Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty- Two

Daphne's Point of View °

Caleb pulls me into his side as we walk into the ball. He is so warm and feeling his hand around my waist is

sparking a fire within me. I do not get to dwell on the feeling too long because I am too distracted by everything, T

see walking in. There are people everywhere, some I recognize but most I have no idea who they are. Women are

parading everywhere in dresses made of every color in the rainbow. Hair pins, jewelry, and beads catch the

multitude of lights around the room casting their own glow across the floor. The men are just as colorful as well in

suits, looking dapper. People are talking in small crowds, some are dancing, some are eating but everyone seems

happy. Thankfully, I do not see my father or mother. and that puts me at ease a little. -

The decorations around the meeting hall are beautiful. Soft autumn touches celebrating the harvest. The music is

beautiful, consisting of low melodies met for lovers. Isimply can not stop looking around and taking it all in. It is

almost like I fell into a portal to another dimension. My eyes find the buffet table, and my stomach lets out a growl.

lam a little embarrassed by my body betraying me, and! do not even have to look at Caleb to know that he heard it. I

am relieved that he asks if I would like to eat before we try dancing.

As we are waiting in line for food, I notice a large man making his way towards Caleb and me. The man is tall, taller

than Caleb with unruly dark brown hair. I notice a scar by his left eye, and it makes him appear intimidating. He

strides right up to Caleb and flashes him a smile. In truth this man scares me a little bit. Although he is now smiling,

he is very intimidating. Just like Caleb he is very muscular, and as he got closer, I can see that he has a scar on his

hand as well

Clearly this is a man that does not back down from a fight. Caleb introduces the man as Marcus, the Alpha of the

Crest Line pack. I had never heard of the Crest Line pack before, but I could tell that Marcus and Caleb are good

friends. ' When Caleb introduces me to Marcus, he says thatl am his mate. I look up at him stunned. I knew that

Caleb believed that I was his mate, but I did not expect him to really announce it to anyone tonight. How is everyone

going to react knowing that he is an Alpha and Tam or at least was a slave? Marcus grasps my hand and places a kiss

on my knuckles, and Caleb growls deep in his chest.

I am worried that they are going to start brawling here in the ball, but instead Marcus just laughs it off. 1 am still

nervous. Marcus invites us over to his table, and Caleb readily agrees. I knew before coming here tonight that Caleb

would know a lot of the people here, I just did not expect the first person we meet to be another Alpha. My anxiety

kicks it up a notch because I am worried that I will say or do the wrong thing and embarrass Caleb,

As we are going through the line for food Caleb explains to me what normally happens when mates find each other.

I have heard of the mark before, but I did not really understand the point behind it. 1 am thankful that Caleb is

explaining it to me. T understand the way he felt when Marcus kissed my hand, because I felt that same kind of

unexplained anger when Heather was trying to touch him. I can tell that he is a little embarrassed by it happening,

but I find it sweet and enduring. It is nice to know that he is new to experiencing these kinds of feelings like I am.

I feel a little better as we make our way to Marcus's table. Shortly after setting our plates down a very attractive

woman approaches the table. She is tall with jet black hair, and dark blue eyes.

She has very high cheek bones, tan skin, and a narrow straight nose with a diamond stud in it. She comes and wraps

her arms around Marcus's neck, he pats her arm and then stands and introduces us to his mate Lola.

Lola is truly stunning. She is tall, and wearing a black crushed velvet dress, with small crystals embellishing the

neckline. She has a diamond studder choker necklace on, and tear drop earrings in her ears. Her entire ensemble is

flawless, and she radiates a natural confidence that I wish I had.

As we all settle in and begin to eat our dinner Caleb asks how they met. Lola is animated and talks with her hands as

she explains the story. It is very humorous thinking about Marcus jumping over a counter and trying to carry Lola

like a caveman. Lola's bubbly personality is infectious, and she puts me at ease. It is easy to see the love between the

two of them, and I wonder if Caleb and I will ever be this way.

Lola then asks how Caleb and T met, and just like that my anxiety flares up and I cannot speak. Thankfully, Caleb

takes over and explains that we just met today. He does not tell them that I was a Slave, and! am thankful for that.

Even if it only lasts for tonight, T would like to pretend that Tam normal. I realize that Caleb has taken my hand, and

I love the feeling of his thumb caressing the back of my hand. It is comforting, as if he is saying I understand

without words.

Throughout the rest of dinner, the conversation is easy. Marcus and Caleb talk about far away places that I have

never experienced, but now I hope to be able to see some day. Lola talked about her café and living in Eugene. T

really enjoyed listening to their stories, and it helped ease my anxiety. I even found myself laughing a few times.

Lola drags Marcus away to dance.

Caleb asks me if I want to dance. I look out at the other couples on the floor and they all look like they are having

fun. The lights are dimmer around the dancers, giving it a more romantic feeling. I am still nervous, and I am afraid

that Tam going to step on Caleb or fall.

Caleb does not seem to care though, and I do want to experience dancing at least once. Caleb stands and takes my

hand and leads me out onto the floor. Caleb finds an empty spot and pulls me into his arms. His hands go around my

waist and he leans down and tell me to put my arms around his neck. *

“Good, now just follow my lead love. Close your eyes, forget anyone else is in the room, and just feel the beat of the

music.” Caleb words whisper in my ear. I do as he says and close my eyes. The tone is slow, sultry almost. I feel

Caleb shift a little to the left and I follow suit. He pulls me in closer to his chest, and feel a new heat starting to grow

within me. Our feet are shuffling slowly in time to the music. Warmth is spreading through my hips where Caleb's

hands are, and almost against my own will I lay my head on his chest. His heartbeat is strong in my ear, and I! can

feel his muscles twitch slightly. He places a kiss on the top of my head, and I find myself smiling. Caleb's arms

moving farther across my lower back and he pulls me into him closer, and I find my breathing getting faster. :

The warmth from his hands is spreading and causing a fire within me. Bring pressed up against his chest, inhaling

his scent has my nipples straining outwards. The wetness that has developed between my thighs is becoming more

familiar. I look up into

Caleb's eyes to see if he is experiencing anything like what 1am going through.

He is staring straight down at me, and I can see him fighting internally with his wolf. I bite my lower lip, unsure if

he is feeling everything that I am feeling. °

“You have to stop biting your lip sweetheart or I will not be able to help myself.” Caleb’s voice is husky, barely

above a whisper. I can not tear my eyes from his eyes. It seems he is having a little trouble breathing too. “Daphne I

really want to kiss you right now.”

Caleb's words spark a boldness in me that I did not expect. “I am not stopping you.” The words were out before T

could even stop them. The fire within me has turned into a raging inferno. Caleb dips his head down to mine and

captures my lips. I did not think that I could burn any hotter but the touch of his lips on mine has sent my body into

a super nova. Caleb groans as his is kissing me, and my arms wind tighter around his neck pulling him in for more. I

can taste the wine he had with dinner on his lips. Caleb is gentle at first, but then turns more demanding. He gently

nips at my lower lip and I gasp in surprise. He takes advantage of it and slips his tongue into my mouth. Slowly his

tongue dances with mine and I moana little. «

“If you two do not stop now! am going to hose you down with a fire extinguisher.” Theo's words break the trance

we are in and! pull back out of Caleb's embrace. Suddenly it floods back to me that we are in the middle of a ball, on

a crowded dance floor in front of everyone. I feel the heat in my ace as it flames in embarrassment. If Theo had not

come over, I do not think that I would have stopped. Glancing at Caleb I can see that he is trying his best to collect

himself as well. His breathing is still heavy, and he kind of looks like he wants to throttle Theo. Then I notice right

behind Theo is Hannah and my embarrassment doubles. ©

“You two look amazing together.” Hannah's bubbly personality is heling to ease the tension a little bit. Hannah goes

on about how she was watching us dance and that we did a great job. * Caleb’s breathing has slowed a bit as he talks

with Theo and Hannah for a moment. I gently tap Caleb on the arm and let him know that I need to use the

bathroom. Hannah volunteers to come with me.

Once we are out of hearing range, Hannah all but explodes in her excitement. She is rattling off questions about

when we were going to mark each other, can she be a part of our official ceremony, do we want kids right away.

Laughing I stop Hannah as we near the bathroom. “Hannah stop it was just a kiss, my first one actually.” As I say

this Hannah acts shocked.

“Wait you have never kissed anyone before that?”

“No Hannah, that was my first kiss ever.” Hannah lets out this high-pitched squeal and talks about how it is so

romantic that my first kiss was with my mate. I am feeling light and bouncy as I process her words and realize that it

is kind of sweet that Caleb is my first.

As the bathroom door opens my stomach drops to my feet. Coming out is my mother, and Melissa. As usual my

mother is dressed up like a queen. She has a full ball gown on with enough tulle in it to cover the forest floor.

Although she is beautiful, she always wears a little too much makeup and, in my opinion, it makes her look almost

like a clown.

She stops when she sees me and Hannah, causing Melissa to stop as well. “What the hell are you doing here, and

where did you steal that dress?” Her words are dripping with venom, and my stomach plummets.

“She did not steal that dress; I gave it to her.” Hannah replies to my mother, and all I want to do is run away from

here. T know this is not going to end well. I glance over at Hannah, but she is staring my mother down. Hannah has

her hands on her hips, and disgust is written all over her face. 1 know I must intervene before Hannah gets in

trouble. © “Iam sorry Luna: I was purchased this afternoon by the Blue Mountain pack. I was asked to attend

tonight.” My voice is shaking, and I can not look my mother in the eyes.

“Why in the world would they want you?” Melissa's words only cue my mother to go on.