What Happens in the Dark...

Shots

"You are f*****g shitting me!" Lin screams as she rips the small paper from my hand. I laugh loudly, surprised her astonishment was more than my own.

"b***h, you know I would never s**t you, you're my favorite turd!" I said, laughing harder, tears start streaming down my face.

"I cannot believe he just deposited that into your account! How did he even get your bank information?" 

"He does own the nations most prestigious security firm. I am sure he could get any information he wanted. Hell, I am sure he could probably tell us both when our next periods are going to start. He seems to know everything. Which is so weird...but also intriguing." Serenity thinks about how talking to him must be boring if he already knows everything about everyone.

"I personally think it's a bit creepy and intrusive, but hey, to each their own. So, have you decided? Are you coming to the party at Aleksander's house or what? We need to make some friends. We had friends back in Long Beach, and we need friends here. There is only so much we can do before life here becomes monotonous." I agree with her, but she has only been seeing Aleksander for a few days, and now she wants to drag me to a party he is throwing. It would give me a chance to meet some new people. Lin interrupts my thoughts,"now let's go and get you looking HOT...not like a librarian." I roll my eyes at her comment. I do not look like a librarian.

Two hours later

After spending what felt like forever shopping, we are finally done. Cutesy boutiques are what the island has, and what I despise. Not because of what they sell, but because I am not a bougie kind of girl. I am happy with my hair in a ponytail and jeans and a t-shirt. But Lin is not having it. 

We make it home and drop our bags in the living room so that we can get ready together. I have opted for jeans, black boots, and an emerald green satiny halter top that shows a little cleavage. Lin, on the other hand, is going to be the death of me. She is wearing a yellow and black bodycon dress that looks painted on. With heels, because nothing says house party like a skin tight dress and heels. Ugh. It is probably going to be a bunch of dude bros who I will have to beat the s**t out of for trying to get fresh with her. Not that she can't protect herself. I have seen her beat the living hell out of a guy WITH HER HEELS for getting too friendly with me when I had a little too much to drink at a party. She promises that no one at the party tonight will act like that. We shall see. After that incident, I have been very cautious around people and alcohol. 

Hair, makeup, jewelry, making sure we have our cells charged, ID's, and cash just in case and we are out the door. Aleksander is driving us, which I am not thrilled about, but he gave us the address in case we wanted to call for a cab later. He claims that there are plenty of rooms to stay in if we get too tipsy or tired, but I like to sleep in my own bed. 

The drive there is absolutely stunning. I remember some of the area from when I was little, but being out in the woods with evergreens as far as the eye can see is truly a sight to behold. Just when I think that we are going to drive forever into the vast wilderness, we see a driveway. I start to get nervous as this house is FAR from the meager civilization that the island has. This is the middle of nowhere and I am sure that Aleksander is a serial killer and this will be where they find our bones years from now.

We drive up to a guard shack and Lin and I are asked for our ID's. We pass them over and the guard takes them into the little hut and verifies our information before returning them, saying "Miss Stormhawk, Miss Moysiuk, Beta, have a good evening. Enjoy your time at Halo Moon." Aleksander continues to down the driveway that seems to never end...until I see the mansion/lodge type building. I have never seen a log home this big in my life, which is saying something because there are a lot of log homes in the PNW. There are already a ton of people and cars here, but Aleksander has a spot in the garage. He parks, and leads us into the house. I pull Lin aside "what in the actual f**k was that? Beta? Halo Moon? As in my job? This is too weird. Why did he call him Beta?" I can feel my anxiety starting to rise as my chest tightens, and my pulse races. I look around for an exit, but before I can bolt, Lin drags me into a bathroom.

"Ok, you need to chill. Haven't you ever seen how ranches have names? This one is called Halo Moon. Yes, it is owned by the Stolivic Family, and yes they named their business after it. As for calling Aleksander Beta, that is his last name. I know I know, it is weird as hell, but it is what it is. Now please, relax. You are safe here. Now let's go and get you a shot or five and make new friends." Lin speaks calmly and rubs my lower back, keeping me from going full nuclear with my anxiety. I take a deep breath. 

"Alright, let's do this." I say as we head back into the hallway. Aleksander is waiting for us, which is nice of him, to show us into the kitchen. This is the fanciest kitchen I have ever seen. It looks like it could feed an entire army of people. So many ranges, ovens, sinks, cupboards...I think half the house is probably this room right here. Oh, and they also have a walk in fridge, freezer, and pantry. I guess a ranch would need a big kitchen to feed its employees. I wonder what kind of ranch this is. Horses? Cattle? Whatever it is, these folks are loaded. Ugh, loaded usually means snobby. Gross.

Right on cue, a bleach blonde female who looks like she walked off the page of a plastic surgeons mishaps website, glares at us. She tries to saunter over casually, but her sky-high heels make her walk like a newborn deer. It takes everything in me to not laugh.

"Well well, what kind of trash do we have here?" The horrific smell of her perfume is like a punch to the face. My only guess is that she bathed in perfume and makeup to try and hide the fact she has no real personality besides being bitchy.

"Knock it off Bridget. The night is still young and you are already being an end of the night b***h. Why don't you do us all a favor and go away." Aleksander snaps at her, standing in front of Lin and myself.

"Stand down dog, share your new chew toys. I just want to meet them. They should get to know the new Luna, right?" She flips her hair, spreading more of her atrocious smell everywhere. 

"What the f**k is a Luna, and do NOT tell me it is her last name." I whisper to Lin quietly. Not quiet enough apparently, because Bridget looks shocked.

"What is a Luna? What kind of backwater bullshit pack are you from? A Luna is the head woman in charge. She is married to the Alpha and is the most important person in the -" She is cut off by a deep, melodic voice.

"A Luna is supposed to be a shining example to the rest of the pack, a mother, an aunt, a woman that anyone can go to if they need something, whether it be a replacement of an appliance or a hug. She is an Alphas E Q U A L, no better, no less." The voice comes closer and it is attached to the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my whole life. Black hair, soft brown eyes, huge muscles, so tall, and it is getting too hot in here. He steps around Bridget, well he tries, but she grabs his arm.

"Punkin! I missed you, where have you been hiding?" She goes to kiss him, but he puts his hand up to her face, blocking all contact, and pulls his arm from her grasp, looking nauseated.

"I have been where I always am. I am not your "punkin" either." The big, beautiful man is staring at me, and I have no idea why. Bridget doesn't seem to know why either.

"Maxi, I know you said that you didn't have time for me, but I know-" 

"You know nothing except how to stink up a room and how to make guests uncomfortable. I do not have time for you because I have more important things to do than hang out with vapid people. Please leave. You are officially uninvited to the gathering this evening." Bridget looks like he kicked her right in the box. She glares at me like I said it.

"But, you said-" 

"Whatever I said must have been an attempt to get you to leave so I no longer had to breathe your horrific aroma. Last chance, before I say how I really feel about you. LEAVE!" Big Beautiful Man says loudly. I even feel like leaving after the way he just said that. I notice that everyone in the room had gotten quiet and had their heads...bowed? Were they BOWING? Even Lin and Aleksander had their heads bowed.

Bridget bursts into loud, theatrical, soap opera type tears and stumbles out of the room. 

"What in the hell is going on?" I say, raising my voice, as every single pair of eyes in the room look at me.

I head to the counter where I see booze and shot glasses. Whatever is happening is getting weird, and Lin gets to babysit me since I have had to be her sober babysitter for so long. Well, the past 6 months, since she turned 21.We have been drinking since we were like 16, but stupid stuff like hard lemonades and s**t. 

I find the vodka, look at the label and see that most of it is in Russian, pour a shot and down it. I repeat this process two more times before Lin gently stops me, taking the vodka away.

"Serenity," she never calls me that unless it is serious,"we have to talk."