Chapter 61: SIXTY-ONE

The peace ball It had been a hell of a meeting, a meeting which lasted for almost two days. Lucas had just returned back to the packhouse and to his chambers that night, he met Ava on his bed, sleeping soundly. It was as if she sensed his presence, because her eyes fluttered open not too long after he walked in, she met his eyes staring at her.

She sat up, letting out a yawn while stretching her arms before speaking to him.

“How are you love? What was the meeting all about?”

“It’s the peace ball.”

The peace ball, she mumbled the word silently in her lips as she tried to recall what it was. She knows about the peace ball; she’d been taught so much about it during busk sessions, she remembered Luna Mitchell’s words in her head about the ball.

‘The peace ball is the biggest and grandest occasion in which all pack leaders around the world gather to attend yearly. The ball was named after a peace treaty signed decades ago by each prominent leader of wolf territories. The treaty which stated that all packs would live in harmony with one another and not attempt to conquer each other’s territories like they did before which cost many lives, and an annual ball was celebrated in commemoration of the treaty. The only ones who failed to keep to the treaty were the rogues, who go from one pack to another, destroying their forces in an attempt to claim their lands and take over the leadership.

‘Alpha Lucas De’ Clan was always an important mentioned element whenever it came to matters regarding the peace ball. He was well respected in all the lands because he’d taken care of those rogues, forming an alliance after his curse to get rid of them and restore the lives of the pack members they’d destroyed. Some of these members left their former packs to join alpha Lucas’s pack, the dawn pack which offered them a sanctuary and a life that wolves from other packs where not privileged to enjoy. This sanctuary of the dawn pack was where all the leaders always voted to host the peace ball yearly, because of its ravishing beauty and its large size whose halls could contain as many guests as possible, and besides, alpha Lucas was the wealthiest alpha and could handle the expenses of the ceremony. No other leaders had ever bothered to build such a sanctuary for their pack members, which is why the dawn pack, even though the newest, remained the biggest and the most successful, followed by the moonlight pack.’

All the wolf leaders from around the world will be there she thought, which means Ray and Ethan will be there too. She gasped.

“So that’s what the meeting was all about. All the leaders voted for the ball to be hosted here like they do every other year? That’s why it was so important for you to be there?”

He nodded, pleased that he didn’t have to do so much explaining. She was such a smart girl.

She shook her head. “This is not good Lucas; it means my betrothed will be there.”

“Don’t worry about that. I thought about it earlier, and since I’m the one hosting it again this year, I’ll make it a mask themed event. Hopefully, he won’t be able to recognize you so easily if you stay far enough from him, and we shouldn’t have a problem since I’m the only one who knows your scent.”

He walked towards the bed, sat on it beside her and took her hands in his.

“I would love for you to come to the peace ball with me as my date this year Ava, even if it’s the only one we’ll attend together.”

The subtle reminder that she isn’t going to be with him forever made her heart flick, she really wants to go with him, she does, but she doesn’t want to get caught either. If Ray or Ethan caught her here, she’d be in big trouble.

His next question drove away her thoughts.

“Will you go there with me?”

She looked into those handsome eyes, eyes that were waiting for her answer, those pleading eyes. How could she refuse them?

“Ok, I will go to the peace ball as your date, Lucas.”

**********

“May I join you here milady?”

Kiara looked up to see who had intruded on her fine afternoon in the garden, where she watched the little garden birds sing. This was one of her favorite places in the pack house, a place she loved to enjoy in peace. At first when she heard the voice, she knew who the owner was, but she still looked up to confirm if its’ him, if it’s the same asshole who stopped her from doing something stupid to herself a few nights ago.

“Sure, why not?” After all, the big garden was meant for all dawners to enjoy.

Cian sat on the bench beside her, he knew he owed her an apology, and that’s why he came here, to do the needful.

“I’m sorry for the way I handled you the other night.”

“No Beta Cian, don’t do that. It’s I who should be apologizing; only the goddess knows what I would have done to myself if you weren’t there with me that night.”

“I know it must be hard for you Kiara, and I really don’t like us to fight when we ought to be working together, so can we just put that silly little incident behind us?”

“Of course, it’s all in the past now. Thank you, Cian.”

“My pleasure.”

The silence stretched between them, only the sound of the garden birds could be heard. Kiara waited, but she noticed that Cian was showing some form of hesitation to speak. She knew he had something else to say, but wondered why he was struggling to bring out the words.

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

“Yes, there is actually.” He’d contemplated on not letting her know and just going ahead to do it himself, it would be a lot of workloads on his shoulders without her, but he didn’t mind, so long as he protected her feelings in the process, but after a lot of nagging from his wolf, he decided to let her know about it at least.

“I’m waiting…”

“Well, um…. I just received word that one of the pregnant refugees is to deliver a baby tomorrow, and we have to be there to help her, most especially you and Nani since you’re both females.”

“Ok then, which of the refugees?”

“Paul’s pregnant wife…Martha.”