The Lycan King Faceless Mate

05

"Mara, the second car is here!" Vera shouted, her face looking completely frantic.

"Okay, ma," I said, looking at the vehicle as it turned around on the gravel driveway.

The space was now filled with five more people. These men and women didn't wear the dark, aggressive suits of the Gray party. They wore lighter, casual traveling clothes, but their posture was just as straight, their movements just as fluid and precise.

"Welcome, welcome," Vera said, smoothing down her hair as she stepped forward. "I am Mrs. Calloway. We have your rooms fully prepared in the south wing." She gestured toward the other side of the estate.

An older man with graying hair at his temples and sharp blue eyes stepped forward, holding out his hand to Vera.

"Thank you, Mrs. Calloway. I am Representative Vance of Ashenmere. We appreciate the hospitality. This is my daughter, Elena, and our security detail."

A tall girl with a long blonde ponytail nodded politely from behind him. "The drive was smooth so you have nothing to worry about. We're just glad to be here before the evening rush."

"Of course," Vera smiled, turning to me. "Mara, please check the list for the Ashenmere delegation."

I stepped forward, opening the binder to the section marked with the Ashenmere crest. I kept my chin down, letting my straight black hair fall forward like a curtain to shield my face.

"Representative Vance," I said, my voice low and steady. "You are assigned to the executive suite in the south, room 112. The rest of your party will be in rooms 114 and 116. The keys are right here."

I reached into my apron pocket and pulled out the brass keycards, extending them toward the older man.

He reached out to take them, but as his fingers brushed mine, he stopped. His blue eyes locked onto my face, his eyebrows drawing together in a sharp, sudden line.

"Wait a minute," Representative Vance murmured, his voice dropping an octave. He leaned in slightly closer, his sharp eyes scanning my facial features, my nose, the shape of my jaw. "You… you look incredibly familiar."

My breathing stalled completely. Not this again, I thought.

"I don't think so, sir. I'm just a member of the household staff, sir," I said automatically, keeping my voice completely devoid of emotion. "I've lived here for three years so it's not possible."

"Dad, what is it?" Elena asked, stepping up beside him, her sharp gaze dropping onto me as well. She looked at my plain uniform, then up at my black hair. "Do we know her?"

"No," Vance muttered, though his eyes never left my face. He shook his head, a look of deep frustration passing over his face. "No, it's impossible. The girl I'm thinking of… she had a completely different presence. A different look. But the facial structure…"

"Many people share similar features, sir," I said, holding the keys out further, my stance stiffening even though I knew exactly who he was talking about. "Your rooms are ready."

Vera looked between us, her expression turning puzzled. "Is everything alright, Representative Vance? Is there an issue with the accommodations?"

"No, no issue at all, Mrs. Calloway," Vance said, finally taking the keys from my hand, though his eyes lingered on me for one more terrifying second. "My apologies. Just thought I recognized an old acquaintance from the territories. Clearly, I was mistaken."

"Well, the south wing is just through those double doors and to the right," Vera said, pointing toward the wide corridor. "Mara can show you the way if you'd like."

My eyes popped. No, no, no. What is she doing? If I spend any more time with them, I will be ratted out. I looked at the guest, praying for him to decline.

"No need. We can find our own way," Vance said tightly. He turned to his daughter. "Let's get the bags moved in."

I stood perfectly still as the Ashenmere group walked past me, their heavy steps echoing down the south corridor. The moment they were out of sight, I dropped the registry onto the table, my legs going so soft and weak that I had to lean heavily against the wood to keep from collapsing onto the floor.

"Mara, what was that about?" Vera asked, turning to me with a deep frown, her hand resting on my shoulder. "Did you used to live near their territory before you came to Ashenmere?"

"Yes, I worked at the pharmacy and bakery for a year," I said, looking down at my shoes. "But that's just it. I didn't know the prominent rich families."

Vera sighed, rubbing my arm gently. "Well, maybe he was one of your customers. You look completely exhausted. Go down to the kitchen and get yourself a glass of water. I'll have Clara cover the registry for the next hour."

"Thank you, ma'am," I said.

The Wedding Day

I had just finished with ushering the guests and it was now time to go get ready. I walked through the isolated area in the hall, avoiding contact with any of the Calloways. Although I should be grateful to them, I am completely overworked now and I need to rest after this, I thought, staring at the empty metal tray in my hand.

Just then, the hall suddenly went dead silent.

I turned to look at what was going on, and my jaw dropped. My eyes met with a line of black Ferrari cars. I had seen things in the human world, but this was totally different. As I walked further to see who was in the car because I had already gone through the guest list and every single registered guest was present I took a second step, and a loud, piercing screech erupted in my ears.

It felt like a needle piercing inside my heart and my head. My wolf screamed in my head with extraordinary pain, a wild, thrashing force I hadn't felt in three long years.

My hand slammed against the doorframe to steady myself.

I looked up, and I couldn't look away. My eyes were glued to the man stepping out of the sports car.

He was far away, down at the end of the gravel path, but his figure was impossible to miss. He was exceptionally tall, around 6'7", with a broad, masculine build that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover. He had pale skin, dark hair, and full, cherry-colored lips. Even from this distance, I could see the sharp glint of metal; his lips were pierced, and his ear was pierced too.

As he walked, he casually folded the sleeves of his suit jacket up his forearms, revealing a thick, expensive gold wristwatch. Dark ink crawled right down his skin, but from this distance, I couldn't make out what the tattoos were.

He was so good-looking it made my breath completely hitch. I tried to take a step back into the shadows, but my foot caught the edge of the stone step.

"Ah!" I gasped, stumbling forward.

The tray went flying up. But with a sudden, sharp instinct I hadn't used in years, my senses went completely hyper-alert. Time felt like it slowed down. I lunged forward, my bare reflexes kicking in, and caught the tray right out of the air before a single drop spilled.

I pulled myself up, my face completely flushed, my chest heaving. What the f**k just happened? I thought. My wolf wouldn't stop shaking inside me.

"Hey, you alright?" a caterer asked, passing by with a box of napkins.

"I'm fine," I muttered, shaking my head. "I just slipped. It's nothing."

I forced myself to look away from the tall stranger. It's just an instinct, I told myself, trying to stop the heat rushing to my face. It's just a normal reaction when you almost fall. It means nothing.

I forced my feet to move, heading back into the crowd to continue serving.

By the time the sun went down, the formal wedding ceremony had finally ended, and the loud, pulsing music of the after-party began. I hurried back to the staff locker room, pulled off my stained apron, and changed into a simple black gown Mrs. Calloway had given me for the evening service.

I took a seat on a stool at the far corner of the bar side, watching the guests drift across the floor. Seeing all these pack members together made a strange ache form in my chest. I kind of missed the community, but at the same time, I knew I didn't look great sleeping in that world. I didn't want to go back.

Across the room, Elena Vance was everywhere, laughing loudly and flashing her expensive jewelry. I watched as she walked over to another server, muttered something quickly, and pointed directly toward the bar where I was sitting.

A moment later, a female server hurried over and dropped a heavy tray onto the counter right next to me.

"Hey, can you grab the premium gin from the back?" the bartender, a young guy named Liam, asked as he wiped down the taps.

"I can't, ask her," I said, pointing to the female server.