The evening had approached.
Indianna felt sick as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, and it wasn't from her pregnancy. She was dressed in a dark red dress and had a simple pair of flats on. Her ankles were starting to become swollen and she was not going to risk wearing heels. She caressed her bump and sighed. It felt wrong to be dressing up for an evening that she was dreading, but they had to continue with the facade.
They had to keep Rogue happy, and unsuspecting.
"You look gorgeous." Greyson exited the bathroom, dressed only in a pair of blue jeans, and stopped behind Indianna, kissing her bare shoulder. "I wish you looked gorgeous under different circumstances."
Indianna smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You need to finish getting ready, Grey. I'm sure Rogue will be here soon."
Greyson closed his eyes and gently kissed Indianna's neck, sucking on her delicate skin, moving his lips up to her jawline, edging closer to her mouth.
"Greyson," Indianna whispered and leaned into his intoxicating touch.
"Don't," Greyson mumbled and his lips found hers. It was like muscle memory. Greyson knew every inch of Indianna and he would never forget even the tiniest of details about her. With his eyes still closed, he gripped Indianna tightly and lifted her up effortlessly, softly pushing her back up against the wall and securing her legs around his waist. "Give me one last distraction before we have to enter reality, sugar."
Greyson had barely finished his sentence when Indianna kissed him again. There was a fierceness to their exchange, their built up anxiety being expressed through their intense intimacy. The both of them were fighting for dominance with each other and the both of them were grateful that they were able to get so lost within each other that it could offer them a small respite from the real world.
But all good things had to come to an end.
"Grey-"
"Don't make me stop."
"You have too." Indianna opened her eyes and stared into Greyson's as he begrudgingly opened them. "We have to be ready for when he arrives." Indianna pushed Greyson's hair away from his face and gently held his cheek. "It's one night. We can get through this."
Greyson lowered Indianna to the floor and turned his back, his body suddenly very stiff and rigid. Indianna's gaze was immediately pulled to the scars that now dotted Greyson's body that now looked like a child who had scribbled over his skin with a knife.
Indianna swallowed and looked away. Instead she walked over to Greyson's wardrobe and selected a white shirt and handed it to him. He took it silently and slipped it on, covering his marked skin and wordlessly doing the buttons up, his tattooed fingers moving quickly, angrily.
"I'm going to need you tonight, sugar." Greyson's voice was tense and cold.
Indianna hadn't moved from next to him. She reached up and adjusted his collar, hoping her touch would soothe Greyson. "I'm here."
Greyson spoke slowly, anger and resentment lacing his voice. There's a very real chance that I could snap."
This would be the first time since Rogue released Greyson that they would be in each other's presence for an extended period of time. Greyson had so much anger built up inside him that he knew it wouldn't take much for Rogue to push him over the edge.
"I'm here," Indianna repeated softly. "And later, when this is all over, you can tell me how gorgeous I look when this dress is on the floor."
Greyson couldn't help but smile. "You could just show me now?"
"When the night is over," Indianna said with a chuckle.
"You're rather cruel for teasing me like that, sugar. I'll have to get you back for that."
Greyson had his usual smirk back and the look of ferocity in his eyes was gone. Indianna slipped her hand into his and she knew that for the majority of the night she wouldn't let go, for her sake and for Greyson's. They both needed each other tonight, and hopefully the effect they had on each other would be enough to keep their emotions in check and get the both of them through the most horrific Christmas dinner they were likely to ever experience.
"Are you ready?" Greyson asked.
"Are you?"
Greyson raised his eyebrows and squeezed Indianna's hand. "As I'll ever be."
"Then let's go."
The two of them exited Greyson's room and made their way downstairs, hand in hand. The house felt solemn. It was quiet, which was a rare thing considering their advanced hearing. Murmurs could he heard from the kitchen where Indianna and Greyson found Laura and Mark, Kirstie and Mac, Oscar, Ace and Harry talking quietly. All of them wore similar apprehensive facial expressions, but Laura smiled brightly when she looked at Indianna.
"My, you are glowing." Laura approached Indianna and embraced her, she then gently touched her bump. "I wish this was under different circumstances, dear."
"You didn't hug me and tell me I was glowing, mum," Kirstie called, trying to lighten the mood with humour.
"You're not seven weeks away from giving birth and dealing with the running of this pack, love," Laura called and she squeezed Indianna's hand comfortingly. "How are you?"
Indianna looked up at Greyson who was gripping her hand tightly, lips pressed firmly together. "Okay," Indianna said eventually. "Aren't we?"
Greyson nodded once.
"Do we know what time he is coming?"
At the mention of Rogue Harry slammed a glass down onto the kitchen counter, his knuckles turning white as he gripped it tightly. "Can two minutes not pass without the mention of him? We're going to have to endure him for a whole damn evening, we don't have to-"
"Harry!" Greyson said sharply, his voice raised and stern. Surprisingly, Harry stopped talking and looked at Greyson with narrowed eyes.
"What?" Harry spit out through clenched teeth.
"You need to remain calm tonight."
"Calm? You're really telling me to remain calm?" Harry hissed. "Are you fucking joking, Greyson? After all that he has done you want me to remain calm? I don't know how I'm going to stop myself from reaching across the damn table and ripping his head off if he even looks at Brooklyn. Don't you fucking telling me to stay calm-"
"Harry!" Indianna shouted, cutting Harry off. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a warning look, looking far from impressed. "Watch your tone when you're talking to Greyson. There is no need to be disrespectful. I will not allow it. I understand that you are angry, but that is no excuse to be rude to your Alpha."
Harry opened his mouth, looking like he was going to argue, but Greyson spoke before Harry had the chance.
"We are all stressed. We are all on edge and we all have reasons to hate Rogue. You are not the only one who has suffered at the hands of Rogue, Harry. I know Brooklyn has been through some horrific events and I know that you only care about her and no one else, but tonight you are going to not only think about yourself and your own feelings, you are going to take into account that other members of your pack will also be having one of the worst nights of their lives sitting alongside Rogue. They are going to be struggling to control their anger. They are going to be dealing with the same emotions as you, but they are going to deal with it, just like you are going to do because if we do anything but that then Rogue will make life even more hellish for us. And it's bad enough as it is. You are going to grit your teeth and deal with it. You are not going to argue with me and you most certainly are not going to argue with your Luna. Tonight is not the night to cross me, Harry. Do I make myself fucking clear?"
A deathly silence consumed the room. Greyson and Harry stared at each other, both dominant and both clearly trying to contain their anger and frustration. Harry was stubborn, he didn't want to give in, but Greyson's words had been soaked in power and authority that Harry felt himself being compelled to lower his gaze, his head bowing to the floor ever so slightly. It was the closest thing to a sign of respect that Harry was ever going to show, especially in front of a crowd of people. Harry's hands were clenched into tight fists by his sides, his hands shaking. Every fibre within him hated submitting, but Greyson was the Alpha and Harry had no choice but to obey, especially since Greyson had infused his words with so much power only an Alpha could have. Harry was bonded to the pack, and therefore Greyson and he couldn't go against his Alpha's, not when every muscle and nerve in Harry's body was telling him to submit to his leader.
Indianna had reached for Greyson's hands and he welcomed her touch eagerly. Just the simple feeling of her skin against his relaxed his mind and filled his head with a sense of serenity. Indianna was his drug, and without her he didn't know how he would cope. He knew that he most probably would have lunged at Harry if it wasn't for Indianna's delicate fingers intertwining with his. She held onto him with slight force, but he needed the firmness to keep him tied into reality and to stop his anger from taking over him, just like he was telling Harry to not do.
*You know he's just worried about Brooke,* Indianna said to Greyson through their mind link.
*And I'm worried about you, our children and the whole damn pack and I'm trying to keep it together so he can too,* Greyson said dismissively.