Edward POV
Tucked away in a corner of the ballroom, I watch Macy. Severs walk by with trays of food and drink, but I don't dare eat or drink anything that is offered to me. Nor do I dance or mingle. Winston is not in sight, and I have to keep her safe.
She is glorious. Her laughter floats above the noise of the crowd and I can see the sparkling of her blue eyes from here. She looks like she is having the time of her life. Whenever the Fae man twirls her, her wings catch a slight breeze and lift her from the ground. I am jealous of the man in her arms. He is making her do something I cannot. Laugh.
A shimmer of gray catches my eye, Nyx storming through the crowd. She looks pissed. I smirk as she breaks up Macy's fun and chases off the Fae man. In an attempt to scold him she points a finger at his chest but he distracts her and runs away. Standing on her tiptoes, Nyx scans the crowd, looking for him, but he has disappeared.
Looking back to where Macy was standing, I see she has also disappeared. "Fuck," I grumble to myself.
I told myself I would not let her out of my sight. Since arriving in the Immortal Realm, I have felt uncomfortable. We were told there was a Lycan Kingdom here, but I have yet to see one Lycan. I need to get Macy out of here and take her home.
Pushing my way through the crowd, I search for her. The Fae look me up and down. There is curiosity in their eyes, but none dare to speak to me. I catch a glimpse of red, and it disappears through the main door. It has to be her.
Destin has been missing from the ballroom all night. Macy has gone after him. Why else would she leave the ballroom? I know she cares for him. I just don't know how much. The fact that he was introduced as one of her mates tonight tells me she must have chosen him in our absence.
Before I can reach the door, two Fae women step in front of me. Both are blonde and beautiful. They would have tempted me several months ago, but not now. Nodding to them politely, I try to step around them, but they spread their wings, stopping me.
The first giggles when I accidentally brush against her tan wings. "Careful," she smiles. "My wings are ticklish."
"Sorry," I grumble.
"We have never seen a lycan so close before," she steps into my space.
"How terrible for you," I respond dryly. "If you will excuse me, I am looking for my mate."
The second runs a long finger around my tie. Cringing at her touch, I step away. "I have heard lycan men are well endowed," the second giggles.
"We were hoping you could show us," the first giggles.
"I have a mate," I grind out. "You will have to find another lycan to show you."
They push out their full bottom lips in an identical pout. Desperation is rolling off them in waves. I shove them aside and walk past. I can hear them gasp with irritation behind me, but I don't care.
I lift my nose into the air and search for her chocolate scent. It is faint, but I can make it out. Following it through the maze of hallways, it is strongest by the back door. We were warned about going outside at night. There is no moon in the Immortal Realm. The door swings open, and Destin comes in from outside, but she is not with him. "Where is Macy?"
"Who?" He slurs. He is drunk.
"Macy," I shout. "She is not with you."
"She is dancing," he stumbles and falls against the wall.
"No, she isn't," I say.
A breeze from the night blows through the door, and it carries a scent of chocolate. I run outside, ignoring the warning about the dangers that lurk in night. It is pitch black with no moon to shine down onto the ground. I have to rely on my lycan's sense of smell and sight to find her.
Footsteps are following me, but I don't know if they belong to Destin or to someone else. They might belong to the creatures that I have been told will kill me, but I don't care. I have to get to Macy before they do.
A scream pierces the night, and I know it belongs to her. I shift, but without a moon to power me, it is painful. The pain is unbearable, and I fall to my knees. Another scream echoes through the trees, and it is enough to get me back onto my feet.
Dever doesn't stop running. The pain is worse than my first shift, and it is lingering. It is enough to slow Dever down. I watch through his eyes as he weaves in and out of the trees, hissing with step. I urge him to go faster, but he only growls at me in response.
'Stop,' I shout to him. 'Over there.'
Dever skids to a stop and turns to the left. I can barely see her in the darkness. A creature that is not human or Fae even though it appears to be. Massive wings hang behind her, dripping with black blood. The scent of her is overpowering, but I can smell chocolate in the mixture. Macy is here, but the darkness is shrouding her.
"Arabella," Macy pleads. "I am here to help you."
"I think I would rather steal your soul," the creature laughs.
"Please," Macy begs.
I see her now. She is pinned to the ground under the creature. Her face is muddied, and blood trickles from her forehead over her eye. Dever growls, drawing the creature's attention.
"It isn't possible," the creature gasps.
Dever does not give her a chance to explain what is not possible. Lunging toward her, he knocks her onto the ground. She tries to claw her way out from under him, but he is too strong. Opening his mouth wide, drool drips from his fangs onto the creature's face. The black veil covering her face blows off, revealing the face of what used to be a Fae.
'Wait,' I try to command Dever, but he isn't listening.
His fangs sink into her throat and he bites down. Her thick blood fills his mouth, and he gags at the taste. He can no longer hold the shift and he gives me back control. I collapse on top of the creature and roll to the side.
"Edward," Macy shrieks.
I crawl toward her and rest my head on her lap. She brushes my hair out of my face and kisses me on the forehead. "That was really reckless," she cries.
"We can talk about reckless behavior later," I groan. "We need to get back to the palace. I don't think I can shift again."
"Shh," Destin whispers from behind me. "It is okay. You are free now."
I turn to see him cradling the head of the creature. He meets my gaze and his eyes are vacant. He just lost his mate. He will never be the same.