Lola walked past the swaying gowns, the spilling champagne, and the crystal that clinked in the air as they cheered for this happy occasion.
Some had shifted into wolves and were roaming around the ground knowing that they were safe here, it was secluded away from the town and its human inhabitants, and the gate guard wouldn't let anyone in tonight.
Lola watched as the wind blew through their furr and they ran freely with not a care in the world and let their wolves live out their energy- jumping in the air and running, as fast as they could, through the forest and back.
"Wow," Melissa said beside her as they gawked from the hill.
Lola turned, her eyes fell in worry and she looked around for Ed.
"Where is he, what happened?" she asked.
Melissa grabbed her arm and calmed her nerves with a soft smile.
"He went home but he's not leaving anymore. He's staying right here, with me," She smiled.
Lola laughed, even if she couldn't be happy for herself, she could certainly be happy for her best friend who deserved all the happiness in the world.
"Did Ash find you before"? Lola asked when she pulled back.
Melissa frowned and opened her purse- the pendant lay on the bottom under her phone and Lola winced.
"He did, I'm so sorry it hurt you again but I've been thinking, there has to be some information on why it's hurting you, doesn't there?"
Lola shrugged her shoulders and watched as Melissa closed her purse and held it at her side.
The loud voices around them paid them no mind, it was like they were shadows in the corner of a room, unbothered and alone.
"Maybe but where would we find it?" she asked.
"I'll look around and see if I can't find anything. Google might know something about the hexed pendant given to us by a deranged stranger," she grinned.
"You do that and let me know what you find." Lola laughed.
They hugged each other goodbye and Melissa left to go and see Ed and discuss his new job.
The hurry in Melissa's steps was admirable, she couldn't wait to jump into his arms and discuss his future in Wild Cliff.
Lola watched as she disappeared into the mansion and knew she wouldn't hear the car drive off as she left the gated community.
She looked around at everyone, it went by like a daze, beautiful people swinging to music- talking and walking and laughing like it were the best times of their lives. Their perfectly painted lips pulled back in big smiles and she saw Lavina in the midst of them, tossing her hair and her eyes glittering in joy.
The smell of alcohol and perfume blended together amidst the crowd of people- their eloquent movements and gentle swats pressed her further back, away from everything that she felt she was not.
As though she was bewitched, watching her life from the sidelines, she couldn't bring herself to try and fit in- because she didn't know what to fit in with.
This was not her, she wasn't the elegant beauty that many here seemed to admire, she wasn't fierce like a warrior or strong like a werewolf. She was human, she was a Doe but she was human. She might heal but there was nothing that could compare her to a wolf or a vampire.
Of the two supernatural creatures that she stood in the middle of, she was the least impressive yet she was the one they all yearned for, the wolves just didn't know it.
Through the crowd parting ways to let him pass, she saw Jax walking over with his eyes fixated on hers. They lowered- his gaze- down to her lips that pouted, moist from the champagne she'd sipped on and she pressed herself back against the tree behind her.
A warmth flushed her cheeks and heated her core as he saw him walking closer with determination. Even though they tried stopping him on the way, grabbing him, and talking to him, Jax kept walking with a goal in mind.
Those eyes with which he gazed upon her, she recognized them more as who he really was, when the other look didn't take over and change him completely.
"My wife," he said and cupped her cheeks as he reached her.
"My husband," she cooed, "why this sudden change in personality?" she asked with a grin.
He breathed her in, his thumbs played on her cheeks in rough strokes and he leaned down, his lips hovered over her neck.
"Maybe I had a change of heart."
"Did you?" She asked.
Jax sighed, he shook his body in preparation and hung his head.
"No, I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I don't know- I have no idea what got into me but it won't happen again. Please forgive me?" He whispered and pressed a kiss just below her ear.
There was a slight hitch in her voice but she brushed it off and hoped he hadn't heard it. She felt the warmth seep through her and down her core when his tongue slid down her neck and his lips closed just under her jaw.
"Ash," it came out a moan as she pressed on his chest.
What he was doing was not aiding in Lola finishing their conversation, he was impairing her judgment with his touch that had her body wanting to surrender to him.
"Say that you forgive me. Please, Lola." his breath fanned her neck and her eyes rolled back into her head as his hands roamed down the creases of her dress.
"Of course I do," she said in a breath.
Jax leaned up with a smile and a devious glint in his eyes.
"Come with me." He grabbed her hand and they walked into the house.
He guided her through the mansion and quickly turned a corner into the living room when a group of people exited the kitchen. He had Lola pressed against the wall, keeping her put with his body against hers and his finger covering her lips.
He towered over her, watching his finger slide down her lips and her eyes drowning in his.
The group of people were grabbing more champagne before leaving the mansion and Jax hurried away with Lola tugging behind him- they were about to head for the stairs when two voices boomed in laughter and Jax pulled Lola in through the first door they saw.
They were laughing, silently and trying to make as little sound as possible as the voices got louder.
Jax grabbed Lola's face in his hands and she looked around at the coats that hung around them, they were in one of the coat closets and Lola could barely contain the laughter that rose in her throat.
"Shh." Jax grinned and slowly began to roll up her dress.
"Jax-"
He shook his head and covered her mouth with his hand.
"Not a sound," He whispered.
Her eyes flickered to the door when she heard a woman's voice.
Her eyes narrowed and cocked her head to the side- she recognized that voice and it only took a few more words for Lola to realize whose voice that was.
It was Lavina on the other side of the door, talking to one of the other women.
Lola looked in panic at Jax but his grin deepened and his eyes turned dark in a lust that slowly consumed him.
"Ignore it." He whispered huskily against her ear and slid his hand between her legs.
All worries went away, everything that had occupied her mind was shrinking into nothingness as he moved her panties aside and he rubbed his fingers over her clit.
Jax's hand was still covering her mouth and he smiled when her moans pressed against his palm.
He leaned down to her ear- loving the way that her legs were beginning to shake and her body pressed against his.
"I'm going to fuck you and you will stay quiet. Not a sound, do you understand?" he removed his hand from between her legs and pulled down the straps of her dress.
He shot her a knowing gaze, waiting for an answer with a smirk that only grew deeper and a playfulness in his eyes that blended nicely with dangerous darkness that was far too new for Lola to understand.
Jax took her nipple between his fingers and twisted it gently.
"Yes." She whimpered when he removed his hand from her mouth.
He twisted her nipple slightly harder, enough to make her wince, and rubbed his thumb over her lips.
"Good girl."