Chapter 2: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Kayleigh

 Wiping the steam off the bathroom mirror makes me wish I can just wipe off the memory of today’s “welcoming scene” at the driveway. The only good thing about it was seeing Andrei. Knowing that he will be here the whole summit gives me something to look forward to, at least. I can’t say the same about the rest, namely Cillian and Kinsley.

I look at my reflection and stare at my glassy blue eyes then move to my skin and the cluster of red on my head. I’ve never felt insecure about my pale skin until I saw Kinsley’s olive skin that gives her a natural glow. Everything about her seems to glow, even her black hair. I run my fingers down my long red hair. I was told that only two percent of the world’s population carry the gene that makes hair red. I wonder how many of the werewolf population carry the gene that makes their wolves come late. 

I keep telling myself that my wolf is just a late bloomer and not non-existent. It makes me feel better… and hopeful. 

The kiss with Cillian… no! Stop! Stop thinking about it! 

Erase, erase! 

I am not going down that spiral of what-does-the-kiss-with-Cillian-mean abyss again. 

I make my way to my luggage and fish out a denim mini-skirt and a tight fitting black Nirvana t-shirt. I purposely cropped the hem to show a little skin when I move, especially when I raise my arms. Since the bonfire was going to be near the woods, I figure I’d wear my black combat boots. My grumbling stomach reminds me I haven’t eaten since the last meal served on the plane, which was about 10 hours ago. It’s now 6pm. I munch on some Mentos before putting on my eyeliner and dark red lipstick. 

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

“Hey! I thought I’d pick you up and take you to the bonfire.” Of course, it’s Kinsley. Standing tall and radiant, dressed in a short ruffled dress, a black leather jacket, and red Chuck Taylors.

Can this girl be any cooler? 

If the Moon Goddess plans to make me feel insecure with just the sight of another girl, well, she’s definitely succeeding. “You look nice,” she praises. “You rock this punk rock chic style really well. I dig it, like a lot.”

“Thank you. You look very pretty. I like your jacket,” I compliment. I have the same jacket and was contemplating wearing it but not anymore since she is wearing the same one. Closing the door behind me to follow her, I try hard to decipher if she’s sincere with her compliments or being sarcastic.

“Thanks. I’ll have to leave it here, though. Only my dress is veiled with magic. I haven’t gotten a chance to have this jacket laced by the pack witch. Thank the goddesses for the witches, right? I’d be so annoyed if I have to take off clothes every time I shift or if they get ripped apart during unprepared shifting.” She sheds her jacket and starts to walk down the hallway.

All the clothes I brought were also veiled with witch magic in case my wolf decides to surface anytime during the summit. But I don’t tell her that, worried that she’d think it’s hilarious to be preparing for my wolf at this age when I’m not even feeling any wolf presence in my dreams or in my body. 

 “That’s true. I’m not gonna lie, it will be interesting to see all the guys strip naked before shifting, though, ha-ha… But I’d feel too embarrassed doing the same, so yes, thanks the goddesses for the witches! You can leave your jacket in my room and come pick it up later.”

“Oh, no need. I can just drop it off in Cillian’s room. I have some stuff there anyway that I have to bring home tonight. I’ll just come by here before heading home after the pack run.”

 

She has stuff in Cillian’s room? Are she and Cillian… Wait. Why did I not think of that earlier?

Or maybe I kinda had an inkling but was in denial. 

I mean, of course, why wouldn’t they be together? Cillian is the golden child of his pack.

Among all the wolf blood alpha heirs, actually. It suits him to be with his female golden child counterpart, Kinsley. 

Why does that idea make my stomach churn? Cillian is nothing to me. Cillian is not my boyfriend. Not my mate. Sure, his kiss, the memory of our kiss, still haunts me and keeps me awake at night. But he and I, well, there is no “he and I” anyway. 

She stops abruptly, opens a door, and puts her jacket on what looks like a chair next to the door. So, Cillian’s room is only two doors from mine? 

“Thanks for thinking of me, by the way. I wasn’t sure how to get to the bonfire. I haven’t been here since like… forever.” Still caught off guard with the new knowledge that Cillian’s room is only a few steps from mine, and that this beautiful girl has access to it—probably sleeps in there, with Cillian—leaves a pinch in my insides. I hope she doesn’t realize my fake smile. 

“No worries. Cillian seems to care about you, walking you to your room himself. Any friends of Cillian are friends of mine, as well.” 

“Cillian and I—we’re not friends. I mean, we’ve known each other for a while now but we’re not really close.” Except for the two times we mauled each other’s lips, I don’t really have any memorable memories to call us “close.” 

“Really? He seems to think you guys are close. I hear a lot about you every time he comes back from his trips to Ireland.”

“You and Cillian seem to be close, though. How come I never saw you in any of the wolf blood gatherings?”

“Yeah, we are close. My dad is the alpha’s beta. We grew up together. I practically grew up in this house,” she says with pride. “Of course I’ve been to some of the yearly gatherings, you were just too busy cozying up with Andrei or bantering with Cillian to notice me. Other times, you were only mingling with the alpha families, not bothering to meet the rest of us commoners,” she jokes. 

But you know what they say, jokes are half meant. A pang of guilt runs inside me, realizing the truth in what she just said. 

“Not intentionally. Andrei and Cillian always have a way of putting themselves right in front of me. Not like I intentionally go after them to grab their time and attention, just so you know.”

“You don’t have to justify your actions, Kayleigh. Own it. Who cares if you do, right? Andrei seems like a nice guy. You two look cute together.”

“Do you know Andrei well? I know he visits his cousins here in your territory at least twice a year.”

“No, not that well. But I see him when he comes pay his respects to our alpha and letting him know that he is in the area even though his cousins are from another pack. Our alpha appreciates his courtesy.”

“That’s right. Andrei is a nice guy. I’m so glad he’s here. I wasn’t too keen about the summit but now I have something to look forward to,” I say as I take the last step down the stairs. 

 “So are you and Andrei—?”

 “Oh, no. Well, I wish we’re together but I think he doesn’t see me that way. Ouch!” I slam into something hard as we round the corner to the foyer.

 “Who doesn’t see you in what way now?” Well, not into something but into someone! Someone with a deep voice and hard chest, I might add.

 “Cillian. I overheard you telling the guys you’d pick up Kayleigh and take her to the bonfire, so I thought I’d save you some time…” Why she had to explain herself like that beats me. Why Cillian had planned to pick me up baffles me. After he dropped me off at my room about an hour ago, he left in a hurry without a word. 

 “Kensington, can you just please leave me be. If I plan to do something, I want to do it myself. I don’t need everyone constantly doing stuff for me or up in my business.” His brow furrows as he tells off Kinsley, who now I’m finding out is Kensington. Even her real name sounds so cool. 

 “But Cillian, I just wanted to help you out, okay. Don’t be mad,” she says in a sing-song tone as she walks towards Cillian and rests her hand on his arm. Her display of affection is making me want to gag. I tread quietly around them but Cillian grabs my wrist before I can leave and pulls me close to him. 

 “Where are you going, little Ireland?” For some reason, hearing him call me his old nickname for me softens me.

 “To the bonfire. I think that’s Andrei and his guys. I’ll go with him. You take care of your girlfriend. She’s very nice, by the way. Good catch, Kill. See you around.” I could swear I feel my face turning red as I purposely eye Kinsley’s hand on his arm. 

 “Not a chance. And what the hell are you wearing? Your skirt is too short. Your shirt is too tight. Go back upstairs and change your clothes. We have hot days but chilly nights, and given that you still don’t have a wolf you’ll catch a chill if you don’t dress warm.” He didn’t even try to deny that Kinsley is his girlfriend, but he steps away from her and closer to me.

 “No thank you. I will wear whatever I want. You can kiss my ass, Kill.” I try to put more distance from him so I tke step back.

 “Is that what you want, Kayleigh?” He raises an eyebrow and a grin suddenly appears on his lips. 

 Realizing what he means, I blush even more, “That’s not what I mean. Ugh! You’re so infuriating. Have some respect to your girlfriend here, talking to another girl that way while she’s right there listening.” Surprisingly, Kinsley was not one bit interested in Cillian and me right now as she was on her phone, eyebrows creased, looking like she was angry-texting someone. 

 He paces forward, I step backwards. We do this a few more times until I feel the wall at my back. I lean my head backwards and stare into his eyes. “I do whatever I want, Kayles,” he says in a low voice as his face comes closer to mine and lets his lips linger on my cheeks, to my jaws… and to my neck. I swear I hear a low growl that sounds more like a wolf than a man.

“And what I want is to make sure that you are not going to enjoy your stay here.”

 “What did I do to you, Cillian? Why all this hostility?”

 “I don’t know, Ireland. There’s about a hundred reasons. Pick one.” His eyes are sucking me in. I’m getting lost in those hazel strands and gold flecks. 

 “What are you talking about?” 

“I like how you act all innocent and clueless.”

“I seriously don’t know what I did, Kill… Tell me… Why do you hate me so much?” I say in a whisper. 

“Figure it out…” 

We stare at each other for I don’t know how long. His scent of sandalwood and citrus is filling my lungs and I feel myself getting hypnotized. I force myself to break away from the stare and push him from me but couldn’t. 

Cillian is like a magnet, he holds my eyes to his. Until another magnet lures me away from him. 

“Kayleigh, are you ready?” My hero in cargo pants and a hoodie walks into the foyer. 

 Andrei. Always my knight in shining armor. 

 “What the fuck are you doing here?” Cillian snarls, without putting a space between us and without taking his hands off that are still leaning on the wall, on both sides of my head.

 “I’ll take Kayleigh to the bonfire. I know you’re busy with your pack duties. Besides, I’m sure Kayleigh will feel more comfortable with me than with you.” I take this opportunity to push away from Cillian and head towards Andrei. 

 “Let’s go, Andrei.” I stride fast towards the door without throwing a glance to either Cillian or Kinsley. 

 “Kayleigh. I said go change your clothes. Wear something warmer!” Cillian calls behind me. 

 “Don’t worry, I’ll keep her warm,” Andrei tells Cillian as he reaches for my hand. 

In a split second, Cillian pulls Andrei back and sends him flying to the wall. 

 Before I could move or say anything, Cillian shifts. In less than three seconds, his tall and muscular self is replaced by a big and handsome wolf with brown and white fur. His eyes, full bright gold. He growls and has his sights on Andrei who is finally getting up from his fall.

 I see wolves all the time, beautiful werewolves. But this is the first time I am caught off guard with emotions as I stare at Cillian’s magnificent wolf. In my peripheral vision, I see Kinsley run to Andrei. I flinch but gather myself together. I am too far from where Andrei is; Cillian’s wolf will get to him before I could put myself between them. Fear and worry suddenly come over me. I don’t know what to do. I have never been in this situation before where I have to stop a wolf from whatever it wants to do. 

 Without thinking, my hand shoots out to the giant wolf.

“Kill, come here to me.” Not sure if this will work but I have to distract him, at least until Andrei gets up. I’m hopeful that we can avoid any violence. The last thing I want is for Andrei to change into his wolf and get in a bloody fight with Cillian’s wolf. 

 Cillian, in beast form, stops and moves his head to gaze at me. 

 I lower my body down and sit up on my knees. It’s not the most comfortable position but I want to be on eye-level with this devastatingly beautiful beast. 

My breathing hikes, my heart races like a pack in a wolf run, and my mind just zeroes in on Cillian. Nothing else around us matters at the moment. Just Cillian and the wolf-less me. 

 “Hi…” I raise my hands to show him I want him to come to me. I hold my breath. Then he takes a stride in my direction. One foot at a time, he saunters towards where my feet are glued.

 I sit there, mesmerized by the magnificent wolf. 

 His head comes close to mine. Face-to-face we look at each other. He slowly bows his head and lets his forehead rest on mine. 

Something stirs inside me. An emotion so new, and so powerful, I couldn’t describe it with mere words. Closing my eyes, I whisper to him, “Can you hear me, Kill?” 

 I lift my right hand to touch his fur. But instead, my fingers feel soft human hair on hard and tight muscular human body part. 

Wait, where’s the fur?

 “Were you going to pet me like a dog, Ireland?” I snap my eyes open and feel flabbergasted as I’m caught drowning in unfamiliar emotions by a judging look from Cillian’s face.

 And just like that, our moment went by, instantly. Realizing that Cillian is back and no longer in wolf form, I get up. Embarrassed by what just happened, I run out the door. I hear both Cillian and Andrei call my name but I don’t stop. Instinctively, I throw a glance back and see Andrei following me while Cillian immerses in a conversation with a distressed Kinsley.

Douchebag is probably explaining to his girlfriend why he’s suddenly acting all possessive toward the girl he claims he hate. 

 Whatever. 

  What’s up with Cillian the alpha hole, or the new emotions his wolf stirred inside me? Is it even possible for a human to be attracted to a wolf? Because just the thought of his wolf, the way our foreheads touched, and the moment we had makes me melt. 

Confused. That’s what Cillian does to me. He left me confused a year ago, after our kiss. Now he is still drowning me in the labyrinth of confusion.

As I take the turn to the side of the house, heading towards the clearing near the woods, I could still feel Cillian’s eyes on me. I give in one more time and take a peek at him, but instead notice Kinsley’s gaze. They are now both outside the door, Cillian doing most of the talking while Kinsley just stares at me with what looks like disdain on her face. Is she mad at me now, too? 

 I started the hour staring at my reflection in the mirror while comparing myself to Kinsley. It’s bad enough I feel insecure about not having a wolf. Now I have to deal with being up to par with Kinsley, too?

I don’t think my little wolf-less heart can take any more beatings. 

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***Hi, lovelies! Thank you for reading my book! A little warning, there's a lot of angst, drama, steam, and swoon-worthy chapters ahead of you. I promise you'd leave giddy and giggly! Are you team Cillian or team Andrei? Come find me and I'll show you more pictures of our handsome alpha heirs! If you leave a comment on the chapters, I'll definitely reply, so come back and find my responses. Happy reading! Lovelots. KT Valentine.