When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 117 Artemisia

My cheeks are already hurting because I can't stop smiling as Fynn is waiting for me at the end of the staircase.

I pray to the Goddess that I don't stumble as I walk down to reach him.

After an awfully hectic day during which I was dolled up by a crowd of overly joyful Omegas, everybody had already gone to the ball, and as even Ramona had left me alone, I'm quite happy that I have Fynn at my side to walk in with after the Alpha. He has his hand on his heart as he beams up at me, "My Goddess! You are gorgeous."

My heart does a backflip as he takes a few steps to meet me on the last steps. "At least tonight I'll earn it if you call me princess."

"You deserve it every day, beautiful." He chuckles, lifting me up by grabbing me by my waist to spin me around.

I laugh as he lets me down, admiring my long red gown as he eyes me up and down with sparkling eyes.

He leans in, kissing my cheek gently just to whisper into my ear, "I'll do my best not to destroy your beautiful gown tonight, but your make-up will be a mess, I'm afraid."

"Fynn," I gasp, and he grins at me slyly. "You are such a pervert."

We laugh until an Omega steers us to the open main entrance, and exiting the pack house, we descend the stairs to the car waiting for us.

My mates are all standing around it, waiting for us to join them.

"Gentlemen," I say, doing a little curtsy, before Fynn helps me into the car while I blush as I get showered with compliments. Scooting into the middle of the seat, the others get in as well, making my heartbeat skyrocket. "I'm so nervous."

"No need to be, love. It's just a party." Matthew grins at me, making me squint my eyes as I can undoubtedly see a hidden meaning to it.

I grab Fynn's hand with both of mine as soon as he has settled into the seat next to me and I continue to clasp it until we reach the venue. Leaning forward, I admire the venue from the inside of the car. "Oh, this is so beautiful. It's amazing how they brought our ideas to life."

Music reaches my ear as we walk up to the venue and it suddenly stops, announcing the Alpha and Luna.

"Wait, what?!" I smile, and Fynn gestures to Cayden who is already holding out his hand to me.

"I'll have your first dance, princess," Fynn chuckles, kissing my cheek before he lets go of me to take Cayden's hand.

"Ready?" he whispers with a broad grin and I nod.

"It won't get better than that," I joke, making him laugh.

I don't know if I ever experienced anything more magical. As we walk into the beautifully decorated venue through the crowd that has parted for us, I have to remind myself to breathe.

Walking over the shiny dance floor, he spins me around once before we step onto a platform.

I have to fight the urge to cringe as I hate to feel that exposed, but Cayden hugs me to his side, making me relax instantaneously.

"Dear members of the Blood Fang Pack, I'm overly happy to have the chance to officially introduce you to your Luna tonight," he announces with a happy expression, making me smile up at him as well. "We will be holding the marking ceremony and coronation on the night of the next new moon, which will be in about 3 weeks. I hope you will all be able to join our celebration."

His eyes sparkle as he looks back at me and kisses my lips, making the crowd cheer even more.

"Now, enough with the formalities. Let the celebrations begin." He swings his hand around, laughing and the crowd starts flowing onto the dance floor to start dancing.

Leaning down to me, he kisses my cheek gently before whispering, "I'll have your second dance, right?"

I nod, beaming as he kisses me again and detaches himself from me to have me join Fynn who is already waiting for me at the foot of the platform.

Fynn helps me down the stage and steers me to the dance floor. After having spun me around, he pulls me close, making me giggle.

I take his hand and put my hand on his shoulder while he holds me close to his body.

"I really could get used to this," I giggle while we sway around.

I'm still fully convinced that it will remain a classic ball, but the later the evening gets the more the music changes.

As I'm dancing around with Ramona and my mates in a totally silly way, I can't seem to be able to spot Lisa.

Logan doesn't seem to care though as he scurries around me constantly, enjoying his time just like my other mates.

Suddenly, Ramona halts, clasping my arm as she turns around hastily. "Did you smell that?"

"What?" I laugh as I continue to bump into her side with my hip.

She takes another sniff in the air as she distorts her face, "Did you plan another round of desert?"

"Why?" I crack up as I dance around her. "Was all the food still not enough for you?"

"No," she answers absentmindedly. "But I just smelled strawberries with something else... I can't decipher it, but you have to ask the caterer about it."

"Sure," I say, pulling her to spin her around.

As the night gets longer and longer, I groan, letting myself fall into Matthew's arms. "My feet are killing me."

"That's not good. We still have plans for tonight," Matthew grins slyly as he wraps his arms around me.

"Oh, come on, guys. Haven't you had your fun?! Tell me what it is already!" I stomp my feet, making them laugh, and Matthew gestures to Cayden who is already grinning back at us. "To you the honours, Alpha."

I can barely get how Fynn asks

Ramona if she will be okay with

returning to the pack house with the

I

Omegas as I get hypnotised by

Cayden stalking towards me before

he steers me to the big balcony.

swney

The murmur of the people who stop partying to see what is happening buzzes in the air as he clears his throat.

"I know that we marked each other already, but humour me, alright?"

I giggle, nodding happily as he clears

his throat once again, lifting my hand that he is holding. "As you're being officially introduced as Luna of this pack, we will also celebrate you accepting Finnegan, Logan, Matthew and me as your mates."

Taking a deep breath, I hope that my nervousness doesn't show as I continue to smile at Cayden.

I try to concentrate on him, blending

everything else out as he goes on talking about my duties and informs everyone about the fact that in the next few days, there will be a set of she wolves selected to support me.

As soon as we are standing at the balustrade of the balcony, I remember the night I first met him as he gets kissed by the moonlight again, making my heart flip in my chest.

"We thought this night might be perfect for our mating, especially since you have been feeling better lately," Cayden speaks lowly, his husky whisper making a shiver run down my spine. I look at Fynn, Logan and Matthew standing at the doors to the ballroom as I gulp, turning back to look at Cayden. "You mean now? In front of all those people?"

"Yeah, well, not exactly in front of them..." he chuckles, taking my hand in his. "We have kind of a special tradition, but you will love it, I promise."

He lowers our hands, squeezing mine soothingly as he adds quickly, "But if you don't want to, we can stop here and now. Don't feel scared to tell us that you aren't ready yet."

"No, no," I say, maybe a little too fast. "I'd like to see that special tradition of yours. I'm ready to make it official."

My mates laugh as Cayden leans in. "We had it custom-made for you, naturally. Just the beginning is traditional." "What is it?" I ask as I lose myself in his eyes.

"So, you accept us as your mates, my Luna?" he asks, being all ceremonial again.

I nod again, laughing as I shift on my feet. "Yes! Yes, I do."

My heart does a small backflip as I feel those words physically, and everything suddenly becomes so real.

"Perfect, after tonight, this will be officially your new home, and your loyalty will belong only to this pack," he adds further, seeming way too serious.

"Yes," I repeat, bouncing on my heels. "I'm looking forward to my life in my new home."

The crowd around us cheers once again and my cheeks burn at all the smiling that is stretching my face.

"You aren't allowed to shift, okay?" he whispers suddenly.

A smug grin spreads on his face as he moves his head, making me turn mine as well. My eyes fall onto a separate building, standing at the end of a labyrinth garden with highly cut bushes.

I nod, gulping down the lump forming in my throat as he presses his lips to my ear. "If you get to that house, we will be your slaves for the night."

"Oh, my Goddess! Really?"

"Yeah," he answers amused. "But if we catch you before you make it, you will be ours."

Logan, Fynn and Matthew are still standing there leisurely, even if I can feel their hungry gazes burning into my skin.

Cayden straightens up, letting go of me fully.

A mischievous glint flashes through his eyes as he growls, "Run, little mate!"