Chapter 256

Ava

It felt strange, and even a bit silly, to be washing like this. Primping myself. Preparing for a party when I was in the middle of a warrior camp.

The thick canvas tent was surprisingly warm and clean. A wooden tub sat in the middle of the screened-off room, the water hot and soapy. Little tendrils of steam curled up around me as I sank down, breathing in the scent of lavender essential oils and dried herbs.

As I soaked, I could hear Chris and the other Alphas discussing their plans in the other room.

“We’ll send the signal when it’s time,” I could hear Chris explaining. “One howl for the all-clear. Two to hold back. Three for an emergency.”

I sank a little lower beneath the bubbles, listening intently. I had told Chris that I didn’t need to wash, that I was perfectly fine. I just needed to throw on a dress and a mask, and the masquerade would be over with soon enough anyway.

But then he had lifted one side of his mouth in an infuriating smirk, dragged his finger across my bare shoulder in a way that had made me shiver, and pulled it away. His fingertip had been almost black from dirt.

“You need to bathe, my love” he had said, his voice low and deathly intoxicating in my ear.

I couldn’t say no to him. And besides, he was right; I did stink to high heavens after that battle. And upon taking a peek in the full-length mirror across from the tub, I had found that I was indeed covered not just with dirt, but also with blood that was likely a mix of Leonard’s, my own, and a stranger’s.

So, here I was, soaking like a princess while the men talked strategies in the other room. But I was listening, absorbing.

The plan was incredibly simple: Chris, Leonard, Ophelia and I would slip into the masquerade, using the dim lighting and the party’s theme to help us blend in. Once we were certain that we had made our way in without being noticed, we would pair off into two groups.

Leonard and Chris would go for Olivia, who would likely be surrounded by guards. Ophelia and I would corner Elise until it was all over. And Patrick would give the signal to the other Alphas when it was time, who would come and help us detain Chris’s sister and her cohorts.

At least, I hoped it would be that simple. But a part of me also knew that things were never so easy.

Finally, with a huff, I grabbed the nearby sponge and began to scrub. I worked at every crevice, every plane, every pore of my body until my flesh was pink and raw. I scrubbed away the battle, my friend’s blood, my own blood.

It would be a long time before the memory of it was scrubbed away. But at least no one had died today. Unlike the last battle, when three young warriors were…

I wouldn’t think about that now. These things happened in war.

Your fault. Your fault.

I blushed hard, looking away from the darkening water as if that would stop the thoughts from entering my mind—as if the thoughts dwelled there, just below the water’s surface.

Yes, it was my fault; perhaps if I hadn’t taken Winston’s daughter that fateful night, none of this would have happened.

But it was over now.

Three boys are dead—

It was over now, I told myself. There was nothing I could do about it.

Finally, once my body was sufficiently free of dirt and blood and the bathwater was a murky brown, I stepped out and dried myself. My dress, a simple black gown with a plunging neckline, hung over the back of a nearby chair.

I didn’t put on any makeup, other than some dark red lipstick—it wouldn’t be necessary with my mask. Then, I slipped on the black dress and pulled my hair back into a slick bun at the nape of my neck, partially to hide my natural curls but also because there was no time to dry it. I slipped on my black heels, clasped on a simple chain necklace, and then I was ready.

One last look in the mirror, and I was no longer the picture of disaster. I didn’t look at all like I had just fought in a battle despite having minimal training.

With a deep breath. I pushed aside the flap leading to the main portion of the tent. Chris, already dressed in a tuxedo, was still leaning over the planning table with the other Alphas. They all looked up as I entered.

Chris’s face beamed as I walked up to him. Winston and Edward’s faces both turned beet red, quickly looking away. Fabian was already grabbing Bernard, muttering something about checking on the troops, and scurrying out of the tent. Winston and Edward quickly followed suit.

“Do I still smell or something?” I asked, furrowing my brow, as I approached the table.

Chris—my mate—just shook his head. “Maybe you smell too good,” he cooed, taking a step forward and closing the remaining distance between us. His hand came up to cup the back of my neck, tugging me a little closer, if that was even possible. “Or maybe they knew that if they didn’t hurry away, they’d be getting in between an Alpha and his mate.”

Hearing that word out loud set my heart on fire. I could already imagine our mating ceremony—I hoped it would be set during the nighttime, bioluminescent flora glowing around us. We would perform the rites, and then Chris and I would shift and run off into the forest in our wolf forms, where we would…

“I can’t wait for that day,” I murmured, tugging on the lapels of his jacket as a red flush crept across my nose and cheeks. I didn’t need to say what I meant, because Chris could feel the image through our mate bond. He, too, blushed slightly.

And slowly, tentatively, he was backing me up against the table. I didn’t realize it until my lower back hit hard wood.

“I’ll give you exactly what you want when that night comes,” he whispered, his hand sliding up one side of my skirt. His fingers, surprisingly cool despite the heat of the tent, groped along the soft flesh of my outer thigh. “And more.”

“More?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

Chris let out a low growl, nudging against my neck with his teeth. I shut my eyes as I felt him fumble below me, a zipper loosening. Fingers slid my panties aside, and something warm and hard was already pressing against me.

“I’ll give you a taste of what I mean by ‘more’ right now, if you’ll have me,” he whispered.

Again, I didn’t bother telling him how I felt; rather, I sent my agreeable growl through our Mindlink, grinning as it no doubt echoed through his skull. One was sent back to me in return, and then that hard warmth pressed further, slipping into me, filling me to the brim.

Neither of us made a sound as he shoved the pieces from the table onto the floor and had me there.

Not out loud, at least.