Chapter 4

BRIELLA.

“Okay. Final verdict time!”

Cassie turned towards me with one hand on her hip and the other fanning herself.

“Hot enough to make Damon threaten every male within a five-mile radius?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve definitely achieved that goal.”

Her lips curled in a wide grin. Then her attention was aimed at me. I smoothed my hands down the fabric of my dress down even though there weren’t any wrinkles in it. I was beginning to have second thoughts about wearing this dress.

The fact that no alterations were necessary surprised me. It fit like a glove, hanging in that shop like it was waiting for me. Merida, as the older woman had insisted that we called her, told me that her daughter designed it. She knew that the dress belonged to me, or at least that was what she had told us.

Cryptic didn't begin to cover it.

I’d never come close to wearing anything like dress before, so it was completely out of my comfort zone. Cassie had done one hell of a makeover. The girl staring back at me in the mirror didn’t even look familiar. There was even more bounce to my curls and depth to the normally- flat brown hair. She had to be a magician. The makeup made my features pop without looking overdone. A golden shimmer in my eyeshadow caught the light each time that I blinked. It made the blue in my eyes seem deeper. There was a warm glow to my skin that had never been there before.

For once, I didn’t look invisible. Dare I say that I looked like I might even belong?

We stepped into the living room and Aunt Dee gasped. Her hand flew up when she looked between us.

“Oh, look at you two! My girls are absolutely breathtaking.” She crossed the room and affectionately cupped my cheeks. “Briella, sweetheart, that color looks made just for you.”

The familiar warmth in her voice was always present whenever she spoke to me. It made my throat tighten.

Many times, it felt like she saw me as another daughter. Never did she get upset when I showed up without warning. Never spoke down to me or made me feel like a burden that she was required to put up with. Was I a horrible bitch for sometimes wishing Aunt Dee had given birth to me?

It was difficult to keep my emotions at bay. I just forced a small smile.

“Mama! You’re going to ruin all of my hard work by making her cry,” she teased her. A finger wagged back and forth.

“Ah, well I wouldn’t want that,” Aunt Dee murmured. “I’m just so proud. You both look so grown up. Will you promise to enjoy tonight? You both deserve it. Oh, and please be careful. Damon will be there if you need anything or just mindlink me.”

Cassie kissed her cheek and promised. I followed suit and added that we’d be fine but would reach out if necessary just to set her at ease.

I slipped into the passenger’s seat of Cassie’s car. It was too damn cold to walk in these dresses, plus neither of us would’ve been eager to walk a mile in these heels.

The entire town was done up even though the festival was being held at the packhouse. It was actually a two-day event. Tonight was the party portion. The rest would be tomorrow. Games, rides, and even a big cookout. There would even be vendors of all kinds to buy from. It was a big revenue source for them.

Cassie parked the car in an empty spot and touched up her lips before getting out of the car.

“You’re nervous.”

She looped her arm through mine and guided me towards the entrance that was light up with colorful lights and decorations.

“More like I'm trying not to trip over my own two feet.”

“Relax. It’s a celebration meant for fun. Not a death sentence.” She grinned at me. “You never know, Bree. Perhaps the Goddess has something planned for you tonight.”

I rolled my eyes at that. However, I couldn’t help admiring her energy. She made everything seem so simple, so easy. The festival was meant for people like her. The ones who were born for the spotlight and oozed radiance and charm.

The music grew louder as we stepped over the entrance’s threshold. The hall had been completely transformed. It looked like a party for the rich and famous. The place was draped in grandeur from one side of it to the other. People were dressed to the nines everywhere I looked. There were couples dancing in the center of the room, groups stood in tight circles as they chatted, and waiters expertly navigated the room with drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Tala curiously observed each detail through my eyes. We could both feel it. There was a strange pull—a hint that tonight was different from any other night. What that might be was yet to be seen though.

*****

RYDER.

I clocked my reflection once more.

The new black suit was tailored perfectly, sharp enough to meet Dad’s approval and dangerous enough to make an impression. There were bronze accents peppered on my cuffs and collar, which were a silent nod to Axel. It was something that my wolf fully approved of.

I’d never been one to obsess over appearances, but I had to admit that I pulled off the suave and sophisticated look fairly well.

Not arrogance, just facts.

I ran a hand through my hair just to make sure that it still had that slightly messy, effortless look, and left the room. Jensen and Connor, my future Beta and Gamma respectively, were posted just down the hall from me, already dressed and waiting.

“We clean up fucking nicely,” Connor whistled low, eyeing us.

“Hell yeah, we do,” Jensen and I replied at the same time, making us chuckle.

We could feel the vibration from the bass as we walked down the stairs. Our friend was the emcee tonight. Trevor happened to be the house DJ for Club Midnight, so he definitely knew what he was doing.

“Fucking hell. I can’t wait to feast my eyes on the tasty treats that await us downstairs.”

There was a wicked glint in Jensen’s eyes. I knew that he was thinking about the ladies who’d be primed and ready to be charmed by him. I couldn’t tell you the last time someone told him no. His comment wasn’t surprising. He’d been a player ever since the day he hit puberty and was the biggest manwhore out of the three of us.

Connor rolled his eyes. “Of course you can’t. I could imagine the Goddess walking in and you asking for her number.”

Jensen grinned, unashamed. “What can I say? I like options.”

We stopped at the bottom of the stairs where a group of our friends stood talking. The committee had done incredible work with the decorations.

Our friends’ conversation was background noise because I was already scanning the crowd. My attention was snagged by someone that stole it and refused to let go.

It was her.

Briella Hart.

Everything else faded around me. She looked like a fucking goddess. That green dress of hers hugged curves that were usually hidden. This was a brand-new look that I’d never seen her dress like before. It caused something primal and possessive to stir inside of me, taking me by surprise.

“Who in the hell is that?” Connor asked, the lust in his voice causing my jaw to tighten.

“Isn’t that your cousin?” I asked Damon, forcing myself to pretend that I hadn’t recognized her the second that I saw her.

He followed my gaze and nodded. “Yeah. That’s Briella.”

I couldn’t pry my eyes away. Although I wasn’t the only one to notice her, she was completely oblivious to the attention.

Then the air shifted…

Axel’s body immediately stood at attention. A low growl rumbled in his chest. Before I could ask him what the hell got into him, a scent hit me. Toasted hazelnut— rich, warm, and utterly intoxicating. It just so happened to be my favorite.

Understanding crashed over me in a second. The scent was hers. Briella wasn’t just gorgeous. She wasn’t just the quiet girl who always kept her head down. The one that I pretended not to notice.

She was my mate, our mate.

Perhaps a part of Axel had known, had sensed, this development when he spoke about it yesterday. I was indeed thrilled that it was her, but would she be thrilled that it was me?

For the first time, I felt vulnerable, and I didn’t fucking like it.