Wolf-less Omega Luna

CHAPTER 24: PARTY

Alana’s POV

I narrowed my eyes slowly to Britney, praying that she didn’t make me discard the shreds of dignity I was trying to piece together.

Why she took an interest in me before now was beyond me, but seeing as I occupied a position she so clearly wanted, I knew she was going to be crazy.

She should know I wasn’t going to back down without a fight.

“Britney?” I said through gritted teeth. “What do you want?”

She just stood there akimbo and finally flipped her hair over her shoulders before straightening her stance.

“I’m not here to fight you, Alana.” That was when I noticed that she did not bear her usual death glare, scrunched-up nose, thin-lined lip, or even her frigid aura today.

Strange. She was always here to fight.

“You’re not?” I asked, puzzled.

“No.” She shifted from one foot to another. “I’m here to… apologize. For everything.”

She took a step towards me and I took one backward. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I’m sorry but I don’t get it.”

“I haven’t treated you fairly. I guess I was always just jealous that even when you had nothing, you still went about your day not giving a shit.” She sniffled. “You didn’t let any of it pull you down even when you had it worse.”

I threw a cautious glance at her. Was Britney playing tricks on me? This was definitely a prank.

“Why the change of heart?”

“When you somehow got what I so craved. I was…distraught. I won’t lie. But I took a moment to reflect on myself to see that there’s no point in hating you. Life wasn’t fair to you and I was even worse.”

My gaze was intently focused on her, trying to draw any ounce of deceit in her voice but I couldn’t find any. This was happening.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m…I’m sorry.” She shifted her weight again to her right leg. “I really am. I hope we can put our past behind us and establish somewhat of a cordial relationship.” And I guess she was done with her speech.

“Right.”

This was so not what I expected, but since she was offering, I was going to take it. But I was going to do so at arm’s length because snakes certainly do not shed their skin in a day. I did appreciate the effort.

“Hug?” She flashed her perfect set of teeth to me and extended her arms for a hug.

“Um…” I released a nervous laugh. “I think we should ease into it…into this,” I said, pointing back and forth to her and me.

“Yes. I’m sorry, you’re right.” She tucked a stray blonde behind her ear.

“I have to get back to the party, so…”

“Right. Right. The party. I take it the shots and wine are ready?”

“Yes, they are. I just hope I did a good job. I don’t know,” I almost instantly regretted being open with her. We had just moved from enemies to…acquaintances?…in the last two minutes, and I was already sharing insecurities with her.

“I think you will.” She took a quick step closer and squeezed my bicep.

“Thanks, Britney.”

The temperature in the kitchen was becoming unbearably high and that was my cue that I had spent more than enough time with Britney.

“You’re welcome, Alana.”

“I have to go.”

“Okay, see you in there,” she rubbed her palms together.

Did one moment of reflection turn Britney from my worst enemy to this? A shiver ran through me and I had to shake it away.

I walked briskly through the open field to the space set up for the party, scanning the area for any familiar face.

As if knowing where to look, I turned around to find Axel watching me from the edge of the high table where he made small talk with two guests.

The whole place was filled up with werewolves with dominating auras, their spouses, and their right- hand men.

Individual canopies with stringed bulbs around them were scattered all over. Music had now overshadowed the sounds of chatters, waves of laughter, and pleasantries.

Servers wheeled out barrels of beer, food, snacks, and trays of shots.

“Alana,” Axel stalked over to me. “You look gorgeous.” He dipped his head to mine, briefly touching my forehead with his, my nose with his, and my lips with his.

His giant hand snaked around my slender waist, and recalling how those hands parted my legs and did wonderful things to me spread goosebumps over my skin. Everywhere.

“Thank you, Axel. You look handsome.”

“Oh my lady, you flatter me with the magnitude of your compliments,” he mocked.

I waved him away with a small laugh, thankful that Axel once again released the tension around me.

“Let me introduce you to some of our allies and…others.”

The Alpha I had seen Axel talking to before I went into the kitchen a few moments back walked over to us. He had changed into a more formal outfit, and he had in his arms a beautiful fair-skinned lady with blonde hair gathered up in a tidy bun and a golden gown that made her skin glow.

A shorter warrior-like statue strolled behind them. —Beta—

“Alpha,” the leader of the trio greeted and flashed a grin.

“Alpha Bloke. Good to see you again. This is my Luna, Alana,” his hand settled on the small of my back, drawing circles over my dress with his thumb. “Princess,” he turned to me, “This is Alpha Bloke of Snowfang pack and his Luna, Luna Aprica.”

“Luna,” Alpha Bloke took my hand in his and planted a kiss on it, his other hand firmly on his Luna’s waist.

“Nice to meet you,” I said shyly, flashing a smile at him and to the beautiful lady beside him who did the same. “Enjoy the party. And thank you for coming.”

“Couldn't miss it.”

That’s how we made small talk with gatherings of one or two Alpha before I noticed a pair of dark brooding eyes on me. Staring intently.

He was an Alpha, no doubt, but he had no female beside him, and he wasn’t associating with the rest of the crowd. Just gawking with a glass of shot in his hand.

“Axel,” I said in a whisper, for only him to hear.

“Yes, Princess,”

I turned my back to the gawker causing Axel to face him directly.

“Who is that? Behind me. He’s been staring.”

A growl rumbled in Axel’s chest and parted his lips, his eyes going a shade darker and his brows snapping slowly showing his dislike for either the male or the situation.

“Pay him no mind, Princess, he’s…one of the others.”

“I see.”

“Come with me, let’s make a toast and have this party over with.”

Axel’s mom and Dad had now sat down at the center of the head table with Coral, her parents, and other higher-ranked werewolves of the pack making small talk, and laughing heartily.

As Luna Valentina had promised, she kept a seat free beside her and one more for Axel. She waved softly to me and Axel.

Coral flashed a smile at me and I waved back. I hadn’t seen much of Tyler today. Axel said he was busy.

On cue, servers came out with trays of champagne, passing them around to everybody present.

So far, the party was a success. Fingers crossed for the rest part

“Everyone,” Axel’s perfect commanding voice boomed through the entire space, drawing a round of silence.

All attention turned to him but he continued like he was having a one-on-one conversation with a friend.

“Thank you for honoring our invitation. This party is a tradition that has been going on for years, and is a signifier of the peace, and or compromise that exists between us packs.”

My eyes never once dropped from his beautiful face as he addressed the crowd. His almost invincible Adam's apple bobbing up and down, making me swallow hard.

“It is an honor to host you all with my Luna,” he raised our hands locked together for everyone to see and that was the only time he smiled. “And my pack. With that, let’s toast to longer life, peace, and love.”

I raised my glass of water to my mouth and took a sip. I didn't do well with alcohol so I settled with water.

Everyone else took some champagne to toast and that was when all things went south.

The sound of flesh burning from the inside out was the first thing I heard from Axel’s throat, followed by a pained growl from him as he squashed the glass and its remaining content to bits.

Pained howls, whimpers, and screams filled the night air and the only words I could make out were.

“Wolfsbane!!!”

I watched in horror as everyone present choked on their champagne, throats burning.

Dear goddess. What just happened?