Word Count: 1635

~Kezziah

I can't predict what is going to happen tonight.

Three days has past from Cian's proposal. He will keep me safe, and in return, I will attend this party on his arm tonight. I'm not particularly fond of the idea, and I'm unsure of what will happen as a consequence, but I need this. If he keeps me safe, I can escape, find freedom, and Avia. I can finally right everything.

"I picked out your outfit for tonight," Cian tells me, turning around with a dress in hand. "Since you don't exactly have the resources to get yourself one."

By the expression on his face, it's obvious he found enjoyment in dictating what I were to wear tonight. He has brought me to faceless room somewhere I'm unfamiliar with. Whether it be in the mortal realm, or the immortal realm, Cian has chosen to keep that from me. And with a lack of windows in this ill furnished room, I have no idea where I am. All I know is he transported me here, which is a mode I'm not so unfamiliar with.

"So kind of you," I mutter, taking the dress in my hands.

Admittedly, it's beautiful. The entire dress, which will surely reach my ankles, is a stunning royal blue, the fabric, like satin underneath, overlayed with chiffon slips through my fingers. The expensive is evident, whether it be from the gossamer sleeves, or the crystal bodice.

Whatever this party involves, it's high class. It's for people with wealth. I'm not surprised by that, considering how Cian presents himself. I doubt he would make an appearance at anything other than a party molded by luxury and social class. I'm more concerned with who else will be attending.

"Why are you taking me?" I question, as Cian turns his back to me. An open invitation to safely remove my clothes.

I watch him shrug, as I unzip my jacket. "No one ever expects me to have a date."

Pulling my pants down to my ankles, I turn my back to him. I wonder who he is trying to impress. Perhaps another female he is interested in? A family member? Part of me doesn't want to know.

"I have to be back by morning," I remind him.

He doesn't say anything. I quickly step into the dress, and slide it up over my shoulders. It fits so immaculately, I consider suspicion. However, I pull my hands behind my back to zip it up. And of course, I can't reach the zip placed just above my backside. Sighing deeply, I whirl back around to Cian.

"A little help?" I ask, beckoning him to turn back around to me. He does so, a feline like smile stretching over his features when he realises my predicament.

His fingers are ice cold, as he turns me around, pulling the zip securely up to where it reaches the dresses finish in my mid back. Instead of pulling away, those chilling fingertips tracing the lines of my brand.

"He's like an artist, isn't he," Cian breathes. I flinch away, whirling around. "Don't look so offended. It suits you."

"A broken nose would suit you," I snap.

Cian shakes his head at me, not impressed by my outburst. Reaching behind him, he pulls something out from his back pocket. It's a small rectangle piece of silk with two pieces of string attached to each side. Without a spoken work, Cian wraps the silk over my nose and mouth, covering the entire lower half of my face.

"I can't trust that mouth of yours won't get you into trouble tonight. Or me," Cian murmurs, adjusting the piece of fabric accordingly. I can feel the weight of some pattern stitched into the silk.

My protests - which are pertinent the moment he placed the fabric over me - struggled to make it out of my mouth, caught despairingly on the tip of my tongue.

Magic.

I'm going to kill him. Before that, though, I have to get through this, talking or not. At least I don't have to make excuses for why I am there. Nor do I have to seem intimidated by the guests. But that doesn't mean I won't be stomping on Cian's toes under a table at any chance that I get.

"It suits those azure eyes, pretty girl," he offers, to which I simply scowl. "Everyone is going to love you."

I want to ask who that entails. Of course, I can't...

After supplying me with shoes much too high to be comfortable, and giving me time to reluctantly braid my hair up into an updo I learnt from my mother years ago, Cian waved an empty compliment in my direction - as if to sate me - and we go on our way. Wherever that would be. Nowhere I know.

Cian keenly uses his transporting abilities to move us from the dress room, to the front of an unfamiliar building.

It's a magnificent structure, that has no relation in any degree to something I've seen before. We stand on the edge of it, a path layen from pure marble leading up to doors in the distance. Six large white pillars, the main structure for the roof above us, following the path to the main building. It's beautiful.

I'm mesmerised, for a moment, which remains fleeting as Cian hooks his arm around me, and leads me toward the door. I want to question where we are. The air smells sweet, like spring flowers and fresh cut grass, and the temperature is pleasantly balmy.

Beside us, as we walk, is two long, thin pools of water, rippling under the falling sunlight, the surface glowing pink and gold as a result.

An idea comes to mind.

Harmony Pack. This was the last Pack I was in before I was found and taken to Alden's institute. I remember the freshness, the perfection. This place is build from magic. Avia's warning about constantly being listened to echos in my mind. Is that why Cian doesn't want me to speak? Or are we about to meet the creator of this place?

At the door, Cian doesn't bother knocking. He pushes it open, leading me inside with him. I have barely enough time to admire the inside, as he continues toward a closed door, which he propped open, letting me walk into first.

Immediately, I'm almost lost in a surge of people. An entire room full of them, holding wine glasses, dressed beautifully, talking animatedly. However, men and women alike, some with cloths over their faces, some without.

What is this?

"Mortals and immortals," Cian whispers in my ear, as he pulls me deeper into the crowd.

I'm repulsed. Is this some kind of sick immortal tradition? To stop mortals from talking? I want to protest, but of course, I cannot. I'm distracted, for a moment, as Cian leads me throughout the room, to another. It was once we reached the door, that I realised someone was following us.

Cian walks into a side room first, leading me in after him. And following behind us, another figure.

Alpha Noah. Of the Harmony Pack.

I know him from the few classes I took here in the Harmony Pack. So startling green eyes, which in person, are so much more intense, and almost slightly intimidating. The ebony hair upon his head matches to his suit, and the shirt underneath. I'm so surprised he is here, I can barely breath, the silk seeming to stick to my mouth and nose.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Noah growls, slamming the door behind him so hard, I flinch. I want to apologise him, as if I have disrespected him as an Alpha already. As much as he may be an Alpha I trust the least, I'm not going to cross him.

Cian doesn't let me go, as much as I tug at his arm. "Well, I'm here to talk to you, Noah."

A muscle in the Alpha's jaw ticked. I thought this would be a party I agreed to, not a meeting with an Alpha that would put me one their bad side. Alden already surely despises me. I don't need another.

"How did you get into this Pack?" Noah questions, folding his arms tightly over his chest. "This gathering is for all immortal aside from your kind."

Cian places his hand on his chest, mocking offence. "You wound me, Alpha. Listen, it's not that hard to mask myself behind a mortal. Knowing other immortals would be here, I could assume you wouldn't notice. Since you're so convinced I'm impossible to talk to.

Oh. That's why I'm here.

"I don't want to talk to you," Noah snaps. "You have nothing to offer me that would make me give you what you want."

I feel Cian tense. As frightened as I am, I take a small amount of glee knowing he's not getting what he wants. As Greed, he can hardly be pleased about this. I don't know the History behind Noah and Cian's realtionship. But something tells me I'm about to find out.

"It's not your right to do this," Cian seethes. He's livid. Genuinely livid.

"I'm protecting her," Noah growls. "She's my mate too. And she's here, in my Pack, where she belongs. Now leave. We have nothing else to discuss."

I freeze. Did I just hear that right?

Cian, one of the Seven Sin's, as Greed, shares a mate with Alpha Noah, of the Harmony Pack.

🖤••💙

If you guys want more of Alden, the rest of available now on Radish (:

Sinful's own story is up now on Radish! I wanted to make it apart of the Seven Sins series (which will have stories involving Cian and other characters you've seen before)

Hope you like (:

Instagram: Sophie_Midika

~Midika 💜🐼