Page 81 of Mated By Twilight

So, instead of following after them immediately as they rode the stairs down, she hung back a little so she was on her own. Of course, she was still with the rest of the crowd, so it wasn’t like she was alone. And she knew her mates were right there. Both of them looked back to check on her halfway to the ground floor, and she waved. Assuring them from afar that she was okay. But she knew if she needed them, they’d be right there.

Because they cared about her. Because they weren’t going to abandon her if she didn’t think she could do this on her own.

That unfamiliar feeling rose in her chest again. It was choking, but in a way that she kind of liked. It almost made her feel like crying. Not because she was sad or overwhelmed. It certainly wasn’t a bad feeling. Just a big one. One that demanded some kind of release.

It was strange. But she didn’t have the time she needed right now to investigate it enough to identify what was going on inside her.

She forced herself to look away from them. To focus on the fans down below. She liked knowing her mates were there, and she was eager to feel their absolute devotion and appreciation again, but first she needed to challenge herself.

Leah began waving at the crowd below. Her part was rather minor, but she still had a few eyes on her, waving back, cheering, as they reached the bottom.

She was immediately swallowed by the crowd. No one was pushy or grabby. There was still order despite their excitement. That made it easier to move through, thanking people for their support and answering a few questions.

This wasn’t a formal meet and greet. There was going to be another one soon enough – it was a good way to connect with fans as they came through the space station. So, she wasn’t meant to linger. She did a lot of walking as she smiled and waved, swirling her skirt as she turned just because it was fun.

She was having such a good time, not really paying attention to where she was going, that she didn’t see the pink scaled femaleuntil she turned and found her standing there right in front of her. Blocking her path. Keeping her from moving forward.

Leah came up short, needing to take a few steps back because of how close she was. It took a moment to even recognize her. But she couldn’t forget the gorgeous avanava female. This was the one who had been so close to her mates, the one who won a date with them.

She wasn’t smiling this time.

The look on her face made Leah’s own smile drop. Her eyes were wide, the whites seeming to dominate her entire face as the gold of her iris sparkled with a malevolence that sent a chill sweeping over her. Though she had seemed so delicate and feminine when compared to Tillos and Sollit, when she stood in front of Leah, she was tall and imposing. Beautiful, statuesque, like a model. Leah’s fledgling confidence immediately withered under that wild eyed look.

“Who are you?” She hissed, tail lashing at the air, upsetting her long, flowing skirt. The white dress was beautiful on her body. Though she didn’t have breasts, that didn’t actually lessen her inherent femininity. The elegant, draped look made Leah’s flouncy gown with its ribbons and bows seem not only childish but outright silly.

“Erm,” Leah tried to smile as she twisted her fingers behind her back. Trying to keep her nerves from showing but knowing that she was failing. “Hi, I’m Le-ah!”

“Whoare you!?” She hissed, leaning in close so suddenly it stole Leah’s breath. “I know the whole troupe. I don’t know you. Who are you? What are you doing here? Why are you talking to my mates?”

“Wh-”

“They’remy mates!You need to stay away from them.”

“That’s not-”

“You hear me?! Mine!” She hissed, tightening her grip her arm. Claws digging into her skin.

Leah gasped, then whimpered, but she couldn’t force a scream past her throat. A lifetime trained by her mother pinching her in public to make her be quiet kicked in and the protest died in her throat as the female’s grip turned bruising.

“Stay away from my males,” she hissed right in her face. “I won’t tolerate you trying to draw their eyes anymore.”

“Let go…” Leah gasped, but it was such a quiet sound, it couldn’t really be heard.

“You stay away.” Biella’s grip tightened further until Leah felt like her bone was going to snap. “Or I’ll deal with you myself!”

Leah took in a breath. Some of the shock finally fading enough that she remembered she wasn’t still with her mother and family. That she wasn’t going to get into trouble for making a scene or asking for help in public.

But even as she was remembering that, Biella was withdrawing. She stepped back into the crowd and was gone in moments.

Leah just stared, blinking at the place she’d disappeared.

Biella wasn’t mated to Sollit and Tillos.

That thought was absolutely certain in her brain. She knew those two pretty well at this point. While she didn’t think she knew everything about them, she knew without a doubt that they were far too devoted to her to even think about someone else. Besides,they’d been matematched. There was scientific certainty of their matehood.

There was no doubt in Leah’s mind that Biella was lying. Or maybe just delusional.

But there was a new fear in her chest. Because that female hadn’t looked right in the head. She’d been so completely certain of what she was saying, like it was a basic fact.

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