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Chapter 6

Days passed as Ace's eighteenth birthday loomed large. The bright side of all this was Leslie gave Arya a new uniform to wear for the occasion. She dumped it in the basement one morning, snarling that Arya couldn't wear her usual rags to an important function. Arya's eyes grew wide at the sight of a new baby pink dress. If she didn't know better she would have hugged Leslie.

"It's completely obvious," a girl in Cora's group of friends said.

It was the morning of the party, extra help had been hired to work the party, but much of the dirty work was loaded on Arya.

Cora and her friends sat in the dining hall while Arya cleaned up after the other staff.

"What?" Hannah asked.

Cora rolled her eyes, "Kim, means the party. It's obvious why every girl is coming."

"Yeah, Ace is looking for his mate. I can't wait to find out who it is." Kim liked her lips.

"Don't get your hopes up." Cora barked. "Ace is mine, always has been."

"I guess we'll find out tonight." Hannah smirked.

Arya chased the dirt to the kitchen with the broom before the girls noticed her eavesdropping. The party would take place in the dining hall and out front. Arya wondered why they'd have it at this dump when they could have it anywhere else.

"Hurry get everything out! The Alpha and Luna will be here any second!" Leslie ordered.

Time bleed faster than they anticipated. Arya had to be careful to keep her hands to herself and her skin from grazing anyone. So far she bumped into two servers, she felt their exhaustion and their annoyance at her touching them. Being able to feel others proved to be harder than she thought. The woman in the woods hadn't returned since she gave Arya the gift. Arya returned to the river everyday after that, but there was no sign of her she didn't even get her name. All the information she had was the woman was a witch, not many lives around here. The pack wasn't fond of witches.

Someone turned on the music, Arya wobbled with a tray of finger food into the dining hall. The party had began. All the girls wore their best shortest cocktail dresses. They let their hair down and twirled in their heels. There were a couple guys present including Ace's brother Dash. Unfortunately, none of the girls paid attention to any of the guys. They all held out hope that they could be the mate Ace was after.

Arya's semi covered eyes darted through the crowd for Ace. Where was the birthday boy?

"Get lost Arya. This party isn't for scum like you." Cora spat.

Arya scurried back to the kitchen echoes of laughter floating behind her. Servers marched in and out of the kitchen, Arya slipped outside so she could catch her breath. The full moon was out its presence was needed for an occasion like this.


"Who is she?" Dash asked for the second time in twenty minutes.

"I don't know." Ace grumbled.

"Are you looking hard enough?"

"Maybe it's because I don't need a mate right now."

"Everyone needs a mate." Dash crossed his arms.

Ace laughed, "I'm not surprised that's coming from a man who can't go a week without a woman."

"Come on." Dash chuckled. His gaze landed on Cora and her group of friend. She spotted him watching her and waved at his brother.

"What if it's Cora?"

Ace rubbed his forehead, nothing would give his mother greater joy than that.

"I'll bite my tail off if it's Cora."

His wolf whimpered then he sighed. Unfortunately, he wasn't joking his mate wasn't among the group of woman.

"Ace, that would be a sick paring."

"Sick being the right word."

Dash's meaty hand landed on his brother's shoulder. "You know I meant good."

Ace watched as the pretty women danced near him, all of them trying to catch his eye. His wolf suddenly clawed at him. Ace rolled his shoulders. Oh no, Ace thought.

"I'm going to look for a drink." Dash punched his back and walked out the front door.

Arya walked into the dining hall with a mop in front of her. The music blurred so did every other person in the room. He felt like a caged wolf. Arya looked up and met his eyes. An invisible line pulled them closer. His heart beat so loud he feared someone would hear it. She was the one. He tore his gaze away and cussed under his breath. The traitors' daughter was his mate.

When he returned to Arya she still scrutinized him. She had to know it too.

"Damn it," Ace ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey there handsome, want to dance?" Hannah popped up in front of him twirling her blonde hair around her finger.

"Uh—"

Cora bumped Hannah away from Ace and onto a table with drinks. The drinks spilled all over the floor and soaked Hannah's dress.

"Back off Ace is my mate!"

The music died all heads turned to Cora and Ace. Hannah stared at her soaked dress then glared at Cora. She balled her hands into fists and charged. The girls screamed as they tackled one another to the floor.

Ace raised his hand, "False alarm. She's not my mate."

The music started back up again. Arya vanished, Ace cussed. He waded through the group of girls he found his way to the kitchen, but Arya wasn't there. He went outside though only a couple of servers hung out smoking.

The party ultimately ended without Ace seeing Arya again. His family were the last ones left. The Alpha retired early. The Luna couldn't wait to find out who the mate was. As servers swept and stuffed trash into black bags, Leslie and Veronica— The Luna— conversed about the success of the night.

Ace ached to see Arya, they had to talk about this. This was the toughest thing to happen to him by far. His mother or anyone could never find out.

"You found her didn't you?" Dash whispered.

"I didn't."

"Liar."

"Care to share Ace?" Veronica's voice rose with enthusiasm.

Both women were staring at him. Both of them would love if it was Cora. She unfortunately went to her room with a bump on her head from her former best friend.

"She wasn't here." Ace said.

"What?" Leslie asked.

"What do you mean she wasn't here? Who is she? How did we miss her?" Veronica barked.

"I don't have a mate mother. None of the girls here today are my mate."

"That can't be possible," Leslie said.

"You didn't look hard enough Ace. You know how important this is!"

Ace ran a hand through his hair. "I did my best. I don't need a mate right now, you said yourself I could stand to help Dad out more."

She sent him ice daggers, "Don't use that as an excuse."

"You did say it," Dash shrugged.

"Dash," she snapped.

Dash raised his hands in surrender.

"It'll happen eventually Mom," Ace attempted to smile, but even he knew that would do nothing to thaw his mother's heart.

"Wait until your father hears about this." She marched out the restaurant.

"You're telling me who she is once we're home." Dash whispered then followed his mother out.

Ace waited until the lights in the restaurant went out and all the servers had left. When the remaining lights in the top story went out, Ace snuck in through the back. The door was weak. One clean shove and it broke right off and he was in.

He made his way down a dark and stuffy staircase and came to a single wooden door. He cleared his throat before he pushed the door in. His wolf perked up as if a tender stake dangled in front of it.

Arya sat on the floor with a tiny pot burning on a gas lamp. His muscles bulged and his jaw clenched. Arya's emerald eyes shined like pure stone. Magic dances between them, there was no doubt between them they were mates.

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