Emma watched as Maya gave her a slow, assessing look over—for what felt like the umpteenth time since she’d slipped into the black, netted, diamond-studded gown her sister had gifted her on her last birthday—and sighed softly.

  The silence stretched, and she suddenly felt hinky under her friend’s scrutiny, like she was being weighed and measured.

  “Maya… say something,” she drawled at last.

  “I’m lost of words,” Maya replied, her face openly clothed in awe and unfiltered honesty as she finally voiced her opinion.

  “A good lost of words or a bad lost of words?” Emma asked, the question earning a burst of laughter from Maya.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Maya said between laughs, trying—and failing—to regain composure.

  “I don’t know. You weren’t saying anything,” Emma replied with a shrug, still standing stiffly in place, shoulders squared, clearly waiting for her friend’s approval.

  “So…” she drawled.

  “So…” Maya drawled back, deliberately mimicking her Southern accent, a smile tugging at her lips, threatening to morph into outright laughter any second.

  “Maya…” Emma screamed, breaking into laughter herself as Maya finally gave in, both of them laughing together.

  “Mind me not,” Maya said, lifting both hands in mock surrender.

  “You look breathtakingly hot!” she finally added, waggling her eyebrows at the redhead.

  Emma blushed instantly at the compliment.

  “Really?” she asked, glancing down as her fingers brushed the fabric of the gown gingerly, her smile audible in her voice.

  “Yeah. Derek would be blown off,” Maya admitted, punctuating the statement with a whistle—just like Emma always did.

  “Hey! Stop mimicking me,” Emma shouted, laughing harder.

  “Stop me if you can,” Maya retorted, planting her hands on her hips with a playful pout.

  “Oh yeah…?” Emma asked, stepping toward her in mock menace, clearly intending to scare her into running—just as a car horn blared outside.

  “Derek!”

  “Derek!”

  They both shouted at once before scrambling around the room, hastily gathering their belongings scattered across the floor, their play instantly forgotten.

  “Emma, you haven’t done your makeup yet!” Maya shouted, eyes widening as she watched the redhead struggling to slide her slender feet into a pair of silvery heels.

  “Oh, no…” Emma muttered. She had completely forgotten to doll herself up.

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  “You know what? Just do it. I’ll go out and stall him,” Maya suggested, earning an immediate sigh of relief from Emma.

  “Thanks so much, Maya. You’re the best too,” Emma said quickly before rushing back to her dressing table, her heels already kicked off. She knew all too well that her man hated being kept waiting.

  —

  Maya opened the front door to find her cousin resting idly against his car, twirling his car keys around his fingers with casual ease.

  “You girls aren’t done yet?”

  A deep voice spoke, and Maya shifted her gaze toward the west angle of the car.

  Shane.

  The knowing smile on his lips told her Derek must have already explained a few things about her to him—and for that, she was grateful.

  “Hello, Maya,” he greeted, his eyes openly admiring her, causing her cheeks to flush vigorously.

  He wasn’t her mate, but she couldn’t deny that it felt good being looked at that way by a handsome guy like the one standing before her.

  “Hello, Shane. Going for the party too?” she asked as she descended the short stairs, approaching the duo.

  “As you can see,” he replied, throwing her a wink.

  Derek immediately glared at him. “Stop hitting on my cousin in front of me.”

  Yet… he couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips.

  “Dude, chill. She’s not complaining. And don’t forget—she’s my date for the night. A criteria for the party,” Shane said with a shrug.

  Maya smiled at the easy banter between the two men. It pleased her that even her cousin had noticed her beauty. Of course, Derek being Derek hadn’t said it aloud—but she knew.

  “Where’s Clem?” she asked, glancing around for the third presence that was usually inseparable from the duo.

  “I don’t know,” Derek replied.

  “You don’t know?” Maya echoed, bewildered. The last she knew, the two men were best friends.

  “Yeah,” he answered, already anticipating the next question. He knew his cousin could be quite inquisitive at times.

  “Why?” she asked, hands settling on her hips.

  “What do you mean why?” Derek countered.

  “What happened?” she pressed, her gaze shifting between her cousin and his gamma.

  She hadn’t seen Clem much lately. The only time had been the day she arrived, when they were pushing pack warriors aside—and even then, Clem hadn’t looked welcoming. She’d understood why.

  But still… had they quarreled?

  “Well…” Shane began, only for Derek to cut him off.

  “Nothing,” Derek said flatly.

  “Shane, tell me,” Maya said, deliberately ignoring her cousin.

  Shane looked from Derek to Maya, then shrugged. Derek hadn’t listened when he’d advised him to concede the human to Clem—especially since he’d still have to choose a mate soon.

  Maybe Maya could get through to him. She’d understand how important they needed a strong Luna in the forthcoming months.

  “It’s because of Emma,” Shane finally said, ignoring the glare Derek shot him.

  “Emma?” Maya echoed, incredulous. “What about her?”

  “Well, Clem thinks he likes her. Derek thinks so too… so, you know…” Shane trailed off, certain Maya would understand.

  “Oh. I see,” Maya said slowly, studying her cousin. It struck her then that Derek hadn’t told his friends Emma was his mate.

  Was he afraid of what would happen after? She’d ask him later.

  “Yeah, so what do you think?” Shane asked, folding his arms across his chest, creasing his crisp white long-sleeved shirt.

  “Well, I think Emma calls the shots here. And it seems she already made her choice. Clem should suck it up and wait for another.” Maya leaned back against the car.

  “But she’s not Derek’s mate,” Shane pointed out, not entirely pleased she hadn’t taken his side.

  “She’s not Clem’s either,” Maya shot back.

  “But Derek needs to—” Shane started, only to stop abruptly.

  “Is that Emma?” he murmured, eyes widening.

  Both Derek and Maya looked toward the front porch of the white house.

  “Bless me,” Shane added, openly drooling.