"I pick dare!" My mate's childhood friend piped up with a cheeky grin as the spinning bottle stopped at her feet.
"You sure about that?"another one of my husband's long-time friends said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "if you are then kiss the most handsome guy here,"
And without a flicker of hesitation-or shame-she began to crawl sensually to my mate who wasn't budging an inch to stop her.
"Ravenna!" I yelled and she just giggled leaving a peck on Colt's welcoming cheek.
"Did you really think I would kiss my best friend on the lips? He's like a brother to me,"
"Yes,"Colt backed her up without missing a beat, "Lyra we've already been together for five years, don't you think it's time to let go of this petty jealousy?"
••••
The silence was so loud you'd hear a pin drop.
There it was again, Ravenna pushing the line tactfully without crossing it so that Colt would swoop in- her knight in shining armor.
And I was left regarded as the petty one.
"Lyra, I'm sorry,"she said patronizingly, "...I've always been so comfortable with Colt, do you know we only stopped bathing one another when he got together with you?"
I gasped, searching Colt's face. He didn't deny it just shrugged like it was a normal thing.
"Lyra don't overthink it, I don't even see Raven as a woman, she's practically one of my brothers,"
A spark swept through Raven's eyes, "Yes, look..." She reached forward and grabbed his crotch while I was seated right next to him applying enough pressure that a muffled moan escaped his lips.
He caught my fuming face with the corner of his eye and finally came to his senses slapping her hand away.
"Ravenna, you never change do you?"
He chuckled and the rest of his friends including his Beta Jaden laughed like her massaging his privates was the funniest part of their Tuesday nights.
Jaden saw I wasn't joining in on the laughter and coughed awkwardly.
"Luna Lyra we're always messing around like this..."he bent and gave the bottle another spin, "...now let's have some fun,"
I dug my fingers into my palm letting the physical pain distract me from the emotional one bubbling within.
The bottle chose me at the end of it's spinning and someone yelled, "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," I said before meeting Ravenna's eyes, and in one fluid motion I grabbed her skirt and ripped it right there for all to see.
She screamed like she had been shot with a silver bullet
Colt broke out of the shock first shoving me away from his dear 'bestfriend'.
"Lyra, why would you do that?" He said, protectively wrapping her waist with his leather jacket.
"I thought we were all joking around," I seethed getting back on our feet, "So it's funny when she's being inappropriate but too far when I do the same?"
Not a single person dared to breath, they just threw aghast looks at each other.
Ravenna broke the silence first, slipping into her 'damsel in distress' mode that fit her like a glove.
"I don't know why you have to be like this Luna Lyra, you insisted you wanted to join us but you didn't have to since you're so sensitive,"
I forced a smile, gouding her.
"Looks like someone else is being sensitive,"
"Lyra enough!" Colt snapped at me still clinging to Ravenna like she could shatter, "this is unbefitting of a luna, now apologize to Ravenna for ripping her skirt,"
This moment was de ja vu, again and again it was Ravenna over me.
Suddenly, a void filled my chest swallowing any emotion.
I swiped up my purse, braced to leave. I hadn't taken a step before Colt grip clenched around my wrist his face red and flaring with fury.
"Lyra, my Beta, gamma and their mates are here, do you know how embarrassing it's going to be if you just storm out like a pup?"
And then it was, on the list of his priorities was his 'brother' Ravenna and his reputation.
But where did I stand?
With a force that even shocked myself a forced my hand away and spat in his face.
The laughter in the room died immediately and everyone transformed into statues.
All except Ravenna who didn't hesitate to use the moment to her advantage, she took a piece of her ript skirts and wiped the saliva off his face.
"Okay everyone, what's with the atmosphere?"
She looked at me softly like someone addressing a petulant child.
"My dearest Luna, Colt and I are best friends and brothers only. Do you think that if I saw him differently we wouldn't be together already?"
Her words struck me like a whip especially since Colt did not even bother to deny it.
She took Colt's fingers and then brought them the mind intertwining all of them as his touch was icy.
"Colt, sometimes I forget our luna is just an Omega and she doesn't have the same stamina as us, you should take her to bed so she can rest,"
I heard cushioned chuckles coming from his friends and I wanted to bury myself.
This time I marched out of the lounge, and through stairs and hallways until I was in front of my car, tears blurred my vision and the keys trembled in my hand.
Colt came from behind me stomping until he slumped his hand against the car he's alpha strength causing it to shake back and forth.
I trembled even more for a moment than steadied myself and said; "I can't do this anymore Colt,"
"You're overreacting-"
"No!"I screamed using my full lung capacity, "if anything I have been underreacting all this time!"
Everything that I had kept bottled up inside came bursting out like the dam had broke.
"Where was your precious best friend when the Elder council almost banished you over something you didn't do?"
"Ly-"
"Who was there for you when she wouldn't even pick up your calls and avoided you like the plague?"
"She wasn't-"
"It was me!"I stabbed a finger at my chest, "it's always been me! me!! ME!"
I shoved the key into my car and yanked it open, turning on the ignition and reversing as he called out my name. I kept driving without direction until I ran out of gas then I called my personal pack lawyer still heaving when I said; "I know it's late but I need you to do something for me,"
"What is it, Luna?"she said fully alert.
"A mate bond separation,"I breathed out, "how long will it take for you to sort out?"
"As an Alpha mate bond it will need a month's cooling period,"
I inhaled inside my car, I had endured five years. One month is nothing.
"Alice, there's one more thing I need you to do for me,”