44

Word Count: 2360

~Dove

I pour a healthy amount of wine into my glass, looking down at the abysmal hand of cards I've been dealt.

I sigh raggedly. Dev sits on the opposite side of the coffee table, not even bothering to hide his smug smile. He's going to win this game, and he knows it.

I'm still recovering from my night yesterday with Matthias. While I was able to get out of the place without being dragged into his bed, I'm still unnerved from the experience.

Being around him terrifies me, but I'm not giving up on this mission. Not when I know with almost complete certainty that he is aware of what happened to Varian's brother.

After our game of cards, Dev suggested we spend the night decorating cupcakes before eating so many we go to bed feeling sick. He spent all day preparing, the sweet smelling baking set up on the other end of the table next to us.

"I think I'm going to keep seeing him," Dev says musingly, putting a card down on the top of the deck that makes me bite down on the nail of my thumb.

Not only am I going to lose this game, I'm going to lose it momentously.

"Why? He puts absolutely no effort into spending time with you," I remind him, giving him a sharp look.

Dev has been obsessed with another performer since I've known him. It was one of the first things he told me about himself when we met. The problem is, this man has been stringing my friend along, knowing he's infatuated with him.

"That could change," Dev grumbles. "He just needs to get to know me more."

I sigh, taking a long drink from my wine glass. "How can he get to know you if he won't hang out with you?"

I don't even really like wine, but it's cheap and Dev's favourite. Plus, it will give me a pleasant buzz to help me relax tonight. I rarely drink, but when I do, I want it to be in moments like these, where I'm playing cards with Dev and listening to music.

"We have talks post sex." Dev's eyes glisten while he shuffles the waning cards in his hands.

I narrow my eyes. "Deven..."

He hasn't told me he's been having sex with him again. I shouldn't be surprised, since he's told me they only hook up in the bathroom of wherever they happen to be performing together. I wouldn't know otherwise.

"Yeah, you're right." He rubs his face. "It's just, I think about how you've found your mate, and it makes me jealous."

"There is nothing going on between Varian and I," I remind him. There isn't much for him to be envious of.

His expression grows unnervingly serious. "You're mates. There has to be."

"Being mates doesn't have to mean anything." I press down a card on top of the deck, knowing it's not going to make a single difference to my chance of winning. "I'm working for him. That's all."

"Then what?"

I take another drink. "Hmm?"

"What happens when you're done working for him?" Dev asks bluntly.

"Well...I don't know yet." I try not to think about it. "I want to help him find out what happened to his brother. He deserves to know, and I'm convinced Matthias knows something."

I'm sure his brother is dead. It's been years since he went missing, and Matthias' strange reaction to the mention of him must be because he knows it. I just need to find out how he did, and who did that to him.

"It would suck to lose a brother like that," Dev mumbles, looking introspective for a moment.

"I know. I don't know what I would do if I lost Eden." I sigh wistfully. "I almost did and it was terrible."

Since I last saw Eden, we have been corresponding regularly. Nothing feels different, although she is far more in love and happy. I never want to go without seeing her again.

Dev sets is hand of cards down. "Let's move to Varian's pack together. We can be closer to Eden, I can take performing more seriously, and we don't need to be a part from each other."

"That would be nice..." I murmur.

The only matter that is holding me back is Varian. Moving to his pack feels too...permanent. I know I'm sabotaging myself, but I don't trust myself to have him so close.

"Matthias is a monster. We've established that," Dev exclaims, dipping his finger into a bowl of pink icing next to him before he sticks it into his mouth. "Varian is hot, probably good in bed and I know he'll give you space if you ask."

My shoulder deflate. "You're probably right—"

A strong knock sounds from the door, making us freeze.

Dev stands stiffly, his pyjama pants and sweater wrinkled from sitting in one position for so long. His expression is practically murderous.

"I swear, if that's our landlord, I'm going to lose my mind," he growls.

I lean back against the front of the couch, smothering my smile behind my hand. Watching Dev bicker with our aged and stubborn landlord brings me so much entertainment.

Dev yanks the door open. "I already told you the hole in the wall was in here before we...oh, Varian."

I stiffen, my breath catching in my throat.

"Hello Deven," Varian greets smoothly.

My heart sinks to my stomach as I scramble up. The door blocks my view of Varian, but it's clear he's here. Looking down, I note my matching pyjama set that is bright pink with unicorns on it. My hair hasn't been brushed since this morning, sitting wild and tangled at my shoulders.

Shit.

"I'm assuming it's not me you're here to see," Dev deadpans, leaning against the doorframe.

"Is Dove here?" Varian asks.

Dev ducks his head around the door, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't let him see me," I mouth desperately, gesturing over my current clothing choice.

Why can't I have worn sexier sleeping clothes? I don't even own them, and even if I did, I wouldn't wear them in front of Deven, anyway.

What is he doing here anyway? We're supposed to meet up tomorrow night to debrief on what occurred with Matthias.

"Ah...she's here. She's just getting changed." Dev wildly gestures behind the door at me to get into my bedroom to change, so Varian can't see.

Not even a moment later, Varian pushes into apartment, looking around the door and at me directly, like he suspected I would be sitting there, utterly mortified.

"Dove, there you are," he murmurs, his expression softening.

He looks perfect. Of course he does.

He must have been at some function, as he wears a bespoke suit, the jacket draped over his arm. He's lost the tie from around his neck, and the first few buttons of his white shirt are undone at the top. Even his hair is styled, although he can't avoid the few strands that fall astray from where they should be pushed back.

Naturally, he looks divine, making me feel even more stupid for the state of me.

"Oh hey." I wipe my hair back off my face, hoping my blush isn't too obvious. "I was just about to go get changed."

He frowns. "Why?"

"I spilt something..." I look down, hoping that wine may miraculously appear in the fabric of my pink sleeping clothes.

His gaze sweeps over me, while I inwardly cringe. Dev is pulling an overexaggerated expression, somewhat like a grimace, while he pulls at the collar of his shirt. I would scold him, were Varian not inspecting me.

"You look fine to me," Varian eventually states, appearing entirely unbothered as he meets my gaze again.

"Why are you here? It's quite late," I exclaim, gesturing out our single window, which shows off the darkened wall of our neighbouring apartment building.

"I was wondering if we could go out for a walk or something. Maybe catch up on what happened with Matthias," he offers. "I was in the area on business today, so I thought it would be convenient to come see you now."

It's unbelievably good to see him right now, even in my state. Any of the horrid feelings from earlier seem to vanish in his presence.

"Oh right." I clear my throat. "Honestly, I'm quite comfortable. Mind if we stay here?"

I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to speak to him, but I don't feel inclined to go out. I'm a little tipsy, and it's warm in here...plus, seeing Varian in my apartment is far too amusing. He consumes the space, being tall enough to almost scrape our low ceiling.

He pauses. "Well—"

"I can go to my room," Dev blurts out quickly. He's pressed himself against the closed door, smiling meekly.

"No Dev, stay," I hurry to add, flushing. "We can all hang out."

I'm not going to lose all my senses and climb Varian like a tree if we're left alone. I'm more civilised than that.

Varian looks over his shoulder at my friend. "As long as you're not bored by business talk."

"Stay the night here. It's late, and you can take my bed. I'll sleep in Dev's bed," I say before I can put much thought to my words.

I just invited him to stay, and implied I would sleep in my friends bed. Shit.

Varian's brows raise, any warmth draining from his face.

Dev violently shakes his head from behind the Alpha, his expression mortified.

"I mean, no I won't," I jump to correct, eyes darting between the two. "I'll take the couch."

Dev slaps his face.

"I'm not letting you sleep on the couch. I can, if it makes you more comfortable," Varian offers softly.

My friend really needs to stop playing matchmaker. I'm almost convinced he's going to stand outside my bedroom door to make sure Varian and I have sex. He's looking up at the ceiling like he's cursing a god I know he doesn't believe in.

"Let's drink some more wine and see where the night takes us then, shall we?" I pick up the bottle, silently scolding myself for stumbling over my words like that.

It's the wine, it has to be...or perhaps it's the fact that Varian makes me nervous.

To stop himself from saying something, Dev moves into the kitchen.

"We should just hang out, no business tonight. Over breakfast we can catch up with what happened with Matthias," I say meekly.

I'm not sure why I'm insisting he stay. Ushering him out would be admitting failure, and while I've thoroughly embarrassed myself beyond repair, I can't do that.

Dev returns from the kitchen with another wine glass in his hand. "He tried to kiss her."

Varian's attention snaps to him. "What?"

"Deven..." I hiss.

He shrugs, his expression devious as he flops onto the couch. "Sorry."

He loves stirring up trouble. Varian is searching my face for answers, his entire body tensing at this revelation. I better not speak about Matthias' blatant attempt to seduce me until my meddling friend is somewhere else.

"We were about to decorate some cupcakes if you want to join." I motion down to the coffee table, where the cupcakes sit on a rack, and bowls of icing sit precariously close to the edge.

If they fall, they won't be the worst stain made in this carpet.

Varian blinks, startled. "Ah...okay."

"We have plenty of icing colours and all the toppings you need," I say with a quivering smile. "Go wild."

"Wild, huh?" His mouth softens into a smile. "Well, I'm not very artistic, nor am I a good cook."

"I hope you don't mind sitting on the ground. We prefer doing things at the coffee table." I sink down to where I was sitting before, tucking the deck of cards into my hand from earlier before I let them rest on the floor.

It's mostly because our dining table is so cluttered it would take days to clear off enough to see its surface.

Dev joins me on the floor. "It keeps us grounded."

Part of me suspects this might be a line Varian, as Alpha, won't cross, but to my surprise, he sinks down onto our definitely unclean floor, expensive suit and all.

"I don't mind," he states warmly, attention shifting to the table.

Dev looks at me, his smile slowly widening. I narrow my eyes on him, trying to convey my irritation at is meddling. He doesn't look bothered in the slightest, filling Varian's glass with cheap red wine.

"Just be creative," I encourage, picking up a cupcake for myself.

"And relax." Dev is looking at me as he says that.

Varian takes the glass my friend offers him. "I'm definitely going to need this wine then."

I watch him take a long drink, my pulse thumping in my ears. Everything he does is mouth-wateringly attractive. My eyes drift over his strong jawline, and the way his throat moves as he swallows.

"You're never done anything like this before, have you?" I ask breathlessly as he sets the glass down.

He laughs under his breath. "Decorated cupcakes? No, I think I'm pretty inexperienced in this area."

"Oh I bet you make up with it in other areas." Dev grins mischievously.

I look up at Varian, who pauses, then at my friend. I laugh first, unable to help myself. Moments later, Varian joins me, in a laugh that sounds so free and genuine it makes my stomach warm.

Dev grins, raising his glass. "Alright, drink up my friends. Let's make this a fun night."

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***

My hands tremble by my sides. "Don't sleep with her..."

He steps toward me, his eyes dark. "Why not?"

"Whatever you were planning to do to her tonight, do it to me instead," I whisper.

***

~Midika 🐈‍⬛💜