I'd mastered the art of defending myself against her witchy skills while we were in the squad together for four years, one of which was her ability to read into our emotions. I don't want to waste any more time mulling over what's going on between Arianna and me, so I clap my hands together and gesture to the town with an outstretched arm.
“Welcome to Portland, friends!” I chirp excitedly. “How about I show you around, and we can share a drink before dinner?”
“Nick won't need dinner after he's done drinking,” Delilah teases as she steps forward, rolling her eyes. She passes a glance at me, seemingly concerned, but follows my lead about wanting to distract myself with pleasantries.
“Hey! That's not fair!” Nicholas complains. “I'm not the only lightweight around. Remember that time when we had a whole week off?You,my dear Delilah, were wasted!”
“Shut up, Nick!” She throws a punch at his shoulder, which has him flinching and whining as he pouts and turns to the rest of us.
“You all saw that, right? She's bullying me!”
The group bursts into laughter as we proceed forward, and Dominic pats Nicholas's shoulder apologetically. “That was a lame attempt at flirting, dude. You know she's set to marry a Lycan prince, right?”
“What?!” I exclaim. This is news to me, and I stop in my tracks, stunned. “A Lycan prince?”
Delilah sighs, her shoulders slouched and brows furrowed as if she's defeated. “Yeah, and he'snotmy true mate…”
When she lifts disappointed eyes at me, there's a flicker of recognition, almost as if she can sense my own plight through her troubles, a frown flitting past her face.
“I'm sorry, D,” I offer as I pat her on the shoulder.
“It's okay,” she shrugs, replacing her glumness with a smile. “I guess we're all facing challenges of our own, and we'll figure them out, like we always did.”
I nod thoughtfully, wondering how much Delilah suspects, but not wanting to dwell on it too much. Today is all about my friends coming to visit my home and spending some time together before we disperse again and return to our duties.
I begin by showing them around town, mentioning the various facilities we have in place while we're at it. Each of us is set to be the leader of our packs, and that's why we were groupedin the same squad during black ops. Showing them around isn't just a friendly gesture, but a strategic one that will strengthen our alliances and show them that the Moonshine Pack is a worthy ally.
“...And this is the pack center,” I announce proudly as I point to the building. The group stops in the garden surrounding the pack center as the building is abuzz with activity. “This is where all the chores are done for our soldiers who go to the human world, and those who work in other departments in town. It's how we trade and remain self-sufficient, much like Dom's pack.”
“Interesting…” Sean nods thoughtfully. “I didn't know Moonshine operated with ancient traditions.”
“You've been living under a rock, Sean,” Nicholas chuckles.
“You calling that skyscraper he works in ‘a rock?’” Dominic scoffs. “Lunaris is working on expanding, and I'd kill to grow into having operations and a million-dollar company in the city.”
“Well, I'd fund all your operations if you killed Prince Damion Hastings…” Delilah retorts scornfully, and I make a mental note to ask her why she's suddenly entangled with the Lycan prince of a tyrannical pack from Europe.
I know she'll open up once we're settled at the bar, and now that I'm done giving them the tour, we can head that way.
I'm just about to turn to my friends to lead them to the local bar when a familiar face inside the pack center catches my eye.
She must have taken my advice and taken up work at the center. The force of our mate bond is what keeps my eyes on herfor a few seconds longer than I'd like, and that's when I notice something strange happening to her.
Arianna is staring out the scullery window, blankly at the garden, when suddenly, her hazel pupils turn milky white, her face losing all traces of color as if she's in a trance.
She doesn't move, and her body is so still that it appears like she's not breathing. Panic rises in my chest, my heart pounding like an urgent alarm bell going off, and I turn to my friends, raising my hands.
“Just give me one second, guys,” I mutter quickly before spinning on my heel and bolting for the center's back door. Throwing the scullery door open with a loud, deliberate bang, Arianna still doesn't move, her body surrounded by a mist that's only visible from this close.
“Arianna!” I call out, panicking when she doesn't immediately respond. I rush to her side, grabbing her shoulders as I step in front of her. Her eyes visibly release from the trance that turned them white, and when the soft glow of hazel returns to her pupils, she lets out a strangled gasp, a hand flying to her throat.
“Tyler! Thank Goddess!” she cries, her eyes filling with tears. I'm stunned by the relief in her voice—relief to see me.
“What just happened?” I ask, forgetting all about last night when she called out another man's name in her sleep.
That pales in comparison to how she's staring at me now, relieved and confused, as if she needs me.
“I-I don't know…” she stammers, brows furrowing when she can't control the tears falling from her eyes. Her vulnerability beckons to my inner wolf, who doesn't care aboutfeeling jealous right now. Arianna needs me, and I'll be damned if I don't answer that call.
