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The Rusty Boar looked like Christmas had just thrown up in it. The room glowed from vintage Christmas lights, Garland and bad Christmas music. Taking Tag's advice, Piper had actually dressed nicely tonight. She wore a plunging black blouse, which outlined her small chest and charcoal skinny jeans. Her dark hair was straightened. It hung passed her waist and looked glossy. Piper had even dusted some blush and mascara on for the occasion.
Apparently, the transformation was quite surprising as multiple people throughout the bar were starring stupidly at her. Piper pushed through the crowd, seeking out a head of Red hair that stood above the rest. She spotted him leaning against the jukebox, smiling smugly at something Robert was saying.
She came up behind him, tapping his shoulder and having the pleasure of watching shock and admiration cross his face.
"Here I am!" she teased, spreading her arms wide, "Now what are your other two wishes?"
"Dam!" He picked her up in his arms and she couldn't help but laugh. "You look great." Tag whispered in her ear.
He set her down, giving her the chance to see his own dapper attire. Piper chuckled, "Honestly Tag, shorts?... in December?"
Tag shrugged.
Sometime later Piper found Anna and Charles near the bar. They were whispering in that disgustingly adorable way they tended to do. Piper was going to ignore them, until she saw the Indian's hand drop to Anna's ass and squeeze lightly.
Laughing, she called out,"It's sick the way you people keep having sex without me."
Anna startled, spinning around looking like a child caught doing something wrong. Charles looked smug. Piper nearly startled herself seeing Samuel standing just beyond them, looking spectacular in a white shirt.
"Piper, you look amazing!" Anna hugged her. She squeezed her back,"you too, Anna."
The Indian nodded, "you look nice."
"Oh, Charlie, let's drop this charade and admit you're in love with me…" she grabbed Anna around the waist, "we don't mind sharing."
Samuel was laughing now.
Anna ignored her comment, instead introducing her to Samuel.
"We've met," Piper replied. The Indian and his mate shared a look.
Samuel smiled, "Yes, Piper managed to wound my ego quite badly today."
She chuckled, " If I hurt your feelings in any way, I want to know from the bottom of my heart, that I don't care."
Anna and Charles still didn't understand but their slight shake of head, seemed to say they'd rather not know.
Something shoved Piper hard from behind. Not prepared to loose her balance she stumbled forward, jostling her drink, in the process. As Samuel steadied her, she winced at the brown stain coloring his shirt.
Turning to see, what caused her pour half of her drink on him, she found Leah. "And which dwarf are you?"
The blonde sneered, "I see you're really looking the part of a whore tonight, Piper… too bad it wont work."
"Leah, run away before I shoot you."
Leah smiled nastily. Piper felt uneasy at the blonde's taunting gaze. When Leah tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder, Piper understood. It felt like a punch to the gut. There, on the thickly corded neck of the female Alpha, was a hickey.
Don't let 'em see you're hurt, kid. The words of her once step father whispered along her subconscious.
She fought to control her beating hart. "You really should be careful with your curling iron. Someone may get the impression you're actually getting laid."
"Piper…" Anna's voice was soft and she knew the friend must have smelled the pain coming from her. Dam fucking werewolf noses.
"I don't need to pretend little girl, or play dress up like you. My mate fucks me often...Sleeping in the same room isn't necessary for it to happen."
Betrayal: the emotion overwhelmed her, choking away some hope she'd stupidly held onto. She felt like an idiot. Worse, everyone around her could smell the anger, the pain.
Piper lifted her glass, nearly knocking the blonde in the face. "Well, here's to you getting laid. It was bound to happen sometime within this decade."
She threw back the drink and turned to a weary Samuel. Piper grabbed his hand saying, "Let's clean you up," and tugged him into the bathroom.
The click of the lock brought the realization she had just enclosed herself and Samuel in a tight, very private space. Who gives a shit. "Un-tuck your shirt."
He did and she set to eliminating the brown stain, like she wished she could eliminate her hurt, or Leah. Using her hands cleared her head. By the time Samuel said, "What was that about?" Piper could answer in her normal voice.
"Leah's just a bit delusional s'all."
Samuel frowned. "Da's not here yet. He'll want to know she's acting up."
Piper had purposely not looked for Bran in the crowd. Even when Leah confronted her, she'd expected her was there somewhere, letting it "play out." His tardiness made sense, he was probably showering. The thought made her sick. She took the glass Samuel held and threw back the liquid.
His frown grew to concern. "Are you okay?"
The stain was gone, mostly. Without realizing what she was doing, she started to tuck the shirt back into his trousers. He caught her hands.
Piper chuckled, "Well, I didn't plan for my hands would be down your pants this quickly."
He looked smug. "But you did plan for it?"
Dam his blue eyes that look exactly like Bran's.
"We should get back. I'm sure the gossip is bad enough."
"We should really give them something to talk about…" He leaned forward but she stopped him by tugging his hand, twisting the knob. Piper pushed open the door, "Common loverboy let's-"
Bran stood directly in front of them. His face was absolutely emotionless. His shoulders were tense as his eyes took in the scene before him. Piper watched his eyes travel from her, then to Samuel and the bathroom they had just been in, to come to a rest on their entwined hands.
Piper felt irrationally guilty, dropping her gaze momentarily. She wanted to smile at him, to go and wrap herself up in him, to kiss him. That is, until she spotted a small bite-mark on his neck. The crescent shape sat on his neck like a badge.
As opposed to the dismay she'd felt at Leah's love-mark, Piper felt overwhelming anger and blissful-numbness.
In a flat tone, she nodded, "You have something on your neck," before dropping Samuel's hand and walking to the bar.