Chapter 0048

The moment we return to the packhouse, preparations begin in earnest. Another quick shower later, I slip into tailored black dress pants and the custom black shirt with emerald cuffs I'd commissioned to match Evelyn's gown. My fingers tremble slightly as I fasten the buttons. This could be the night everything changes.

A man bun and polished oxfords complete the look. I pause outside my parents' suite, knuckles hovering over the wood. Childhood trauma taught me to always wait for permission - some parental activities can't be unseen. My spine shudders at the memory.

"Come in, darling," Mother's voice floats through the door.

I find her adjusting diamond studs at the vanity. "Stunning as always, Mother."

"Flatterer." She winks in the mirror. "Your father's nearly ready."

The man himself emerges from the walk-in, still buttoning his cuffs. "Go ahead with Donovan if you're eager. We'll follow shortly."

Downstairs on the Beta level, I knock once before entering Donovan's quarters. No feminine scent lingers in the air - safe territory. "You decent?"

"Almost." He runs a brush through his golden waves before turning. "Damn, that's sharp." Within seconds, he's mimicked my hairstyle.

"Less fuss," I shrug.

"Spoken like a man with priorities," he grins, tossing me a hair tie. "Priorities that don't involve hairstyling."

Our laughter dies abruptly at the base of the stairs. The cloying stench of roses assaults my senses. Bianca stands frozen in a crimson catastrophe of a dress - plunging neckline threatening structural failure, hemline barely covering essentials. How had I ever found this appealing?

"Bianca." My voice could frost glass. "Why aren't you at the venue?"

She attempts a seductive saunter that lands somewhere between wounded gazelle and intoxicated flamingo. "I'm your date, remember?" Her taloned fingers trail up my chest.

Donovan chokes back laughter. "Since when?"

"Yesterday at campus!" She pouts. "You said 'sure' when I suggested we go together."

My brows collide. "Did I actually respond, or did you take silence as consent?"

Before I can erupt, Donovan intervenes. "The Alpha needs to appear available tonight. Potential mate situation, you understand." His elbow jabs my ribs. "But we've got limo space if you need transport."

Her squeal could shatter crystal. I find myself morbidly fascinated by the physics-defying containment of her assets as she bounces.

The ride proves excruciating. Bianca wedges herself between us in the backseat, perfume thick enough to choke a lesser wolf. "Twenty credits says the girls escape before midnight," Donovan whispers as we exit the vehicle.

"All yours, brother." I shrug free of Bianca's grip the moment we enter the pulsating lights of the club. "I've got bigger prey tonight."

Thank the Moon Goddess. No sign of Evelyn yet - she didn't witness that tragic entrance. The bar beckons like an oasis. I need fortification before my real quarry arrives.