Apple Martini

Chapter 3 - Star's Alignment

The attendant appeared shortly afterwards, carrying a tray with a teapot, a pair of teacups, a pot of sugar and a jug of milk. Crossing the room, she placed the tray on the table in between Alpha Regan and Liana, the latter of whom just continued talking about something as if the other wasn't even there. Despite how visibly weak her hands looked, she still lifted and poured the piping hot green tea from the teapot into both cups with surprising efficiency - she had clearly done this many times before.

Turning his head from Liana for a moment - he didn't even know nor care for what she was going on about, something related to her most recent 23rd birthday party - Regan noticed the attendant's head was still bowed as she began to leave, and he spoke clearly to get her attention.

"Thank you."

The room suddenly fell silent for a moment as the attendant stopped in her tracks, her head jerking back towards him in what seemed like surprise. Liana had also stopped talking, looking confused and caught off guard by Regan's words.

The Alpha ignored Liana, gazing at her attendant to make it clear who he was talking to. Her posture resembling that of a deer in headlights, she bowed her head deeper in return, her movements trembling slightly as she rose again and returned to the side of the room.

Ryker released a noise of sympathy as they watched the woman go, before Regan transferred his attention back to the she-wolf opposite him.

In spite of her attempts to conceal it, irritation flashed in Liana's brown eyes as she practically glared at the veiled woman, and Regan felt frustration begin to bubble up inside him in response. He emitted a polite cough to bring the she-wolf's attention back to him.

"You were saying, Liana?"

Liana's head jerked back to him, the irritated look evaporating instantly as the smile returned to her face.

"Oh, yes. As I was saying, the bakery was out of strawberries thanks to the crop infection, and so my birthday cake this year was made of a mixture of other fruits at last minute. I asked my dad why we couldn't have just imported the strawberries this year from beyond, but..."

Once again, Regan leaned back and gradually tuned out Liana's chatter. Rather, he reached for the teacup, tried to maintain some amount of eye contact and nodding with the girl so it at least appeared as if he was listening to what she was saying, and at the same time lifted the cup to his lips, blowing on the surface lightly before taking a sip.

The warmth and bitterness of the green tea spread through his body, and Regan couldn't help emitting a soft sigh as his tense form relaxed.

What he wouldn't give to have tea like this after every stressful meeting back at the Black Sun Pack. If it was something the attendant didn't mind doing...

His mind was snapped back to the present as some coughing sounds came from the she-wolf opposite him.

Liana had just taken a sip of the green tea, and appeared to be caught off guard, possibly unused to such a level of bitterness. Alpha Regan noted the girl's wide eyes and the way her smug demeanour was suddenly flustered, and he tried not to crack a smile.

A flicker of something passed through the other's eyes before she placed down her teacup. She rose and turned to her attendant, who was still standing behind near the entrance to the kitchen with her head bowed.

"May I talk to you for a moment, Ethelline?"

The girl's head jerked up beneath the veil, and she gave a slight nod.

Liana briefly smiled back at Regan.

"I'll be right back in a few minutes, Alpha Regan. Please wait here."