The Alpha's Queen

Chapter 24: The Law of Right

Devany

Walking into the dining hall for the Full Moon feast felt like walking into the Auction. I might not be wearing a collar marking me as property, but they all thought I was an Omega. And to them, it was the same thing. Worse, even, because they believed the goddess had designed me to be used as they saw fit.

"Stop fidgeting," Pria whispered.

I glanced at Beckett's soon to be ex mate and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I just don't like being the center of attention."

Allie slid her hands under her thighs as she sat to smooth her pale blue gown as she sat down. As soon as Pria sat beside her, she reached for the other woman's hand under the table. They smiled at each other, and I wondered if they truly thought they were fooling anyone.

Pria turned her attention back to me. With her free hand, she gestured up and down my body. "I'm afraid you were made for attention."

Dropping my face in my hands, I groaned. "I told you it was too much."

"Hey, hey–" Allie tapped at my hands until I lifted my head. "Don't mess up your makeup. I worked too hard on that."

She painted my face like an artist, skillfully mixing and matching and shading colors until I almost didn't recognize the woman in the mirror when she was done. Somehow, she'd accentuated every single one of my best features, making them...more. The slight asymmetry in my top lip was gone. My eyes were brighter and bigger. Not a single blemish was visible through the perfectly applied foundation. I could only imagine the tips I would've brought in if I'd come into work looking like this every night.

Allie shook her head, making her golden hair shimmer in the candlelight. "I know what you're thinking, and you would make every head in here turn with or without makeup."

Pria mock pouted. "You're going to make me jealous."

I laughed, grateful they were with me to ease the tension. "Let's be completely honest. No one is looking at any of our faces in these dresses."

Both of them gave me wicked grins. Pria was a little less endowed in the chest region than Allie or me, making the low cut of her black dress appear elegant. The turquoise silk gown she'd let me borrow had not been intended for a woman with my assets, and I was afraid they would spill out every time I took a breath. It wasn't as bad as the get up they put me in at the Auction, but I'd rather have a neckline that went up to my chin than show this much cleavage.

"So..." I turned my wine glass in slow circles on the table as my eyes skipped across the crowd. There was only one face I wanted to see, but he wouldn't enter until later with the rest of the Alphas. "What happens at this thing?"

Pria cleared her throat. "Usually, nothing exciting. Over the years, it's served as a mixer of sorts. All the unmated wolves get to chat with each other. Get each other's scents."

"Oh." My fingers stilled. "So they can find each other during the run?"

Allie bit her lip as if to stop herself from laughing. I liked that about her. She always seemed like she was on the verge of a funny story.

"I suppose some of them do that, but mostly, it's so that they can find each other after the run. If they didn't find a mate."

"Come on," I groaned. "Spit it out."

Pria nudged her girlfriend and took pity on me. "How much has Beckett told you about the run?"

'When the run begins, I'll be on the other side of the mountain from you.'

One simple statement ripped away all my confidence, leaving me feeling as if a rug had been pulled out from under my feet. As long as he was with me, I was going to be safe from wolves like Jack, who I was certain would use the Mate Run as an excuse to do harm. No matter the politics involved. Of course, there was the even worse possibility that I actually found my mate, and if he wasn't...