She needed to nail this silent communication. Rem looked down at the skewer of meat in her hand.It would be simple, not too provocative, but enough to convey interest. It felt so natural and yet so out of character for her.
It was necessary. It was impulsive.
She neared it to her lips. He still watched. She locked eyes with him and carefully cupped her mouth around the first piece of meat while maintaining eye contact and did her best to pull it off with a slow, fluid motion. She chewed, as if the real intention was to simply eat, while giving him the best sultry look she could manage… Then she slightly raised the skewer and raised her brows, as if to say it was good meat.
On any other day, she would have made a fool of herself. But she was out of place, under pressure, and low on patience for competition. To her surprise, the action came much more naturally than she thought.
The curious, carnal surprise was back in his eyes, the same look from earlier when Rem had spoken unfavorably to Marcus. The tingling in her navel thanked her for her initiation, and her mind praised her for taking advantage of this.
Either way, Ronan was pleased.
And she was hungry for more.
Rem breathed deeply, terrified and excited at what she was doing. She was flirting andenjoyingit. With a shifter. With anAlpha.
Ronan was the first to break eye contact when someone approached the Alpha. His gaze remained on Rem for as long as it could, moving his head before his eyes, listening to whatever was being said to him. Rem blinked rapidly as she looked back at the table, petting her thighs in long strokes to dry her clammy palms. Ronan was definitely interested to some degree, other females or not.
And she had no idea what she was doing or how to seduce someone of his magnitude.
Rem waited until Nia was done speaking with another before rambling to her, “Nia, what’s it like to try and, I don’t know what you call it, butcourtan Alpha? Do you call that something different?”
Nia ate a cube of raw meat before saying, “Well, I don’t know too much about those details, as that’s a part of our world I am not really privy to. But I imagine it’s similar to others, in terms of the relationship itself. Two shifters express interest, they spend time together, and they go from there. Maybe with extra steps or requirements, for being the Alpha and all.”
Rem rapped her fingers on the wooden table, tempting thoughts of Ronan claiming her making it impossible to sit still. “So, then what’s a Luna’s life like? What doesshedo?”
“She helps run the pack, sees that there is peace among us, helps oversee quarrels, birth younglings for the Alpha. It changes, too, depending on our situation. During war, a Luna could lead attacks.”
Intrusive, carnal thoughts flooded Rem’s mind at the mention of birthing Ronan’s young, but then she snickered at the thought of her in a battle. “Oh, I am going to need alotmore training before I leadanyattack.”
They shared a laugh, falling into a conversation about arbitrary topics. A servant filled Rem’s water cup, reminding her how this scenario had the capacity to blossom into a decent life: becoming a Luna, being with a male like Ronan—barring she navigated those waters successfully—all the hot spring baths, a friend like Nia,andshe was considered special. She'd never again have to touch cow dung or get up at five in the morning every day…
And she’d share Ronan’s bed.
Which meant touching the Alpha in ways thatveryfew were permitted. And how would he touch her? Would he pet her hair? Have her rest her head on his chest? Have her sit on his lap when he was in a seat much like now?
Rem looked at more tables, searching for a distraction thatwasn’tthe Alpha. Those festering thoughts would be the end of her, dangerously mixing in her heart with what Oliver needed for her to do.
Nia chatted with another who sat down next to them. Those who came to socialize with Nia also looked down when a higher-ranking shifter would walk by. One even bowed a few times in Rem’s direction.
She doubted she’d get used to that.
Two, foreign shifters across the way caught her attention, both staring at her as they talked.
Human servants moved between them, but it was impossible to mistake the motion of one beckoning Rem over. When she didn’t move, he motioned for her to come overagain, his eyes questioning why she wasn't moving. She wanted to ignore it, so as not to do anything that wasn’t expected or required of her. Was she allowed to just go speak with others? Theywereat the Warden section of this gathering, but she still didn’t know them.
No, she needed to be bold, to prove to everyone around that she was her own person. To show Ronan she could focus on more than just him.
I need to show Jackson just how much he underestimated me.
She pushed her wooden chair back as Nia continued to speak to another.
Rem’s heart pounded in her chest, full of nerves and inner power for taking control of her life. Rem navigated the servants who carried more food, the smell of the feast flooding memories through her. The only time she ever smelled fresh grass, cooked meat, potatoes, and baked goods was during a birthday.
It grounded her that while she lived in luxury, her parents probably weren't sleeping, and Oliver was working himself into a stupor.Don’t lose yourself to the temptations of luxury. Not yet.
She eyed the stranger that beckoned her, who wore a dark red, well-crafted tunic, the rest hidden by the table. He was clearly tall and lean.
"You, Silver," he said through the thickest accent, pointing to her, his brown eyes skimming over her.
