Finally, Luan had the chance to get some fancy food. The night before’s dinner had been a complete disaster, and rather disappointing as well. 

It was a serve yourself kind of party, letting people mingle and dance as they pleased. It was after his third plate of food, picking and choosing between the many dishes that littered the tables along the wall that Marcilla decided to float by. 

Now, her outfit seemed to fit the occasion, a long flowing gown that rippled with each step. Red, as if to stand out from the crowd that all wore bright, outlandish colors. Glittering in the light of the chandeliers as she stepped toward him. Again, her lips were smiling, though not a bit of it was real, let alone kind. 

“Luan, dear! I’m so glad you made it! I just know Miles was so looking forward to coming with you.” She stretched her manicured hand out, resting it atop his shoulder as though to create a perfect picture of a doting mother. It was a miracle Arlan put up with a mother like her, considering she didn’t have an ounce of motherly instinct with which to raise him. 

Luan was just happy he had gotten a childhood, mostly free of her. 

“Of course, stepmother. I had no real reason to miss it, now did I?” He made sure to smile, teeth coming into play, as if the edges might threaten something more animalistic in nature. 

He saw her smile stiffen, noting the undertone to his words. 

Luan loved using words that practically slapped her in the face without actually having to touch her. Speaking of touch, he discreetly brushed her polished claws off his shoulder, pretending to simply reach for a glass of champagne as he did. 

And he knew she noticed if the twitching brow and strained smile were anything to go off of. 

She leaned closer, voice lowering as her eyes narrowed a bit. Just enough for him to see without drawing looks from the other socialites that mingled nearby. 

“Your father expects this evening to go well. So, you will do whatever Miles asks of you, and you will do it with a smile, understand ingrate?” The last word left clenched teeth, quiet and ruthless, the brown in her eyes pooling at the edges like a well of pure hatred. 

Marcilla always made it a point to deliver his fathers messages, as if it gave her some kind of power over him. 

Maybe, to her, it did. She had gotten the title as the lady of the house, now all she had in the way was the eldest son. A dirty omega from the first wife that had run away with him when he was born. Not much fighting needed to rise above that reputation. 

Luan tilted his head, eyes opening wider and teeth glinting as he answered. 

“Of course. We wouldn’t want the high standing alpha to feel out of place because of his omega companion, after all. What would people say?” Luan added a wistful sigh at the end, sarcasm seeping from each word. 

She wanted a smile, so he gave her one, full of mockery and derision, with each tilt of the head. 

Marcilla swayed back a step, something like fear coming from her face. Luan liked making her think he was insane, if only to get a reaction like that from her every move. 

She turned away, briskly walking back the way she’d come from, occasionally looking back at him like he would follow on her heels and make suffering her last thought as she left the world. 

Again, Luan might be getting ahead of himself, with the way his mind was running. Maybe she just felt worried about his mental stability. After all, he was a little messed up in the head. Probably. 

He leaned against the wall, sipping at his glass as he tilted his head back. The ceiling stretched far above their heads, seeming to go on endlessly in its quest to replace the sky. 

Lights flickered on every trellis, made to resemble candles with the way they glowed, dangling and glittering above the heads of partygoers. 

Looking back around at the people wandering by, Luan caught sight of a head of black hair. 

He knew that head. 

Arlan was quickly making his way towards one of the side doors, glancing behind himself as he went, eyes darting back and forth with each turn of the head. 

Luan frowned, standing straight as he went after the man. Arlan always seemed so suspicious everywhere he went, as if he held all the secrets, and everyone that wanted one was after him for it. 

People scooted by as he passed them, leaving the half drunk glass on one of the waiter's trays as he went by. 

The door was unassuming, presumably meant for the staff that was catering to the whims of the rich back in the big open room he’d just left. No one was in the smaller halfway it led off to at the moment, not even the one Luan had followed in the first place. There were only two options for which way Arlan could have gone, and seeing as it wasn’t any real emergency, Luan just chose one at random. 

He went left, carpet softening his footfalls as he walked, keeping an eye out for anyone that might try to cause him trouble for wandering the large venue without a real reason. Looking for his brother was a real reason, though, right? Yeah, it made sense. He’d just use that. 

No none came to obstruct his chosen path, though, as he came up a hallway filled with different doors. Checking in the first one on the right, he found a small storage room, cleaning supplies littering every free piece of the tight space. 

The next one down was a bathroom, fancy enough for a random guest in search of a place to relieve themself, while also not taking up much space. 

Mostly, just a bunch of useless rooms filled with things that made this place as nice as it was. 

Further down, he came to a room with light seeping out underneath, voices low and hushed as they slipped past the closed edge. 

He leaned close, curiosity forcing him to check it out. 

Though it came through muffled, he managed to catch some of the words. 

“....are….sure? I know, okay?” 

“Do you?” 

“Of….not…problem…..It’s in…..wine…explosi..on.” 

Auctions start….back…”

Two people were talking, clipped conversation, making its way past the soundproofing that wasn’t really doing its job well. 

Something was being planned, and from what he’d heard, it wasn’t going to end well for the party. 

And he knew who the second voice belonged to. 

Arlan was there. 

And he was talking about something that would definitely get him in trouble, if anyone found out. Luan was considering blackmail, just a bit. Arlan could really use a little more trouble in his posh life, and he’d made sure Luan was aware of the differences in their status at every turn, so Luan wouldn’t really feel bad if he got caught doing something illegal. 

To be considered, for sure. 

And now he had to stay alert because there might be a bomb, or poison in the wine, or something. Anything could be bad, so maybe just stay near the exit and not touch any more of the delicious food and drinks. 

Stupid Arlan, costing Luan his chance at enjoying flavor town at this boring party with a creepy alpha who was probably looking for him right now. 

One upside, now Luan didn’t feel like he had to tell Arlan anything about the Mira situation from last night. 

He had ammo, and Arlan would have to let it go now.