34

Lilith’s POV
The weight that lifted off my shoulders after coming clean to my mates was undeniable. I didn’t vocalize it out loud, but Rose practically beamed with joy at the thought. Even without the words, she felt the shift in me.
Yet, despite that moment of clarity, uncertainty still loomed. After the game, I couldn’t spend too much time with the guys. Caleb had been insistent-apparently, they had an appointment. What that meant, I had no idea, especially on a Saturday night before a charity dinner. But I wasn’t going to press it; my luck was already stretched thin.
I took a last glance in the mirror, assessing my “warrior gown,” as I liked to call it. I needed armor tonight-still out of sorts and unsure, but I was determined to hold myself together. Normally, I exuded confidence when I went out-especially in a gown that screamed *take me seriously* and shoes that could kill. With the right outfit, how could I not feel fierce, ready to take on the world? But tonight? Tonight, I honestly had no idea what came next.
Rose, however, was convinced. She thought tonight was the night-the one where everything would finally fall into place. That we’d spend the night together, get down to business. I knew she was right. There was no way the guys hadn’t already set their expectations. I had mentioned wanting a group date tomorrow, but that now seemed laughable. Our lives, in many ways, would be one continuous date from now on.
“Uh, so there’s a limo here to pick us up, says the future Alphas sent him,” Briar’s voice rang out, her excitement practically vibrating through the walls as she burst into Dahlia’s room.
I chuckled, shaking my head. Somehow, they’d known we’d be here and not at my place or Briar’s. It was almost comical. But the idea that there were people-two people, no less-out there thinking about me… it was a novel feeling. One I wasn’t used to. Even the temporary boyfriends I’d had rarely demonstrated this level of thoughtfulness. I mean, hell, they couldn’t even cover the check most of the time, which was fine with me; I never wanted to owe anyone anything.
*You didn’t date long enough for it to matter,* Rose chirped in my head, but I shut her down quickly, pushing her out.
“So, you ladies ready?” I asked, slinging my handbag over my shoulder, trying to shake off the nerves.
The drive was nearly half an hour, and I was grateful for the quiet time with my own thoughts.
With me toooooo, Rose cooed, slipping back into my mind.
I rolled my eyes, offering Dahlia a knowing look. Briar had completely redone her hair, insisting the salon’s updo was outdated. I had to agree-she looked even more stunning.
After answering Dahlia’s million questions about what had happened with the twins at the game, she fell into a near panic. She wasn’t sure how the night would unfold if people found out we were all mated. The goal was to appear “available,” after all. It was a lot to juggle, especially when her dad hosted these massive fundraisers, and she had never been the center of attention. Lately, I could relate. But now, Dahlia was the only one left who was still technically “single,” and she felt the pressure.
We made our way to the limo, greeted by the chauffeur, who showed us champagne on ice and a huge bowl of ESK cookies. I nearly snorted.
*See how thoughtful they are?* Rose’s voice cut through my thoughts. *Lily, I mean it, the jig is up. Here’s my proposal… hear me out…*
I took a seat and grabbed a cookie. My stomach growled in protest-I’d hardly eaten all day and needed the sugar boost. The girls opted for liquid courage instead, but Rose was relentless.
“You’re going to blabber on anyhow,” I muttered, giving in.
Rose bounced with excitement, practically vibrating my body with her energy. I held myself steady, my face a mask of calm, though inwardly, I was a bundle of nerves. She was dying to shift, to stretch her legs, but she was forcing herself to hold back. It wouldn’t be long now before she’d need to take her leave.
*Instead of asking for a year or two to figure everything out, what if we just took a year to settle in and see what happens?* Rose suggested, standing stock-still in my mind.
I gazed out the window, watching campus fade into the distance as we merged onto the highway, headed toward the city. A month ago, if someone had told me I’d be in this exact moment, I would’ve laughed them out of the room. But now? Now, there was a small spark of excitement deep in my chest. Nervousness, sure-but a hesitant optimism, too.
*I know you think, a year will go by, we’ll get pregnant and journalism will seem like a distant memory,* Rose continued, her voice tinged with the hope of possibility. *But what about being a novelist? Or… what if you got a column in the paper like ‘The Down Low at Blood Moon’? Pretty cool, right?*
I grinned, taking a large bite of cookie to cover my smile.
Thankfully, the girls were discussing fashion nonsense I couldn’t care less about. Designers, labels, all the stuff that went over my head. Clothes were clothes to me; it was the price tag that made the difference.
Rose and I argued back and forth for a while, but it was clear she’d won. The truth was, being marked and mated was inevitable. Sure, taunting the guys had been fun, but it wasn’t practical anymore. I could feel the ache in my body for them, an ache I knew all too well. I was only punishing myself by holding back.
At least I knew Caleb’s dominant nature would never make things boring. The man would keep it intense. And Caden? He’d keep it sweet, but oh, it would be steamy too.
“You know I’ve got stripper hips,” Briar suddenly said, throwing her hips in an exaggerated Elvis-like gyration.
I almost choked on my last bite of cookie. Looking up, I saw her smirking, but I also noticed Dahlia had no idea just how well I knew those hips-and yes, Briar’s hips were definitely made for the pole.
Guess I missed a good conversation. I tucked the thought away to revisit later-pole dancing might be something worth learning.
Briar smirked and handed me a glass of bubbly, which I downed quickly to recover from my near-choking incident. Before I knew it, the limo was pulling up to the venue. And then I noticed it-practically every guest was arriving in a limo. Suddenly, I was grateful we hadn’t had to roll up in some old Honda.
Dahlia took the lead, guiding us in, while Briar grumbled about the entry fee, handing over her check with a sharp retort.
“This better be a damn good meal,” she muttered, but her grumbling melted away as she plastered on a smile.
She looked absolutely stunning, and I was almost tempted to smack her ass, but instead, I clenched my fist and pretended to adjust my hair. Adjusting to this new life was going to be a hell of a ride. Goddess, I was going to have to stop cursing too. Didn’t Caleb have a thing against that?
*You’re going to stop,* Rose scolded, clearly displeased with my potty mouth.
I shook her off as Dahlia began introducing me to some of the event staff. I had to stop and fill out a form, providing some basic info. Thankfully, there wasn’t a question about having a mate. That would’ve made things… awkward, especially at an auction.
A sudden thought hit me. How many people here had also been at the game? How fast had word traveled?
I was standing off to the side with Dahlia, our attention drifting over the evening’s events as they unfolded. We’d endured about forty-five minutes of talk about Waves and heard from a few people they had helped. It felt like obligatory filler, just waiting for the real action to begin. My thoughts, however, shifted when an unexpected, familiar scent hit my nose. My head snapped up, and I began scanning the room, determined to see if I was imagining things.
Finally, my gaze landed on her-Sonia, of all people. Sylas’s secretary. What the hell was she doing here? And how could she afford to be at a place like this? It didn’t make sense.
I quickly searched for Sylas himself. After fangirling over a personal call from the Ashford twins, I wouldn’t have been shocked if he had shown up, but we were meeting him tomorrow. No way he’d have the extra cash for something like this.
Without thinking twice, I grabbed Dahlia and yanked her into a quiet corner, flipping into investigative mode.
“Lia, do you see that chubby little she-wolf over there? Lavender dress, looks like two pigs fighting under a doily? Make-up straight out of the ’70s, bangs like she gave herself a haircut?” I whispered, unable to resist the harsh description. Could I have been more offensive? Oh, absolutely.
Dahlia stared at me, clearly surprised by the bluntness of my words, as if no one ever spoke so candidly around her. Which was absurd, because by now, she knew exactly how I was.
“Oh? Sonia? She’s one of our volunteers. She doesn’t have kids of her own, so she gives a lot of her time,” Dahlia replied quietly, the surprise in her voice palpable. “Why?”
Sonia? That was a name I’d never heard. I spent as little time as humanly possible in Sylas’s office, and Sonia had only been working for him for about a year-after they had to get someone older and, frankly, less attractive than the two assistants who’d quit. I couldn’t imagine why.
“Do you know her last name? Her mate? Any other family?” I pressed, my eyes still fixed on her, unwavering.
Dahlia thought for a moment before answering. “Oh, yeah. Let me think. Her mate’s older, and I think she has a niece-her mate’s niece. She’s in our class, that’s right. Last name is Hawthorne,” she said, her tone proud for remembering.
I froze. Hawthorne? The name hit me like a punch to the gut. Too close for comfort to be a coincidence.
I shot a scowl across the room toward Sonia. My eyes darted around, half-expecting her to pop out from behind the chocolate fountain or next to some rich, aging man with a woman half his age on his arm. When I didn’t see her, I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or just more frustrated.
*Quinley Hawthorne,* I thought, the name ringing in my mind like a curse.
Happy. I was definitely happy she wasn’t in my space, but the thought of her living rent-free in my head was starting to grate.
Just then, I heard his voice, warm and close. “You know, literally all I can think about is that kiss,” Caden’s words washed over me, and warmth spread through my entire body. My stomach fluttered, and I inhaled deeply, his scent immediately pulling me in. Damn, he smelled so good.
I turned to face him as he pulled me into his arms, brushing a soft kiss on my cheek.
“I’ll go find my seat,” Dahlia muttered, practically running off.
I turned back to Caden, a smile playing on my lips. His hair was freshly cut, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was what all the fuss had been about. It was subtle but undeniable. I ran my fingers over his soft chin, the stubble a pleasant surprise.
“You look incredible, Lily,” he murmured, his eyes glinting with admiration. “This dress… it looks like it’s battle-ready.”
I blushed, laughing softly at the compliment, feeling like a silly schoolgirl.
*Let him flirt, ohhhh, it’s fun to be girly,* Rose cooed in my mind, and I couldn’t help but agree.
Every fiber of my being was alive with need as he pulled me closer. The intensity of the connection between us made my body ache for him. There was no way in hell I was letting him look at anyone else tonight. I felt a possessiveness I had never known, and it turned me on more than I ever thought possible.
He was dressed to perfection in a black tux, black bow tie, and a crisp white shirt. I licked my lips, trying to rein in my desire. Damn, he looked delicious-every inch of him filled out that tuxedo so well. I was certain it was custom-made, though I wasn’t surprised; he could afford it.
“Where’s your other half?” I asked, trying to distract myself as I gazed up at him, my fingers still caressing his soft skin.
“Helping set up the projector. He’s good with all that tech stuff,” Caden replied, his voice trailing off as his gaze never wavered from mine. “Apparently they have some kind of presentation to show one of their facilities or something.”
We were lost in each other for a moment before the emcee’s voice broke through the spell, signaling that it was time for dinner to begin. Caden led me toward our table, where I was seated between him and Caleb, who still hadn’t shown up.
“So, Lia,” Caden began as we settled into our seats, his tone casual, “tell me about how the bidding works. Is there a minimum starting number?”
Dahlia practically lit up with excitement at the attention, and I couldn’t help but be relieved that the focus was on her and not me. My thoughts, however, were still consumed with Sonia. Something about her felt off, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I had to get to the bottom of it.