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CHAPTER 7

Elena's POV

As I walked up the stairs towards the large, golden double doors of the great hall, I hear Freya gasp beside me and my hold on Brandon's arm tightened a bit. Two men dressed like guards dipped their heads and pulled the golden doors open to reveal the most spectacular sight I have ever seen.

A ceiling higher than I could imagine and only fit for the great hall of the Alpha house, was adorned with multiple gorgeous crystal chandeliers that lit up the room like golden sunlight. The long drapes were burgundy and gold to match the colours of the Blood Moon pack's crest. Rows and rows of tables were on either side of the hall while the center was filled with couples dancing the slow, melodic music being played by the orchestra on the far right of the grand stage in front of us.

"This is remarkable. I've never seen anything like this before." I say as Freya comes into my line of vision and halts me in my tracks. "What are you doing?" I ask as she lifts her hand to touch my hair and her gaze runs along my face and the length of my body.

"I'm making sure everything is perfect. The future Alpha is already here," she whispers to me before nodding at Brandon to do the same for her. When she was satisfied that everything was as it should be, we continued along the east side of the hall so that we didn't disrupt the couples on the dance floor.

"Which one is the Alpha?" I asked but as the words left my mouth and my eyes landed on the man standing at the center of the stage and what looked like, being pawed by a feme fatale clad in red silk, I couldn't help was place my hand over my stilled heart. He wasn't just handsome. He was magnificent. The way his dark hair fell at the nape of his neck perfectly complimented the curve of his jawline and the sharpness in his eyes. As the petite woman beside him continued to try to get his attention, his gaze ran across the room as he sipped his drink. When his head turned and looked in my direction, I could have sworn my heart stopped, and it didn't start back up again until he shifted back his gaze to the woman beside him.

"Get a grip, Elena." I whispered to myself but Brandon nudged me and I looked up to see his curious gaze on me. "Umm, why don't we go see the art display?" I ask nervously as I recalled the group of people admiring the display of canvases on the far end of the hall. I cleared my throat nervously but Brandon seemed to make nothing of it until Freya interjected.

"Brandon could get us some drinks. Why don't you meet us there?" Freya says to Brandon who nodded and made his way to the other side of the hall where the bar and buffet were set up. As he disappeared into the thick crowd, Freya nudged me.

"Now that I got rid of him, tell me who had you all flustered," Freya grinned at me and I froze like a deer in headlights.

"Flustered? W-who's flustered? I'm just a little nervous that's all," I fan myself with my hand as I try to avert my gaze from hers but only succeeded in landing my eyes on the tall, dark and handsome man on the stage again. The woman is red was gone, but in her place was a woman who almost glowed. She wore a beige gown that complimented her in all the right places and when she smiled at the Alpha, his face lit up and looked genuinely happy to be in her company. The little green monster of jealousy reared its ugly head when he wrapped an arm around the woman and pulled her closer to his side and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Perfection. That was what they looked like. Absolute perfection.

A tap on my shoulder had me turning as Freya locked me in with a knowing look. I opened my mouth to defend myself when a young man knocked into me and I stumbled a bit. Cold liquid sloshed onto my hand as I turned to see Brandon behind me, trying to salvage what was left of our drinks.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry Brandon. Someone knocked into me and I lost my footing," I take one of the glass flutes from him while Freya dug into her purse for a handkerchief. My arm felt sticky as she wiped the kerchief along my skin and I chucked at how silly it must be looking. "It's okay, Freya. I'll head to the restroom and tidy up. Why don't you guys head back to the bar and I'll meet you there?"

"Let me come with you," Freya suggested but I knew this night was for her as well. I couldn't have her at my side for the entire night.

"I'll be fine. Go ahead and mingle a bit. I'll meet you guys at the bar, okay?" I turned and walked off before any of them could disagree with my suggestion. It was easy to find the restrooms at the back of the east wall and I quickly let myself in. Grabbing a few of the paper towels, I soaked them in water and wiped off the sticky remnants on my arm before fixing my make-up and adjusting the strap of my dress. Satisfied, I walked back out and gasped by how much more crowded the hall had gotten in that short space of time. A quick glance to the stage again rewarded me with the sight of the feme fatale leading the Alpha towards the dance floor as the crowd along with east wall forced me to try and make my way to the other side through the very same area.

As I manoeuvred myself among the dancing couples I kept glancing in the direction of the Alpha. Stopping in the middle of the room, I shook my head and gave myself a mental lecture before spotting Freya and Brandon on the other side. As I turned to move, one of the couples stepped in front of me and I sidestepped, only to bump into someone else. My purse fell to the floor and I leaned down to retrieve it, when my head collided with something like a brick wall.

"Ouch!" I cried out as my vision became pepper with bright specs. Shaking my head to clear it, I lifted my gaze to see what I bumped into and my heart skipped several beats when my eyes landed on the object of my weird obsession for the night.

"I'm so sorry. I was just trying to—"

In that moment, everything around me ceased to exist as grey eyes that looked like they could cut through steel looked into mine. The Alpha's expression changed as his eyes widens a fraction and he opened his mouth to say something. In a frenzy, I swooped up my purse from the floor and turned on my heels, making a mad dash through the crowd as my hammering heart beat against my chest.

"Wait!" I heard a voice call out but I continued through the crowd until I saw Brandon and Freya, who took one look at me and concern replaced the bright smile that was there.

"Elena, what's wrong?" She placed an arm on my shoulder as Brandon stepped beside me as well. I took a few deep, calming breaths, but nothing would stop my hammering heart.

"I …..my purse….my head….ran.." I gasped out the random words until Freya held my face within her hands and looked me dead in the eyes.

"Breath Elena. In and out. Relax." I did as she said and my body began to relax as my frazzled mind calmed once more. But my calm brought forth the storm when I felt Freya's hands shake on my face and I looked up at her to see her face, a mask of shock as her mouth gaped open slightly. Brandon shook his head beside her and stretched out his right hand.

"Alpha Alec, to what do we owe the honor?"

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