It is around 12 in the afternoon on a beautiful Saturday morning. The petals of the cherry blossoms fall on the green grass like floral snow, while the baby blue sky makes everything look like something out of a painting. Even though the day is determined to be cheerful and light, there's a storm brewing in my mind and heart.

The Greywoods' driveway is large with steel grey paving, and along the way there are three cars parked in a neat line. First is Alpha Gilbert's black Rolls Royce, then Luna Catherine's golden Porsche and last is Bianca's silver Mercedes. This is a stark contrast to my house where only the one car is there that everybody shares.

Hoping to stave away the storm on the distant horizon, I've come to make some sort of peace with Bianca. I guess I'm seeking forgiveness, but for what specifically I'm not sure as there are many reasons.

I enter through the open entrance like I usually do.

"Hello?" I call out.

I hear a commotion in the kitchen and the clanging of crockery, then the sound of clackety shoes on hardwood floor.

"Ah, Astrid!" Alpha Gilbert appears from around the corner looking rather dressed up in a polo shirt and loafers. "You couldn't have come at a better time. Would you mind going upstairs and waking Bianca up?"

"Sure, Alpha Gilbert."

"Great," he pats my shoulder. "We're having some important guests over in a bit and I think Bianca should be present for it. You are, of course, welcome to join as well."

I walk up the floating stairs, holding onto the golden handrails. Everything in the Greywoods' house is extraordinarily lavish and quite a few items are gold plated.

Bianca's bedroom door is closed but not locked. I enter to find her sound asleep face down on her pillow, her golden hair in disarray. She looks like she's had a tough night.

I sit next to her and nudge her awake.

"Astrid?" she mutters.

"It's time to wake up, B."

She mumbles and sighs some more, then turns her body 180 degrees to reveal a naked torso with dried mud smeared across her neck and chest.

I cover her up and this time yell "Wake up!" She gasps and clutches onto her blanket for dear life.

"What—what time is it?"

"It's after 12. And you need to take a shower and get dressed. You're having very important visitors over according to your dad."

She sits up and breathes heavily for a while.

"Did you go for a run this morning?" I ask to enquire about the dried mud.

Bianca rubs her face to reveal a pair of very dirty hands.

"Yeah, I just needed to get out of my head."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nah."

She gets up, dragging the wrapped blanket around her, walks to the bathroom and shuts it. I crash onto the bed and exhale heavily.

Last night was a lot to take in and I feel like an absolute jerk. Like I'm floating on a boat out in the middle of the ocean with dark clouds looming ahead and no way of getting safely to shore. I'm so exhausted thinking about it, the situation, the problem, the scandal.

It started with me being an ass to Bianca over her engagement, then me being an ass to Bianca over kissing her fiancé, then me, again, somehow being an ass for the Moon Goddess picking me as her fiancé's destined. And I'm still unsure if I should take the Lycan Alpha's statement with a grain of salt.

After a while, Bianca steps out of her bathroom wrapped up in a towel, headed straight for her closet. She throws on a baby blue sundress then proceeds to do a light face of makeup while I silently watch. I look down at my clothes, a lot more casual than hers: a black t-shirt, denim shorts and sneakers.

Finally, Bianca looks over at me while she's got a big fluffy makeup brush in hand and sighs.

"You should change into one of my skirts, Astrid. The short floral a-line on the second shelf."

I do as directed and look a bit more presentable. Bianca also hands me a mauve lipstick.

"Much better," she says and smiles.

Just as we're done, the door bell rings. There's a bit of chatter among some deep male voices and the distinct piercing laugh of Alpha Gilbert.

Suddenly, a dread befalls me.

I look over to Bianca, whose bright green eyes meet my gaze.

The storm has reached to knock my boat over.

"What if he tells your dad the thing that I told you?" I ask, fear apparent in my voice.

"Whatever happens, Astrid, I've got your back." She reaches over to squeeze my hand.

"And I, yours."

We nod firmly in agreement then head downstairs.

The chatter we heard before goes quiet as we descend. The smell of the Lycan Alpha gradually wafts its way over to me and it gives me the jitters. Do I have time enough to escape out of a bathroom window?

We enter the living room, all parties standing up as if they'd been waiting for us. I avoid looking at everybody—one person in particular—and gauge to see Bianca's reaction, which is unreadable.

"Alpha Xenakis, this is our daughter, Bianca."

I can't help it now. I look at the Lycan Alpha who seems to be sizing up my best friend with his blue-black eyes. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I am relieved to see he's showing interest enough. Maybe I have nothing to worry about.

And then, he flickers them my way.

Like invisible laser beams, the Lycan Alpha's mismatched eyes work their way into searing two holes on my face. And they move slowly down and slowly up like he's trying to obliterate me on the spot. I cross my legs a little.

"This is Astrid Lee, a tigress," Alpha Gilbert introduces me as he sits back down.

I avert my gaze, bow a little, then sit next to Bianca on the cream-colored sofa to the left of the two Lycans. I take a peek at the Lycan Beta, who looks heaps better than he did last night.

For a short while, there is silence as Luna Catherine directs two Omegas to serve green tea and set the coffee table with sweet pastries. She is sat opposite Bianca and I, while Alpha Gilbert is sat opposite the Lycans. The Omegas leave.

Alpha Gilbert clears his throat. "I have to say Rio—may I call you Rio?"

"Of course." His accent rumbles on the consonants.

"Rio, we were expecting to meet you at the gala tonight, but this home visit just reassures the Luna and I of your character and intentions."

The Lycan Alpha arches a brow. "You had concerns, Alpha Greywood?"

Goddess. So damn cocky. He doesn't even realize the efforts Bianca's father is making into accepting him into his family. After all, Alpha Smug is the one who sent the proposal.

"Please, call me Gilbert," Bianca's father replies then looks a bit cautious. "I could never replace your late father but I hope I can offer you some solace in becoming a secondary father to you by law."

"Thank you, Gilbert." Rio looks my way for a moment and grins.

Oh, Goddess. Is he really that arrogant and foolish to come all this way to reveal the truth in front of Alpha Gilbert with me in the same room?

The Lycan Beta nudges his Alpha gently and speaks lowly in a foreign language. I look over to Bianca who curtly smiles and squeezes my hand. Meanwhile, Alpha Gilbert looks a tad annoyed at the exchange of foreign words between the Lycans.

"Bianca, dear," Alpha Gilbert interrupts their conversation. "Why don't you tell Rio here a little bit about yourself."

She breathes heavily. "Right. I, uh, recently got my Bachelor's degree in business administration, in the hope of helping my father grow and expand our territory even further. I have a black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu. And, uh, I like fashion."

Alpha Gilbert looks pleased at this answer, which sounded more appropriate for a job interview than for a suitor. Out of the corner of my eye, it seems Rio finds all this rather amusing as he stifles a scoff, then pointedly looks at me and shakes his head a little. Alpha Gilbert catches onto this.

"Is this the first time you're meeting a tiger, Rio?" he asks.

"No, this is the second time," the Lycan Alpha replies with a double meaning.

"Well, Astrid here is a marvellous talent, currently teaching music at the school. Her father is quite a formidable tiger himself. In fact, he is my Delta."

At this, the Lycan Alpha is intrigued.

"Tigers assimilating to the pecking order?"

"Why, yes."

The Lycan Alpha regards me with a touch of fascination and I feel utterly objectified under his gaze.

"So, are you an Omega, Ms Lee?" he asks and I don't know exactly if he meant to sound so condescending.

"I am just a tiger," I answer a bit too loudly, then address Bianca's father, "no offence, Alpha Gilbert."

"None taken, Astrid. I can't force you to join the ranks much like your parents have."

I look back at the Lycan Alpha, a sense of dignity straightening out my spine as I sit taller. He nods slightly as if to tell me I'd done well. I will not let his seeming approval sway me any different from my perception of his arrogance.

"Well, if I had any say in it, Astrid would be my Beta," Bianca chimes in as she hooks an arm around mine. The Lycan Alpha eyes us both.

"You have no need for a Beta, my dear," her father remarks and it seems everybody is taken aback by the Alpha's bluntness.

Luna Catherine clears her throat. "Please, everyone, have your tea before it gets cold."

Bianca's mother looks absolutely regal in her all-white kaftan and golden jewellery. It's hard to disobey any orders or suggestions from a beautiful woman like her so we all automatically reach out for our cups.

"So then, Gilbert, what do you make of the recent female Alpha of Violet Moon?" Rio asks, his piercing blue-black eyes staring Bianca's father down.

"That was borne out of necessity," he says. "There were no male heirs or cousins to take over. And I heard she's turned down many admirers. A pity for a young woman."

"And what if I had not sent my proposal to your daughter?"

"Then Bianca would just have to wait for a destined."

I look over to my best friend, staring silently at her cup of tea, her eyes following the wispy steam that her breathing dissipates. I expectantly raise my eyes to the Lycan Alpha hoping he understands to stop this line of questioning. He nods.

"Well, that seems fair," the Lycan Alpha says as he places his tea down on the coffee table. "And she shall find hers." He looks at me like a thunderous black cloud about to strike me down. "For I have found mine."

"Excuse me?"

The room is stunned. Even the Omegas standing attentively in the corner await in anticipation.

Alpha Gilbert's face twists in concern then disbelief and there is a hint of an upper lip twitch that pulsates every alternate second.

Bianca holds me closer, her arm already hooked through mine.

I eye him fiercely. Don't do it, you idiot! But his eyes are set on Bianca's parents, determined to ruin everything they have been working hard to build.

"I'm sorry, Gilbert, Luna," the Lycan Alpha' nods at either of the Greywoods with that selfsame smug look on his face.

"Who?" Alpha Gilbert asks, his countenance in defeat for there isn't much he can do if the Lycan Alpha says he's found his destined.

But I will not sit here and take it.

I abruptly stand up and leave before this absurd conversation goes any further. I want no part of it. The mental toll this betrayal has been taking on me is already quite enough.

Bianca calls after me. Alpha Gilbert and Luna Catherine chatter in confusion. The Lycan Beta reprimands his Alpha in a foreign tongue. And even from the distance between the living room and the front door, I can Rio's intense gaze upon my very soul.

Then I hear the shuffling of feet.

So, I run into the woods.