DAYLILY: Awakening

by Lecia Bester

  "What was close?" I'm still holding onto the dresser for dear life. My own breathing is ragged like I just ran a marathon. His gaze is intense and serious.

  "I almost marked you Emily, and you didn't even ask me. I almost marked you without you wanting it. Shit." He's running his hand through his hair again and retreating to the door.

  "Maybe I wanted it..."His head snaps up.

  "You don't know what you're saying, marking you isn't just a bite. It's linking you to me for the rest of your life. You can't know that that's what you want already..." Now I'm getting a little pissed off. How would he know what I'm ready or not ready for. He exhales and retreats back towards the door.

  "I'll see you downstairs. Please wear something horribly unattractive; otherwise, I won't survive the night." Then he's gone.

  Chapter 31 – Weekend

  CONNOR

  It's official. Emily tried to kill me last night. Walking in and seeing her stand there in nothing but emerald green lace that didn't even do a proper job of concealing her body almost made me kill over in the doorway. That's the closest I've come to losing control. Her body looked like sin, draped in lace while her face remained innocent. It's the worst combination. The whole dinner, I kept thinking back to her. I couldn't look at her without pitching a tent. Emily knew it and I'm very sure everything she did, the way she licked her lips or took a bit of her food, was to seduce me. She should know better than to poke a frustrated wolf.

  After dinner, I decided to ask her about the dinner with her brother. I initially wanted to respect her privacy, but also fuck that; she's my mate. She didn't even hesitate and told me everything, or at least I think everything. At one point, it seemed like she wanted to say more but stopped herself. I trust her completely, so I didn't probe too much. We stayed in her room last night. Just talking about everything. She asked about my childhood and how I grew up. I tried my best to keep her talking until she passed out. After I was one hundred percent sure she was fast asleep, I gave her a small kiss on the forehead, grateful that I survived the night without spontaneously combusting from pent-up sexual frustration.

  It' Sunday morning, and Luke is meeting me for a sparring session in the woods. I don't know why he keeps arranging these sessions. His wolf still needs to awaken, and I'm almost twice as strong as he is until then. But it's still good practice. Walking over, I see him do some of his muay-thai martial art strikes. It's impressive, and the man is flexible. I'll give him that.

  "Looking good, princess." I give a little chuckle. He loses his focus and, along with that, his balance. Perfect opportunity. I give him a slight push on the shoulder, and he goes down. Now I'm howling from laughter.

  "Asshole." Someone's a bit grumpy this morning.

  "What's up, princess? Why so gloom and doom?" I give him a hand up, and he dusts himself off. Maybe if he had put on a shirt, the dirt wouldn't have bothered him so much.

  "Nothings up. I was just focused, and you distracted me." I don't believe him.

  "Fine, I also heard Jess talking about being excited to go to the ball."

  "That makes sense; she's a girl. A girly girl at that, they like getting dressed up and shit, bro."

  "Excited to meet other guys Connor. Like I’m not the one she’s excited to see. I don't know why but that just irks me." To make his point, he starts throwing punches at my padded hands. On an average day, Luke is an excellent fighter; today, he's fueled by jealousy and I might need to step up my game. I give a duck as he goes for a jab followed by a right hook.

  "Okay, dude. Whoa. I get you. It's me, your best friend, future alpha bla-bla. I also like my face so if you could spare me a broken nose, that would be great." He stops to take a breath.

  "You have a mate that can fix that for you."

  "Yea, she can fix it, but that doesn't mean it will heal straight. Can't afford the possibility, you know." Finally, he gives a little chuckle.

  "Sorry. This thing with Jess is stressing me out. I wish my birthday were tomorrow. I just need to know if she's my destined mate or not cause right now, it feels like she could be. I don't want any other wolf close to her. When she speaks to any other male, my rage just starts boiling. I can't control it."

  "Yea, sorry bud, but your birthday is soon. Don't stress too much about it." I slap him on the back. We spar for another hour or so until my stomach grumbles. Packing up and making our way back to the packhouse for lunch, we spotted Emily and Jess exit the gym. It seems like they had a little sparring session of their own. I left her room while she was fast asleep this morning. Jogging up behind them, I lightly tap Emily on the bum. She jumps up, turns, and slugs me on the shoulder. I'll never admit this, but it did kind of hurt. I fake severe pain, but she's not fooled.

  "Shame, babe. Did that hurt? walk it off." Her sly smile makes me want to give her a hiding and kiss her at the same time. Walking in, Emily greets a few people of the pack, and she's even speaking with some of the other pack members. She seems to be happy, and that definitely makes me happy. Luke, on the other hand, is sulking next to me.

  "Snap out of it, dude. You look like a sad pup." He rolls his eyes and goes to the massive buffet table to start stacking a plate. After everyone grabbed a plate and took a seat, my father clears his throat. He usually addresses us now and then during lunch at the packhouse because most pack members are present. I suspect he wants to talk about the ball.

  "Afternoon, everyone. I want to mention a few things about the ball on Saturday. The event is only for those who are above the age of 18. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior. The attire is formal. I don't want to see any ripped pants or mini skirts. That's final. No children. Remember you represent Th Elemental pack. We are proud warriors. Act as such." His voice is calm and collected, but the alpha command rings very clear across the room. Everyone just nods their heads in agreement.

  "That is all. Enjoy the rest of your lunch." The hall becomes loud with chattering and wolves making jokes. Emily and Jess are in a deep discussion about hair, and Luke is looking broody across from me and shoving a burger into his mouth. All these people will be my people very soon. It's a great honor but an even greater responsibility. One I hope I can uphold.

  Chapter 32 - Pretty Woman

  EMILY

  Connor wasn't too pleased when I told him I'm spending Friday night with Jess, but she wanted a girl's night. He was grumpy but agreed eventually, not that he had a choice. The entire week was spent discussing the event for Saturday night. His father was over-prepared for every possible scenario. My brother discussed details on Wednesday but since then hasn't been to the packhouse again. I assumed he doesn't want to make people suspicious. We don't know if Erin has spy's within our pack territory.

  I'm excited to see Connor in a tux. Since the night he caught me wearing lingerie, he's been avoiding me a little when it comes to anything related to...sexytime/romantic explosion kind of things. Odd. I got a text from him last night saying he misses with a wink face and a heart. It's cute when he tries to be flirty over the phone. He doesn't even need to flirt in real life. Just walk around shirtless, and that's it.

  Jess woke me up at the butt crack of dawn. Fuck my life. I'm one hundred percent not an early bird, but she doesn't care. Hauling my ass out of bed, I make my way down to her kitchen. I legit screech to a halt when I see Jess isn't alone. Her parents are never home, yet the whole family is sitting at the kitchen counter right now. Fuckity fuck fuck. Everyone turns to look at me. Her father, her mother and her brother - who is at least smiling at me. I look down to make sure I have clothing on my body. Of course, I do, but I just check to make sure. Jess laughs at me.

  "Hey girl. Come meet my family." She does a quick round of introductions, and I shake everyone's hand, except her mother- she pulls me into a hug.

  "Oh honey. I'm so happy to meet you. Such a strong girl. I'm so happy Jess has been able to help you through all of this." She's squishing my face to her very - hard chest. You'd expect fake breasts to be better in every wa
y, but these are rock solid and crushing my face. She lets me go free after a few minutes, and my lungs suck in the air.

  "Let's go, girl. The hairdresser is arriving in 2 hours, and we need to be showered before that." She throws a bagel with cream cheese at me and picks up two cups of coffee before ushering me back up towards her room. I give everyone a wave and a smile.

  "It was nice meeting all of you." When we get to Jess's room, I throw her with a pillow. "You could've told me your family would be home!"

  "They usually leave early but it's the ball tonight, so I guess they decided to stay home and get ready. My brother came back from boarding school yesterday." She pulls up her shoulders and gives me an innocent shrug. Her sad puppy face makes it hard to fake anger.

  "They seem like really nice people, not the shitty ones you are always complaining about. Your mother's hug, though- that was a bit uncomfortable." She bursts out laughing.

  "Yea- those are new. Christmas present from my dad. Anyway, get in the shower! Tick Tock girl." She has a lot of strength in that tiny body for a wolf that hasn't awakened and wears a size extra-small. One hour later, both of us are wrapped in towels and sitting on her carpet painting our nails. I've never been a girly girl, but this is fun. Her mother even brought us a bottle of champagne and snacks.

  The hairdresser pitched up and started with Jess's hair, curling her long golden locks and adding a flower piece that swept it to the side. The dress she chose was light blue silk- floor-length and skin-tight. She started her own make-up while I got attacked by curlers and a hairdryer.

  The hairdresser was a man in his late 40s. He chatted away about roots and conditioning. Nothing really made sense to me, but at least he complimented my hair for being healthy. He asked about the dress I chose- well, that Jess chose for me. Emerald green, also silk and floor-length but a halter neck. My entire back will be exposed- I've never worn anything close to this dress, and I'm a little nervous. The champagne I'm holding will definitely help to either calm my nerves or numb the pain of me falling on my ass.

  I need to rain it in at some stage. Jess chose a pair of intimidating heels for me to wear and I'm almost certain I'm going to faceplant at some point.

  Jackson- the hairdresser ended up curling the birds-nest on my head and pinning it up intricately with small bobby pins. Some had small fake diamonds at the tip. They sparkle between my dark chocolate brown curls. At least I hope they are fake. I thought it would hang loose down my back like Jess's, but Jackson said it would be a sin to cover up my dress or lack thereof. After a few hours, Jess got started on my face. Before I knew it, we were getting into our dresses and fastening the straps on our shoes.

  Jess radiates poise and money, her dress and hair paired with silver strappy heels and a daring slit that goes all the way up past her hip. Her tanned and toned leg making an appearance every time she takes a step forward. Making our way down the steps, I see Luke's lips slightly part like he just saw an angel or something. Maybe he's having a heart attack- his eyes not leaving Jess for one second. I'm trailing behind, mostly because walking in these shoes is a hazard, and I'm clutching the railing like it's a lifeboat.

  When Jess makes it downstairs with ease, Luke shakes himself back to normality and holds out his arm for her to take just as she reaches the bottom. He's looking handsome in a pressed black suit and crisp white dress shirt. No tie, though, but I'd expect that from him. He flashes her his set of pearly whites, and she takes his arm. I hear him tell her that she's breathtaking. How cute...

  I'm almost at the halfway mark of the steps- ugh, this mansion needs an elevator- when Connor makes his appearance at the bottom of the steps. He's straightening his tie and finally looks up at me. I'm going down these steps about as graceful as a camel running in the desert but Connor doesn't seem to notice. His green eyes are boring into mine, kicking my heart rate up a notch. His suit was made to fit him- not the other way around and his muscles are visibly defined underneath the sleeves. His broad shoulders look even sharper and his face is freshly shaved.

  He fixes his cufflink and reminds me of the handsome celebrities who always pose like that for photos. The only difference is, I get to kiss this one whenever I want. The man is handsome- no scratch that- the man is drop-dead gorgeous. Dark hair tamed back like Leonardo de Caprio in Titanic when he was waiting for Rose at the bottom of the steps. He even gives me the same smile, causing my knees to buckle just a little bit.

  Chapter 33 - Making an Entrance

  CONNOR

  I was nervous to start with. After watching Jess walk down the stairs and latching on to Luke, I take a step forward, straightening my spine. I finally pull my gaze up to Emily. I see her ankle with a black strap across it- first, followed by a tanned and toned leg. Good gracious, she had beautiful legs. I pull at my collar to let the heat that's building up escape. She's poured into a silky emerald green gown that makes every single move look sensual.

  The way the dress sways after every step, overexposing her left leg. I nearly groaned out loud. It's the same color as the lingerie she was wearing a few nights ago. That memory will be seared into my brain for life. The front of the dress goes all the way up, fastening around her neck like a necklace. When she reaches the last step, I hold out my arm for her to take and place a kiss on her cheek.

  "Your gonna have to make sure I don't snap an ankle tonight." She's holding onto my arm for dear life and I give a little chuckle.

  "I got you, babe." We reach the car and I open the passenger door for her. When she walks past me, all the breath is knocked right out of my lungs. The back of the dress...is missing. There's nothing-nothing but creamy tan skin all the way down to her lower back. Holy smokes. She turns around just before stepping into the car with a frown.

  "Is everything okay?" I quickly clear my throat and fiddle with my tie.

  "Everything's perfect. I mean, you are perfect- you look perfect." Oh, for the love of all that's holy, get your shit together. I watch the ripple of her back muscles as she turns to get into the car. The gown leaves her entire left leg exposed, I swallow audibly and Emily just stares at me with her big blue eyes. She's the very definition of stunning. I smile back at her trying to hide the battle going on inside of me. As much as I love her in this dress, I don't want anyone else to look at her and have the same thoughts that I'm having right now. I'd also really like to take her out of it.

  In the car, I feel Emily's nervousness radiate from her. "You think this plan will work?" She's fiddling with her hands in her lap.

  "Everything will be fine. I promise. My father sent me a text saying your uncle just arrived. You ready to meet him?" She just looks out the window.

  "I think so, yea-yes." Her breathing is a little labored, so I take one of her hands. She looks at it briefly before pulling her eyes up to mine. "I'm happy to be here with you. I'm happy I found you, Connor."

  "Oh no, babe, I found you, and after this whole thing, I'm gonna date the shit out of you." She grins at me and starts laughing.

  "So cheesy.." We pull into the packhouse and park right next to the entrance. Perks of being the Alpha's son, Emily will be grateful she doesn't have to walk a mile to get inside. I open the door and place a hand on her lower back; nothing but soft skin connects with my palm. I hear her heart rate kick up a notch when we get to the entrance. My father and her Uncle are standing at the door, greeting the guests as they enter. My father sees us approaching and nods his head once. Indicating everything is still going as planned. He leans in to speak with Erin. I see Erin's jaw go slack and his eyes flicker up to land on Emily. I feel her hand tightening around my arm.

  "I don't think I can do this, Connor."

  "I'm right here next to you." Erin follows our every move until we are standing right in front of him. Obviously, he's shocked; there's a silent moment before my father steps forward to greet us.

  "Son," he places a hand on my shoulder before leaning towards Emily, taking her hand in both of his.

  "Emily, you look
beautiful. My son is out of his league. I'd like you to meet your uncle Erin." He gestures towards Erin, who still hasn't moved an inch.

  "This is Erin King, the current leader of The Royal Pack- and your uncle." All of us are waiting for Erin to move or say something. Finally, he breaks the silence. As intimidating as Erin was, I didn't get the same uneasy feeling as I had with Tristan. This man seems humble, with a few grey hairs shine through the same chocolate brown hair as Emily. Crow's feet around his eyes and calming blue eyes. His face seems...nice. He could even pass as Emily's father.

  "Amelia..." It's a whisper and Emily gives him a small smile in return. "I can't believe it's you. I thought- everyone thought. It's really you, and you look so much like your mother. I just-how?" My father gives him a brief description of what happened. Erin nods but doesn't let go of Emily's hand- nor does he stop looking at her like she's a ghost. Erin's size is impressive. He almost fills up the entire front door. The golden circles in his eyes are shining, making his royal blood and wolf known.

  He steps forward, letting go of Emily's hands to embrace her in a hug. His eyes are watery and if I hadn't known any better, I genuinely would've thought he's happy to see his niece alive.

  "This is the most wonderful surprise. I'm overwhelmed. I never thought I'd see you again. The entire pack mourned your loss for so long. This...this changes everything. I just can't believe it. Amelia- I mean Emily." He looks to my father to explain why her name has changed, but Emily steps forward and answers him.

  "I'd like to remain, Emily, if you don't mind. I grew up with that name."

  "Yes, of course, Emily, forgive me." The queue of people to get in was starting to pile up. My father cleared his throat and motions to the people waiting. "We can continue this at a later stage if you don't mind."

  "Of course, I'll come to find you inside." Erin still seems a little shocked, the plan was to throw him off his guard, and that definitely seemed to work. Walking inside, I spot Luke and Jess at the bar getting a glass of champagne. I steer us towards them, greeting a few people on the way. My mother spots us from across the room and makes her way over with a massive grin on her face. Here we go.