SWNOVELS Chapter 45
Palm sweating my phone slips through my fingers. Part of me wants to call Hunter and tell him that I have a bad feeling about this. Andrew and Angie are excited about it and if I cancel I will have to feel their wrath.
The day of the Moonlight Ball has arrived and I am a nervous wreck.
Andrew informed me that it is a week-long event. A week, what the hell?
Picking up my phone I toss it onto the bed. I tend to procrastinate things that I do not want to do. At the moment it would be packing. My room is covered in clothes that I cannot see the ground.
“Andrew,” I scream as my hand clutches a shirt and jeans.
“Yes?” His head pops into my bedroom.
“Are you all packed?” I ask as I throw the objects in my hands into my suitcase.
“Yes, we finished yesterday,” I wave him off and I groan.
How can anyone do this?
You know you never packed one of these in your life why would you wait ’til the last minute.
I know let’s go through the checklist again.
Toothbrush.
Check.
Toothpaste.
Check.
Comb.
Check.
Soap.
Check.
You’re crazy!
Check.
Hey, stop pushing it! My wolf amuses herself and goes to the back of my mind.
“Andrew!” He pokes his head in since my door is open. I would not doubt that he is sitting in the hallway from all the times I have called him.
“Yes?”
“Are you sure it is a week can’t I just go for a day and come home.” I groan as I look over my suitcase as it lays open on my bed.
“You can do whatever you want but remember the alpha doesn’t hold these parties every year it is every decade the least you can do is go for the week.” I stare at him as my irritation gets the best of me and I throw my pillow at him. He ducks out of the way. “I’ll tell you when Hunter gets here.” With that, he runs out of my room.
I groan and look over at the time it is a quarter ’til six. I need to shower and get ready. I head into the bathroom and take the quickest shower humanly possible.
“What am I getting myself into?” I rest my head on the bathroom wall as the water cascades over my body. “Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?” I finish up and start getting ready.
At 5:30 my phone rings.
“Hello!” I smile into the receiver.
Hey beautiful! My breath catches and I can feel my cheeks ablaze.
“Hey handsome,” he chuckles into my ear.
I’m going to be there in fifteen minutes.
“Okay.”
See you soon so you can save me from this hell. Bye!
The line goes dead and I throw my phone onto my bed and rush to finish getting ready.
Fifteen minutes later Andrew calls me.
Party time!
I look over myself in the mirror. I am wearing a black lacey arm sweetheart cut backless dress with my favorite black heels and a black diamond-encrusted clutch. My hair is up in a fancy bun with my side down curled followed by my signature red lipstick and smoky eyes.
I walk down the hall and downstairs Hunter is waiting for me wearing a white tuxedo with a black bow tie and black undervest with black shoes. His mouth drops as mine does as well.
“You look gorgeous!” He says after he closes his mouth.
“As do you,” he shakes his head, “you’re going to have all the eyes on you.”
Andrew runs upstairs and grabs my suitcase and brings it down. The driver is outside right on time.
Limo, nice.
Andrew and Ken put all our belongings into the trunk and we all get into the car. The windows are blacked out so that we cannot see where we are going.
The driver lowers the window that makes for a barrier between us and him.
“Alpha Blake,” I look at the back of the man’s head.
“Yes?”
“This is for you!” He hands me another envelope. Hunter eyes me wearily and he turns to look somewhere else. I open it as the driver starts driving.
Dear Alpha Blake,
Glad you decided to come to the ball. I can’t wait to see you soon and tell Alpha Hunter glad that he could make it as well.
Alpha of Alpha’s
“He says that he’s happy you could make it as well,” Hunter rolls his eyes, “Is something the matter?”
“No!” He turns to look at Angie, “So I heard that you finally got your wolf.” Angie nods. She is apparently Andrew’s age but her wolf arrived late. He completely changed the subject on me.
“Yes, it feels weird having someone else in my head,” Hunter nods we all know the feeling.
“You’ll get used to it.”
The drive is two hours and in those two hours, I understood what Hunter meant about hell. Ken is in full make-out mode with the blonde from the club. Angie and Andrew keep themselves entertained talking to each other. I sit next to Hunter not sure if my nerves are getting to me or if there is something else.
Hunter’s hands cover mine, “Calm down you’ll do fine,” he looks deep into my eyes and I sigh.
“What if I fall? Trip? Trip someone else?” I blabber and I can feel my stomach make a flip.
“You’re an alpha it’s all in the way you carry yourself. Be the brave girl I fell for,” he kisses my cheek.
The window behind the driver rolls down. “We will be arriving soon.” Ken and Blondie finally take some time to breathe as we all listen to the limo slow down and then stop.
“We’re here!” Andrew says excitedly.
The driver opens up the door and I take a deep breath.
“What’s the matter?” Hunter looks worried.
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” I do not know why but since I got the invitation I have had this bad premonition about this.
“Don’t worry about we’re here to have fun,” he smiles and I notice that his smile does not reach his eyes.
“Don’t you remember what happened the last time we went out for ‘fun’? I almost lost you and my best friend.” He sighs in defeat.
“Do you want to go home?” I don’t know.
“No let’s get this over with,” Hunter gets out then helps me as I grip his hand firmly once out I expect him to let go but he gives me a reassuring squeeze.
The driver takes off leaving no choice but for us to head inside.
I look up the moon looms over the dark castle.
He lives in a castle, great.
The place has an eerie aura about it. The place looks like something off of a villain’s story. There is a man at the top of the steps waiting for us. He is wearing an all-black suit.
“Great people are going to think that I work here,” Andrew says and I look over him he is also wearing an all-black suit.
We head to him and he bows his head. “Welcome, make yourselves at home.” He opens the door revealing yet another suited man.
“Betas and guest to your left Alpha and Luna’s to your right please.” Upon entering there is a massive hall leading left and right. I am expecting it to be dark as well but it is well lit. Andrew and Ken go to the left as Hunter and I go to the right. The man leads our betas through some doors and out of our sight.
The man returns and walks us down the hall and up some stairs where we stand behind some golden doors. A doorman waits for us there he hands the man that walked us up a microphone.
“Alpha’s name,” his eyes are on Hunter.
“Alpha Hunter,” the man nods.
“Luna’s name,” Hunter shakes his head.
“It’s alpha,” the man’s eyes widen but he regains his composure.
“Alpha-” He says skeptically.
“Alpha Blake,” I say firmly. The noise behind the door sends a chill down my spine. I rather face a pack of rogues than be doing this. I have never been good at meeting new people and in droves.
The man clears his throat and speaks into his sleeve. Then he puts the mic close to his mouth. “Now presenting...” The sound of the door opening makes me swallow down my nerves.
“Alpha Hunter and...” The noise comes in louder, “Alpha Blake.” The noise drops as if someone turned off the volume. You could hear a needle drop.
The stairs before us suddenly feel overwhelming and Hunter senses my panic he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close. “You’re fine...you’re fine.” He keeps a smile on his face as he leads me down the steps. Every movement calculated and precise the only sound is of my feet hitting the marble stairs.
My eyes go to everyone in the ballroom. All eyes are on us just like Hunter said.
Breathe Melany. Breathe! We don’t want you passing out.
I feel light-headed as I take a breath. I swear everyone in the room could probably hear my heart beating against my chest.