The Alpha’s Ball

Quinn

Sky and Harper had been with me for hours, helping me get ready.

They styled my hair, applied my makeup, and I’m pretty sure I had to try on every dress in the pack.

We finally chose a light blue gown.

I’d never dressed up for a party before.

There weren’t many proms for homeschooled kids, so this was my first real chance at having one. But, it didn’t change the fact that I didn’t want to leave my room.

“I’m not going down there,” I told Sky firmly. “Just go to the party without me.”

“After all the time we spent getting you ready?” Sky asked. “I don’t think so.”

“I’m the Luna. I can do what I want when I want,” I said, trying to pull rank. “If I don’t want to go to a party, then I won’t.”

“You’re going,” Harper said, lurking in the corner of the room.

I sighed.

I knew they were right, I was just being stubborn.

We’d had a long talk about everything that happened with Jaxon. They both apologized over and over for not telling me about Katherine.

Sky had to redo her makeup three times because she kept crying, begging for my forgiveness.

It was hard to stay mad at someone who had streaks of black running down her face like a sad gothic clown.

They explained that they didn’t think it was their place to tell me. They wanted to, but felt it was something between me and Jax, which I guess made sense.

I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for them.

Unfortunately, a certain someone never got around to letting me in on that information.

I still hadn’t forgiven Jaxon’s deception. Especially after we last spoke earlier this morning. I was so mad at him.

I felt like everything we worked so hard to build between us had been tossed aside. Like it was all for nothing.

I knew I could have done more to earn his trust on my end, and for that, I felt ashamed, but it still didn’t compare to what he had kept hidden.

I could feel the steady beat of the music from the ballroom thumping from down below, reminding me of my duties to the pack.

The party had been going strong for the better part of an hour.

Out the window, I could see a steady stream of black SUVs dropping off packs from all around. Everyone looked amazing.

The pressure of meeting new people was going to be hard enough, especially with what was at stake, but now, the bad blood between me and Jaxon was just one more thing on top of that.

But it had to be done.

Now that I was ready, I finally built up the courage to look in the mirror.

I was surprised. I hardly recognized myself. Was I really looking at the same person?

The dress flowed around my legs and left my arms bare. It highlighted my figure in a way I’d never seen before. Its blue color matched my silver-grey eyes.

And the way my black hair cascaded perfectly down my bare back… I couldn’t deny how beautiful I looked. I felt…pretty.

Sky came up behind me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You’re stunning. Everyone will be dying to dance with you!”

I rolled my eyes at her.

“Or not… You can just stand there.”

I looked back in the mirror and took a deep breath.

“All right, let’s do this.”

***

I looked out over the ballroom mezzanine and watched packs from the nearby realms mingle and dance.

Hundreds of people in tuxedos and gowns were all around. They dripped of refinement and elegance and carried an air of sophistication and grace about them.

A whirlwind of butterflies swirled in my stomach.

~Nope. Not intimidated at all.~

The color scheme was white and gold.

Fabric hung down from the high ceiling and burst outward from the main chandelier. Floral arrangements seemed to hang in mid-air as they dangled from a vertical wall garden. Small white trees lined the great columns and ran up the staircase.

A multitude of colors flashed about from the light fixtures, making the ceiling murals seem to dance along with the people below.

It was otherworldly.

Sky and the others had really outdone themselves.

As I scanned the room, taking it all in, my eyes were drawn to a pair of welcoming eyes at the bottom of the staircase.

Jaxon.

His fitted black tux highlighted his firm muscles. His hair was combed back neatly, a far cry from his usual messy look.

He looked unbelievably handsome.

His smile alone made me want to melt into his arms, but my bitterness toward him quickly returned, and that desire soon faded.

“Go to him,” Sky whispered in my ear, “and don’t worry about falling down the stairs.”

~I wasn’t till you mentioned it.~

So, I took a deep breath, placed my hand on the banister, and started down. As I neared the bottom, Jaxon held out his hand and guided me down the final steps.

As much as I tried to fight it, the warmth of his touch helped calm my nerves.

I had to suppress all feelings of anger I felt toward him. My duty as Luna was to stand by his side no matter what. If we were to convince the other packs to unite with us against a common enemy, we had to be seen as a united front.

“You look absolutely ladylike,” Jaxon said, trying to be cute.

“You look nice, too,” I replied. I wasn’t having it.

“I’m really glad you came. I was worried you might’ve changed your mind.”

“It’s what needed to be done,” I replied matter-of-factly.

“Look, about this morning—’’

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said curtly.

It’s a good thing there was music, otherwise the awkward silence between us would have been far more uncomfortable.

“So…what do you think?” he said, gesturing to the crowd, clearly trying to change the subject.

“It’s amazing—incredible, actually.” And I meant it.

It really was mesmerizing, though I was growing increasingly anxious thinking about having to interact with so many people.

“What do we do now?” I asked.

He flashed a grin. “Let’s get you a drink. It’ll help you relax.”

~Am I that transparent?~

I allowed him to guide me by the arm, leading me towards the bar.

I wasn’t technically old enough to drink, but I doubted the FBI was about to storm in and arrest me. Besides, I’d read that many European countries let people my age drink.

I’d had a few drinks before, but it still gave me a thrill, like I was about to do something risky.

The bartender asked for my order.

“Umm…I’ll take a wine, please,” I said, trying to sound confident.

“A wine, huh?” The bartender smirked.

~Oh, no…did I really just say that?~

“She’ll have a Pinot Grigio,” Jaxon interjected, saving me from further embarrassment. “Make it two.”

~I can’t believe I said that. What an idiot!~

When the bartender handed us our drinks, Jaxon clinked his glass against mine and we both took a sip.

“And?” Jaxon asked, noticing my grimace.

The taste was unexpected—sweet, but with a sharp, bitter aftertaste.

“I’m not sure…it’s strange,” I admitted, still tasting the wine on my tongue. “I preferred the bubbly stuff at our mating ceremony.”

Jaxon chuckled.

“Wine’s an acquired taste, just like beer. It takes some getting used to.”

I hoped he was right, because I wasn’t sure I could finish my glass. And I was definitely not looking forward to trying beer.

“Let’s go meet everyone.”

Despite my hesitation, Jaxon introduced me to the leaders of all the other packs. I’d never met other Alphas and Lunas before.

One pack’s territory was nestled high in the mountains, while another was a seafaring pack who had traded their homes for life on the open ocean. I could smell the sea salt on them.

Despite my unease, everyone was incredibly polite and treated me with the utmost respect.

No one mentioned why they were here. It was a lot of, “Hello,” “How are you?” and, “You’re looking well,” and so on. It felt like I was in a royal court. I assumed business would be discussed later.

Before I knew it, I was starting conversations with people without a second thought.

I think the wine was helping. I was on my second glass.

The taste wasn’t bothering me as much anymore. I was starting to get used to it, though my stomach was feeling a bit unsettled.

“So, the rumors are true!” a loud voice echoed towards us, “You ~are~ mated!”

I turned to see a disheveled man with wild hair approaching. His cheeks were flushed. He’d clearly been enjoying himself.

Jaxon looked irritated. “Quinn, this is Alpha Anthony of the Oak Marsh Pack. Don’t mind him. He’s a fool.”

“Bite me!” he retorted to Jaxon before turning to me and taking my hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I hope he hasn’t been giving you too much trouble.”

“You have no idea,” I said, more bluntly than I intended.

Alpha Anthony burst into laughter.

“Oh, Jaxy, I like this one! She’s a keeper!”

“Please forgive my mate,” a blonde woman with green eyes interjected. “He’s like this even when he’s sober.”

“Luna Quinn, this is my mate, Luna Melanie.”

We exchanged pleasantries. She was very charming.

“So, what’s this I hear about a pack of rogues?” Anthony continued. “You don’t really believe there’s one out there, do you?”

Noticing the commotion, other Alphas and their Lunas began to gather around.

“Now, Anthony,” Melanie scolded, “I don’t think that’s an appropriate conversation, do you?”

“Why not? That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?” he said to the crowd, many of whom nodded in agreement.

“You don’t think it’s possible?” Jaxon asked, sounding defensive.

“The whole reason rogues are out of their mind is because they aren’t part of a pack. That’s what drives them mad. Everyone knows that.”

“Because they’re alone,” I added.

“Exactly!” the Alpha slurred. “She gets me!”

It was then that Alpha Anthony looked at my neck with curiosity.

“Speaking of being alone, I couldn’t help but notice you haven’t marked each other yet!”

I suddenly felt self-conscious. I adjusted my hair to cover my exposed neck.

“You better get on that, Jaxy...if you catch my drift,” he said, nudging Jaxon, who pushed Anthony back, causing him to stumble into several people nearby.

“How dare you speak about her that way!” he roared.

The crowd fell silent. They knew Anthony had just crossed a serious line.

Jaxon’s eyes were blazing. I’d seen him angry before, but never like this.

He was furious.

Jaxon had just been publicly humiliated in front of all the other Alphas and Lunas—and in his own pack house, no less.

Seeing Jaxon’s muscles tense and his heavy breathing, it was clear he wasn’t going to let this slide…

He was about to shift.