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I sent the picture to Cory before sending it out to the women around me, and I could see how whipped we all were for our mates when the entire table began sending them out to their respective mates. Celeste winked at me when she finished texting Markus, and we continued with our night. Cory only responded to my texts through the night with small sentences. I would be worried he was still sulking, but I knew he was trying to let me have my night. I’d have to ask him about his evening with the boys when I saw him.
It was nearly midnight before we called it quits and went to the hotel. Aunt Maya was extremely intoxicated, and Celeste and Aunt Nat were helping her into the elevator, the two matriarchs giggling at something she said. It was cute to see, and I hoped my friends and I kept that type of relationship through the years and kids.
I was up early the following day. I didn’t want to admit it to the others, but I had a terrible night of sleep. I missed Cory’s heat around me, and no matter how tightly I wrapped myself around the blankets, I couldn’t get comfortable. I got dressed and wandered down to the lobby where we were all gathering to have breakfast, and I noticed a lot of others looked how I felt. Seeing all the other grumpy faces made me double over laughing hysterically before I could even make it to the breakfast buffet.
“What?” Zi asked, the frown on her face growing.
“We all look like we slept without our security blanket. Well, all except Cecilia over there. She’s the only one that looks like she slept real fucking cozy. Right next to her mate.” I pointed over to the grinning and glowing pregnant woman. “I think it’s safe to say that while this was amazing, I’d like to sleep at home next time we go out.”
Grumbling agreements came from every side, so we had a quick breakfast and set off for home. The first of the guests were beginning to arrive when we reached the pack house, so Celeste shooed me up to my room to change and instantly took over, greeting the guests as if she hadn’t spent a sleepless night after a lot of drinking. I hoped to be able to fill her shoes as gracefully as she wore them.
When the elevator let me out on the alpha floor, Cory was fussing with the buttons on his navy blue suit while walking out of our bedroom. A broad smile instantly replaced his scowl, when he saw me, so I ran the rest of the way jumped into his arms the moment I reached him, as if we hadn’t seen each other in months.
“I fucking missed you. No more overnights unless I come too,” he whispered in my ear before he walked us back into the room he just exited, pushing me up against the door.
“No more overnights. I slept like shit. I missed you,” I rushed out, moaning as his lips sucked on his mark on my shoulder. My hands were everywhere, except where I wanted them, around his cock. My legs were too busy grinding my core against his hardened member to allow my hands to roam south.
“Fucking hell,” Cory groaned, but slowed down until he rested his forehead on mine. “Guests are arriving. I need to go greet them.”
“I know, your mom told me to come get dressed. I should shower.”
“You’re killing me, Evie. I want to shower with you, baby.”
“Go be my good alpha. We’ll leave the party early tonight,” I whispered.
“Fuck that, we’re having a quickie before you change into your ceremony dress,” he growled, crushing my lips in a punishing kiss before he groaned again and left the room.
I quickly took a cold shower and dressed in a two-piece white blazer with a black corset that hooked from the front instead of my usual silk blouse that hid the girls. The back of the blazer had this peek-a-boo opening that laced up and showed some skin, as well as the back of the corset. When I looked in the mirror, my first instinct was to remove it. My mind wanted to revolt at showing my wide hips and such a tight top, but Cory’s words that night in the Vegas club floated into my head. He liked my hips and my waist. He loved my body, so why would I hide it? This day was about the two of us, not anyone else. I pulled my hair up in a tight ponytail and paired it with make-up I rarely use. I gave myself a smoky reddish brown eyeshadow that made my eyes pop, winged eyeliner, and a nude lip. I put on my heels and moved back to the mirror to take in the complete look.
I looked... powerful.
For the first time in my life, I looked in the mirror and saw a woman reflected who exuded confidence and strength. I looked like someone that could command a room. I may not be that person yet, but I could see her peeking out from underneath the anxiety and inferiority complex I always hid under. I just needed to keep coaxing her out little by little, and one day, the woman reflected in the mirror would feel like the woman looking into it.
I grabbed my phone and headed downstairs, looking for Cory.
“Holy fuck, woman! When the fuck did you get so hot?” Zi screeched from across the foyer, stopping all the conversations around us and making every eye turn to me. I glared her way, doing my best not to fidget under all the stares until Cory pulled my attention when he walked in from the side of the kitchen. His Adam’s apple bobbed from the way he swallowed; his eyes turned deep blue and almost black from desire as he took in my outfit. Cory froze briefly before his body began to saunter its way to mine as if driven by a magnetic force more than self-imposed will. He pulled me to him when he stood before me, and I saw the way his eyes moved down to my lips, his breathing ragged.
‘You’re killing me here, Evie. How am I supposed to behave all day?’ he mind-linked, a note of pain in his voice. He didn’t kiss me because he knew we’d both get carried away, and there were too many people here. Instead, Cory pressed his forehead to mine, creating a small bubble of intimacy in the middle of the crowd. I felt the way he stole the air between us when his hand moved up my back, and he came in contact with flesh, the sparks exploding from the contact surprising us both.
“Fucking hell,” he cursed, but it sounded more like a prayer. He looked over my shoulder and growled approvingly at my back.
Someone cleared their throat near us, and the bubble bursts as Cory stepped back, turning around to face the person intruding on our moment, and pulling me up to his side possessively.
“Alpha Lester, good to see you.” Cory extended his free hand toward the man before us. He was in his mid-forties, I guessed. It was hard to say with werewolves sometimes, since our aging slowed significantly in our early thirties. Mom and Dad were almost in their fifties but still looked like they were in their thirties. He was handsome and built like an alpha, wearing a button down and slacks, cowboy boots and a Stetson on his head.
“Pardon my intrusion, but I figured you could use something to distract you before you took your filly here and ran off for the day,” he answered good naturally and I felt Cory relaxing at his words.
“Much appreciated. How was the journey?”
“Short. I flew today. I need to get back to my pack after tomorrow. There are a few things happening that require my attention back home, but I wouldn’t miss you celebrating finding your luna after all these years.”
“I spent a few months working with Alpha Lester years back while I was introducing myself and trying to learn about other pack dynamics. He had a problem with rogues stealing his cattle, and I ended up staying to help him out for a while," Cory explained.
“Nice to meet you, Alpha Lester.”
“The pleasure is mine, Luna Everly. My luna couldn’t be here today, but I’m sure she’d love to meet you one day. Come visit us soon, son. She misses your cooking.” Cory laughed as we walked into the dining room, where many more people were waiting.
When Cory sent out the invitations for the luna ceremony, I made sure Celeste added on the invitation that this was a relaxed event and even made sure to add the menu on the invitation to impress upon the fact that aside from the council’s small ceremony, this was a pack event more than anything—a barbecue for all intents and purposes. So I was surprised to see a lot of alphas milling around with their mates and betas. We mingled around for a few hours, playing the exhausting role of host, until Celeste came and got me while reminding Cory that he needed to change, and that his clothes were in James’ apartment.
