Mia
This is so fucking stupid. I mean, I’ve been strutting around with this dumb glowing necklace all night, and guess what? Absolutely nothing has happened. Nada. Zilch. It’s like some big stupid joke. I’m just walking around like I’m in a Disney movie, hoping Prince Charming is gonna show up or some shit. Although, I’m kinda glad it didn’t happen yet though. I don’t need a damn mate, thank you very much.
I glance up at the sky. The full moon is still hanging there, bright as ever, like it’s mocking me. The night’s cool and calm, which only makes the whole thing feel even more surreal. I peer down the hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lily, but of course, she’s nowhere to be found. Typical. Even Aria is nowhere to be found.
And just as I’m wondering where they went, speak of the devil-I see Aria storming toward me, her strides quick and angry. Oh, she’s pissed. Like, really pissed. Her face is flushed, her lips pressed into a thin line, and I can almost see steam coming out of her ears.
“Aria… you okay?” I ask, already stepping toward her because, honestly, this looks bad.
“Can you fucking imagine what happened?” she snaps, throwing her hands up like she’s about to fight or something. “I swear, the Moon Goddess must get a kick out of messing with me!”
“Alright, calm down, take a breath, and tell me what happened,” I say, trying to reel her in before she explodes.
She huffs, crossing her arms like a pouty kid. “This stupid necklace,” she starts, tugging at it like it personally offended her. “It started blinking while I was walking down the hallway. And then it stopped blinking when I ran into him.”
“Him who?” I ask, already bracing myself for the answer.
“Lucas.” She spits his name out like it physically hurts her to say it. “Lucas, Mia!”
I blink, genuinely dumbfounded. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. Did you reject him?”
“Of course I did!” she says, throwing her arms up again. “But guess what? He didn’t accept it. Wanna know why? Because he was fucking drunk!” She’s pacing now, her blonde hair bouncing as she walks, clearly reliving the whole ordeal.
I fall into step beside her, trying to keep up. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you sure he wasn’t just faking it? Like, pretending to be drunk or something?”
She stops, spins on her heel, and glares at me. “I don’t know, Mia! Maybe! But tomorrow, I’m rejecting him again. And this time, he’s gonna be sober. You should’ve seen how pissed Serena was. And don’t even get me started on Coach John.”
“Serena? Ugh, let her have him,” I say. “By the way, have you seen Lily anywhere?”
Aria shakes her head, her shoulders slumping. “I’m so done with everything. I’m going to bed.” She yanks the necklace off her neck and stuffs it in her pocket like it’s cursed. “See you tomorrow, Mia.”
“Alright, sleep tight. Don’t let them get to you,” I call after her as she stomps off.
But me? I’m not ready for bed just yet. Something about tonight feels… off. Like there’s more to come. The deck is still buzzing with people, the air electric with the festive vibe. The soft hum of slow music plays in the background, couples swaying under the moonlight. It’s beautiful, sure, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s waiting for me out there.
I start walking aimlessly, letting the energy of the night pull me along. The blinking of my necklace snaps me out of my thoughts. “What the hell now?” I mutter, glaring down at the stupid thing. The blinking gets faster, almost urgent, like it’s trying to tell me something.
Curiosity wins, and I follow its lead. My legs move on their own, taking me off the deck and down a quiet hallway. I don’t even know where I’m going, but the necklace seems to know. The glow steadies just as I reach the entrance of the games room.
And then, it happens.
A scent hits me out of nowhere, and holy shit, it’s intoxicating. It’s like leather and oud, warm and rich and all-consuming. My wolf starts losing her damn mind, bouncing around in my head like she just got her morning coffee.
‘Mate, mate, mate!’ she chants, practically vibrating with excitement.
‘No, no, no. Shut up,’ I hiss, trying to push her back, but she’s not having it. Before I can stop myself, my feet drag me into the room.
And there he is.
Damon.
We lock eyes, and it’s like time fucking freezes.
“Mate?” we both say at the same time, our voices overlapping. My stomach sinks as I glance at his necklace and yep, the glow has steadied.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter, my voice dripping with disbelief.
Because, of course, the Moon goddess would pull this shit on me.