In Reach?
What's in a scent?

Mira’s POV

I’ve felt like a zombie since yesterday after my moment of ‘realization’. I’ve been dreading this day to come. The day Liam chooses a mate, where he chooses Izabelle.

Here I am standing in front of the mirror, wearing the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s a deep red glitter dress with a sweetheart neckline, and a slit on the side reaching all the way up to the upper thigh. It has a thin see-through layer of red sheer fabric covering the entire dress from the waist down, giving the long slit an elegant hint to it. The rest of the sheer gathers from the waist up and is pulled over one shoulder. It’s a seductive dress adorned in a combination of glamour and elegance, all wrapped in one.

This may not be ‘my’ night, but I will wear this dress as if it is.

I left my hair loose to flow past my back, but styled it to flow in big curly waves. I’m wearing simple golden drop earrings to bring out the sparkle of the dress.

Everybody still seem pretty busy around here, and so is Theo. So I guess I’ll just make my way to the grand hall by myself. I feel beautiful but invisible. No one is here to see me. But I must reel in this new confident side of mine that is so used to attention, Liam's attention, and realize that my assertive self prefers to not have all eyes on me. In fact I should be happy that no one is even aware of my presence, for once I’m not the main culprit for wolf town drama.

I make my way down the stairs minding my own business, when suddenly I hear a whistle from somewhere downstairs. I look up and see almost everyone downstairs looking at me with awe. Everyone, but Liam and Noah is here.

“Damn woman. Are you here to take over the show?” Mason shouts as I’m still walking down.

“I told you she would look amazing in it.” I hear Aubrey say to Liz, who’s smiling up at me with approval.

I can’t help but smile shyly at their attention. After the night I had, I didn’t think I would even get this kind of attention. Just as I get to the second last step a hand reaches out to me, Ashton’s hand. He looks so mesmerized by me, I smile back at him as I take his hand. The others though look like their smiles were just wiped away. But I’m not going to focus on that. I’m going to focus on Ashton, my mate. The one who is always smiling and wanting to make me smile.

As we walk to the hall hand-in-hand he pulls me closer and says, “You look phenomenal, Mira. Just beautiful. I don’t think I would be able to leave your side tonight, I’d have to keep wandering eyes away from you.”

I giggle at his comment and he grips my hand tighter. “Well you look just as handsome in that tux. I’m just happy I don’t have to worry about you too much.”

“Ouch.” He puts his hand over his chest.

I laugh at the dramatics, knowing he would have had something to say.

“What I meant was, that all you men wear pretty much similar tuxes, so I’m just happy you’ll just blend in with them. And to be honest, I don’t think I like the idea of you catching other women’s attention.” I say blushing. With all the time that I’ve spent with Ashton, he has really grown on me. He’s one of the few people who I know is good for me and I want to keep that near me. I am worried that it will be taken from me.

Ashton stops walking and turns me to look at him. He brushes my cheek with the back of his knuckles and looks at me with such a sweet smile. “Mira. Is that jealousy I hear?” His smile grows showing those pearly whites.

This is just making me more shy for admitting it to him now and I try to look down. But he stops me as he cups my face. “Oh Mira darling. You have no idea what a happy man you’ve just made me.” He leans down and gives a gentle kiss on the corner of my mouth.

He takes my hand again leading me to the hall.

When we get there I get surprised by just how many people are there. Not to mention how gorgeous the hall looks. They’ve literally turned a rustic hall into an indoor fairy tail, with the whole roof covered in hanging fairy lights and gorgeous flowers near every corner and table.

There are so many different scents here, everyone smells so different. Ashton told me that there will be many different kinds of supernaturals here, so I would probably get different scents.

There are no main tables to sit and dine at. This is really just a social gathering, with cocktails and platters being served from every side. Ashton said he has to meet up with a few people as a representative for his pack. I told him I didn’t mind him leaving. I’d rather not be carried around like some barbie, just having to smile and nod at conversations I have no clue about. I’ll just keep myself busy with some wine and a lovely view outside, of a slightly overgrown garden right by the lakeside. They even added some fairy lights in the garden, giving it the illusion of fireflies outside.

Besides, everybody seems to know everyone here. I prefer to be in solitude anyways. I’ll make my way to one of the garden chairs I saw outside. I’m enjoying the view of the setting sun so much, I didn’t even realize someone came to sit on one of the chairs near me.

She smells different. She’s not a wolf, that I can tell. But she’s not quite human either.

“Are you the staring type?” Her voice catches me off guard.

“Oh sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m just,…” How do I say this without sounding weird? “Do you mind me asking what you are?”

She looks at me confused. “What I am?”

I sigh. “Yes. I know it sounds weird. But I’m practically just learning about all this and the only scents I know of so far are humans and wolves, and you don’t smell like either.”

She gives me a smirk. “You don’t get out much, do you?”

I snort. “Nope. Not as much as I would like to.”

“You almost sound like you have cabin fever.”

“Well, I almost feel the part.”

She laughs and gets up from her chair and comes to sit next to me.

“Well, you seem like you’re far better company than those dimwit politicians inside.”

Oh wow. She is straightforward and really beautiful. She’s wearing a mermaid emerald green dress with a deep v-neckline, which looks amazing on her caramel skin tone. Half of her hair is tied up into a stylish bun on top and held together with a very long hair pin. Even the hair pin looks elegant, with beautiful engravings on its entirety, and a single white pearl dangling from the tip.

“A witch.”

“Mh?” She catches me off guard.

“I’m a witch. That’s why I smell human, but not quite.” She takes a sip of her own glass, looks like bourbon.

But why would a witch be here. I thought this whole thing was a fight against witches.

“But, why would a witch be here?” I just had to ask.

“That’s what I said.” She laughs. “These councils, they think they can just setup alliances whenever it suits them. Apparently the wolf council wants to see if witches can maybe help with an issue they’ve been having with some magic spells.” Oh, now I get it.

“Oh.”

“So what’s a pretty girl like you sitting all alone out here for?”

“Oh, I’m not really part of this whole thing. If anything I’m hoping to get out of here before anything serious goes down.”

She laughs again. “Oh I like you. So you’re just here for the free drinks then?”

“And free food.”

“You should try their shrimp then.”

“They have shrimp?” Why didn’t I see any, or smell it for that matter?

“Yeah. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re reserving it for the guests of honour.” She rolls her eyes. “If anything they don’t need to make these Luna-choosings such a big deal. It just attracts the wrong kinds of attention.”

So everybody knew about this but me? Just great.

But I’m curious, and it seems I have better chances to get information from a stranger. “So how does this whole thing work anyway? Is it an announcement, or is there going to be a speech?”

“It’s expected to be an announcement, and then they'll arrange an official ceremony to inaugurate her into the pack. Then she’ll be Luna of all of this.” She sways her hand out to gesture to the beautiful scenery in front of us. “Quite lucky if you ask me.”

Yeah, quite lucky. Of course perfect women like that are destined to have perfect lives.

I sigh. “Yeah, Izabelle sure is lucky.”

I can feel her stare as I say that, so I just take another sip hoping to not show disappointment.

But thankfully she continues. “I wouldn’t exactly say so though. Have you met the Alpha? He’s a hand full.”

I snort at her comment. “Yeah, I know. I guess he’ll be her problem now.”

I look at her staring at me quite intently. “Anyways,” she gets up, “I better get going. Still have a few people I need to sort things out with before I have to leave. But it was interesting meeting you. I hope this won’t be the last.” She raises her glass to me as she leaves.

Even her exit is elegant.

I finish the last of my glass and decide to head back in for a refill, and to see if I can find some shrimp.

Just as I turn into the hall, I bump into something, no someone, as their arms quickly catch me from losing my balance.

“Woah. Careful miss.” I hear a deep voice speaking in an English accent.

I look up and see a very handsome tall man with curly black hair. His hair is longish but stop at his neck and don’t touch his shoulders. And his scent, is different.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t focus where I was looking.” I try to stand up straight again.

“No worries. I am to blame too. I wasn’t looking either. Was a bit in a hurry to get out of here and get some fresh air.” He smiles very handsomely.

But now I don’t know what to say. He’s just standing there. Do I walk away?

“Anyways, I'm just off to get a refill and some shrimp.” I point my thumb over my shoulder.

“Shrimp? They have shrimp here? And they can’t even be bothered to add a few additions to the menu for other’s preference.”

Someone looks annoyed. I just giggle at his complaint.

He looks at me surprised for my laughing. “Apologies. I didn’t realize I said that out loud.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem at all. If it helps, I’m annoyed too, coz apparently they keep the shrimp stashed away for ‘special guests’.”I use air quotes.

He groans as he pulls his face. I guess he knows what I mean.

“I’m Mike by the way.” He extends his hand for a shake.

I take it, it feels cold though. “I’m Mira.”

“Mmmhh. A beautiful name. One with much meaning. Where I come from, it is short for ‘miracle’.”

I’m surprised he knows that. I don’t know much about my birth family or my name, but when I found my grandma’s books and journals, I read in one of them that I was given the name Mira because it means miracle.

I wonder where he’s from then.

“Can I ask, where are you from exactly?”

He smiles proudly. “I’m from,……a very long time ago.”

I furrow my brows at that cryptic answer. “What does that mean?”

Now he’s laughing. “Well, the place I’m from no longer exists.” This is just confusing me more. “well technically it does still exist, but it goes by a different name now.” But I’m still staring at him hoping he would just speak and not build this suspense. “My home used to be the Ottoman Empire.”

Wait what?

“What do you mean? How?”

He looks at me almost confused.

“You can’t tell?”

“Tell what?”

“I’m a vampire.”

He’s a what?

“A what?”

He’s laughing again. “You really didn’t know. For a wolf, you sure are an oblivious one. I was wondering why you were talking to me so casually.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well vampires aren’t exactly a ‘supernatural’ others want to be around. They see us as a threat to everyone. And yet they still try to wheel us in on these pathetic attempts of an alliance.” He huffs out annoyingly.

At least now I know why his hand was so cold, why he wanted to get out and away from the crowded space, and why his scent is different.

“What? You want to walk away from me too now?” He looks almost disheartened.

“What? No. I was just trying to put all the pieces together. So how about I quickly get a refill and we can chat outside. I hope that’s fine. I don’t want to zone in on your personal space, but I sorta already booked that chair out there as my getaway.” I giggle as I point outside.

He looks at me intently and then just smiles. “Alright.” He says and makes his way outside.

When I got back outside, he actually seemed a bit excited to see me.

We had a very interesting chat. He started telling me about the 'good old days', and what his home was like. He got a bit into the supernatural politics, explaining how all supernatural creatures were created by some form of a powerful being and therefore carry their own kind of magic. But it got interesting when he told me that witches were the result of supernaturals and humans procreating successfully. That’s why they have the ability to manipulate magic around them to their will, yet still carry a human form. But then he said something very interesting. He was talking about supernaturals always being outcasts in this world, but that it is good that ‘we’ have mates to accompany us in it.

It got me thinking, so I asked, “Do vampires also have mates?”

“You really are a newbie to all this aren’t you?” He raises his brow but I just nod. He chuckles. “It’s like talking to a very eager pup.” I don’t know if that is supposed to be a joke so I just stay quiet so he can continue. “Vampires do have mates, but we call them ‘beloveds’.”

“So are vampire mates-, I mean beloveds also vampires?”

“Not necessarily. But more often than not they are human.”

“Really.” I really do sound like a child. “So how does it work, when you find them?”

“Well it’s quite similar to what I hear happens with wolves. Just as your wolf spirit recognizes your mate, our ‘beast’ recognizes our beloved.”

But this got me thinking again. Something very close to home actually.

“So if your beloved is human, how would they know that you two are really mates?”

“Their scent.”

“Their scent?”

“Yes, to everyone, wolf or vampire, your mate or beloved’s scent is what confirms their identity. Even for a human beloved, the scent will be what entices them, what calms them and pulls them to their soulmate. Their scent is something that appeals to them. But just spending time with them also builds the bond.”

Interesting. From what he says I can definitely say that I’ve experienced that before, with Liam’s scent. But if Ashton says the same thing with my scent, does it mean that…..

“Can someone have more than one soulmate?”

He raises his brow at this. “Well not from what I know of.”

But this doesn’t quite make sense. But then my attention turns to the song playing in the background, - This is why I need you by Jesse Ruben.

I jump up and give him my hand. “Care to dance?”

He laughs. He takes it and we start dancing, just there in the garden, outside with the illusion of fireflies. “Of all the things to happen tonight, you were definitely not on the list.”

“I hope that’s a good thing.” After a few seconds I ask, “so have you found your beloved yet?”

But now he looks sad. “Unfortunately, the number of times vampires have actually found their beloveds barely reach ten. And that's on a global scale. So I don’t get too hopeful. Many vampires die never having met their beloveds.”

That does sound sad. Knowing that there’s the possibility of having another half, just to know that the chances of you never meeting are higher. And here other people seem to have 'options'.

“I hope you find your beloved, whoever he or she may be.”

He raises his brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hey, I don’t discriminate.” I just shrug my shoulders smiling.

He none the less chuckles, “Thank you.”

I start laughing out loud all of a sudden. “Is there a joke I should know about.”

I try to calm myself. “Oh no, I just realized that I’m dancing with a vampire who is hundreds of years old, and his name is Mike.”

He looks annoyed though as I start giggling again.

“If you must know, my name is actually Mikail. But over the years, people just keep messing it up, so I settled for Mike. It makes meet-ups less awkward and annoying.”

“But I like the name Mikail better. I don’t know how people can mess it up.”

“That’s what I said. But I’m sure you don’t have that many problems, Mira.”

“You’ll be surprised. Once my teacher actually read my name as ‘Maira’. You would think that a four letter name is easy to read.”

We keep on dancing but this whole scent thing is still on my mind again. I wonder what my scent is like to both Ashton and Liam. Is it different for them?

“Can I ask you something?”

He chuckles. “You mean, like you’ve been doing this whole night.” I just roll my eyes. I’m not in the mood for another pup joke. “Go ahead.”

“What is my scent like?”

He looks at me curiously. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just that, I don’t know my scent. I don’t really try smelling myself. But I wanted to know, what do I smell like to you?”

“You want to know what a wolf smells like?”

“No.” I shake my head, “I want to know my personal scent. Beyond what 'supernatural' I smell like.”

But I can feel his grip tighten around me. “Are you sure Mira? I will have to get closer to smell it. Are you sure you want a vampire that close to your neck?”

His tone is serious and I know he is too, but I also know that it means I can trust him with this. This is a man that has made it through so many trials in life far longer than others. I’m sure he wouldn’t lose control over something like this.

I nod my head. “I trust you.”

He seems surprised by my answer. But then he slows down our swaying to the song and brings me closer against him. He leans down into my neck and I can feel his hot breath against it.

“Relax Mira.” I didn’t even realize I was gripping his shoulder.

I can feel his nose grazing against my skin and I can hear him taking a deep inhale. I can hear him groan. “So sweet.” He says against my skin.

He raises his hand and pushes my hair behind my shoulder exposing my neck even more. He leans into my nape again, and this time I can feel his lips graze my skin. He whispers into my neck, “I can’t quite make it out, but it almost smells like,…….chocolate.” I hear him groan again.

But that’s when Mikail is suddenly pulled from me and I just hear and angry voice shouting, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

His claws are practically out. He looks like he’s about to rip Mikail’s throat out.

“Noah stop!”

He looks back at me concerned and walks towards me looking me over. “Are you okay Mira? Did this blood sucker hurt you?”

This is new. I never thought I would see Noah acting all big brotherly with me. “Yeah, I’m fine. He didn’t do anything to me.” He looks unconvinced.

“What did he say to you?”

“Huh?”

Noah walks back to Mikail who just about straightened his tux out, looking very annoyed. “Did you compel her into this? Did you use your hypnotizing crap on her?”

Mikail isn’t saying anything though, not that he has to. I asked for this, but how do I tell him that I just wanted him to smell me. That just sounds wrong.

“Noah he didn’t do anything to me.” He looks back at me. “he was just,…..”

“Just what?” He looks worried.

There really is no point lying to Noah. He’s like a constant worry wart, always checking everything you say to him.

“He was just smelling me.” Both of them look surprised that I said it.

“He was what? Why would he-,” He turns back to Mikail. “Is this some fetish of yours Mike?”

Mikail’s eyes flash a red colour, and I think I just got a glimpse of his ‘beast’ that he told me about.

“No Noah. I asked him to.” He turns his head back to me so quickly.

“What?”

I sigh, knowing I just have to tell him everything. “I just wanted him to tell me what I smell like. You just happened to walk in on it. It really is just a misunderstanding.”

Noah looks between Mikail and me all the more confused. But Mikail just says he has other things to do and greets me as he leaves.

Noah turns to me again and looks at me very intently. “Why did you want him to smell you?”

Uugh! I knew he wouldn’t let this go. “Just because.” But he obviously doesn’t look convinced with my 'answer'. “You don’t have to know everything Noah.”

But he just rolls his eyes at me. “Fine. But you better get inside. It’s chilly and we don’t want your weak ass catching a cold this time.” He holds his hand behind my back gesturing for me to go inside.

I didn’t even realize it was cold outside. My body just seems warmer these days. The cold doesn’t affect me like it always did. If anything, these hot flashes seem to be coming back, and I think I will be back here for some fresh air later on.

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