MADE

Need

Rose was walking ahead of me, her arm laced through Nikial's white suit jacketed arm. My escort, on the other hand, was in black - black suit, black shirt, black vest and a navy tie. Ranger's face was plastered with a cocky grin as he held his arm out for me to take.

"Let's get this over with," I mumbled as I looped my arm around his.

Rose and Nikial chatted the whole way like old friends. Ranger didn't say anything, and neither did I, both fine with just listening to the pair ahead of us bicker like children.

We rounded a few corners, went down a few hallways and eventually came to a massive set of steel doors. "Ready?" Ranger asked from beside me. I could only nod. I seriously didn't want to do this.

The doors were pulled open from the inside, and Rose stepped in with her escort.

"Rosemarey Lunette Renaldi," the man standing by a piano roared, no microphone needed to enhance his magic tweaked voice. They walked forward to descend the staircase leaving nothing to shield me from the whole island's stare.

"Marielle Evelyn Caspian," spoke the announcer and my breath caught in my throat as Ranger tugged me forward and began to walk me down the stairs. Everyone just stared.

If I fell now, I was sure I would die of embarrassment before I even hit the bottom of the stairs.

There was an ample space open, and Ranger led me into the center behind Rose. And then music began to play.

And I was starting to get used to the feeling of nausea.

Ranger led me into the dance, making it easier than I would have thought. "You have no idea who I am, do you?" Ranger asked drawing my attention from the crowd. I whipped my face up to look at him, glaring.

He only smiled. "I am glad no one had told you yet," he said taking my hand above my head and spinning me.

"Who are you?" I snapped as I come back to grasp his hand. "I know you are a guard in my father's court.

"There is much more than just that," he scoffed with another smile.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not," I growled, not really caring if he gave me an answer or not.

He paused a moment before leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"Ranger Caspian," he said pulling away to spin me again.

Something snapped tight in my brain. I blinked at him, forgetting for a moment where I was in the world. This was my brother. The brother already too old to send away when the war raged out of control. His eyes were my eyes. Sapphire blue.

How had I not see it before? The eyes? The chocolate brown hair exactly like Rayne's.

"Brother," I said trying to wrangle my thoughts. That's why Elijah had acted so strangely in the hall that night. The disagreement he had mentioned was about me.

"Correct," he quipped, a smug grin on his face.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I sputtered exasperated.

"Because I told them not to," he stated. "You know, a bonding moment." I scoffed, unable to hide the thread of resentment. "Blood relatives escort on events like this."

"Why?" I asked furrowing my brow.

"Did no one tell you what happens tonight at midnight?" He gave me a little dip to the floor, concern covering his features.

"The partnering," I mumble.

"Yes, and that is why blood must escort. They want a buffer between when the bond clicks in," he said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Why? What happens?" I asked getting worried.

"I don't know if this is a subject you should be talking to your brother, of all people, about. Let alone in the middle of the dance floor," he whispered in my ear as he looked out to the crowd behind me. In one fluid movement, I was lifted into the air by my waist and then set back down.

"Oh," I said dread curling in my stomach like a snake.

"But, there is one thing I can tell you... your emotions, and your body may betray tonight. You must control the urges. They will only get stronger as the night goes on." He said looking around the room.

"Urges?" I asked noting how at ease Ranger was. He was the complete opposite of my panicked state.

"You'll understand when you are not standing so close to me. I am like a barrier for your emotions because we are blood. However, once around other males, you may feel a little different. If you stay with me, Atticus, or Nikial you should be fine," he said with a small glance my way.

The music stopped, and Ranger and I separated and clapped along with the other people in the room. Ranger watched me intently, his eyes burning a hole in my cheek. I spotted Amara and Atticus coming together on the dance floor like many other couples, and soon the whole space was filled.

"I should dance with cousin Rose," Ranger said pulling my attention back up to him. It was like they took Rayne and me, tossed us in a blender, and spit back the opposite gender. Except he had come first, he was always first.

I took my seat and some time to admire the room before me. It was elegant, with the people dancing and swaying with the music. This was their lives, this beautiful island, and parties because why not. This was their distraction from everything else, from all of those people they had lost. It was tradition, for these kinds of celebrations. Alaric had told me once that many of the customs had fallen away to most of these people.

There weren't many people not dancing, and they were either standing in little groups or sampling whatever looked so good on one of the tables lining the wall.

And then I spotted him. Silver eyes glinting in the lights, like blades pinning my dress to the floor. He flashed me a closed mouth smile, something sultry, and his feet began to carry him in my direction.

"You look stunning, Mare," he said reaching out and taking my hand.

"What? No punchline?" I asked trying to swallow the breath caught in my throat. He gave a withering look. There would be no punchline tonight, not when he felt this sorry for me.

"I can't stay long," he said taking a seat beside me. "I only came to ask you about those dreams." I sat on my hands, the urge to keep his fingers in my too tempting.

"What about them?" I asked.

"Has anymore came to you?" he asked leaning in trying to whisper. I swallowed again.

"Yeah," I choked out. "It's never the same though, always different with how the meadow looks."

"I guessed that much," he said, "but what else?"

"People are beginning to change sides," I said looking at the floor. "At first there was no one behind me, but then people started to gather on the other side." Alaric nodded, not looking into my face.

"We will talk about this tomorrow when the festivities are over. I think I figured out what they mean," he stated beginning to stand up.

"Wait," I said, my hand reaching up to grab the hem of his sleeve. "Can I ask you something?"

He raised a brow but sat down again. "You know you can ask me anything."

"Uh," I started, " I was hoping you could tell me about the partnering. Everyone is avoiding the subject."

"Oh," he said taking his turn to look at the floor. He was quiet for a long moment, and for a moment I thought he would refuse. "Well as tonight goes on, you won't feel like yourself. Things might make you uncomfortable. Every male in this room that is not related to you will be attracted to your scent. Just like you will be attracted to theirs." I shivered when he turned his gaze on me, eyes scanning down my body. "Stay near Ranger, and you will be fine.

"But when midnight comes everything you were feeling for everyone will be directed at one person. You may not be able to stop yourself. And maybe neither will he."

"What does that mean?" I asked scooting forward in the chair. "I want to do that? With a stranger?" My throat closed up again - panic froze up my lungs.

"It's more of a need," he said grey eyes blazing like nothing I had seen before.