Chapter 187: Quiet Before the Storm
Vivian’s POV
While Zahliver buried himself in mountains of reports and pack documents, I took the chance to slip quietly into the vast walk-in closet. Our heavy luggage sat neatly in the corner, untouched since we arrived late last night. I reached for the garment bag that hid my dress and pulled it free from where it hung high on the rack. I wasn’t worried about wrinkles at all. Honestly, I didn’t care. It was safely protected by the thick black covering, and unless Zahliver got curious enough to unzip it himself, he wouldn’t see a single thing.
I placed the matching high heels on the shelf above and gently laid the masquerade masks on top. Everything was ready.
Across from mine, his tailored suit hung in its own sleek black bag. Just seeing it hanging there, untouched and waiting, made my stomach flutter nervously. We still had plenty of time before we had to get fully dressed, but I figured I might as well pull out my straightener and curler now. I hadn’t decided how I’d style my hair yet it had grown much longer since we first met. Now it reached well past mid-chest, soft and thick. I ran a hand through it absentmindedly, then felt a sudden urge to annoy him.
So I marched right out of the closet and threw myself directly on top of Zahliver’s broad back. His heavy shoulders tensed beneath me, but he didn’t say a word. The king-sized bed dipped low under our combined weight, sending a few of his precious papers fluttering to the floor. Still, pure silence.
Challenge accepted.
Poke.
Right cheek.
Poke.
Left cheek.
Poke.
Forehead.
Poke.
Stomach.
Poke.
Thigh.
Poke.
Back to the right cheek.
Poke.
Butt cheek. I grinned wickedly to myself.
He let out a low, half-defeated groan. "Okay!" he muttered.
He rolled over in one swift motion and pinned me beneath him, resting his heavy weight comfortably on top of me. His expression was completely unreadable calm and blank but the sudden warmth in his dark eyes gave him away. He was indulging me.
I laughed at the fake stern look he gave me. He knew I wasn’t going anywhere.
"Yes, Ms. Pokey?" he asked dryly.
I reached up and grabbed a loose strand of his long black hair, twirling it slowly between my fingers.
"You need a haircut," I said plainly, letting the dark strand fall.
He raised a brow, thoroughly intrigued. "Really?"
"Yes. I want my man looking extra sharp for tomorrow’s ball," I said seriously, meeting his gaze.
He leaned down and pressed his face into my neck, his warm lips brushing the sensitive spot just above his mark. My body responded immediately, shivering beneath his touch.
"I like how that sounded," he whispered against my bare skin.
"Me too." I wrapped my arms around his broad neck and brought our lips together soft, deep, and slow.
As long as he doesn’t shave it all off, a little trim could do wonders, my wolf mused casually, sounding oddly invested in Zahliver’s grooming routine.
He broke the kiss with a sharp bark of laughter and rolled off me onto his side. I let my eyes drift up toward the high ceiling and narrowed them in total exasperation.
Really? I muttered internally.
What? I’m just saying the truth, she replied instantly, completely unapologetic.
Couldn’t you have waited thirty seconds?
Nope. Had to sneak it in while his attention was elsewhere. You know what I
Yes. I get it, I cut her off with a heavy sigh.
Yeesh, someone’s cranky. Are you PMSing or just born this bitchy today?
You I growled, but didn’t finish the thought.
A long beat of silence passed between us.
"You know," Zahliver said, his deep voice full of amusement, "as entertaining as it is listening to you two argue internally, I’d prefer if you focused on the extremely attractive male currently gazing at you like you hung the moon."
I turned to look at him and, sure enough, he was resting up on one elbow, head propped up in his hand, watching me like I was the only thing worth seeing in the whole room. His blue eyes shimmered softly, full of quiet affection. My breath caught a little in my chest.
"Yes?" I asked softly.
He didn’t answer right away, but his lips curved into that slow, secretive smile that always did dangerous things to my heart.
I cleared my throat, desperately needing to ground myself. "So... just to make sure I’ve got tomorrow night completely right, stop me if I’m wrong."
He nodded once, signaling for me to go on.
"We arrive, announce ourselves, and do the rounds greeting everyone properly. Then later, we eat, mingle, and at some point you’ll have your official alpha meeting, and I’ll meet with the lunas. Then we end the night dancing, all while trying to actively prevent any brawls, bloodshed, or public meltdowns. Sound accurate?"
Zahliver didn’t speak immediately. He just kept looking down at me like I was the quiet calm before his storm.
Gods help me, tomorrow’s going to be interesting.
He reached out and caught a long strand of my hair between his fingers, rolling it lazily. His warm fingertips brushed my neck as he twirled the strand like it was the most fascinating thing in the entire world. Then, shifting closer, he leaned into me and rested his heavy head on my shoulder. It made me snort a little his body was way too massive for such an innocent gesture. He had to awkwardly adjust his lower half just to make it work, but still, he did it. Like I was his anchor in the chaos.
He shook his head softly in response to what I’d just laid out.
"And what, exactly, did I miss?" His deep voice rumbled low and amused against my skin.
"You conveniently skipped the part where we remind everyone how stunning and downright terrifying their Alpha and Luna are." I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "Or the bit where, if one of those entitled little Alpha brats dares look at you the wrong way, I "
His low growl was soft, but it still vibrated from his broad chest straight into mine, interrupting me.
I grinned up at him. "Then it goes both ways. If I catch a she-wolf even thinking about putting her hands on you, I’m not making any promises about staying civilized."
I wouldn’t be held responsible for what happened next.
But they definitely would.
His smirk was slow, wicked, and far too amused. "Duly noted, love."