I turn in his arms, unsure of what to say. He studies me with a libidinous gaze, his tongue licks his bottom lip and I’m overwhelmed by the urge to bite it.

“Boys,” we all startle to the sound and turn all at once to see Raine, their father, walking towards us. “Do you mind if I steal your date’s first dance?”

I can feel their bodies tense around me, Ro’s grip on my waist tightening by a fraction.

“Go on boys, go dance with your mother and sister.”

The twins shoot him a disapproving glare but Raine pays his sons no mind. I link my arm in his and he walks us over to the dance floor where the music has changed to a slow, relaxing song. Raine spins me into his arms, places a firm hand in the center of my back and the other holding my hand in his. I place my free hand on the back of his shoulder and follow his lead on the dance floor.

“Are you enjoying yourself so far?” He says kindly as he guides us around smoothly.

“Yes, it’s been fun meeting some of Kat’s and the twin’s friends from other packs. Your wife truly knows how to throw a party.”

“That she does. And you know how to command everyone’s attention.”

He senses my confusion and continues, “this is Kat’s birthday party and yet all anyone can talk about is you, my dear.”

I tense in his arms. “That wasn’t my intention,” I say softly. “I’m sorry, I should go.” I go to pull away but his hold on me only tightens.

“Nonsense, it’s wonderful to see. I was skeptical when my sons first let you on to the territory, but you’ve done more good than I think you realize.”

My brow furrows and my head tilts to the side, “how do you mean?”

He looks at me momentarily confused, like I should know what he’s talking about. “Sorry, I just meant that you seem to balance the twins. Their moods have improved since your arrival and the pack can feel it reverberating through the pack bond. Everyone is excited to meet the woman who tamed the twins.”

I laugh unreservedly, “I wouldn’t say I’ve tamed them at all. I’m not sure they can be tamed, I love their wildness and their playfulness. I’m sure I’ve frustrated them a great deal since being here, but if that’s what makes them and the pack happy, I’m all too happy to oblige.” I pause before adding, “back home, guys don’t treat me like the twins do. Here, to them, I’m just Syble. It’s refreshing.”

“You’re not just anything, my dear. Here or otherwise. I’m sure you’ll realize that soon.”

With that he bows to me, kisses my hand, and walks away.

I’m spun around in an instant, Varian crushing me to him with strong arms. He rests his cheek on mine, inhaling my scent. “What did my father want?”

“Besides a dance?”

He nibbles at my ear in warning, “what did he say to you?”

“He said you guys are happier these days, that it makes the pack happier as a result. He says I tamed you.” I laugh to myself at the thought.

I can feel him clenching his jaw, gripping my hand a little tighter, pulling my body a little closer. I keep getting the sense that there’s something not being said. At first it was just the twins, but Kat and now their dad are making me feel like there’s something I should know but no one wants to be the one to tell me.

“Syble, do you —“

“Hey, time to go.” Ro interrupts Varian.

“Go? Go where?” I ask him.

“We’re going to an after party of sorts at one of our night clubs. Kat, Incandis, Runidar, a bunch of our friends are all going. Come with us.” Ro asks.

He searches my face for an answer.

“Should I change into something else?” I ask.

“Not necessary, you’re perfect in what you’re wearing.” His words are a callback to what he said to me before taking me to the lake, and we all know I was not properly dressed for that.