But is it a Miracle?

Chapter 15- Happy New Year

Marigold POV

I was so glad I'd apparently aced my interview with Erik Brighton. I had nearly given up.

This was for maintaining a website and processing communication and payments for orders that catered to a workshop that created handcrafted furniture and textiles. The work was 100% remote, since the company had recently converted from archaic handwritten, well, everything, to electronic. They had been looking for people to help manage their website, since their webmaster was finding himself preoccupied with other projects.

I was so relieved that I had managed to find something, finally.

Jin-Yeon seemed quite pleased with it as well, since he'd been worried about the hours I was working and my boss' behavior. He was alternating between human and cat form, weirdly. You'd think he'd stay in human form now that I knew, but he loved to curl up against my stomach and purr. I guess it allowed Wolgwang, who insisted I call him Wolg like Jin did, a chance to be half-out, at least.

Erik wanted me to start in the second week of January, after the new year. It was New Year's Eve, and Jin had insisted I come to his apartment to celebrate. Something about meeting some important people. I was nervous. He was going to send me the address in the evening, and had gone home, giving me time alone that was rare since I'd met him, if you count his presence as a cat.

I stood in my underwear, wondering what to wear as I flipped through my dresses. What I wore on Christmas was really my most festive dress. I tapped my chin, then dug deeper. I'd had one friend in college that my family had heartily disapproved of. Her name was Indigo Sephiran, but she'd disappeared in third year, leaving me a letter that said she had to leave in order to stay safe. She's probably the only person I'd love to reconnect with. Indigo had often tried to dress me up and take me out, and the dress I was looking for had been a birthday gift not long before she left.

It still had the tags on. Crazy! I could probably sell it as a vintage dress. I shook it off. I needed a hot dress for my man, and I wanted to look good. I pulled the mini-dress out. It was fitted with a scooped neck and slightly puffed cap sleeves, and it hit mid-thigh. Made of deep plum stretch satin, it was edged with black tulle, and the ruched empire bust made my boobs look amazing. It was piped in black satin, with black floral embroidery from hip-to-hem on the right. It had a slit nearly to the hip on the right. The back was scooped to just under the shoulder blades.

I dug out a pair of strappy black sandals I'd bought and regretted wearing to a staff event once Mr. Demsey eyed me. I'd not worn them again, but I hoped to get an even better response from my man. My mate. I shivered and Byeol purred. I added sheer black hose as I stared at myself in the mirror, contemplating my hair.

I want him to be unable to stop looking at our neck, Byeol growled.

I like it, I agreed with a grin. Twisting my long hair into a high, loose, and messy bun with two black hair sticks. Easy to take down if he wanted to. Byeol purred in agreement.

I did my makeup darker than usual, a champagne and black cut crease with shimmery champage-nude lip gloss that was an amazing, delicious vanilla. I am not one for flavored lip gloss, normally, but this one I absolutely loved. I dusted some champagne shimmer over my cheeks, forehead and chin before nodding in approval. I looked pretty damn good.

We certainly do, Byeol agreed.

It was almost eight PM, and I hadn't really eaten all day, feeling a little off. Jin had said he would have food at his place, so I decided to not stress it as a ping with his address came in, and a text.

Come over any time, beautiful. My door is always open for you, and you can stay as long as you like. Even forevver. It read.

Oh my goodness! My cheeks flushed.

He says that now, but he already bound us the night we met, Byeol huffed. Something about him making the decision for her bothered her, clearly. Of course, his tiger has yet to prove his masculinity and virility to me! This is very necessary, given that we- Suddenly. she stopped speaking.

That we what? I pressed, eager to hear more about us. There was so much I didn't know.

I'm sorry, Marigold, now is not the time, I can't share everything until I know it's safe, she cringed. Strangely, it didn't bother me like it should. She was part of me, so I doubted she would do anything bad. It affected her just as much as it did me.

Why does he need to, err, prove his... virility? I mean , I think he's proved it pretty well already, right? My cheeks flushed as I thought of Jin's body and what he did to me with just one touch.

Not just that! She groused. With shifters, he has to prove I can rely on him to protect me, establish dominance. You may not be so dominant, but I am, she huffed. He has to pin me, she growled in excitement. Oh boy. But I have to shift first for that to happen, so I'm not really mad, I just need that from him, you know?

Okay, Byeol, I get it, I placated. She huffed at me again.

You'll see when it happens, why it was necessary, she said saucily, and you'll love it.

Deciding it was time to check out this address, I just left our conversation at that. She'd said she didn;t talk much, but so far she was pretty noisy, to my thinking. Maybe she meant for a cat?

Tiger, she growled out. See? I've got my own personal peanut gallery.

My jaw dropped as I checked the address while I spritzed Happy over myself. I double-checked it and I began to laugh. Belly laugh, bent over. This sneaky fucker! He was literally my neighbor, living above the bar next door!

Oh well, at least I didn't need an Uber or to walk far. He'd given me a code for the elevator inside Sanguinity. When I flashed my ID, the bouncer let me in without pause, making the other patrons complain. I smirked. When I walked to the elevator, a pretty woman with dark brown hair in a ponytail and black staff outfit stopped me angrily just as I punch in the top floor, which was listed as "3," and punched in the code.

"What do you think you're doing?!" She exclaimed. The bar was just getting ready to let in patrons. They officially opened for New Year's at eight-thirty PM. She must think I snuck in or something. "How did you ge the code?!" She shrieked, apparently drawing the attention of another employee. Oh, Mike. I doubt he remembers me, though.

"Oh, Jin-Yeon gave it to me." I answered, thinking that would be the end of it. Nope.

"There's just no way," she said, her eyes raking over me in disdain. Oof. She likes him. I knew that body language.

"Actually..." Mike started. "He told me to let her upstairs, Heather." He finished lamely, avoiding my eyes. Gosh he needed to get over himself. Did he think I took his flirting seriously? Bleh. As the elevator door pinged open, I stepped on and turned to a frozen... Heather?

"Nice to meet you, Heather. Have a nice night, now." I waved as the doors closed, seeing her try to dart in, only to be stopped by Mike. I take that to mean she'd never been to her boss' apartment. I almost felt bad, except knowing Jin, if he wanted her, that would have already happened. Not my fault she had an unrequited crush.

I could eat her, Byeol offered, making my laugh. It's what she said every time someone pissed me off, and somehow, always fixed my mood.

I stepped off the elevator to the hallway of what was clearly a penthouse of sorts, with dark wood herringbone flooring and deep taupe walls decorated with champagne metallic swirl patterns dotting the walls in such a way you knew they were hand painted. I felt oddly outclassed as I approached the double doors.

Nobody can outclass us, Byeol huffed, Well, except maybe the Luna Queen and her mates.

I took a deep breath and knocked, observing that the same ivory pendant lights in the bar hung from the vaulted ceiling to illuminate the hall. the door opened, showing a man that looked strangely familiar, but I knew for certain I didn't know him. He grinned and bowed.

"Hello, Luna, I'm Cha Hyun-su, your Gamma." He rose with a wink. "Your sworn protector, whether you want one or not." He quipped, holding the door open as he gestured me through. The place was beautiful and looked like it cost a fortune. I spied Jin-Yeon across the great room area speaking with Tae-Yeon. "Boss!" Hyun-su called. "Your wifey is here." Jin spun around and was next to me in a flash. Right, shifter speed. I was really going to have to go over a list of what was real and not compared to fiction. I'm sure there were some pretty significant differences.

"Marigold." He breathed out as he mashed his face into my neck. I could see Tae-Yeon roll his eyes, and Hyun-su just seemed utterly pleased. Jin pulled back to really look at me and swallowed. "Holy s**t, aein, you look sexy as fuck." He wrapped an arm around me as if his brother or Gamma might try to steal me away. I giggled. "Right, so, you've met my brother, Kang Tae-Yeon, who is considered the Beta, and Hyun-su, he's our Gamma, and my tech guy. This, aegiya, is our pack." He was so proud. I patted his cheek.

"I think you're safe to let me walk on my own, handsome. I doubt your ranked members want me the way you do." It was clear they thought of me as family, but without an ounce of interest. That was fine by me, as long as they didn't make me feel like an ant under their shoe, we were golden. "So, Hyun-su, Tae-Yeon, Jin has said that he is one-hundred-forty, how about you two?" I had to start somewhere.

"I'm one-hundred-thirty-five, Luna." Hyun-su answered, "and you can just call me Hyun." At Jin's sharp look, he added, "or Gamma." I'll take that to mean Jin prefers a less familiar form of address. I can do that, no big deal. I turned to Tae-Yeon and raised my brows. He sighed, as if he'd wanted not to like me but couldn't help himself. I nearly giggled.

"I'm one-hundred-twenty, Noona." He turned to Jin. "Are you going to hurt me if I hug my new sister?" He quipped, and Jin stiffened for a moment.

"Fine," He said through gritted teeth. I watched his face as his younger brother hugged me briefly. Poor guy, he was struggling. So jealous! At the same time, I could tell he was trying his best to keep it under wraps, and I appreciated that. Afterwards, I slid my arm around his waist, prompting him to shove his face in my neck.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "but until you shift, and we mark officially, I'm afraid my possessiveness is in overdrive. Forgive me?"

"Of course, my love." His neediness was oddly comforting. To know he also felt like he couldn't be away from me.

To also know he was trying to let me be independent, regardless.

It was a delightful, quiet evening.

I already loved my pack.