Diamonds and Ice

The meeting will start any moment. At Liam’s left side, I stand in front of a long table with at least a dozen empty seats surrounding it. While waiting for the pack to show up, I can’t help but admire the detailed wood carving of wolves running, but then it gets covered up by a large map that a secretary lays out in front of us.

“They’re here, sir,” she lets him know while placing the paper weights at each corner.

“Thank you, Becka,” Liam excuses her with a nod.

With a pen and notepad close to my chest, I take a deep breath and slowly exhale.

“Relax,” leaning in, Liam whispers, “they won’t bite.”

“Who won’t bite whom?!” a gentlemen in a fashionable velvet blazer and gleaming with confidence walks in from the hallway.

I can’t believe someone actually heard this. Better be careful what secrets I wish to share in front of them.

“Victoria, this is my younger cousin and Beta in training, Gabriel,” like a good host, Liam leads the introduction. “Gabriel, this is Victoria, my new personal assistant and a trusted friend.”

“Pleasure to meet you, miss,” his husky blue eyes never leave my amused gaze as he places a kiss on my hand.

“The pleasure is all mine,” I smile.

He doesn’t say a thing to Liam, just gives him a sly look.

“Shut up, Gabriel and sit your butt down,” Liam shakes his head in disapproval.

At least not out loud.

“At your right side of the table right where I belong, my dear cousin,” cheerfully, Gabriel takes his place.

“Is your father here yet?”

“Of course he is, he’s talking with your father in the office. You know how it it, the Alpha and Beta always have their own meeting before the actual meeting,” as he takes his gloves off, Gabriel leans back into his chair.

“Good morning!” Liam sees someone new enter. A young couple walks in hand in hand.

“Good morning, indeed!” a young blonde wearing a black dress with a lynx fur collar smiles at us both. “We just came back from breakfast at the cutest little cafe at the village square,” her smile fixes on me and leaves her handsome partner’s side to shake my hand. “You must try it sometime.”

Her company, casually dressed in dark brown rejoins her, “Maybe you two can go together some day. I didn’t care much for it.”

By the looks of that tiny red stain at the corner of her lips, I can tell she really enjoyed her morning meal. Discreetly, I point it out.

“I had eggs and stake. I like it rare,” embarrassed, she explains herself and pulls a handkerchief out of her clutch. “I’m Scarlet by the way and this is my hard-to-please fiance', Chance.”

“I was talking about the restaurant, my dearest. Not you,” he teases her.

“I’m Victoria. I’m Liam’s personal assistant,” I blush at their flirting.

The room fills in quickly during my short interaction with Scarlet and Chance. Everyone is already at their seats. Only one remains empty.

Sitting at the head of the table, Liam’s father - the Alpha of the pack and Governor of Winterlight doesn’t look surprised to see that, more like annoyed.

“Has anyone seen our Omega?” he rubs his forehead.

“She should be here soon,” Beta sitting at his right side, tries to ease his frustration.

Just as the second-in-command suggested, something makes a heavy landing outside.

“That must be her. Victoria, can you please open the balcony door and let her in?” For the first time, the Alpha addresses me.

I’m confused, but do as I″m told and open the curtain.

Oh my dear, lord! I gasp. Behind the french glass doors, a pitch black wolf stands. It’s demonically dark shape is completely out of place in the white purity that’s all around. Her silver eyes watch me as if expecting something.

Are you going to let me in or what? I’m already late as it is. An impatient female voice enters my mind.

Shaking my head, I break out of shock and hurry to pull the handles. Before entering the room, the beast shakes off the delicate snowflakes.

“How nice of you to join us, Marie,” The Alpha scolds the last wolf walking in.

Thank you. The wolf gives me a brief glance. Then closing her eyes, she takes her attention elsewhere and something starts happening to her.

Everyone looks so calm about it and I try to do the same as I watch the animal’s dark fur retreat and porcelain skin grow in its place. I don’t know how Scarlet and Chance or anyone for that matter are able to keep their breakfast down at the sounds of bones cracking as the joints readjust into new positions. It’s a good thing I only had coffee and toast.

The end result is unbelievably quick and I must admit...ravishing.

My jaw drops at the open sight of her dewy curves.

“I see you’re fashionably late again,” Liam’s lack of surprise baffles me. “Victoria, can you please tell a maid to get Marie a house robe?”

“Of course,” trying not to stare, I hurry to fix her situation.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Marie apologizes to the Alpha while tying back her brunette hair into a bun.

“You’re rarely on time anyway,” like the rest of the pack, he’s too, unshaken by her appearance.

“I really thought I had the time for a little morning hunt,” she shrugs her shoulders as I help her to get dissent. “This cold day really calls for a hearty venison stew.”

“As you can see, you were wrong,” Gabriel folds his arms.

“No soup for you,” she laughs him off and claims the last seat.

“Shall we start?” the Alpha calls for order.

The rest of the meeting goes on much smoothly as they discuss the next plan over the map. In the end, everyone comes to an agreement that tomorrow night, under Liam's supervision the young members will plant several trails to sidetrack the mountain men westward.

“Now remember, it’s important that you get back to the mansion in your human form. You’ll have carriages waiting for you by the hotels I’ve booked for you. The meetings I set up for you with the officials over there are you alibi, so please don’t be late,” the Alpha adjourns the meeting as I hand out each pack member a folder I’ve helped prepare for their journeys, each one containing receipts and tickets as proof.

Everyone already begins to leave as I hand over the last of papers to Marie.

“So, you’re Victoria,” Marie looks up at me. “The human.”

“Yes, that’s me,” I blush, still remembering what she looks like underneath that robe.

“I know that first impressions are important and I hope I haven’t given you the wrong one.”

“Not at all,” my cheeks continue to burn.

She notices how shy and insecure I’ve become, “you humans never change, do you? You are always so easily mesmerized.”

“Please don’t worry. I’m just not used to the nature of transformation.”

“Is that what you think I’m talking about?” she laughs at me.

“I’m not sure what we’re talking about anymore,” I’m starting to feel kinda stupid.

“I’m talking about why you’re here. Has Liam told you why you’re here? Why he gave you the job?”

“No, he hasn’t told me,” I’m reminded about how much I still don’t know.

“Hmm,” she gets up. “Like I said, you humans are so easily mesmerized. Wave some diamonds in front of you and you’ll follow so blindly.”

The Omega is right. I was so desperate to escape my old life and have become blinded by the beauty of my new one that I’ve forgotten to ask what’s the catch.

Luckily, Liam is still here in the conference room quietly talking with his father. I’ll just have to keep busy pushing back in the chairs while I wait.

As I tidy up, I notice Sebastian walk in with the winter’s air still fresh around him. Not wanting to disturb the gentlemen’s conversation, he approaches me instead.

“I’ve got a letter,” he hands me an envelope.

Thinking nothing of it, I take it without looking at it. “Thank you.”

As I’m about to walk over to the Alpha’s drop box, Sebastian stops me, “No, It’s not for either of them. It’s for you, Miss Sterling.”

“For me?” I flip it over to see who could possibly be the sender.

It’s from Mika!

Here is an idea - send someone you love a letter or a card (store bought or hand-made.) That person would love to receive something other than bills and junk mail just because.