When I finally stepped out of the shower, my phone was ringing. I ignored it, slipping into my comfy clothes and brushing out my damp hair. A knock at the door startled me. My heart skipped, but when I peeked through the peephole, it was only Zara.
The second I opened the door, she pulled me into a tight hug. I sank into her arms, realizing just how much I needed that comfort.
"I'm so sorry, Anaa," she murmured, still holding me. "I wanted to talk to you yesterday, but I didn't want to make things worse. I just want you to know, you're so strong. I'm proud of you for holding yourself together instead of causing a scene. I can't imagine how hard this is for you."
Well. Not like I could even cause a scene.
"Thanks, Zara," I said softly, hugging her back. "Thanks for giving me the space I needed, too. So, what brings you here? Is my brother annoying you already?" I teased.
She chuckled. "Not today. He's under strict orders not to piss me off before the Lycan Ball. I don't want to show up mad at my mate." Then she sat down on my bed, patting the spot beside her. "Actually, there's another reason I came."
I raised an eyebrow, curious, and sat down next to her.
"It's nothing bad," she assured me quickly. "Mom just wanted me to remind you about something important. I figured with everything going on, you might've forgotten. Tonight, it's not just our pack at the ball, another big pack will be there. Your cousins' pack."
My eyes widened. How could I have forgotten? Dad's younger sister had found her mate in another pack and moved away. Her twin daughters, my cousins, were just a year younger than me.
Niya and Diya Chopra. I hadn't seen them since last Christmas, and I was ridiculously close to them growing up. The second Zara mentioned them, all my sadness about Hunta disappeared. Ummmm, I guess to a particular extent, it was replaced by excitement.
Seeing the smile spread across my face, Zara grinned. "I love that smile. I knew you'd be happy when I told you. Now, get some rest before we start getting ready."
After she left, I stretched out on my bed.
But now wasn't the time for laying in bed, it was time to face the long process of getting ready.
I was running late. I snapped a few quick pictures after I got dressed, then grabbed a small bag with essentials, slipped on my heels, and hurried to my parents' room like Mom had asked.
When she opened the door, she gasped. "Oh, my baby looks gorgeous!"
I laughed, thanking her as I stepped inside. Dad smiled warmly, telling me I looked like a princess. Zara quickly corrected him: "No, she looks like a queen." I rolled my eyes at her dramatic tone.
Sai crossed his arms. "I'll have to keep an eye on you tonight. Every guy here is going to want to talk to you."
Zara smacked him. "Relax, she's fine."
After a round of family photos, and a lecture from Zara to Sai, a serious one at that, we all went downstairs together.
Cain was waiting in the lobby. He smirked the second his eyes landed on me. "Wow, Smiley. Who knew you could clean up so nicely?"
"Wow, who knew you were such a jerk? Oh, that's right, everyone," I shot back, making him roll his eyes.
We took a ton of pictures, most of them silly ones Cain insisted on. He joked about how perfect they'd look on his Instagram, and I teased that his three followers would love them. Somehow, he always knew how to pull me back to my normal self. With him, it was easy to laugh, joke, and forget about everything else. Everything else =(The man who has a mate).
So easy, in fact, that I didn't even notice Hunta and Lana nearby until the cars pulled up. When I finally glanced their way, Hunta was staring at me. Before, I would've melted under that look. But tonight, I just smiled and turned away.
Cain squeezed my hand as we climbed into his car. As Alpha, he had his own vehicle, which he shared only with his Beta. Unfortunately, Hunta and Lana were in the back. Luckily, I got the front seat with Cain.
The ride wasn't long, fifteen minutes to the palace, but it felt longer thanks to the obnoxious noises from the backseat. Hunta and Lana couldn't seem to keep their hands, or lips, off each other.
Cain's patience snapped. "Hunta. I don't appreciate you and your mate making all that noise. I'm trying to have a conversation here. So knock it off."
The kissing stopped instantly. I'd never heard Cain sound so sharp before, but I silently thanked him. Those sounds were enough to make me gag.
"Anyway," Cain continued, turning back to me, "you better not leave my side tonight. There'll be unmated guys here who'd love a chance with you."
I rolled my eyes. "Funny, Sai said the same thing. Relax. I'm not interested in anyone else (opps). I just want to spend time with Sophie and my cousins. That's all."
"That's my Smiley," Cain said proudly. "Always putting friends and family first."
I glanced at him curiously. "What if you find your mate tonight? There'll be so many people here, your mate might be among them."
His eyes lit up a little. "Yeah… maybe. Wouldn't that be something?"
A smile tugged at my lips. "If that happens, I'll warn her about you. Tell her how crazy you are and how you don't actually have any friends."
"Whatever you say, Smiley. You love me," he teased with a wink.
Before I could respond, the car pulled up at the palace. Cain helped me out, and we waited for our families before going through strict security.
Inside, I gasped. The palace was stunning. High ceilings with intricate designs, decorations perfectly matching the rich color scheme. Sophie had outdone herself.
"Anaa!"
Her voice rang out above the crowd before I saw her weaving her way toward me. She nearly knocked the wind out of me with her hug.
"Hey, Sophie. You think you could loosen your grip? You're crushing me," I laughed.
She released me quickly, apologizing. I grinned. "Someone doesn't know her own strength."
"That's because she trains with me every day," Luke said proudly as he appeared at her side. "She's an amazing fighter."
I rolled my eyes as he hugged me. "Of course you'd say that. She's your mate," I teased.
He chuckled and shook Cain's hand. Sophie's attention, however, shifted. Her eyes darkened as Hunta and Lana walked past. When she glanced at me, I shook my head quickly. She gave a tight smile, though her gaze stayed icy.
"Whatever," she said loudly. "My best friend looks absolutely stunning tonight. Definitely the prettiest one here."
I knew she'd raised her voice on purpose. Hunta turned to look, and Sophie smirked, clearly satisfied. I shook my head, she would never change. Lycan or not.
"Well, not as beautiful as you," I shot back, smirking. "Someone's having a hard time keeping his eyes off you."
Sophie didn't get the chance to reply. Cain returned with drinks for us both, and we fell into an easy conversation.
Ten minutes later, I heard two familiar voices calling my name. Cain froze beside me, his head snapping around as he spoke the word I dreaded most.
"Mate."
Niya and Diya stood there frozen, their faces showing pure shock. Niya slowly turned to her twin and smirked. I looked from Cain to Diya and couldn't help but smile. Deep inside, I silently thanked the Moon Goddess. Cain deserved a wonderful mate, and my cousin was lucky to have found him.
When I looked back at them, the two were still staring at each other like statues. Sighing, I gave Cain a little push toward Diya. He shot me a glare, but I only laughed and pointed at her. Niya did the same, giving her sister a nudge. Clearly, the new mates needed a little encouragement.
Ikr, hilarious.
Niya then came over to me, and we hugged. I told her how beautiful she looked, but our moment was quickly interrupted when Sophie and Luke showed up.
"Well, that's a nice surprise," Sophie said with a smile.
I nodded. "It really is. I'm so happy for them."
When I glanced back, Cain and Diya were already holding hands, chatting and smiling like they'd known each other forever. They looked adorable together, though maybe I was a little biased.
Luke leaned in and kissed Sophie's forehead before excusing himself. "I'll be back. Need to speak with a few others."
We waved him off, and Sophie quickly pulled Niya and me to a booth. Once we got comfortable, Niya started chatting about her pack life.
She explained that ever since she and Diya turned eighteen, unmated males from their pack wouldn't leave them alone. Most wanted them as mates because their father was the Beta, but one in particular wouldn't take no for an answer.
I frowned. "Well, they definitely won't bother you tonight. Not with all these lycans around."
But as I said it, I caught a glimpse of Sophie's face. She looked tense, like she was forcing herself to act normal. Around the room, other lycans had that same expression. They were trying to enjoy themselves, but their unease was obvious.
When I turned back, Sophie was laughing with Niya, pretending nothing was wrong. But after being her best friend for years, I knew her too well. She was hiding something.
"Okay," I said firmly, crossing my arms. "What's going on? And don't say 'nothing,' Sophie. I know you better than that."