"You should put those closer together…", Dawn said when she approached Zina.
Zina turned to see behind her, to make sure it was not just her imagination. "Dawn."
Zina was really happy to see her friend. They saw each other earlier that afternoon when Zina brought things to Dawn, but that was only briefly with George around. Dawn and Zina were together most of the time, so this day-long separation felt like forever.
"You look stunning."
Dawn smiled. "You think? Thank you for the dress."
If Zina didn't bring her the dress, Dawn wouldn't have anything to wear. And Zina brought her more than just a dress. She brought a carry-on with several changes of clothes and toiletries, and Zina did that by rushing to Dawn's apartment while potatoes were in the oven. Ivy and Lily made sure nothing burned until Zina came back.
Zina shook her head. "It's not about the dress. It's you, D. You are glowing."
Dawn smiled until her cheeks hurt. She was happy.
Zina had so many questions, but she knew that this was not the time to sit and talk about juicy details. However, she was eager to find out some bits.
"So, how is life in high society?", Zina asked Dawn teasingly. She leaned closer and spoke in a whisper, "Or should I ask, how is the life under Commander George?"
Dawn's eyes flashed in outrage, but she couldn't suppress the giggles that burst unexpectedly. Dawn quickly blocked her mouth with her hands while hoping that people were not staring at her. She didn't dare to look around and verify.
"Come on.", Zina urged Dawn to say something. "Did you get what you wanted? Is he a sex machine that provides endless orgasms?"
"Shh…", Dawn waved her hands. It's one thing when they were goofing around in private, but this was a fancy party, and they shouldn't have sex talks.
Zina rolled her eyes. "Don't you shush me. I could smell it in the room sin. Pure sin. Now tell me while I refill this tray… how big is he? Is it just the size, or does he have technique also?"
Dawn could feel her cheeks heating up. "I'm not going to talk about it here. People might hear."
"Yeah, like anyone cares what we will talk about." Zina inched closer and said in a whisper, "They are mostly talking about Marcy."
At the mention of Marcy, Dawn's chest tightened. Other than Marcy being unconscious, she was also George's first mate, and Dawn couldn't stay indifferent while thinking about that woman.
Part of Dawn was angry at Marcy because she rejected and hurt George, and another part feared if George had any lingering feelings toward Marcy. Sure, he was totally focused on Dawn, but what will happen when Marcy wakes up? What if Marcy regrets rejection and asks George to take her back? Dawn didn't want to think about it.
"What are they saying about Marcy?", Dawn asked stiffly.
"You know… things like… when will she make her appearance."
Dawn felt guilty. Her mind was muddled by the fluffy clouds that resembled George, and she forgot that they were in a state of emergency. If people found out that Marcy is in a sorry state and that Alpha Damon is concealing it… who knows what will happen? It was a serious situation, yet Dawn ditched them from the moment she realized that George was her mate.
"What's the status on our side?"
Zina shrugged. "Her condition is unchanged and…" Zina stopped talking when she saw two Elders approaching the table where she was with Dawn.
It was an older man and an older woman, known as Elder Thomas and Elder Patsy. Not the most pleasant ones in the bunch. They all had an inflated sense of self-importance, and their sour expressions told Zina and Dawn that they were coming to cause trouble.
"Should you be lingering here and chatting?", Elder Patsy asked and then her eyes settled on Dawn. "You don't look like you came to work."
Dawn didn't like their attitude, but she didn't want to bicker and stir a commotion.
Zina responded in Dawn's place, "Dawn is not working tonight. She is a guest."
Elder Thomas sneered. They all knew that Dawn was one of the Omegas who worked in the packhouse. "A guest? Do you think that because you have Commander George's favor you can do as you please?" He stiffened when he saw George approaching them in large strides.
George reached Dawn in a flash.
"Are you OK?"
Dawn nodded in confirmation, genuinely touched by his care. She really didn't expect that he will come to her like that, and she could feel his concern for her.
George put his arm around Dawn's shoulders and looked at two Elders. "Dawn is with me. Do you have a problem with that?"
While talking to Damon, George felt that Dawn's mood suddenly dropped, and he told Damon that he needed to check on her. He didn't expect that before he reached them, two Elders will be there. George heard them clearly saying how she was latching onto him.
George saw this type of disrespect many times in the Red Moon pack, but he didn't expect it here where Omegas are treated fairly; at least that's what the reports about the Dark Howlers pack say.
Dawn was flabbergasted. The truth was that no one spoke to her like this before, and this was at a party, in front of George, and even Alpha Damon was there. Why did he come after George?
Damon narrowed his eyes at two Elders. "Thomas, Patsy…", he called without using their titles, which rubbed the duo the wrong way, but they didn't dare to object.
Damon might be several times their junior, but he was the Alpha, and he could make them submit and spill their secrets with a sheer thought. That would be a disaster.
"Didn't I ask you to show hospitality to our guests? Is this the impression we want to leave?"
Elder Patsy smiled stiffly. "Alpha Damon. We were talking with two Omegas…"
"I heard what you said.", Damon cut her off. "Even Commander George heard the insult you threw at his mate."
Both Elder Patsy and Elder Thomas visibly paled and their eyes moved to Dawn's neck. They didn't pay attention so far, but now that Damon mentioned it, Dawn clearly had some marks on the left side of her neck.
Two Elders cursed internally. Why didn't Dawn say anything?
Dawn leaned closer into George because she didn't like how they were looking at her.
"Do I need to remind you that Commander George is the highest-ranking Commander in the Red Moon pack?", Damon spoke sternly. "Do you know that by offending his mate you are offending him? Are you aware of how this might escalate if he decides to raise it as an issue with Alpha Edward? Or should I just offer your heads and hope it will be enough to avoid war?"
The more Damon spoke, the more Elder Patsy and Elder Thomas shrunk.
