The Alpha Killed My Husband

29| Recollection Continues

The Banquet and the Hen—

The ceremony lasted forever after vows were exchanged. But it was nice minus the groom and a certain Alpha's infuriating presence. Unfortunately, I had to be glued in Rudrnash’s arms for the major part of the evening. And he was glued to the Alpha King’s side. We were introduced to various members of elite society, international forums, business associates, and political alliances.

You see, the average Page 3 party!

It's all about contact and nothing else. It's an unspoken rule that everyone dutifully follows. You take a wine glass (must be in your hands for every picture), put a dazzling smile on your face, a polite expression, and you must look like it is the best bash in the world you have ever attended and the person standing next to you is your f*****g prom date. Besides that, you must be ignorant of almost everything.

You cannot laugh aloud, only giggling is allowed. They do not tolerate anything more than that. You must act civilized and surprised.

Well, I sort of was! I was stunned at the rubbish of that overbearing world. My head spun. I was tired. My shoulder blades were aching in excruciating agony. My eyelids begged me to shut them close. I wanted to eat, dip my toes in lukewarm water, and relax. It had been the toughest day of my life (tougher than my job at The Rajbhog).

Wearing a polite smile in that stupid dress and killing heels. Not to forget those horrendous bobby pins! I wanted to do nothing more than push the door open and run away.

Rudransh was lost amidst the crowd of leaders. I was relieved. I could sit and drink peacefully without him nagging me over every matter. He had been excessively playful at the time. Even if I yelled profanities at him, there was nothing that could stop him.

Throughout the night, he could not stop touching me. His hands seemed to have developed a mind of their own. He kept bouncing off to me, dodging some of the prime contacts.

'You looked cute when you were jealous.' He had whispered in my ears when we crossed paths. He was with the UN delegates and I was chatting with the Viscount of Vampuza. I could not retort or spit tequila when the royals were around. Only disguised glares had to do the business.

When I looked over his shoulder, I could see a she-wolf who was undergoing the same torture as I was. Ronit was not any better either. The Alpha was clinging to Scarlet's. In anything, he was worse.

It wasn't that I did not want to save Scarlet. I tried. He just did not leave when I politely expressed my desire to talk to his mate to avoid Luna Aaradhya's perpetually long family.

Much to my despair, threat after threat was looming over my head.

Luna Aaradhya has a close-knitted family full of loving brothers, their mates, their children, their relatives, and their friends. All of them were invited, not because they were Luna's family, but because they are successful Business Tycoons.

I forgot half the names and titles the moment they turned their backs on me. However, some faces and names will forever be imprinted in my memory. Some, like— Suzan Spencer, President of the Witchicon, or Lilly Solace, Prime Minister of the Faudieves.

I personally liked Lilly Solace more than anyone. Much as I could not talk to her for over fifteen minutes. The fairy was in the limelight from the moment she walked in. Her kaleidoscopic eyes, heart-shaped lips, hourglass figure—everything about her charisma was enchanting. No wonder fairies are the Lord's most beautiful creation. Lilly Solace was everything I ever aspired to be. She was calm, intelligent, wise, and knew what she was talking about.

It was sort of nice to meet the females in power. No matter how beautiful or hideous, how charming or disdainful, how good or evil, they turned out to be—they were global leaders and that was the end of it.

It felt like an eternity before I finally settled at a table. Ronit, Scarlet, Shantanu, Rudransh, and I were inside the Palace ballroom for the reception banquet, and I was piqued enough to be a little reckless. The exhaustion was kicking in.

Shantanu passed me a glass of mocktail and I happily gulped it down in one go. The liquor burnt my throat. It was pleasing.

I looked at my side to watch Rudransh animatedly chatting away with some pristine-looking people. They could be witches, fairies, demons, dragons, or vampires. It was hard to judge from the back.

‘What's up with that spirit?’

Shantanu glanced up into the crowd where Avika was waltzing with Ronit's Beta. He hesitatingly passed me another glass. It was a fresh flavour with something stronger. Rudransh was stolen by someone I did not know.

‘Careful there! You and liquor don’t go well, Luna. Alpha wouldn't be too pleased.’ He warned, awaiting a response. His eyes lingered on Alpha strolling some paces away.

The mere mention of Rudransh was enough to rile me up. My grip on the glass tightened. I watched Avika as I swug the whole glass in one go. She had got a shy smile on her face, polite, fresh as the dawn, and overly feminine in a pink floral dress. Beta Vihaan smirked and whispered something in her ears that made her giggle like a schoolgirl. The ease annoyed me, I was not gonna lie.

‘Why are you so into everyone’s business? Get me another one. It’s delicious.’ I snapped in a chipper tone. Second in command or not, the wolf was clever as f**k. Not for nothing, he has been named 'the brain of Alpha'. From day one, he was on my radar. I know Alpha consults him about everything.

Shantanu stared at me from head to back. He was reluctant. Oops! I thought over it for a second because I patiently waited for him to serve already. When he did not, I gave him a pointed look.

‘Need I ask twice?’ My voice was bossy. I pinched the bridge of my nose, waiting for him to deny me. He couldn't. I liked it. It was meant to be that way throughout. I was born to dominate, lead, and not fret over some Alpha admiring some Vamp’s breasts. From my peripheral vision, I watched a skinny witch pecking on his cheeks lightly. They giggled at something a vamp in the circle had said.

I felt my temper rising. Shantanu slowly stirred the liquid and slid it across the table. I gestured to Scarlet if she'd like some. The meek she-wolf shook her head immediately. What in the burning hell is her problem?

‘Why would we need her when you already have a P.A? She was in Appy Lane. I remember seeing her as one of the escorts the night you were stung. There was another one. I don't seem to recall her face. I am sure Vihaan met her in Tawaivada. Shanaya is just out of town for a couple of weeks, Luna. Shaan is perfectly fitting in. We did not get her background checked. It's just a matter of some days before you will get the competent assistant back. Why waste funds on her? She is a bad influence. A taint to your reputation. I doubt she can hardly defend herself from a reflexive fall. Just look at her, she doesn't look ready to protect you, Luna!’ Shantanu sighed.

Yeah, right! Avika was back. It was not part of the plan. Anyways, it happened. I don’t know how she managed to break into Ronit’s Beta contacts, but she was somehow with us in Vampuza and I had propositioned her to appoint her as my PA. Alpha was uncommunicative on the subject. For whatever infer, Shantanu seemed to have a lot of problems.

His brows were knitted in confusion. The wolf obviously looked down upon the females he took to his bed. They were never meant to stand in the same room as him officially.

'She is funny!' I countered without a clue. The statement was so absurd that even I scowled internally with a facepalm. Another glass went down.

True, Avika hadn't had the best of her senses when dressing up for the purpose and occasion. I would have asked her to wear something formal for the bash had I known she was coming. I did not.

Nonetheless, she came twirling in a knee-length floral dress with her long tresses falling on her back. She was a doll crafted to be kept in a glass castle and not someone who’d take a bullet for a Luna or handle international matters.

Incompetent was written all over her in big bold letters. I had to give it to Shantanu. I did not buy it.

‘Funny won't save your life from attacks,’ The dog was right. In hell, I’d admit that.

'Can she sort out UN matters? I don't think she has studied past writing her name. Just look at her, Luna. I don't understand how in the freaking world she is going to assist you on platforms. You need some more qualified...and clever.' Beta cried.

I grabbed another glass from the attendant and chugged it down. f**k Etiquettes! I was losing control over my foolproof plan. I could afford to lose control of myself.

‘I don't need anyone to save my life, Beta. I am capable of that. I need someone to sort out my schedules and she looks perfect for that. She is educated. I know. Circumstances may have led her to Tawaivada. We cannot help it. Besides, it will set a perfect example before the pack. Luna doesn't discriminate. She readily took a proustite under her wing.’ I got up, stumbling on my knees. 'It's gonna be a great headline.'

That shut up Shantanu. He still did not look convinced. Maybe he had just decided to drop it for the moment.

Point 1 to Sarvayoni. Take asshole!

‘I see, you still cannot tolerate seeing the she-wolf who was once your arm candy. Damn your chauvinism! Listen up here, you dog face jerk! Avika is going to be my P. A till the sky falls. It's final and conclusive. I don't need anyone's opinions. I am going down to Hen. You and that piece of s**t,’ I pointed to Alpha before I snapped my fingers under Shantanu’s nose, whose eyes were getting bigger by the minute.

‘Can go f**k in the Stag. Make sure he comes down clean or I will rip off his testicles and feed them to you. I would be in one of the dungeon chambers. Tell him to come find me there if nothing impresses him.’ I giggled bitterly.

I remembered making my way toward the bride. Emily was feeding cake to Old Bal’fartie who was checking her out hungrily. Poor vamp was clueless about his shenanigans and desires. She smiled at him sweetly, batting her eyelashes. A sugar-loaded smile that was so contagious that I almost detected Type A diabetes.

Emily was a blooming flower, fresh like spring. She did not deserve that old rotten rag of fertilizer beside her. She deserved much better. I felt it was my duty to warn her.

I snatched another glass of champagne from the butler. She and I could catch up at The Hen. It was exclusively for females. The d***s would be whopping asses in Stags.

‘Emillyyyyyy.’ I slurred, throwing my arms around her. I clasped her wrists. 'Le'go!' I was high. It was the beginning of the trauma. We stepped into an elevator with a bottle of champagne. I gulped half the content down in one go. The remaining half, I offered to Emily.

‘Luna Aaradhya!’ Emily was surprised. She smiled affectionately. The bad feelings went deeper. She took the bottle away and swirled it.

I liked her. The elevator opened into a huge ballroom in the basement. I don't remember the arrangement. It was mostly dark. Everything after it was hazy. We had fun in the Hen, back-biting about werewolves, vampires, dragons, and their fragile performance in bed.

The ladies boasted of their mate’s abilities. Some wept over their sorrows. We danced wildly. Emily stripped. It was all lively till the moon ascended. The wildest night of my life.

‘Another round?’ At three, Emily slurred in my ears. She was a lovely vampiress, clean at heart, dirty in mind. Her puns were hilarious and knowing that she was forced into the wedding, I could feel a soul sister in her.

‘Why?’

‘Let’s get it with Thomas! I so want to puke on his crisp white shirt.’ She giggled, bouncing away to the entrance with me on her tail.

The Stag was organised on the terrace. I don’t remember how we made it there, but the entrance had to be dazzling for the heads to snap in our direction.

'There is our Old Bal'fartie!' I pumped my fist in the air, jabbing my finger towards Thomas who was standing beside my arched nemesis. The ladies behind me giggled. 'The Ugliest Groom on the planet. Thomas's d**k is quinchy everyone.' I toasted.

Our herd of lost morons clapped, hugging and kissing. I stole a fresh bottle from the counter and climbed to a table for the wedding speech. My throat did not burn from the assault. I have gotten used to it.

Emily hooted. Scarlet cheered. Avika was missing. (Brace my power to make her lose!)

'Ugly ducklings and f****d up gigolos!' I remember that was how I started...I just don't remember what I did or said afterwards.