Ten years have passed since the demise of Banastre, and the Yuen Pack thrives under the leadership of the dictator's benevolent stepson, Oscar Yuen. With a flourishing community and accumulation of wealth, the Yuen Pack has become second only to the...
All her life, she'd been wary of them, if not, frightened. Rutuparna had thousands of mirrors in her ridiculously large home (though it did little to compare with Oscar's magnificent mansion). Ananya hated mirrors. She hated seeing her reflection in them because she knew that no matter what she did, the face she'd see grinning at her would never change. She'd see the slumped, hunch-backed figure with crooked arms, shaky legs, and an invisible jaw She'd see the extra fat under her neck, the large, roundness of her breasts that contrasted harshly with her protruding stomach so that she could never tell if she was skinny or if she'd gained more weight.
Rutuparna used to tell her that mirrors showed the truth, no matter if one liked it or not. She would have a massive wall of mirrors in Ananya's room, forcing her to see the fragility of her frame. The older woman would constantly remind her of the safety of her home, but Ananya never felt safe in the confines of the enormous red building. Red was the color of anger, of blood, of domesticity (at least in her culture) and Ananya hated the implications. She hated it more than when Rutuparna'd punish her; when she'd been slapped or hit with the belt of her uncle, though he'd never raised a finger against her. Corporal punishment shaped her. It molded her, but it never changed the damned figure she'd see staring at her in the mirror.
My fragile flower, Rutuparna would often say when she'd tend to Ananya's wounds, cupping her frosty palm over the red patch she'd inflicted on the much younger girl. My Ananya. You belong here, where I can keep you from everyone. Where nobody can hurt you. Ananya would laugh at the irony when she got older.
During her adolescence, she'd broken a few mirrors, at the cost of a beating, but they made her feel liberated. She didn't have to see herself. She didn't have to see the many different variations of her body mocking her, teasing her, laughing and pointing and prodding. There were colorful mirrors, white mirrors, historical mirrors, and more. Mirrors of different shapes, sizes, and forms. Mirrors that could have been so similar to her, and yet, so different.
Ananya told herself when she'd moved away from Newton - away from Rutuparna - that she'd never put a mirror in her house. She'd stuck by that commitment, and even though everyone had commented on the weird, square-shaped gap in her room that would suit a mirror, Ananya refused to bend to their suggestion.
In the present, though, she regretted her decision. The silk was smooth over her body, clinging to her wonky curves, rounded breasts, and bump of her stomach induced by the hunch of her spine. The skirt of the dress swung over her legging-clad knees and spun when she moved. She felt like she was a princess, a childhood dream of hers. The jewelry given by Dhrys only served to amplify that feeling, and despite their cold, rough texture, they weren't uncomfortable.
Ananya discovered, though, that she didn't need a mirror to tell her that she was stunning, because she could see it all in Oscar's expression when he arrived moments later. She was distracted by his dapper uniform - his pressed black suit and royal purple tie with the Yuen Pack's crest. She noticed his mouth part briefly and his irises dilated, but she didn't think that it was because of her attire until he pulled her toward her, fervently kissing her.
"You look gorgeous," he growled, his lips brushing her earlobe. "I want to keep you all to myself."
Ananya blushed. "In a way, think that I'm already yours." She ran her fingers over the silk of his tie. "You look handsome too. Suits suit you." She giggled.
Oscar's eyebrow rose with an air of arrogance. "Handsome, eh? Thank you, my love." He nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Are you ready for the ceremony?"
"I think so." She studied him from afar, then looked at her clothes with a flush. "I'm not dressed too informally, am I?"
He shook his head. "No. I'm only dressed like this because I'm the Alpha. You look wonderful, darling." He brought her close to him again and kissed her jaw, then the side of her neck just by her pulse. "Breathtaking," he whispered and nipped her earlobe.
"Oscar..." Ananya's knees trembled. She felt her head tilt on its own accord and her heart hammered. "We're going to be late if we don't hurry."
"I'm the Alpha, my love. I decide when the ceremony begins and ends." His large fingers wrapped around her much smaller neck delicately and he kissed her deeply, just barely resisting the urge to thrust his tongue into her mouth, to taste her and claim her as his on the spot.
"That's gross." Kathie, who was descending the steps, commented with a sly raise of her eyebrow. "Can't you guys do that someplace else? I want to eat dinner without having the image of you both making out in my mind."
"Sorry!" Ananya pulled away with a furious blush and lifted her head, giggling and huffing. "Sorry, Kath."
"I apologize," Oscar said curtly. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time I feel a passionate urge overtake me."
"Dope." Kathie shrugged and headed for the kitchenette. "See you guys, then. Make sure my girl comes back in one piece, eh, Alpha?"
"If I decide to bring her back." Oscar smirked. "Perhaps I'll keep her for the night. What do you say, Ananya?" He took her hand and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing the tips gently. "Shall I keep you to myself for tonight? Shall I show you the true prowess of an Alpha like myself?"
"Ugh. I'm gonna go throw up," Kathie muttered.
Ananya didn't try to evade the searching glint in Oscar's dark eyes. She met his gaze fearlessly and smirked. "You'll have to give me a good reason to stay," she teased in return and let her fingers drag over his lips. "You'll have to show me..."
Oscar's eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"
Ups! Tento obrázek porušuje naše pokyny k obsahu. Před publikováním ho, prosím, buď odstraň, nebo nahraď jiným.
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