Audrey paced the length of her prison/room, debating on what to do.
No, actually, she wanted to be there for Nick. She wanted him to know she stood by him despite his troubling choice.
But she didn't know if she could bear the sight of him in pain. Considering his opponent, his fate hung on the balance between death and exile from all he held dear.
Heat crackled through her chest as she recalled the determined look in his eyes. Was there a chance of him prevailing tonight?
Kimmy's head appeared from the duffel bag on the bed. Most of the bag's content were spread out over the covers; all of Audrey's clothes Aunt Marissa had been able to pack on such short notice.
"I know you, Audrey. If you're not there, you'll chew your curticles to the skin and regret it for the rest of your life."
Even now, Audrey bustled about with a mixture of dread and fear, unpleasant energies she fought to contain.
"But his family would surely be there. I don't know what to say to them. Who am I kidding? There's nothing I can possibly say or do to placate them for what I've done."
"One headache at a time, babe. Tonight's for Nickolas. You'll deal with whatever comes afterwards." She held up an attractive, red dress. "How about this?"
Audrey barely heard her. Appearance was the least of her worries. "I'm ok as I am. That's not what matters."
"Of course it does. You look like a starving hip-hop rapper in those huge clothes. You're, allegedly, the Luna of Frostone wolf pack. Trust me when I say first impressions matter."
Kimmy, the daughter of one of the pack's prominent members, certainly knew about things like this. And Audrey trusted her with every bone in her body. They'd struck a close friendship right from the day Audrey got enrolled into the local middle school.
Through highschool and college, they remained as thick as thieves. Even now, Audrey thought of no one else she'd rather have as her anchor tonight.
But Audrey just couldn't care about pack politics right now. Following Aunt Marissa's advice, she'd spent a better part of the day looking for the alphas. Deckard, most especially.
There wasn't a trace of them in the manor. Not even when Audrey had seen Marrissa off or hugged Kimmy at the front door on her arrival about an hour ago.
Could they be avoiding her as much as she searched for them?
She didn't hear Kimmy approaching until she felt arms around her shoulders.
"Hey, calm down. Nickolas will be fine. You've got to trust him. That's all you can do now."
Audrey sighed miserably but allowed herself to be pulled into a hug.
She felt the air in the room change. Silent sparks igniting over her skin and drawing her attention towards him almost like a beacon.
Tristan leaned lazily just inside the room, watching them with unmasked boredom.
Kimmy, obviously sensing a presence behind her, went stiff before turning. Her demeanor paled immediately.
"Alpha Tristan."
"You done with the sob stories and pity parties?"
Kimmy gave Audrey an embarrassed glance before nodding. "I was trying to get her ready for—"
Tristan clapped his hands. He pushed away from the wall. "You're good to go, then."
Kimmy squeezed Audrey's palm before hurrying out. She stopped short of the door.
"I'll be waiting downstairs—"
Tristan interrupted again, his dark eyes pinned on Audrey. His lips hinting at a smirk.
"Audrey would be riding with me."
"No, I won't. I can make it to Wolfhenge on my own."
He now stood before her. Irresistible in black leather jacket over a black v-neck shirt that did nothing to hide the enticing cut of his chest, he seemed larger than life.
"Maybe I could hitch a ride with you two?" Kimmy offered.
Tristan rolled his eyes. "Get lost, bossom friend."
She didn't need to be told twice. She stabbed an imaginary sword at Tristan's back, waved at Audrey in apology and called ''I'll look for you at the grove' before leaving.
With Kimmy gone, the charge in the room became palpable. It oozed off Tristan in waves as he continued to stare at Audrey.
"You look great in my clothes."
Her face reddened. She'd guessed as much. "I desperately needed to get out of my ruined wedding dress yesterday."
"I'm not complaining. Tonight's occasion though, calls for something a little more…captivating."
Anger boiled in her veins. "Captivating? Like for a party?"
He nodded meekly. "A rare ceremony, particularly. It's going to be a show of our strength as Alphas of the pack."
"Someone's life is on the line! It's a bloody Death match! What's to say your twin brother won't be defeated tonight?"
Emotions caused her body to tremble. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to slap the smug smile off his attractive face.
"Only one person gets to die tonight." He leaned close to her, so close she caught whiffs of his erotic flavor. "Trust me when I say it's not Deckard. Your ex would be lucky to have his bits and pieces fit into a body bag."
Audrey's fists clenched at her sides. Oh, how she ached to punch him. To pour out her frustration, her fears and anguish on him.
He must've seen something in her face because he cocked his head to the side. "If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ashes right now."
She realized then that nothing she could physically do would affect him. Obviously much more stronger and resistant, nothing she did mattered to him.
"Calm down, fiesty, you'll pull a tooth out glaring at me like that." He glanced down at an imaginary watch on his wrist. "Would you look at the time. How about you be a good angry girl and strip?"
Audrey flinched. "What?"
"You have to get out of my clothes to change." He picked up the red dress at the top of the pile and whistled."Now, this screams sexy. Wonder what you got it for. Senior prom?"
"You don't dictate what I wear, and so you know, I had a decent social life in college."
"Rowdy is the benchmark, love." He tossed the dress at her. "Put it on. Your hair's fine. Make-up's not necessary. I'm waiting downstairs."
He tapped his wrist before traipsing out.
Audrey Holland may be unable to hurt him physically, but she wouldn't be a compliant lamb to slaughter.
Audrey marched down the stairs five minutes later. Not in his clothes. Not in the red dress either.
At the sight of her, he didn't frown. He seemed more amused than pissed by her little show of defiance.
"You're an interesting ball of surprises, aren't you?"
He said nothing more as he led the way to a slick black car in the front yard.
"Where's Deckard?"
She'd assumed that he would ride with them. But even when the car veered into the driveway, he was nowhere in sight.
"Missing him already?"
"No! I just…I thought I could…" Her voice trailed off.
Tristan gave her a sideways glance before gunning the engine. "If it's any consolation, you should know that Deckard won't kill your ex unless he has to."
"That's not comforting."
"Of course, it is. Your dramatic ex just needs to surrender before my big bad brother goes berserk. From the looks of things, Nick is unfortunately not the surrendering type."
Audrey sighed and stared out of the window, her heart heavy.
She would've preferably remained like that for the rest of the ride if not for a sharp jolt from her seat.
Tristan's arm across her chest kept her from colliding with the dashboard.
They weren't moving anymore.
She turned towards him. Her questions died in her throat.
There was something on Tristan's face she never seen before. An expression she thought impossible for him.
Panic.
She followed his gaze to the road ahead, a Deja Vu moment. Her escape last night had played out like this.
A figure stood dead center of the narrow road. It wore darkness as a shroud. Tall, imposing in girth and aura, but not Deckard.