Lies in her lips

6

(Glaznia P.O.V)

After a few hours of well-deserved rest, the rumble in Denise’s stomach effectively served as our alarm clock.

"Seriously, Denise, go blow-dry your hair in the bathroom! I want to sleep," Aurora snapped, burying her face deeper into her pillow.

Denise merely smirked, continuing to run the loud dryer through her dark hair. I let out an annoyed groan and threw my pillow straight at her.

The suite gave us one massive shared bedroom. On the left side, right by the sunlit window, was a large wooden bunk bed for Alexandra and Aurora.

Denise and I were bunking on the right side, conveniently located near the entrance to our mini-kitchen.

"It’s too early! Show some mercy, it’s barely eight in the morning," Alexandra groaned from her mattress.

"Go cook something over there first. We'll head out later."

"I agree!" I added, flopping back down onto my bed. "If you’re that hungry, go ahead down to the buffet without us. We’re sleeping."

"Not a chance! We leave as a team," Denise countered, shutting off the dryer.

"I am not going down there alone to get interrogated by wolf elders. Besides, Delia has been pacing back and forth outside our door for ages."

Grumbling under my breath, I forced myself out of bed, threw another pillow at Denise's smug face, and headed into the bathroom to wash up.

After we washed up, changed into clean tunics provided by the pack, As soon as we stepped out into the hallway, Delia met us with a beaming smile and immediately fell into step beside us on our way to the kitchen.

"Good morning, sleepheads!" she chirped cheerfully. "I hope the room was comfortable. The elders are already gathering in the main hall, but Luna Leona ordered extra warm bread and honey tea prepared for you before the briefing starts."

"Delia, you might just be my favorite wolf in this entire pack," Denise declared, instantly perking up as the warm scent of bacon and fresh rolls hit our noses.

The room was vast, warm, and flooded with the rich, savory scents of roasted meat, freshly baked bread, and spiced broth. A long wooden island at the center held a sprawling buffet fit for a small army.

"I take back every bad thing I ever said about wolves," Denise declared, instantly grabbing a plate and heading straight for the roast turkey.

"Don't eat the whole table, Denise, we're guests," Aurora teased, though she was already piling fresh berries and cheeses onto her own plate.

I smiled, taking a seat at a quiet corner table with a warm cup of herbal tea, watching my sisters unwind.

For the first time in weeks, we weren't looking over our shoulders for vampire scouts.

That peace lasted about three minutes.

The double doors of the kitchen swung open, and the heavy, electric atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.

Alpha Demeter walked in, flanked by two pack warriors. He had swapped his armored coat for a dark, fitted tunic, though his presence was no less commanding.

His sharp gaze swept the room until it locked entirely onto Alexandra, who was currently reaching for a pitcher of fruit juice at the far end of the island.

“Here they comes” I whispered to aurora who is busy eating while watching them.

The air between them practically hummed.

Alexandra went completely rigid, her hand freezing inches from the glass pitcher.

She slowly turned her head, meeting his gaze with a defiant chin lift, though I didn't miss the faint tremor in her fingers or the sudden flush rising on her neck.

Demeter dismissed his warriors with a quiet wave and strode directly toward her. His eyes, though back to their deep charcoal hue, bore into hers with terrifying intensity.

"You're up," Demeter said, his voice a low, gravelly baritone that echoed in the quiet kitchen.

Alexandra retrieved the pitcher, pouring her glass with painstaking deliberation before facing him fully.

"Fascinating observation, Alpha. Do wolves always state the obvious, or is that just your personal charm?" She said.

Beside me, Denise choked on a piece of bread, while Aurora hid her snort of laughter behind her napkin.

Demeter’s jaw clenched, his golden flecks flickering for a brief second in his eyes before he suppressed them.

He took a single, deliberate step closer, invading her personal space until he was looking down at her.

“Most guests in my territory know better than to sharp-tongue the Alpha." He said.

We sat there with our mouths practically hanging open, taking in the chaotic show unfolding between Demeter and Alexandra.

"I love it," Aurora whispered to us, her eyes wide with absolute delight.

"And most Alphas know better than to growl at their guests and push them into trees," Alexandra countered smoothly.

crossing her arms and looking him dead in the eye without flinching an inch. "Yet here we are."

A heavy silence fell over the kitchen. I gripped my teacup, ready to intervene with a light barrier if things went sideways.

But instead of exploding, Demeter’s lips twitched into a harsh, amused line.

"You're insufferable," he muttered, though his gaze lingered on the curve of her throat, his chest rising and falling heavily as if struggling against an invisible chain.

"The feeling is entirely mutual," Alexandra replied, taking a slow sip of her juice.

Demeter stared at her for a moment longer—a silent, intense war raging behind his eyes—before he abruptly turned on his heel and grabbed an apple from a nearby basket.

"Breakfast with the elders is at dawn," he said over his shoulder, his voice tight as he walked toward the door. "Don't be late, Princess."

As the kitchen doors swung shut behind him, Alexandra finally let out a long, shaky breath, leaning her lower back against the wooden counter.

Aurora leaned toward me, whispering under her breath, "If that's how they talk when they hate each other, we're going to need earplugs when the prophecy actually kicks in."

"Lets take a bet for ten thousand says they either kiss or burn the table down before noon," Denise muttered back, keeping her voice low while casually stealing a piece of bacon off Aurora's plate. "Either way, best breakfast show ever."