On the drive there Abby and I took selfies together until it got too dark in the car to get any more good pictures. When we got there Deacon and Phlora were already seated at a big table waiting for us. Hello hugs went around to everyone and Abby and I set to taking more selfies both with each other along with our aunt and uncle and with Deacon and Phlora. Phlora was absolutely beautiful, she had long silky black hair and bright blue eyes. It turned out that she was Beta Cain’s little sister and I could see the resemblance. She was of course more delicate looking than him, almost fairy-like and more animated, less stoic than her brother. 

We ordered dinner and Phlora asked Abby and myself many questions. She admitted that she had heard about us but had never had the opportunity to meet us until now. Abby showed Phlora her wedding ring and pictures from her wedding and I told her about what I did for work, about school and my goal to have a career that took me around the world. Abby and I of course returned the questions. Phlora was an artist and a career violinist. It made sense too, she was certainly tall like most lycan women we’ve met but her build was very slight. 

Phlora and I were bonding over painting when our food arrived. We continued to talk between bites. Eventually, something made me look up from the table and our group. My eyes fell on a pair of deep green eyes at another table across the room. He had sandy blonde wavy shoulder length hair and a short almost stubble like beard. I couldn’t tell if he was looking at me, someone at our table or someone beyond our table but something fluttered in the pit of my stomach upon noticing him. I knew that face, it was the Alpha King, Tobias. And someone beside him was just behind his ear whispering something to him. My eyes moved to them, it was Beta Cain. His blue eyes looked this way too. I finally pulled my bicolored hues away from them back to my food. They were clearly looking at something beyond the table right? What interest did they have in anyone at our table? Both had never paid a second glance to myself, Abby, or our aunt and uncle outside of anything work related for Aunt Lynelle. And while Phlora was Beta Cain’s sister the gazes this direction didn’t seem to be for his sister.

I went back to eating my food before I realized Phlora was still talking to me about an exhibit she had gone to recently, “-breathtaking. Pictures could never do it justice.” I looked over to her and raised my eyebrows having no idea what she had said leading up to that moment, “Wow! I wish I could see it.” I feigned knowing the topic. I’d thankfully heard just enough to give a generic response that would cover the fact that I hadn’t heard her. I still had that feeling that had called for me to look around the room before and I glanced back at the table the alpha and beta were sitting at with several others. The alpha’s gorgeous eyes were still looking this way. I quickly turned my attention back to my plate, his gaze intimidating even if it wasn’t directed at me or us. 

I glanced over a bit later and both their attentions were on something going on at their table and I turned to Aunt Lynelle and spoke in a hushed tone, “Do the Alpha and Beta usually come to places like this with so many people around?” She looked confused for a moment and looked around the room before she spotted them and then looked back at me, “Yes, they like to hold more casual meetings in places like this from time to time. They both don’t like there to be too much of a disconnect from the Alpha and the general pack members.” I nodded, “Oh…” I guess since we usually didn’t go out to dinner during our visits we would have never really noticed or seen it. I did my best to ignore the weird feeling I was having and focused on the conversations at our table. I did eventually get lost in the conversations. Abby and I had fun retelling a very muddy incident with Deacon and a horse to Phlora which made her giggle. 

After some dessert we all said our goodbyes and headed back to the villa. On the drive back Abby and I shared a couple more stories at Deacon’s expense to Lynelle and Uncle Anthony and by the time we got back to the villa we were so tired. We had been up early with the sun and done so much today and now it was nearly ten thirty. We got out of the car and walked down the hall with our aunt and uncle until we had to part ways to go to our rooms while they headed to their house suite. We said goodnight and headed to our rooms. At our doors Abby and I said good night to each other and I slipped into my room. I was exhausted. I barely changed into my pajamas before I fell into bed and fell asleep.  

I woke to a knock on my door. I barely stirred before the knock came again, “What Abby?” I rolled over in bed, “Miss Murphy?” A man’s voice called in response to my grumbled words. I shot upright in bed, “What!?!” I didn’t mean to shout but then I popped out of bed and rushed to the door. Did something happen to my aunt or uncle? At the door stood a well dressed man, a servant or butler of sorts, “Miss Murphy?” I nodded, “Yes, yes, that’s me. Is everything okay?” He bowed his head briefly, “I didn’t mean to startle you Miss Murphy. Nothing is wrong. The Alpha King has requested an audience with you.” My heart flipped in surprise, “....what?” I shook my head, “Are you sure he meant me? I’m not even a member of his pack and I’m human.” He nodded, “I am quite certain he meant you, are you not Miss Lily Murphy?” I shook my head running my hands through my wild mane of curls before nodding, “N-no- I mean, yes, yes I am. I’m sorry…um. Can you give me a few minutes to make myself a little more presentable? I’d rather not meet with the Alpha King in my pajamas.” He bowed his head again, “Of course Miss Murphy. I will be waiting out here for you.” I thanked him and practically slammed the door shut. 

I stood with my back to the door for a moment while I tried to process what was happening. Then I heard Abby’s muffled voice as she spoke to the man sent to collect me. I didn’t hear specifically what was said but I did hear Abby go back into her room. I couldn’t just stand here; I needed to get dressed and put myself together. I didn’t have anything really nice to wear since I’d packed mostly active wear, I knew we would be spending a lot of time outside hiking around. I hadn’t exactly planned for a meeting with the Lycan Alpha King. At least not directly anyway. 

The only nice thing I’d brought was the dress I’d worn last night so I couldn’t wear it again. I pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a form fitting light pink v-neck t-shirt. Then I washed my face and brushed my teeth before putting on some light makeup. My hair was an absolute wild mess. I tried to rush through taming it but that just made things worse turning me into a red frizz ball. I then had to wet my brush and slowly work with my hair finally taming my curls enough to do another half up half down hair do, this time without the bun. Counting myself as presentable as I could get myself I slipped on my cream colored flats and exited the room.

The butler was waiting quietly when I exited the room, “Ready Miss Murphy?” I nodded to him as I looked around for Abby. Since I’d heard her voice I thought she might have been summoned too, “Then follow me.” My eyes jumped to him as he gestured the direction we would be heading and he led me deeper into the villa into the King’s side of the villa and after many turns this way and that, he stopped at a pair of massive doors with a guard standing on either side of them. He pushed the door open enough for me to fit through, “He is waiting for you.” My heart was pounding a mile a minute. What could the Alpha King possibly want from me? I timidly stepped inside. 

Laid out before me was a large red rug with gold trim that stretched the length of the room down its center. It was wide enough that a good eight people could walk side by side down it. A few feet beyond the rug on either side of the room were large carved stone pillars and stone walls another twenty feet beyond the pillars. At the far end of the room the rug went contouring up three steps that lead to a throne. Above the throne on the wall behind it stood three massive stained glass windows, a riot of dazzling colors with what looked to be a depiction of a crescent moon above a wildfire.