Why My Mate Cries
Chapter 25

ALIYAH’S POV

Funny thing… the problem began when we returned to our place. Since Liana informed us that we would have a formal dinner with Lucas’s human mate, I was forced to check my closet for good clothes to wear.

I scratched my hair as I looked at the new clothes Reid bought for me the last time. Needless to say, all of them were elegantly beautiful, which is why I had trouble choosing one.

“I swear you’re going to look great in any of them,” Reid uttered behind me.

“I don’t know what I should wear for a formal dinner.”

“A simple dress will do.”

I turned to Reid and noticed that he was fixing the sleeves of the black long sleeved shirt he wore. He looked perfectly handsome in it, and I felt the need to look good too. I was his mate, and I could never disappoint him or the pack. I knew that some of them might have been uncomfortable with me being around, and I wanted to win their hearts.

Searing anxiety pulsed on my nerves as I glanced between the clothes in the closet. My heart raced fast. The thought that I’d be facing a lot of people doubled the pressure in my chest.

“Aliyah,” he called for me.

“Hmm?” I started biting my fingernails and then grabbed the white long-sleeved dress and the nude-colored halter neck dress.

“Don’t overthink it. That’s just a dinner.”

“A formal dinner, you mean…” I exhaled in frustration.

“I don’t like it when you’re stressing yourself.”

Reid embraced me from the back. My head leaned against his firm chest, and I huffed.

“I just don’t want to disappoint,” I said wearily.

“You’re perfectly fine, little wolf.” He kissed the side of my head as he breathed. “And it looks like somebody is coming to save you from your stress…”

“Huh?”

I looked over my shoulder, meeting his pair of blue eyes. He smirked and slightly released me. My brows furrowed, confused by what he meant.

Then I heard some knocks on the door from the outside, followed by the giggles of women. Reid motioned for me to come outside. When we opened the door, Liana and Alice were there, wearing fancy clothes and sweet smiles.

“We came here because we thought Aliyah needed some help preparing for the formal dinner,” Liana said, then showed a black kit on her hand. “I brought some makeup!”

Sage’s mate, Alice, giggled as she tossed her blond hair. She stood up next to Liana, her eyes sparkling while glancing between me and Reid.

“We’re worried about her, Alpha, and so we want to help her with such girly things,” she said.

“Right on time…” Reid uttered in relief. I couldn’t help but pout my lips, and then slightly hit him on his forearm, which made him laugh.

Liana and Alice ran inside our place like high school teenagers excited for prom. Admittedly, they both looked great in their glittery dresses and makeup. I wished my body was normal just like theirs. I bet I would not have been so confident if I was not skin and bones…

“Time for a makeover, sweet wolf!” Liana declared.

Without wasting any time, they started their makeover plan for me. They were so lively, and I couldn’t reciprocate the same energy as Reid was just leaning in the corner, watching his pack mates to fix my look.

My heart was pounding loudly in my chest. Whenever I looked at him, his eyes radiated curiosity and excitement. It must be the mate bond pull… Nevertheless, I wanted to look great in his eyes, and I wanted to feel confident.

“I envy your skin. It’s so soft and naturally red,” Alice said while putting some makeup on my face.

“Kind of an after s*x glow, isn’t it?”

Liana and Alice both giggled and did a high five. My cheeks blushed immediately, and I sucked in a breath. A growl could be heard in the distance, and I knew it was Reid.

“This is a girly thing, Reid. Leave! You should be waiting downstairs!” Liana rolled her eyes.

“Exactly. You better stop gawking and growling over there. You’re creepy.”

I chuckled, and was surprised that they could tell something like that to their Alpha. I felt Reid’s stare darken, but they didn’t seem bothered by it. In fact, Liana spun around and even scowled at him.

“Come on, Reid. Aliyah’s final look must be a surprise. Go downstairs and join Klaus and Sage.”

“Yes!” Alice gave him a glance too. “Have a life, Alpha!”

Reid drew in a breath, trying to be patient. In the end, he let out a sigh and nodded in defeat.

“I’ll be waiting downstairs then,” he said, though his voice sounded annoyed.

When he finally left the room, Liana laughed.

“Goodness, Reid is so possessive of you.”

I smiled shyly, my cheeks reddening. “It’s probably because we’re mates.”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen him act that way, Aliyah. Before you came, Reid was a total devil.”

“Is that so?” I asked curiously.

Alice nodded as she put a gloss on my lips. “He was practically a monster.”

The two girls shared a lot of things about Reid, and I felt like I’d gotten to know him more.

Thirty minutes had passed and we were done. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and gasped, as I had never seen myself in makeup and an elegant dress before. It felt like I was looking at a different version of myself, and I honestly liked it.

“You look stunning, our future Luna.” Alice held my arm and smiled at me proudly.

“Looks like we made her a head turner…” Liana giggled.

“Thank you, Liana and Alice.” I glanced at both of them.

I felt like I had found best friends in them, and I couldn’t help but be emotional about it.

“We’re happy to have you, Aliyah,” Alice said.

“Enough with this drama. It’s time to go downstairs. Come on!” Liana announced.

When the three of us descended downstairs, it felt as if my lungs were running out of air. I was so nervous, and my heart was pounding aggressively inside my chest.

“You look so good, Aliyah!”

“Oh, my goodness! Our future Luna looks so pretty!”

Most of the pack members greeted and praised me, and I was overwhelmed with such positive words. My eyes immediately looked for Reid, and I found him leaning on the railings from the balcony. I excused myself and walked towards him. Every step was slow and careful because I was aware of the way he stared at me. It was intense… and made me breathless.

“Hi!” I said.

He stared down at me as if he was telling me he wanted me, which made me gasp for air.

“Hi…” He rested his hand on my back. “Damn it… Are you real?”

I blinked thrice. “W—What?”

“You look damn gorgeous, Aliyah,” he said huskily.

His words made me feel happy, and I couldn’t hide my smile as I looked up at him.

“T—thanks,” I said.

He took my chin and leaned to give me a quick k**s.

“But I want you to know that you don’t need to put anything on your face. You’re damn beautiful even in bare.”

I nodded at him. For a brief moment, my worries went away.

When someone announced that Jane had finally arrived, every one of us gathered in the dining area and settled into our seats. My eyes focused on Jane. Her beauty was so breathtaking, and I couldn’t stop myself from adoring her.

“Jane, this is Aliyah. She’s our Alpha’s mate and the one I was talking about…” Lucas said as he introduced me to his mate.

I gulped when Jane gazed at me with a smile. She was so surprised to see me, and I was shocked when she instantly hugged me.

“I am happy to finally meet you, Aliyah!” she exclaimed.

A pang of anxiety went through me when she embraced me. For instance, I felt the shift in the air, making it impossible for me to breathe. I blinked and was filled with terror when I saw the younger version of me getting beaten by my father’s visitor.

I flinched at the sudden body contact, and I ended up pushing Jane.

I whimpered. Tears streamed down my face immediately. I couldn’t take that fragment of my past off of my head, and it made my body tremble.

My sudden reaction made everyone fall in silence.

“I—I’m sorry…” I said, crying.

Then the next thing I did was run upstairs.