GET THE PARTY STARTED

The party was supposed to be held in the large field near the forest. It was just outside the mansion's

grounds. Beta Ari took me there. I was grateful for his company. I didn't want to spoil my mood by

walking there with Draven. I was still pissed at him for what he had put me through, and I was

additionally pissed at myself for doing something to his advantage after all of that. I couldn't evaluate

where the limit of his arrogance was, and if I wasn't going to hear a sincere apology from him the next

time we talked, I was going to punch him in the face. I deliberately delayed the moment we'd have this

talk. I was looking forward to having some fun, drinking, and meeting people. Punching the Alpha of

their pack in the middle of the party might have complicated a few things for me…

When we reached the spot, I saw multiple long tables. They were already set up with plates and

glasses for the drinks. There was a huge fire set in the middle of that field, giving just the right amount

of light to create the mood to party and get wasted. Most of the warriors from the elite squad were

already there. It was kind of fascinating how their venomous faces were currently displaying admiration

and respect towards me. They greeted me, smiling and nodding their heads.

There was no segregation at that party. Everyone could sit wherever he or she wanted. After all, the

whole purpose of drinking and eating together was to integrate those who would soon fight alongside

each other on the battlefield. I would certainly feel at ease there… if I wasn't the only person who had

an already arranged seat, without the right to choose. I was supposed to sit at the main table next to

the Alpha. Having Patrick at the same table gave me a little consolation, but it didn't change the fact

that I would have to act and pretend.

I tried to cover up my anger with a forced smile, but the mask I had designed for myself felt heavier by

the second, and when Alpha Draven showed up in front of me, the mask became almost unbearable to

wear. Draven got up from his seat, put on a warily smile, and pulled out the chair for me to sit beside

him. I exhaled and stretched my lips flat since it was the best form of grin I could give him, and then I

accommodated at the seat on his left side.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said while leaning over my ear.

I looked at what I was wearing and chuckled at his compliment. A pair of black pants and a fitted shirt,

since I didn't know what to expect at the training grounds earlier, certainly didn’t make me anything that

could be called beautiful. That was yet another small thing that differentiated Sariel and Draven.

Draven lacked finesse, and he definitely wasn't a smooth talker. I knew that he was currently "trying",

and that his own clumsiness was humiliating him and enraging him, but I wasn't going to make it any

easier for him. To make things even worse for him, Patrick sat right next to me on my left.

"Here. Let me pour you some wine." Patrick immediately reached for the bottle, seeing my empty glass.

"I'll do it," Draven hissed, grabbing the bottle just before Patrick.

I glanced at him with a mental face-palm gesture. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to act as if

nothing had happened, and then poured me a glass of wine.

"Thank you," I smiled courteously at him and lifted my glass for a toast.

I had seen Draven behave gentlemanly before when I was sitting beside him at the party in the

Palace's garden, but he was confident then. Yet at that moment, this cocky Alpha with royal blood

running in his veins, this leader of the biggest werewolf pack ever known, seemed anxious and hungry

for my attention. I caught him staring at me. He looked as if he was searching for a hint of my

forgiveness for him hidden in my expression, but I couldn't just give him what he wanted. He served me

food and drinks and kept asking if I had everything I needed. From the stunned gazes of Ari and other

high-positioned wolves sitting at our table, I deduced that he couldn't be more out of his usual

character. I knew he was making an effort, but it could never suffice as an apology.

By the time I finished my third glass of wine, my smile slipped onto my face more naturally. I felt more

comfortable talking to everyone around me and laughing at their jokes.

"Seeing you laugh so innocently and wholeheartedly, I could never imagine that you are a hell of a

fighter!" One of the Gammas, named Raiden, exclaimed cheerfully.

"I'm not that great," I laughed nervously.

"You kick ass, Lilith," he chuckled, then froze when he noticed Draven and Patrick's stares.

"It's Ms. Lilith for you," Draven hissed warningly.

"She's Lady Lilith," Patrick corrected, smirking daringly at Draven. "Regardless of what you think, she

still holds her Vampire Royal Court title."

Draven's pupils turned red in an instant, and Patrick straightened as if preparing himself to attack. The

air became so dense that a single spark could cause an explosion. I burst out in hysteric laughter.

"It's Lilith!" I shouted, instinctively stretching my arms on both sides, putting more distance between

Draven and Patrick. "All of you… just call me Lilith, ok?"

Patrick sighed and nodded with a smile while Draven gritted his teeth.

"I oppose. I won't let them act disrespectfully," he stated harshly.

He couldn't do any better to trigger my anger. I stiffened and then glowered at him, letting him know

that he had crossed the line big time. The mask that I carefully glued to my face fell off, baring the

annoyance that his words caused.

"You didn't care about them treating me with respect or not when you decided to test me," I snapped.

Everyone at the table went silent. They looked like they were holding their breath, glancing at me and

their Alpha. Draven frowned at the inconvenient stares and cleared his throat.

"Lilith, I-"

"It was one thing that you wanted me to fight one of your warriors in human form, but it was something

completely different when you didn't stop the fight once he turned into his wolf form," I snarled.

"I didn't mean-" Content © provided by .

"Wait, what?!" Patrick roared, leaning out and locking his deadly stare on Draven. "You let an unarmed

human fight a wolf?!"

Patrick's voice alarmed other Royal Army soldiers. Everyone's eyes turned to our table. The vampires

were ready to support their commander's actions while the wolves held their claws prepared to attack

at Alpha's mark. Only then did I realize that my stupid outburst might easily cause unfixable damage to

vampire-werewolf relations.

"Stop!" I stood up and hit the table with my fists.

Much to my surprise, my voice came out louder than I expected, and I managed to turn the uproar into

silence. I looked at Patrick and Draven while my heart raced restlessly, bringing shivers to my entire

body. Alpha Draven sighed heavily, then smiled and gently grabbed my hand.

"I apologize." He looked deep into my eyes and kissed the top of my hand. "I shouldn't have forgotten

that even if you possess the genes of an Alpha, your human body is still fragile. I know that it was a

mistake."

"A mistake?!" Patrick thundered, "You are lucky she isn't harmed, or I wouldn't have cared about the

damn truce and ripped you apart, Alpha or not!"

Draven stood up, exposing his sharp fangs. He looked like he was a split-second away from turning.

He was still holding my hand, and I could feel his skin burning and blood pumping wildly in his veins. As

much as I believed in Patrick's strength, I would never let him recklessly challenge an Alpha…

especially one aspiring to become the king! After this little time I spent with Draven, I knew how quickly

his anger could trigger his actions. I turned to look Draven in the eyes, standing in his way to attack the

daring half-blooded commander.

"Please…" I muttered, trying to coax him to calm down.

I placed my hand on his chest and instantly felt his heart rate slow down. I kept a wary eye on Draven

until his pupils returned black again. I heaved a sigh of relief, then turned around to shoot Patrick a

meaningful glare. He grimaced and then took a deep breath.

"I apologize for raising my voice," he said reluctantly. "It is good that Lady Lilith survived without getting

harmed." His words couldn't possibly be more tightly squeezed through his teeth.

I smiled nervously at him, and then looked away. I couldn't let him suspect that the angry wolf I was

fighting actually bit off a part of my shoulder… and then it grew back.

"I accept the apology, Commander Kim," Draven stated, reciprocating Patrick's aversion. "I can also

assure you that I won't let Lilith hurt ever again."

Draven's glower was clear, and he certainly meant more than physical harm. He wanted to tell Patrick

that he could take better care of me than Sariel. It was supposed to be a warning for him to back off,

yet Patrick's smirk at Draven stated that wasn't going to…

"Oh boy…" I muttered under my breath, feeling like a teacher separating two schoolboys fighting.

After the whole tension lessened, Draven and Patrick kept up their semi-friendly appearances. Both of

them were smiling at me but sending each other glares and vicious smirks whenever they thought I

wasn't looking. Luckily, everyone survived the party, yet I couldn't help but wonder how they would

manage not to kill each other before entering the real battlefield…