Three

Evangeline had lived in the Blackwood house for over a week now, and despite her efforts to get closer to Xavier, he had remained distant and cold. She woke up on a Saturday morning, feeling groggy from a late-night reading session. She checked her phone and saw that it was only 8 AM. She smiled, knowing that she had the whole day ahead of her.

She got out of bed and stretched her limbs, feeling the stiffness in her bones. She headed to the shower, letting the steam relax her muscles. After her shower, she rummaged through her suitcase, trying to find something comfortable to wear. She settled on a pair of denim shorts and a white tank top, pairing it with a light jacket.

As she was tying her shoelaces, Xavier walked into the room, startling her. "Good morning," he said shortly.

Evangeline looked up, still trying to process his sudden appearance. "Oh. Good morning. You scared me," she said, with a laugh.

"We have an event to attend this afternoon. It's a traditional occasion that my father and some of the elders have organized," Xavier said, getting straight to the point.

Evangeline nodded, her heart beating faster. She had been hoping for an opportunity to spend more time with Xavier, and this seemed like the perfect chance. "That sounds wonderful. What do we have to do?"

"We have to get ready. And you, specifically, need to wear something more appropriate," Xavier said, his eyes running over her denim shorts and tank top.

Evangeline suddenly felt self-conscious, wondering what Xavier meant by "more appropriate." "Oh. Right. I'll go change now," she said, feeling embarrassed.

As she was digging through her suitcase again, she decided to try on a new lingerie set she had brought with her. It was lacy and revealing, something she had bought to treat herself. She slipped into it and checked herself out in the mirror, feeling a thrill of excitement.

Xavier knocked on the door just as she was slipping on her dress, and she called out for him to come inside. He opened the door and froze, his eyes running over her body.

"Evangeline, you shouldn't be wearing that," he said, his voice hoarse.

Evangeline was taken aback by his sudden harshness. "What do you mean? It's just lingerie. I'm not showing it to anyone."

"It's not appropriate. It's not respectful," Xavier said, taking a step forward. His eyes were dark with lust, and Evangeline found herself drawn to him.

"I don't see why it's not respectful," she said, feeling her heartbeat quicken.

"It's disrespectful to me," Xavier said, his hand reaching out to grab her wrist.

Evangeline gasped at the unexpected touch, feeling her body respond to him in a way she couldn't control. "Xavier," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xavier released her wrist abruptly and took a step back. "Get dressed. Now. We have to leave," he said, his voice cold.

Evangeline felt a rush of embarrassment and shame, wondering why she had let herself get carried away. She quickly changed into a more modest dress and followed Xavier out of the room.

After a short drive, they arrived at a large estate on the outskirts of town. As they walked towards the party, Evangeline couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. She had never been to a werewolf gathering before, and she didn't know what to expect.

As they entered the estate, she was amazed by what she saw. The grounds were enormous and filled with people of all ages. The air was thick with the smell of food and the sounds of laughter and chatter filled her ears.

"This is incredible," Evangeline said to Mrs. Thompson.

"I know, it's quite the affair," Mrs. Thompson replied. "The Blackwood family has been hosting this event for as long as I can remember. It's a way for the packs to come together and celebrate their bond."

Evangeline smiled, taking it all in. As they walked further into the estate, they came upon a group of elderly werewolves who greeted them kindly. It was then that Evangeline realized that this was the group that had invited her and Xavier to the party.

Their host, a tall and regal man with silver hair, welcomed them with open arms. "Welcome, Xavier and Evangeline. I understand that you are our newest mated pair. Congratulations!"

Evangeline blushed, feeling the weight of all the eyes upon her. Xavier took her hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly.

The gathering was filled with music, food, and dancing. The elderly packs had set up a table with all manner of traditional dishes, and everyone feasted and drank together.

Evangeline watched in amazement as the elderly packs performed traditional songs and dances. Smiling, she turned to Xavier and asked if he wanted to dance. Without hesitation, he took her in his arms and began to move to the music.

As they danced, Evangeline couldn't help but feel like they had finally found a place where they belonged. The joy and love in the air was palpable, and for the first time since they had met, Xavier seemed to let his guard down and truly be present in the moment.

It was a night they would both remember for the rest of their lives. A night when they felt a sense of belonging and community that they had never experienced before.

If only she knew it was all an act to please the preying eyes.

During one of the events, Evangeline met a young woman named Amara. They were both sipping on some punch when Amara approached her and introduced herself. Evangeline felt relieved to meet someone closer to her age group, and they began to talk.

"Hi, I'm Amara. I don't think I've seen you around before," Amara said.

Evangeline smiled. "Yeah, I just got here recently. My name is Evangeline.

It was part of the contract to hide their alignment and never share it with anyone.

"It's nice to meet you, Evangeline," Amara said. "Are you enjoying the party so far?"

"It's a really lovely occasion. I'm just trying to get used to everything," Evangeline said.

"I know what you mean," Amara replied. "It can be overwhelming when you're new here. But everyone is really friendly, so don't be afraid to ask for help or guidance."

Evangeline felt grateful for Amara's kindness. It made things a little less daunting for her to know that she had someone she could turn to if she needed anything.

"So Amara, how long have you been staying here?" Evangeline asked.

"I've been here for almost a year now. My parents are part of the pack here, so I was raised here," Amara explained.

"That's really cool. I never knew what life was like in a pack and how everything works," Evangeline said curiously.

Amara chuckled. "It can be a lot to take in at first. But it's also a really tight-knit community, and everyone looks out for each other."

As they continued to talk, Evangeline started to feel more at ease at the party. It was comforting to know that she was not alone and that there were people that she could connect with here.

Evangeline was hesitant to dance with anyone at the event, still feeling a bit raw after her disagreement with Xavier. But Amara was insistent, ushering her towards a young man who had been giving her furtive glances all evening.

"Go dance with him, he's cute!" Amara urged, nudging Evangeline forward.

Evangeline reluctantly took the young man's outstretched hand, allowing herself to be led to the dance floor. As they swayed to the music, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was getting a bit too touchy-feely. His hands roamed down her back, squeezing her waist in a way that made her uncomfortable.

She tried to pull away, but he gripped her tighter, his persistence frightening her. Her body stiffened as she tried to come up with a way to get away from him.

Suddenly, she found herself being pulled away from the man, falling into the muscular chest of her husband, Xavier. He had a fierce expression on his face as he glowered down at the young man, his arm wrapped tightly around Evangeline's waist.

"Is there a problem here?" Xavier growled, his voice low and menacing.

The young man stuttered out an apology, scurrying away from the couple as quickly as he could. Evangeline turned to Xavier, feeling a strange mixture of fear and gratitude. His arms tightened around her, his touch possessive and protective.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes searching her face.

She nodded mutely, feeling a strange tide of emotions coursing through her. She was angry at the young man for being so forward, but she was also grateful that Xavier had been there to protect her.

"Let's get out of here" 

Her heart thumped.

Evangeline felt her heart racing as they drove through the streets of England. She was lost in her thoughts, trying to process the way that man had touched her earlier at the event. It felt like she couldn't get the image of his hands off of her skin, the way it made her skin crawl. 

Xavier drove fast and furious, making it clear that he too was angry. When they finally got home, he left her behind as he stormed off in front of her, his pace nearly impossible to catch up. 

Once they were inside and Xavier had calmed down slightly, he burst out in a fit of rage. "How could you let another man touch you like that?" he yelled at her, his voice laced with anger and disgust.

Evangeline felt her heart sink as he spoke to her in such a cruel way. She was hurt and confused, not understanding why he was reacting this way. She tried to explain to him that she hadn't wanted the man to touch her, but Xavier wouldn't listen. 

As soon as Evangeline looked up to face him, Xavier pushed her back against the wall. He leaned in close, his face inches away from hers. She felt his hot breath on her skin and her heart raced with fear.

"What do you think you're doing?" Xavier growled, his eyes burning with fury. "You don't belong to anyone but me."

Evangeline's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him. She could see the anger in his eyes, and she knew that she had to tread carefully.

"Xavier, I was just---" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Just what!? Huh!" Xavier repeated, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Is that what you call it?"

Evangeline felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and anger. She pushed against Xavier's chest, trying to get him to back off, but he only leaned in closer.

"You're mine, Evangeline," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You belong to me, and no one else. I won't have any man even look at you without my permission."

Evangeline felt a surge of indignation. She wasn't anyone's property, least of all Xavier's. She pushed against him again, harder this time, but he only tightened his grip.

"Let me go," she demanded, her voice shaking with anger.

Xavier leaned in even closer, until their faces were only inches apart. "You're mine," he repeated. "And don't you forget it."

With that, he released her and strode out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts and her fear. Evangeline couldn't help but wonder what Xavier's possessiveness would mean for their future together.

She felt a sense of sadness and frustration rising inside her, like she had fallen into a dark and lonely hole that she could never escape.