Chapter 21

Harlow

"I kinda want to straighten my hair" I voiced out to Ivory as she did my makeup.

"Oooo that'll look great" She agreed, but then stopped "I love your curls though," She said wrapping her index finger around one of the brown coils.

"I'm tired of them" I admitted, remembering the time I'd spend in the morning trying to make it looked like I hadn't frolicked through a barn. And I'd still fail. I glanced at the mirror and my curls fell down my back and began straightening at will.

"I keep forgetting you can do things like that" Ivory muttered "That must be such a useful power, to be able to just be whatever".

I shrugged "Yeah I guess it's pretty useful".

"Have you always been able to do that or?" She asked. I stared into space and nodded my head.

"I've been able to do it for as long as I can remember," I thought back to the first time I did it and shivered, not my most fond memory.

"How does it work...do you just think it and you become it?" She began to get excited.

"Well sure-

"So does that mean you can like shapeshift into like a tree or an animal?

"No, it doesn't work that way, I can only shift into people" I explained "And they can only be people I've laid eyes on".

"So how come you shapeshifted into me when we'd never met before?"

I struggled to come up with a valid explanation "Well if I touch someone I can change into who they care about the most" I bit my lip "Usually for wolves that would be their mates, but in rare occasions where they haven't met them I can change into any close family members or even friends".

"Do you control it or does it just happen?" She asked. I played with my fingers, trying hard not to chip off the nail polish she'd glazed over them.

"I guess both I can usually do it on will but if my emotions are haywire or if I'm not concentrating it can just...happen" There were many times where I'd shapeshifted and gotten angry and blew my cover. or my overexcitement getting the better of me.

Times where I was sneaking into a human auction and blowing my cover because of the tears running down my face. Or when I was looking death in the face, trying not to change back because I was so terrified.

I'd never been good at keeping my emotions in check.

"Have you ever tried it on Malakai?"

I picked my lips as she glazed them with gloss, finally finishing my makeup look for the evening. "Yup" I answered, checking myself out in the mirror. I tried my hardest to imprint how I looked into my memory just in case I'd need to look like this again.

Ivory is a miracle worker.

Damn, I look good.

"Who did you turn into?"

I shrugged "His mother I think. she's a very beautiful woman" I stated honestly. From the memories, I saw Malakai's mother was indeed a gorgeous person with a blinding smile that could melt hearts. I wonder how he saw through me that day though.

Who the fuck would headbutt their mother anyways?

"Oooo the future queen, she's known for her radiant looks" Ivory complimented "I've met her only once in person but what I've heard about her is enough to make me a huge face".

I chuckled "Anyone that could push out a head like Malakai's is truly a superwoman" I joked. Ivory laughed but quickly covered her mouth and gasped.

"Harlow!" I raised an eyebrow "You can't say that about the king!"

"Or what?"

She looked around as if expecting someone to burst into the room and carry me out in chains "It's...wrong!" She whisper-yelled, her face a dark blush spreading like fire across her cheeks.

"Okay, I promise not to insult his highness ever again" I mocked with a fake salute, shaking my head at how ridiculous she was being. Like I said before, they treated him as if he was covered in solid gold.

She nodded in approval before giving me a quick once over with a smile. "Okay, I think we're-

Suddenly she jerked forward and her hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes widened as she made a beeline for my bathroom, me close on her heels. She immediately fell on her knees and let out a sickening sound as she emptied her stomach in the bowl.

I stood behind her, comfortingly rubbing circles on her shoulder and holding her hair back as she puked her guts out. When she was done she still lay there for a few moments before raising her head up and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded weakly and stood up to go wash her hands in the sink before gurgling some water and throwing some on her face. I watched her in silence as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, an ashen look on her face.

"I need to go" She muttered walking past me. I nodded understandingly but jumped forward to catch her when she stumbled on her way out. She raised her hands up as if to say 'don't touch me' before leaving.

I sat across from Malakai as we shared bits of information about ourselves. I realized pretty quickly that he didn't know how to chew as he was now sitting in front of an empty plate whilst mine was not even halfway finished.

"What's your favourite colour?" I asked as a lame attempt to spark up conversation. I was less than comfortable sitting in silence whilst Malakai watched me eat but he had no problem staring at me with a weird sparkle in his eye.

"Whatever colour you're wearing is"

I rolled my eyes "How original".

"What's your favourite colour?"

I had to physically restrain myself from saying the colour of his right eye and instead swallowed my food and said "Green"

His lip curled up in disgust "The colour of grass?"

I huffed "It's the colour of nature"

"Grass is apart of nature" He pointed out. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"How did you become king again?"

"Alpha, Luna" A waiter came up to us and bowed "I hope you're enjoying your meal" He smiled, putting one hand on our table. This wasn't the same person that'd been serving us for the whole night.

I studied his attire, noticing how it looked like it had just recently been thrown on. He was sporting a smile that didn't reach his eyes and bowed as if he didn't want to show respect.

I glanced at his face to see a vein of concentration pulsing on his forehead.

"Yes thank you for-

I lifted up my steak knife and buried it in his hand that was on the table, the knife Impaling his hand and going through the table. His reaction was almost immediate but I was quicker, I shattered my wine glass and held it against his neck.

"Who the fuck are you?"

He tried to reach for the knife to pull it out of his bleeding hand but I slapped it away. I grabbed the back of his head and slammed the wine glass onto the table, pushing his head down towards its jagged edges. "I-I'm Simon"

Malakai was now on his feet "Harlow what is this about?" He demanded.

I ignored him. "I hate liars" I snarled pushing the man's head closer to the glass. "Who sent you?" I assessed his lanky figure indicating his lack of training or any real plan. "Was it Aloe? Lameck? It was Willow wasn't it?"

The man paled confirming my thoughts. I reached out to grab his shirt with my free hand and ripped it down. Just I suspected, WBB clothing was lying right beneath his waiter uniform. Malakai's eyes widened but he stayed silent.

I examined his face more closely but couldn't find a smither of recognition in it which was strange as I would personally meet all our spies before they were allowed out on the field. Which means this was a new spy.

An untrained, untalented boy who had no idea what he was doing.

"You know what, scratch that, I don't care who you are" I growled "Why are you here?"

"I'm not telling you shit" He snapped, trying to push his head out of my grasp.

I shoved the knife deeper into his hand, pushing it right to the hilt. "It doesn't matter what you do, you won't live to see tomorrow," I said in a sickly sweet tone.

"Boss wanted to send the Alpha a present"

This made Malakai perk up "I don't see my gift anywhere" Malakai bit back, his canines starting to show. The boy didn't reply but I saw the slight grin that appeared on his face.

"Mal?"

He looked at me questioningly. I swallowed "Search him"

He quickly began looking through his pockets and clothes frantically. "There's nothing on him".

"Nothing on me, but something in me"

My throat went dry as I locked eyes with Malakai, it took a second for it to snap in our heads and soon Malakai was diving across our table to grab me at the same time I yelled out to the restaurant.

"Bomb!"