Chapter 5

Celeste’s mother Runa put the finishing touches to both girls hair and make-up. Celeste was every inch the Roman goddess in her white-gold slinky dress, her blonde hair twirled and styled up into delicately cascading ringlet curls that travelled down past her shoulders, making her gentle blue eyes look even more innocent. “You look amazing!” Helena cried and gave her a hug, “last hug you’re getting from me tonight though, I can’t redo this face now!”

Celeste’s laugh tinkled across the room, “I don’t think I’m going to get near you Helena, you’re going to be absolutely surrounded by the guys tonight, make sure we get one dance together though!”

As Helena snorted Runa opened the wardrobe door displaying a full length mirror and she couldn’t help but gasp.

The dress fit her exactly as she hoped, the material clung to her shape perfectly, the slit cheekily highlighting a long, slender leg, tucking in at her delicate waist without clamping down on her chest. The ruby red colour made her skin seem to shimmer with health and her wild chocolate curls had been somewhat tamed into a disorderly updo.

A few curls left down framed her face and deep brown eyes as the halter-neck style left her neck and back entirely exposed. Her hazel eyes were framed with a little liner and mascara and a natural pink lipstick finished the look.

“Can I put your hoodie in the bin now?” Runa laughed, beaming at Helena’s beautiful reflection with her.

“Absolutely not!” she laughed, “but I do want to get lots of photos with everyone, this might be the most dressed up I ever get!”

A dark thought crossed her mind as Fyre wondered, what if you don’t get to dress up again, what if the White Forest keep you locked away? She shrugged it off and linked arms with Celeste as they headed towards the front door where their escort awaited.

Beta Dawes drove them in his pick-up to the front of the party. He gave them both pecks on the cheek, a cheery “try not to have too much fun!” forced out as they headed out of the car, aware that back at home Runa was packing Helena’s bag ready for the pick-up which was coming in the next half hour. “I love you so much,” Helena replied, turning back to make sure her hug and kiss to his gruffly whiskered face were entrenched in her memory.

Helena and Celeste linked arms, and both took a deep breath as they headed through a flowery foliage tunnel, leading towards the party. Beta Dawes drove away with tears prickling at his eyes.

The outside walls of the Packhouse twinkled attractively with fairy lights, the party itself was in the forest clearing at the back of the property, surrounded by even more fairy lights and tall trees, every surface trimmed with local foliage and a laid wooden dance floor in the centre surrounded by banks of tables.

The full moon shone above creating a spectacular night sky and for once Helena had a positive thought about the brothers “they’re really gone for it this time, wow”.

Celeste nodded in agreement, unable to stop her jaw dropping open. Delicate jasmine flowers dressed the tables sending senses spiralling with their sweet scent. Fyre was all over the place trying to take in all the emotions and beauty of the setting.

“Do you like it?” A gentle female voice startled both Helena and Celeste out of their amazement. It was Alpha Jones’ wife Luna Maeve. She was a low-key figure in the pack, even tonight she was in a delicate lavender gown, her washed out green eyes matched by her limp long blonde hair.

“It’s stunning, its truly the most beautiful party I have ever been to”

“Well thank you Helena that is lovely to hear, you know we have gone all out to impress all our guests, I think we have about twenty visiting packs tonight” Luna Maeve took a sip of her drink and pointed to a busy group of tables, “…including the mighty White Forest Pack,” and with that she downed the rest of her glass quickly.

“White Forest?” Celeste squeaked, “I had no idea they were coming?”

Alpha Maeve shot Helena a questioning look, “as one of their allies we wanted to show everyone just how it’s done and how important our pack is!”

/Keep neutra/l Fyre warned, /play dumb./

“Well of course…and who is here from the White Forest Pack?” Helena asked lightly, scanning the room for a man she didn’t even know how to find.

“Regrettably neither Alpha Romanov nor Bram Romanov could make it, but he has sent many of his Beta’s, so I’d get a drink and get ready for a dance. We want it to be a lively one tonight girls!” And with that Luna Maeve swanned off to greet the next arrivals.

Helena struggled to adjust her feelings; how was she to be prepared if she had no idea who was coming for her? Nonplussed, she reset her smile, turned to Celeste and a mutual telepathic decision to hit the bar was made with a shared laugh.

There were at least a hundred guests already enjoying themselves and mingling. Music from the live band pulsed in the background and the drinks were flowing. Helena and Celeste grabbed vodka cocktails and headed to an empty table space. The music struck up with a jazzy beat just as she caught Jason’s eye from across the dancefloor.

She waved for him to come across and join them whilst Celeste fiddled with a clasp on her bag. Jason was dressed immaculately, a dark suit with a light blue shirt set off his blonde hair and his short beard displayed his full beaming smile as he made his way towards them.

“Helena…hi there you look fantastic!” and he gave her a gentle hug. Helena smiled her widest, most genuine smile and beamed at him as she glanced back at their table and said proudly, “Jason I’d like you to meet my cousin Celeste.”

Celeste’s blue eyes travelled up from the floor, taking his shoes, trousers, slowing noticeably at his torso and then finally their eyes meeting Helena heard a gasp fall from her mouth. Jason looked struck by lightning, his face was pure childish excitement. Gently, he reached out his hand and said “it’s a pleasure to meet you Celeste.”

Helena could hardly contain her joy as she watched Celeste place her hand into Jason’s and sensed their worlds envelop.

“Mate” quietly whispered in unison, however the handhold quickly shifted into Celeste gripping onto his shirt while his hands wrapped around her delicate waist and back, their mouths meeting hungrily.

Helena stole away from the table, happy that one of the last things she would do for Celeste was find her mate. Fyre cheered internally, /you might be a Fate with that psychic knowledge!/ Sipping her drink and observing the dancefloor Helena felt herself being watched again and regretted losing her bodyguard for the evening but was broken from that thought by the observing the evenings feted guests.

Gathered over three tables in a far corner of the ballroom space were at least a dozen large men and half a dozen women. They instantly stood out, apart from being incredibly good looking their clothes were different too. The men weren’t wearing the standard suit and shirt all the others had on, they wore almost pirate-like white shirts which had a deep “v” shape laced together with golden cord.

All were draped in dramatic black full-length cloaks, each one with a unique pattern around the edges.

/Must reflect each family strand or role in the pack/ mused Fyre gazing at the group. The women wore shorter cloaks with vivid colours in the inside lining, but it only seemed to add to their regal air along with their sparkling gowns.

Helena openly gazed across trying to see if any of them made eye contact with her first, but the group were quickly split apart by a dozen other pack leaders coming to pay respects and enquire after their leader’s health.

Friends from training appeared and they chatted about the previous day’s events, the drinks made opinions looser and a few girls implied they were happy to see Caleb take a beating for a change. The brassy, peppy music of the jazz band filled the dancefloor and the group started dancing.

Helena enjoyed the shocked recognition from some of her peers are they took in her changed appearance. A couple of Caleb’s Beta’s tried to dance with her, boorishly trying to paw at her hips and start some of kind of grinding but she batted them away by making a big show of dancing with her girlfriends. The instinctive female dance circle to keep unwanted men away was in full force and they laughed and swayed to the beats with arms raised into the cool night air.

With feet starting to tire Helena finished another cocktail and visited the bar again. Tables were getting crowded so she threaded her way to the back end of the party tables to get a seat.

“Helena Dawes, can I have a word?” rasped a tetchy voice of seniority behind her. She knew instantly it was Alpha Jones.

“Hello there Alpha, can I be of any help?” offering a cheery voice and a painted-on smile that he saw straight through. His sharp black suit and shirt looked to be from another, he seemed so very tired even at his own party. Instead of highlighting his silvery eyes and strong jawline it seemed to drain them. He motioned to the nearby table and they both sat down warily.

“I don’t want to drag this out but you’re leaving tonight…with the White Forest Pack.”

“Ah…” was all she could reply, so it was true, there was no going back now. “For what purpose?”

Alpha Jones smiled darkly, “I have no idea child, but they paid me enough not to ask any questions if I’m honest.” He sipped his champagne, nodding at other guests as they passed. “Now I need you to hold up the reputation of this pack and leave us with pride. If you fight this, you will be given to them unconscious, bound in a sack. Your choice.”

He downed the rest of his glass, heaved himself off the chair and set off to mingle with a group of other pack leaders leaving Helena alone in her thoughts.

We are better off out of this pack comforted Fyre, Celeste will be leaving anyway and we will find a way to contact Beta Dawes. Alone, at the far edge of the party Helena lost her train of thought and gently sipped her drink for the duration of a song in silence, mulling over her options. If she was to go through life without love at least she would have her wolfs companionship.

“Can I get you another drink?” rasped a swaggering Jack Jones with a wide, loose smile. He had a navy-blue suit on and paler shirt, setting off his huge frame and enhancing his mossy eyes. Compared to his brother his hair was longer and slicked back in glossy blonde waves. Many a girl would have loved to be in her shoes, but Helena felt uneasy.

He leant in closer, hand on the table hovering above her, his blond hair almost touching her forehead and Helena involuntarily shuddered whilst politely muttering “Not right now, but thank you…the ball looks fantastic you should get out there and enjoy.”

Jack’s face hardened at her rejection, he stood up and started to look Helena up and down as though he was choosing from a menu. “Pity you’re away after tonight,” and licked his lips.

“Want to see if I can get a stay of execution for you?” his hand slinking across the table towards Helena’s, “I can put in a word to my Father if you can play ball?”

In disgust she stood up from the table, but Jack hoisted her arm into a stress position up against her back, the other shot up to grab her neck and jaw and she saw the glint of a knife. “Don’t scream,” he hissed “or it will be Celeste instead,” as he hauled her right up against his body, facing into his torso.

Helena struggled against his grip, terror rising in her throat alongside the blinding pain of the stronghold on her arm.

He dragged her away from the tables, across the grass towards the darkness of the surrounding forest, out of view of the fairy lights and the dancing crowd in a matter of seconds.

Reaching the edge of the forest, Jack flipped her round one-eighty so that facing her, leaning against the trunk of a tree was a smirking Caleb, dressed entirely in black, his eyes flashing dangerously.