Chapter 11

The closer we got to the entrance of the ballroom, the louder the music and constant chatter got. But not so loud that you would have to shout to be heard in a conversation.

Looking into the Ballroom from the doors, it was a sea of colours, faces and smiles. The suits that the males wore were a range of blacks, greys, blues and greens. Some wore ties, whilst others did not. Apart from one clown that had decided to wear a fuchsia pink suit. I laughed at the wolfs courage to dress so flamboyantly noticeable.

All the dresses here tonight were enough to make rainbows perhaps more than a hundred times over. There was varying shades of every colour that you could ever think of all in different materials; lace, silk, satin, organza, cotton etc. Each dress was unique and beautiful, and from what I could see, each person wore a different dress. Not two people wore the same one, making the tides in the sea of colours and bodies ever-changing. The odd sparkle from glitter on a few of the dresses caught the lights from overhead, glinting as the wearer moved.

The words ‘mine’ and ‘mate’ already becoming familiar as more and more people arrived and found their mates. A few wolves were dashing around with their noses in the air, in a frantic search to find the source of the intoxicating scent they were picking up.

Food had not been served yet, but people were already dancing with groups of friends or their newfound loves on the dancefloor. Groups of wolves were milling about in conversation, elated about what may happen to them tonight, anything a possibility if given the chance.

I felt excited for them, for everyone here, especially Pops because as my best friend, she really deserves to find her mate.

As much as Poppy tells us all that she is OK and that she does not need her mate, I know her very well and probably better than herself. I believe that she does need her mate, I do not think that her personality is quite complete yet. There is more to see from her personal growth, and I know that she does secretly crave to be completed. I cannot wait to see the person that she becomes when she finds her mate. I just hope that he can deal with her shit. I hope that he is just as much trouble as her; that would be her perfect match.

Next to me, Pops was quite literally bouncing on the spot to the vibrations from the noise and the atmosphere all around us, the excitement bubbling up and over now that we were finally here. The smile on her face was contagious, spreading to me and making me genuinely smile, which was probably my first since leaving my bedroom first thing this morning.

Just standing here and taking in all that was in front of me, gave me a second to realise that Beaux had once again gone quiet, but persistently pacing around.

‘Beaux, what’s wrong?’ I tried speaking to her, hoping that our bond would help to settle her enough to talk to me.

‘I don’t know, but something really does not feel right.’ She sounded worried in her reply, which passed through on to me, making me nervous but for a different reason than before.

‘You can’t tell? Are you sure it is not just the madness here sending you into overdrive, because of your overly sensitive senses?’

‘No, I can tell it is definitely not the ball that is causing it. We need to be careful.’

Her last comment made me shudder. Not a lot of things threw Beaux off her game, confusing or unsettling her was a hard thing to do.

‘I’ll be careful. Keep an eye or an ear, or something wolfy on things.’ I could feel her shuffle and sense that she had nodded her head, acknowledging my agreement to be aware of our surroundings tonight.

It was only when I looked at Pops and that I could see her eyebrows bunched up and watching me that I realised that she had been watching me throughout my exchange with Beaux.

“What’s up?” she curtly asked, knowing something was not right by the grim expression that I held.

“Beaux, she said something’s wrong.”

“Oh crap, can’t we have just one night without any drama to enjoy?” She looked resigned to never being able to enjoy herself ever again. “Does she think that it is to do with what happened in the woods earlier?”

I do not know why I had not thought to ask her that.

‘Beaux? You catch that?’

‘I did, but I can’t be sure. Something feels like earlier, but only a little.’

“She said it feels slightly like it.” I gloomily informed Pops about Beauxs rarely-ever wrong intuition; this time will be no different to any other.

“Oh fuck.” Pops’ reaction could not have been any more than usually expected for her. “Well then, we better shake a tail and have some fun, while we can.”

She wiggled her eyebrows at me suggestively then strutted further into the ballroom like she owned the place, surveying all the males about the room as she moved. The faces that she was pulling as she went said that she appreciated at least some of what she saw. Typical Poppy I suppose.

I followed her, having a look around but not in the same manner as Pops. I was observing the atmosphere and the number of wolves here tonight and was also trying to see if Beaux or I could pick up on any odd feelings being given off from any of these strangers. It is possible that both of us will struggle sensing anything, our senses were being overloaded by the sheer number of bodies in the room. The volume and scents that are coming from them pushing my senses to practically useless for relying on.

I had a bad feeling about tonight, especially now that I was picking up on this inevitable feeling of being fucked over, just like Beaux was and most probably Nova too. It was making me rather twitchy and nervous.

Pops was already on the dancefloor, dancing seductively by herself, not a care in the world that I had stopped moving and that she was now on her own. Not that she was able to make a fool out of herself dancing on her own in such a way, of course. Poppy has always been able to do everything perfectly, so dancing suggestively in front of all these single males was a walk in the park for her.

I noticed that there was already a lot of males naturally gravitating towards her, even some females too. But I know Pops too well, the females would not bother her, and she would not turn them away either. To her, it was just more attention. She is such an attention seeking whore.

I rolled my eyes, chuckled to myself and shook my head, unable to believe that I had managed to get my feet moving again, especially when they were taking me to where Pops was now grinding up against a couple of males with others circling around her like the predators that they are.

I walked straight up to Pops, who was right in the centre of them all and joined in, shaking my arse and enjoying myself. All the while, wolves were running to each other all around us, straight into each other's arms and instantly declaring their undying love for one another.

It was amazing to see that so many had found what they had come here for, the main point of tonights gathering.

There was a table at the edge of the dancefloor, right in the centre with a full view of everyone that was enjoying the festivities; it is the largest table here tonight. On it sat the Alphas, Lunas, Betas and their mates from every pack that had come tonight, all of them watching their pack members letting it loose and having fun. Smiles adorned the faces of all that watched; seeing their wolves enjoying themselves was enough for them to have a good night, nothing else was needed.

As I scanned up and down the head table, I spotted Mum and Dad. They were watching me with faces that had ‘proud parents’ written all over them. They were sitting with their chairs as close as possible to each other, Mum was leaning her head on Dad's chest and they were holding hands discreetly under the table, making me swoon and hope that someday that I have their kind of everlasting love.

‘You look absolutely beautiful tonight darling.’ Dad mindlinked me whilst we shared our stares, ‘But if any males go near you tonight, I’m gunna rip their fucking heads off.’

I saw gold flashing in his eyes, meaning that his wolf or himself, more than likely both, were serious about keeping the whole of the male population away from me. I just chuckled at his protectiveness, reveling in the fact that I had someone that even wanted to protect me.

‘But what if I find my mate?’

‘Him too, he can fuck off as well.’ From where I was standing, I could see him scowl and I am pretty sure that I heard him let slip a little growl too. Mum turned around to face him, giving him a little slap. I did not hear her say anything to him so the look that she had given him must have been enough, because the next second he looked like a pup that was getting scolded, cheeks flushed and a sheepish grin to boot. He was putty in her hands, totally submissive to her.

After mum had finished giving dad what-for, she turned to face me and beckoned me over to them. I did not need prompting more than once, I had started to feel uncomfortable being here amongst all the sweaty and horny wolves. Instantly I was trying to leave the dancefloor through all the excited and moving bodies that were surrounding me.

After much weaving, ducking, stepping on toes and apologies, I finally reached their table. Mum stood to greet me with a motherly embrace and whispered in my ear her appreciation on how I looked tonight. “You look absolutely beautiful, sweetheart.”

“That is exactly what dad had just mindlinked me.” I chuckled at their sentiments and how much they mirrored each other; a perfect match made by the Goddess.

“I bet that is not all that he said.” She spoke whilst giving him a side-glance, as if knowing about the threats that he had made towards the male population, right after giving me his compliments.

“Hey there parentals!” Out of nowhere, Elijah and Elliot appeared at either side of mum, each giving her a chaste kiss on her cheeks as they spoke in unison, both making her jump and squeal.

“Why you little shits!” Both mum and dad threatened together, mum swung her arms to slap them both, but each of her hands caught nothing but air.

The family banter that was happening in front of me made me smile and laugh. The boy’s antics always were funny, so long as none of it was directed towards me.

At that thought, they both gripped me in bone-crushing hugs from either side. It was as if they were having a competition on who could grip me the tightest and try to suffocate me. They both let go together and moved just out of reach from any of my retaliation.

“Wow! You scrub up well sis.” Elliot was the one to speak, Elijah just stood there, seemingly stunned into silence.

“Same for you two, I didn’t think it would ever be possible for you though, shit bag.” I always try to give as good as I get, I just need to remember to get them back for what feels like broken ribs. Getting them back separately would be the easiest though, together they are the impossible duo. “So, what are you doing here tonight, Elliot? You’re not 18 yet.”

“Alpha family, innit.” With his hands in his pockets, he shrugged his shoulders, as if not caring for the answer himself. “Gotta show my support for all the newly in love, haven’t I.”

“Ah, so this is the delightful girl that you always speak of, Brock.” An unknown middle-aged male appeared beside me, interrupting the banter between me and my now brothers. The feeling that I got from him was disconcerting. He grabbed my right hand, placing a very wet and a few-seconds too long kiss upon it, making me extremely uncomfortable with his closeness and coming across as sleezy and creepy.

“My, my, you are just simply beautiful. Oh, what I would do with you if you were in my collection.” He lowered his eyes to observe all of me, hovering over all my assets like a slimeball.

His comments earned growls from dad and the boys, all three were immediately at my side ready to defend me. But it was mum that snarled the most aggressively, launching herself between me and the creep.

“It is Alpha Brock to you. Yes, she is beautiful, but most importantly, she is certainly not for your entertainment. Now, Alpha Corbin, I think that it is time for you to take your seat.” Mum stood in front of me gesturing towards the Alpha table. Her eyes were fiercely glowing gold; her wolf was pushing her power out at the sleazebag, showing her Luna aura and strength to him.

He just glared at mum with a sadistic smirk on his face, as if he was challenging her authority in her own territory. This wolf was revealing a lot. In this short meeting alone, I could tell that he did not think much of females; that their only place was beneath him, literally.

Everyone thinks that it is the Alpha of a pack that is the strongest, most dangerous and the one that should be most feared. But it is the Luna that keeps an Alpha standing strong. It is the luna that can turn the most vicious when scorned. It is the Luna that will reduce an army to ashes in the need to protect what is hers, especially when it is her family in need of being protected.

Marthe chose that moment to make her grand appearance for the night, the music quietening down for her to make a quick announcement to us all. Every head in the room had turned to her to see what the cause of the interruption was, mutters of upset voiced from all corners of the room.

“If you could all please, take a seat. Food will be served.” That was it, then she disappeared like a fart in the wind.

Her short and sweet speech was enough though, it had every wolf moving to their delegated tables and seats, ready for the scrumptious meal about to be served. You do not need to tell a wolf twice to sit for food, so it only took a couple of minutes for everyone to shift their arses quickly and be seated.

Barely had the last arse touched down, had Dad stood up to give a speech himself. It was all about maintaining good pack relationships with each other, building new ones, congratulations to those that had found their mates and other trivial stuff of the same. He also announced the birthday of his future heir; Elijah. It being his eighteenth today and now being able to find his mate etc, etc.

By the time Dad had finished speaking, the first course of six, yes six, had finished being placed in front of all of us by the many waiters and waitresses that have most likely already found their mates, giving us the night off and the chance to find our own.

“And with that...Bon Appetit!”

From then on, over the next hour it was a constant flow of low murmurs as people spoke and laughed, cutlery and dishes clanked together and the next course being served, then the next. Up until the point that we were all a bunch of fat bastards, full to the brim and people were up and dancing again, mingling between the packs once more.

After all the delicious foods we were served, the volume of the music had gone back up but to near deafening this time. I glanced over to the table with all the pack Alphas, Lunas, Betas and their mates, scanning over each of them that had remained seated. Some I recognised from previous meetings and gatherings, some I did not.

I saw Alpha Corbin; an empty chair sat next to him. I assume that it was where his Luna should have been, but for some reason she had not attended tonight. He was talking to other Alphas and Lunas close by to him, none of which looked to be impressed with whatever he was saying, each of them trying to avoid conversing with him. I grinned, now knowing that I was not the only person to detest him.

Because I was too busy watching the despicable fat blob, I had not noticed that dad had come over to me.

“May I have this dance?” He asked as he lowered his hand to me, the other behind his back, just as a gentleman would.

He had still managed to scare the crap out of me, even with his gentle approach, of course I had jumped and shrieked.

After a few curse words and dad laughing at my expense, I reached out my hand and accepted his offer to dance. Whilst holding my hand, he led the way through all the wolves that paid us no mind.

My first father-daughter dance.

As we stepped onto the dancefloor, dad used the hand of mine that he still gripped gently and twirled me. When I came back to centre facing him, I rested my empty hand up on his shoulder, his on my lower back. Just like an old-fashioned dance together.

We stayed like this, gently swaying back and forth for the entirety of whatever song that played. At some point, I had felt safe and relaxed enough to lean my head on his hard chest with my eyes closed. Never having felt this in my life, I was truly enjoying the moment and trying to savor it.

To say I was disappointed when the song finished was an understatement. I opened my eyes and lifted my head from his chest, but keeping it lowered to the floor. I could not look dad in the face and show him my disappointment.

Dad lowered his head to mine, placing a familial kiss upon my crown. I looked up and returned his kiss but to his cheek instead, before I signaled mum to cut in.

I all but ran to my seat to hide, knowing that wolves would have been watching me and dad dancing. The round of applause at the end had kind of given it away.

The table that I was previously sat at for dinner was empty when I returned. Everyone had gone off to do their own thing to socialise.

Pops was on the dancefloor, grinding up on her next conquest that I was sure to hear all about in the morning. Some stood about the bar drinking and laughing, others had decided to gatecrash other tables.

I noticed my friend Tony talking heatedly to that feminist arsehole, Alpha Corbin. Whatever they spoke of could not have been pleasant as neither looked impressed.

I wonder what it is that they speak of? Or how is it they even know each other well enough to have had a conversation together at all?

Looking at Alpha Corbin now, my earlier assumptions still seemed correct. He still came across as a power hungry, feminist prick that was having a go at my friend for goddess knows what.

His cheap suit was neatly pressed and was most likely some shit knock-off of a designer brand, most definitely taken care of by someone other than himself. It is probably the female slaves that he keeps in his pack that look after the overweight sweaty mess; his pack being the Bloodmoon pack. Yeh, not the friendliest of names and one that we have always had a rocky relationship with. And now I can see why.

I cannot understand why someone has not seized the opportunity and challenged him for his title yet. It is obvious that he would not fare well in a physical fight. He must rule his pack through fear and intimidation. No-one has challenged him most likely because of the retribution that they would face from his spineless followers.

He must have sensed me watching him as he suddenly stopped arguing with Tony and turned to look at me directly in the eyes. In that brief moment of eye contact, all I saw was a black soulless creature giving me a leering smile. I jumped and turned to face elsewhere, anywhere but him.

After a few seconds longer, I could feel that he had stopped staring at me, possibly returning to his disagreement with Tony.

I continued to browse the room, taking in the wolves all around me that were enjoying themselves, all at different stages of intoxication. I had only had a couple of cocktails myself; I prefer to be able to keep control of my faculties.

I was comfortable at my table all on my own, appreciating the peace that I was getting, as temporary as it would be. People-watching was all I needed to keep me happy. I watched on as all the new mates danced lovingly, a very small number had run off giggling together because they could no longer hold back from the passion and desire for each other, deeply feeling the urge to complete the mating process. Others that had found a temporary mate for the night doing just the same, the constant stench of hormones and horny wolves driving them to the insatiable need for each other.

I was ok that my mate had not been here tonight, there is always a tomorrow for me to find him.