My Most Precious Human

The party was supposed to be held in the large field near the forest. It was just outside the mansion's grounds. Beta Ari took me there. I was grateful for his company. I didn't want to spoil my mood by walking there with Draven. I was still pissed at him for what he had put me through, and I was additionally pissed at myself for doing something to his advantage after all of that. I couldn't evaluate where the limit of his arrogance was, and if I wasn't going to hear a sincere apology from him the next time we talked, I was going to punch him in the face. I deliberately delayed the moment we'd have this talk. I was looking forward to having some fun, drinking, and meeting people. Punching the Alpha of their pack in the middle of the party might have complicated a few things for me...

When we reached the spot, I saw multiple long tables. They were already set up with plates and glasses for the drinks. There was a huge fire set in the middle of that field, giving just the right amount of light to create the mood to party and get wasted. Most of the warriors from the elite squad were already there. It was kind of fascinating how their venomous faces were currently displaying admiration and respect towards me. They greeted me, smiling and nodding their heads.

There was no segregation at that party. Everyone could sit wherever he or she wanted. After all, the whole purpose of drinking and eating together was to integrate those who would soon fight alongside each other on the battlefield. I would certainly feel at ease there... if I wasn't the only person who had an already arranged seat, without the right to choose. I was supposed to sit at the main table next to the Alpha. Having Patrick at the same table gave me a little consolation, but it didn't change the fact that I would have to act and pretend.

I tried to cover up my anger with a forced smile, but the mask I had designed for myself felt heavier by the second, and when Alpha Draven showed up in front of me, the mask became almost unbearable to wear. Draven got up from his seat, put on a warily smile, and pulled out the chair for me to sit beside him. I exhaled and stretched my lips flat since it was the best form of grin I could give him, and then I accommodated at the seat on his left side.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said while leaning over my ear.

I looked at what I was wearing and chuckled at his compliment. A pair of black pants and a fitted shirt, since I didn't know what to expect at the training grounds earlier, certainly didn't make me anything that could be called beautiful. That was yet another small thing that differentiated Sariel and Draven. Draven lacked finesse, and he definitely wasn't a smooth talker. I knew that he was currently "trying", and that his own clumsiness was humiliating him and enraging him, but I wasn't going to make it any easier for him. To make things even worse for him, Patrick sat right next to me on my left.

"Here. Let me pour you some wine." Patrick immediately reached for the bottle, seeing my empty glass.

"I'll do it," Draven hissed, grabbing the bottle just before Patrick.

I glanced at him with a mental face-palm gesture. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to act as if nothing had happened, and then poured me a glass of wine. "Thank you," I smiled courteously at him and lifted my glass for a toast.

I had seen Draven behave gentlemanly before when I was sitting beside him at the party in the Palace's garden, but he was confident then. Yet at that moment, this cocky Alpha with royal blood running in his veins, this leader of the biggest werewolf pack ever known, seemed anxious and hungry for my attention. I caught him staring at me. He looked as if he was searching for a hint of my forgiveness for him hidder in my expression, but I couldn't just give him what he wanted. He served me food and drinks and kept asking if I had everything I needed. From the stunned gazes of Ari and other high-positioned wolves sitting at our table, I deduced that he couldn't be more out of his usual character. I knew he was making an effort, but it could never suffice as an apology.

By the time I finished my third glass of wine, my smile slipped onto my face more naturally. I felt more comfortable talking to everyone around me and laughing at their jokes. "Seeing you laugh so innocently and wholeheartedly, I could never imagine that you are a hell of a fighter!" One of the Gammas, named Raiden, exclaimed cheerfully. "I'm not that great," I laughed nervously.

"You kick ass, Lilith," he chuckled, then froze when he noticed Draven and Patrick's stares.

"It's Ms. Lilith for you," Draven hissed warningly.

"She's Lady Lilith," Patrick corrected, smirking daringly at Draven. "Regardless of what you think, she still holds her Vampire Royal Court title."

Draven's pupils turned red in an instant, and Patrick straightened as if preparing himself to attack. The air became so dense that a single spark could cause an explosion. I burst out in hysteric laughter.

"It's Lilith!" I shouted, instinctively stretching my arms on both sides, putting more distance between Draven and Patrick. "All of you... just call me Lilith, ok?"

Patrick sighed and nodded with a smile while Draven gritted his teeth.

"I oppose. I won't let them act disrespectfully," he stated harshly.

He couldn't do any better to trigger my anger. I stiffened and then glowered at him, letting him know that he had crossed the line big time. The mask that I carefully glued to my face fell off, baring the annoyance that his words caused.

"You didn't care about them treating me with respect or not when you decided to test me," I snapped.

Everyone at the table went silent. They looked like they were holding their breath, glancing at me and their Alpha. Draven frowned at the inconvenient stares and cleared his throat.

"Lilith, I-"

"It was one thing that you wanted me to fight one of your warriors in human form, but it was something completely different when you didn't stop the fight once he turned into his wolf form," I snarled.

"I didn't mean-"

"Wait, what?!" Patrick roared, leaning out and locking his deadly stare on Draven. "You let an unarmed human fight a wolf?!"

Patrick's voice alarmed other Royal Army soldiers. Everyone's eyes turned to our table. The vampires were ready to support their commander's actions while the wolves held their claws prepared to attack at Alpha's mark. Only then did I realize that my stupid outburst might easily cause unfixable damage to vampire-werewolf relations.

"Stop!" I stood up and hit the table with my fists.

Much to my surprise, my voice came out louder than I expected, and I managed to turn the uproar into silence. I looked at Patrick and Draven while my heart raced restlessly, bringing shivers to my entire body. Alpha Draven sighed heavily, then smiled and gently grabbed my hand.

"I apologize." He looked deep into my eyes and kissed the top of my hand. "I shouldn't have forgotten that even if you possess the genes of an Alpha, your human body is still fragile. I know that it was a mistake."

"A mistake?!" Patrick thundered, "You are lucky she isn't harmed, or I wouldn't have cared about the damn truce and ripped you apart, Alpha or not!"

Draven stood up, exposing his sharp fangs. He looked like he was a split-second away from turning. He was still holding my hand, and I could feel his skin burning and blood pumping wildly in his veins. As much as I believed in Patrick's strength, I would never let him recklessly challenge an Alpha... especially one aspiring to become the king! After this little time I spent with Draven, I knew how quickly his anger could trigger his actions. I turned to look Draven in the eyes, standing in his way to attack the daring half-blooded commander.

"Please..." I muttered, trying to coax him to calm down.

I placed my hand on his chest and instantly felt his heart rate slow down. I kept a wary eye on Draven until his pupils returned black again. I heaved a sigh of relief, then turned around to shoot Patrick a meaningful glare. He grimaced and then took a deep breath.

"I apologize for raising my voice," he said reluctantly. "It is good that Lady Lilith survived without getting harmed." His words couldn't possibly be more tightly squeezed through his teeth.

I smiled nervously at him, and then looked away. I couldn't let him suspect that the angry wolf I was fighting actually bit off a part of my shoulder... and then it grew back.

"I accept the apology, Commander Kim," Draven stated, reciprocating Patrick's aversion. "I can also assure you that I won't let Lilith hurt ever again."

Draven's glower was clear, and he certainly meant more than physical harm. He wanted to tell Patrick that he could take better care of me than Sariel. It was supposed to be a warning for him to back off, yet Patrick's smirk at Draven stated that wasn't going to...

"Oh boy..." I muttered under my breath, feeling like a teacher separating two schoolboys fighting.

After the whole tension lessened, Draven and Patrick kept up their semi-friendly appearances. Both of them were smiling at me but sending each other glares and vicious smirks whenever they thought I wasn't looking. Luckily, everyone survived the party, yet I couldn't help but wonder how they would manage not to kill each other before entering the real battlefield...