When morning arrived, Anaya was wide awake. Her eyes tingled painfully due to her staring contest with the ceiling. She had heard terrifying sounds again after midnight and this time it was louder, as if the source was right outside her room, crawling along the walls.

If this became a regular occurrence, it would surely deter her health. She didn't know why others weren't bothered. They should have left this place already.

A knock on the door startled Anaya out of her thoughts. She sat up quickly and ran her fingers through her hair to look a little better than she felt but she knew nothing could curtail the mess that was her face. Without looking in the mirror, she could tell it was swollen and blotchy, with dark circles underneath her eyes. 

"Oh Luna, were you crying?" Lisa asked softly, placing the breakfast tray on the glass table. Her expression didn't betray her thoughts. There was no disdain for which Anaya was grateful. 

She chuckled. "No. Just lack of sleep."

"Why, what happened?" The concern on Lisa's face made her heart clench. Oh, what she would give to get a mother like the woman in front of her. 

"I heard some noise and um, I was scared." 

Lisa slowly nodded. "You will hear the beast every night, so just close your eyes and sleep. You get used to it after a while."

"Who is the beast?"

Her eyes widened at her slip up and she flashed Anaya a gentle, nervous smile. "You must not worry about it. You have a gathering to attend today and you need to look radiant."

"That's in the evening." Anaya decided to save her questions about the beast for Icarus. Lisa had said enough and she might get into trouble for answering something she was likely told not to.

"No luna. You are leaving with the Alpha before lunch hour."

"Are you sure, Lisa?" She didn't want to panic but she couldn't help it. She'd assumed the gathering to be held at night which would have given her plenty of time to prepare herself for whatever was to come her way, at least some pep talk in front of the mirror.

"Certainly," Lisa said. "Please don't fret. We still have five hours to go. Have your breakfast, then we shall proceed."

"Five hours isn't enough. I need at least a month to recover." Anaya glanced at her reflection in the mirror for confirmation and cringed. She couldn't go today, not like this. "Lisa, can you ask Icarus to reschedule it?"

"They have been informed and are awaiting your presence."

"Then what should I do? I'm not good at applying makeup."

"Oh, that won't be a problem." Lisa smiled reassuringly, handing Anaya a tiny glass bottle. "Here, soak yourself in this essential oil."

"Nothing can help my state," she mumbled in distress and made her way into the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she filled the bathtub with cold water and poured the oil into it. Abundance of intoxicating scents filled her lungs and she didn't waste any time to undress before sliding into the tub. If she closed her eyes, she could envision herself sitting on a blanket of green, surrounded by exotic flowers. The near comfort made her smile. 

"You'll be late if you don't hurry up," Lisa said from the other side of the door.

Anaya didn't want to leave. Time had passed too quickly for her satisfaction. With utmost reluctance, she stepped out onto the rug and walked to the mirror, hoping for a miracle.

Her eyes widened a fraction and she blinked at the impossible. Skin like porcelain that could outshine the moon's glow, soft and slick like honey without a trace of tiredness. Flabbergasted, she tied the bathrobe around her wet body and exited the bathroom. 

Lisa smiled. "There, feels great, doesn't it?"

Anaya stared at her, then nodded enthusiastically, finding it difficult to contain her giggles. "Is this permanent?"

"Unfortunately, just a few days."

"Oh, no!" Anaya grumbled, her mood sinking. "What if I use the oil daily?"

"Daily use will destroy your skin. So, until there is an emergency like today, I'm not giving you any more of these." Seeing Anaya's lips part in protest, Lisa shook her head, motioning towards the breakfast tray. "You don't need chemicals, Luna. Now eat while I look for a dress, then I'll do your hair and makeup. "

She nodded and quickly finished the delicious triple cheese omelet, washing it down with orange juice. Setting it down, she took a seat in front of the mirror and waited for Lisa.

Minutes later Lisa was back, holding a mustard yellow dress. She then did Anaya's hair which was drawn back into a pretty chignon, not a single tendril out of place. Her face already looked dewy, so Lisa only applied eyeliner and nude lipstick.

"Thank you, Lisa!" Anaya beamed. "You are my saviour."

"I didn't do much. I'll let the Alpha know you're ready." She gave a warm smile and left. 

Anaya shrugged off her bathrobe and wore the dress, appreciating the way it hugged her curves, ending a few inches above her knees. It was off-shoulder with net sleeves, adding a tint of sexiness to the simplicity. Pairing it with nude heels, she made her way down the stairs.

The sight of Icarus standing in the middle of the hallway made her heartbeat fasten several notches. He was dressed in a black T-shirt and ripped blue jeans to go with white sneakers. But even the casual look could do nothing to suppress his handsomeness. Clothes didn't complement Icarus, he complimented them. She could see his biceps and the contours of his well-defined muscles from the material of the fabric and an involuntary sigh escaped her lips just as she reached him.

Icarus' eyes swept over her, darkening a shade that made Anaya look away. He took a step forward, enclosing his arms around her waist as his face nuzzled her neck. "Why so gorgeous?" He pulled back and caught her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

Anaya blushed and lowered her eyes in response. 

They both settled in the car and instead of a driver, Icarus drove, much to Anaya's surprise. She sat quietly, looking out the window to calm the tension growing in the pit of her stomach but she couldn't stop thinking about different scenarios of rejection. The what-ifs were slowly drilling into her head, making her doubt herself.

"You okay, darling?" Icarus couldn't stop stealing glances her way and this was the second time he was asking the same question. She looked exquisitely beautiful and he could hardly keep his hands off her. The subtle touches when he didn't have to change gears told Anaya the same. At one point, he asked her if she knew how to drive. When she denied, he frowned and told her he would teach her. So she could drive while he easily stared at her.

That made her blush harder. She didn't know if his words were genuine or just a distraction but it worked. She became so preoccupied with Icarus, she totally forgot where they were headed to. It was only upon reaching the destination that her stomach began to do violent flips again.

Icarus stepped out of the car and opened Anaya's side of the door. He could sense her apprehension as she sat there, clutching the seatbelt tightly. He gently pried her out and planted a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll be there with you the entire time." 

She tried to focus on him but her mind kept drifting to the matter at hand, 3086 members. "I can't do this."

"You can, trust me. If you are worried about them, don't be. No one will say a word to you in my presence."

She took deep breaths and slowly nodded, eyeing the huge iron gate as her feet began to carry her towards it. "Okay, okay. Let's go inside before I throw up."

"One more thing." He gripped her wrist and pulled her back, pressing her against the car. She gave him a questioning look when his hand slipped into her hair, tugging at Lisa's masterpiece. She gasped as he freed her locks, letting it tumble down to her waist. The copper waves looked beautiful against her pale skin and yellow dress, Icarus was mesmerized. "Fuck, you are beautiful. I love your hair."

"Um, we should—" Anaya couldn't finish her sentence, her brain becoming foggy when she realized his lips were on hers. Kissing her. His hands clasped on either side of her face to tug her closer and she smiled before kissing him back. It was sweet and warm and felt perfectly right, comforting her in ways that words would never do. Her insides melted and she wound her arms around his neck, sighing in glee.

Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers. Their eyes met and she froze, unable to tear her gaze away. She watched gold dust shimmer in them and apart from being brilliantly captivating, she saw something else that weakened her knees.

Too soon. She tried to rationalize but the pitter-patter of her heart told her so much more.