Venus Nelson's POV
M: Babe where are you?
Mila’s text popped in dragging me out of my grief induced nap. I’d cried and aggressively cleaned my apartment then fell asleep on my couch while watching reruns of old sitcoms.
I groaned remembering tonight was her engagement party and I’d promised I’d be there. I didn’t even need to look in the mirror to know that I looked like hell.
V: I just got off work. I’ll head home to change then come meet you guys.
I fired off a quick reply and pushed myself off the couch deciding that a night of free booze would more than suffice to get me out of my mood. Tomorrow I would resume moping. I got showered and changed in record time, deciding to use an Uber instead of a regular taxi to show up to the event.
My girls slid up to me almost immediately I stepped in, Sam handing me a crystal glass of champagne.
“Why were you late?!” Mila asked having to yell over the music.
“I had a work emergency!”
I had thought they’d go for a quieter event considering how rich both she and Randy, her mate, were, but the loud club like party told me they weren’t sticklers of propriety.
We danced until our feet hurt and decided to head to the balcony of the hall to get fresh air. The city below looked absolutely breathtaking now that the sun had set with the headlights of cars zooming by below resembling shooting stars from this height.
“I can’t believe I’m getting married!” Mila squealed.
All of us cheered, clinking our glasses.
She was the third of our friend group to find her mate. Samantha had been the first to find her’s. Gwen was a beautiful orthopedic surgeon and they’d met at one of Cherry’s parties. The next to find her mate was Cherry, but unfortunately her mate had already married and marked someone else. He wasn’t even in the least bothered by the appearance of his real mate. She hadn't let it bother her, moving on with her life as if nothing had happened.
About a month ago, Mila had found Randy who looked at her as if all the stars in the world were in her eyes. I was very happy for my friends and wished them all the happiness that could exist, although it was hard being alone sometimes. I fought the loneliness by focussing on work but now that I had lost my job…
“You know… Vee you’re the only one who still hasn’t found your mate.” Cherry pointed out with a smile that spelt trouble.
“Drop it, Cher.” Sam warned.
“Yeah, Cher. That’s not a very nice thing to say.” Mila added.
“Chill out guys.” Cherry smiled undeterred from her course. “I’m just sympathizing with her. It kind of seems like the goddess knows she’s meant to be alone.”
I couldn’t have steeled myself from Cherry’s barbed words even if I’d tried. She’d always been like this, throwing barbed words my way as she hated how a peasant like me was allowed to mingle with socialites like the rest of them.
I’d never risen to the bait and responded to any of her words no matter how bad they hurt, simply because that would be playing into her hands but today my patience was worn thing.
“I think the goddess was much smarter knowing how much of a b***h you are, to have your mate stuck with your bitchy attitude forever.” I spat standing up, needing to get away from her. “I’d rather never know my mate than be rejected the way you were.”
An audible gasp went round the group but I was way past caring. She’d gone too long thinking me easy prey just because I never said anything to her.
“Vee…”
“No, Sam. It’s about time Vee started standing up for herself.” Mila glared at Cherry.
“You’re all taking the side of this gutter brat?!” Cherry yelled standing up.
She rushed at me before anyone could stop her, pulling at my hair. The girls got to their feet, screeching as they tried to pull her off me.
Finally some of the guys came out, including Mila’s mate and managed to separate us.
“Its your fault gutter wench. No wonder you own mother didn’t love you!” Cherry yelled.
I winced, pushing away from the girls scolding Cherry into the hall and out to the hotel’s bar to grab a much stronger drink, thankful that Mila had thought to book rooms for us ahead of time. I ordered a few shots of tequila to start with, but after four, I just wanted to crawl up into a ball and hide. Cherry had hit a sore spot tonight that hurt even more than my scalp where she’d pulled my hair.
Yes I had grown up without a father, which shouldn’t have felt so bad if my mum had been a little more understanding or caring of her little girl. She had decided that rather than care for the little girl she’d brought into the world, she’d rather go on a marrying spree to see who she could push the duty on to, changing my surname to that of either of the four men she’d married each time.
Her plans had failed all but once as only one of my step fathers had been doting on me but once my mum felt threatened by the attention he was showering on me, she divorced him.
I had tolerated her until I turned eighteen, deciding to change my surname to one I picked for myself that wouldn’t remind me of my mother and her coldness but some days, it was hard to bury the memories.
I somehow managed to stand up, trying to leave but the bartender stopped me.
"Ma'am, you haven't paid yet." He said and I nodded.
“Oops.” I giggled. “Sorry.”
I took out my credit card from my purse and handed it to him, somehow still standing as he processed the p*****t. He handed the card and I smiled, winking at him before turning to leave.
A delicious scent wafted up my nose and I felt my wolf stir inside me
"Mate!" She growled and I scoffed.
As if.
I staggered forward and stumbled into someone with very hard abs.
“Excuse me.” I grumbled trying to step away but bumped into someone else.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have drank as much.
"Mate!" Someone growled above me.
I looked up to see two identical Greek god like men staring down at me with undisguised hunger in their eyes. The air between us became charged with a heavy mix of lust and magic like the moon goddess was standing with us.
Jojo, My wolf howled joyfully within me as my skin lit up with soothing warmth.
They smelled so good and radiated such heat that I wanted to snuggle as close to them as I possibly could.
"Mate!" I heard myself say.
They growled, grabbing my hands and pulling me along with them, eyes blazing with dark promise.
Somehow in the haze of the alcohol and lust numbing my senses, realization hit me.
I had two mates?