Chapter 3: What's His Problem?
1930 Words
Vivian
I'd never met Finn directly. When I was younger, his father came to meet with my father but I still heard his name in passing. Annoyingly, my father gushed over him all the time.
“Finn grew Shadowmoon from two branches to four, something his father never did."
“Shadowmoon is the largest organization in the world, that makes Finn the most powerful shifter in the world."
“He's as ruthless as they come, but there's no man better for the job and we're all in good hands while he heads Shadowmoon."
Sometimes it felt like my father would have preferred Finn Riker to be his son instead of the two daughters he had.
For all the praise my father gave him, I barely knew anything about the leader of Shadowmoon. I didn't think anyone did, except for his inner circle. There were some rumors about him being married but if he was at the Solstice Ball, alone, that seemed unlikely.
Why did I even care?
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and glanced back in his direction. He still scowled at me. Even from across the ballroom, I could see how bright his eyes were, his wolf just under the surface.
A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed hard and looked away again. Why would someone I'd never spoken to before be so angry at me? I could still feel his eyes burning into the back of my neck like laser beams.
“Viv, are you okay?" Marian popped up beside me and handed me a glass of wine.
“Yes, please!" I grabbed it and took a large gulp.
Marian giggled. “What's gotten into you? You were enjoying yourself when I left. Now you look like you're ready to leave."
“I am. And I would if Dad wasn't still mingling."
“You're giving up on finding your mate?" She frowned and looked around the room. “I mean, there are to be some males you haven't danced with yet."
“I'm just not feeling it anymore." I took another deep sip from my wine glass.
“Can you hold it together long enough to chat with a few old friends?" Marian waved over my shoulder at someone I couldn't see. “Jessica and Regina are here. We haven't seen them in ages."
“Yeah, okay."
Before I could stop myself, my eyes flicked across the ballroom again. Finn still stood in the same spot. Arms crossed over his broad chest; one leg bent against the wall. He looked almost casual and relaxed, except for the deep glare contorting his face.
I gasped and looked away again when I saw his bright, glowing eyes still fixed on me.
“Hey, you two. Haven't seen you since high school graduation," Jessica gushed. Her words sloshed a little, like the wine in her glass. There were a few faint red stains on her dress. I guessed from spilled wine.
“Dad keeps us busy," I forced a smile. I still felt Finn's eyes on me. His gaze made my skin feel tight and restless like it would wriggle away. I shuddered and shook my head.
“Have either of you found your mates yet?" Regina asked. She batted her thick, black eyelashes and looked down. Her brown cheeks tinged darker.
I smirked. “That smile must mean you found yours."
She giggled and covered her mouth with her hands. “Yeah. He's talking to my father now. He's so sweet and romantic."
“Really? You found a sweet, romantic mate with all the Shadowmoon, Sablepelt, and other organizations hanging around?" I arched an eyebrow.
“Vivian, cut it out!" Marian smacked my arm with the back of her hand. Her knuckles were sharp on my skin.
I glared at her and pressed my palm against the sore spot. “My apologies. That was uncalled for." I nodded respectfully to Regina.
I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and I knew exactly who was watching me. My wolf bristled, mirroring my agitation. I couldn't understand why he had such a grudge against me and I couldn't figure out why it bothered me so much.
It wasn't like I'd be obligated to talk to him, ever. We were in totally different worlds, thankfully.
Marian, Jessica, and Regina gushed over the attractive males at the ball. My mind wandered, and so did my eyes, all the way back to Finn. As soon as I found him, his eyes were on me again, that same surly look on his face.
My stomach squirmed suddenly and my wolf perked up.
“What is his problem?" I hissed.
“Whose problem?"
I turned and found Marian, Jessica, and Regina looking at me expectantly. I sighed and tossed my head in Finn's direction.
“He just keeps glaring at me. I don't know what I did to offend him."
Jessica giggled. “Finn Riker, head of all Shadowmoon. The way I hear it, you don't need to do anything to offend him. That's just his natural state of being."
“Hush, Jessica!" Regina snapped. “All of our families are interconnected with him. Say the wrong thing, and it won't end well."
I rubbed my hands on my arms until my skin warmed and turned red. I thought I might rub it right off. That would be the only way to stop it from squirming so much.
“Maybe you should go and talk to him," Jessica suggested.
I scoffed. “No, thank you. I'll leave the a** kissing to my father."
“Seriously, Vivian, what's gotten into you today?" Marian narrowed her eyes.
I really hated it when she did that. It was like looking into a mirror that glared back at me.
“I'm annoyed, I guess."
“Why?" My twin quirked an eyebrow.
Slowly, I cast my eyes around the room until they once again settled on Finn. It was like I was possessed. I didn't want to look at him but my eyes kept finding their way there. Surprise, surprise, he was still focused on me. I could practically feel the heat and venom emanating from his gaze.
“I've managed to piss off the most powerful shifter in the world by just being here. How is that fair?"
“I still think you should talk to him. My brother said that at last year's Solstice Ball, he made a two-minute appearance, didn't speak to or look at anyone, and then left. If he's paying that much attention to you, there has to be a reason," Jessica interjected.
“Whatever the reason is, I'm guessing it isn't good. Not with the look he keeps giving me and not with the line of business he's in." My eyes started to drift back toward him.
I bit down hard on my tongue and stopped myself from looking. What was wrong with me?
“You know that his business is what gets you dresses like that." Marian motioned to my tulle skirt. She wrinkled her nose ever so slightly.
I rolled my eyes. “That doesn't mean I have to like it or want to be a part of it."
“You don't seem to like anything today," Marian huffed and put her hands on her hips. “You don't like being the center of Finn Riker's attention, you don't like Dad's job, and you apparently don't even like the party. Not all of us get such luxuries."
Marian's words stung. My breath faltered and I looked away, chewing the inside of my lip.
“I'm sorry, I'm being a buzzkill, aren't I?"
“A little bit, yeah."
I smiled lightly and took Marian's hand. “Maybe I just need some fresh air. Hopefully, when I get back, his attentions will have moved on."
Marian shook her head. “Hey, if I had the boss of Shadowmoon or even one of his branch managers giving me that kind of undivided attention, this would be a very different conversation."
“Sorry, Sis, I don't find surly glares endearing. If he has a problem with me, he should confront it. If he doesn't, then he should stop being such a voyeur."
Marian, Jessica, and Regina laughed lightly, sharing nervous looks back and forth.
“Excuse me." A young man approached; a toothy grin smeared across his face. He walked right up to Marian and bowed. “Might I have this dance?" He held his hand out to her.
Marian flushed and looked at me.
“Go. Dance. Have a good time. That's why you're here."
Marian nodded. She took the offered hand and was swept onto the dancefloor. Sighing, I finished off my wine and looked at my old friends. No one had asked me to dance since Finn showed up and kept his eyes on me. What was that about?
“I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm just going to step out into the gardens." I set my empty wine glass aside and walked to the courtyard's French doors.
Just before I went outside, my eyes slipped toward Finn. He had turned slightly, in order to keep his eyes on me as I moved across the room. He'd been looking at me nonstop with that same angry scowl. Did he even care that he was drawing attention to himself?
I scoffed. Probably not. A guy like him didn't have to worry about what anyone else thought of him. I didn't know why he had to make it so obvious.
My wolf suddenly became more agitated. She paced and pranced and chafed. Her feelings took me over and she was adamant about returning to the ballroom. I turned around halfway before I got control of myself, and her.
I ignored her angst and walked into the enclosed courtyard. Butterflies fluttered around landing on flowers of all shapes and sizes. I went to a nearby lily and leaned in, inhaling the sweet aroma. A butterfly fluttered off the petals and right at my face.
Its wings tickled my cheek and I giggled, swatting gently at the insect to get it to fly toward the flowers, not me.
Heavy footsteps echoed on the cobblestones around me. I looked up as several suited men rushed into the courtyard. They were all dressed the same, in silk, black suits. Before I could move, they closed around me in a thick circle.
My heart hammered in my chest, jumping into my throat. These were the Shadowmoon shifters that arrived with Finn. I recognized their suits.
They all wore matching sunglasses, too, and I couldn't see their eyes or expressions beyond the thin lines they all kept their mouths in. Were they pissed at me too? I couldn't tell. All I knew was that I was surrounded and there was no way to slip through them. They stood shoulder to shoulder.
“Um… what's going on?" I chewed the inside of my cheek and absently wound the ribbons on my dress around my hands so tightly my fingers tingled with numbness.
None of them spoke. They stood still and silent. The only sounds were their rasping breaths and the buzz of bees in the garden.
Two of the men broke apart and someone strode into the center of the circle with me. Towering tall, with the same angry twist to his features, Finn Riker stood in front of me. He crossed his arms, his body casting a shadow over me.
I guess I was about to find out what his problem was with me.
- Writer
