Chapter Fifteen Xeraphina

XERAPHINA

After finishing my meal, I made my way down to the basement where my party would take place. It’s going to be an elegant affair, and my dress is stunning. My parents are pulling out all the stops for me, which doesn’t happen very often. The whole excitement of the event used to revolve around me finding my mate, but that’s no longer the case. As a result, families from different packs will be attending. Honestly, I’m not too bothered about that anymore. A party is a party, and I’ve been anticipating this moment for a few years now.

If only I had been born a boy, perhaps my father would have shown more interest in me throughout the years. It feels like I have always been a burden to him. My mother has always been the one who looks out for me, even amidst her responsibilities towards our pack. However, my father keeps her occupied with pack affairs, leaving little time for us to bond as mother and daughter.

As I make my way down to the basement, I spot my mother taking charge, instructing the omegas on how to set up the tables and insisting on everything being absolutely perfect. Suddenly, she catches a whiff of something in the air and turns around, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Xeraphina, sweetheart, come over here. I want your opinion. If anything doesn’t meet your standards, we can make adjustments,” she says, arms open wide in anticipation. With excitement bubbling inside me, I rush into her embrace, and she twirls me around, filling the room with joyful laughter.

As I look around, my heart races with excitement. A state-of-the-art sound system takes shape at the rear of the main stage area. Delicate teacup lights hang from the lofty beams, shimmering in silver, blue, and green hues. Countless grand silver ball chandeliers adorn the ceiling, adding opulence to the overall ambiance. Artists transformed intricate paintings and colossal stone statues into breathtaking works of art, that it must have taken several people to get them erected into place. They’ve arranged long rectangular tables throughout the venue that can seat up to twenty guests or more. They adorn the tables with elegant tablecloths in silver, green, and blue, exuding sophistication. Delicate crystal lights, resembling enchanting candles, illuminate the space, casting an ethereal glow. The decorations and elements that contribute to the splendor of my coming-of-age ball seem boundless. The space embodies the essence of an extravagant gala, but the transformation is far from complete.

Upon further examination, it’s clear my father was nowhere to be found. His primary concern was always having male heirs, and unfortunately, I did not fit into that category. When I was three years old; I stumbled upon a heated argument with my parents regarding this very issue. My father desired to expand his lineage by having more sons, to strengthen his pack and bloodline. However, my mother adamantly refused, stating that our family of five children was sufficient. I couldn’t help but wonder if my gender, being female, somehow diminished the strength of our pack. This feeling has persisted ever since that day I overheard their quarrel. As a result, my father has never been a significant presence in my life. Fortunately, my four older brothers and Cassius made up for his absence by being there for me.

“Everything is absolutely wonderful, momma!” I exclaimed excitedly, returning her embrace. “There is no need to change anything. I’m stealing Tilly from you tonight, though. She’s coming with me to the party. Are you still going to help me prepare?”

“That’s fine sweetie. I have more than enough omegas helping me,” she says with a smile as she skims her fingers through my long hair. “Of course, I’m going to help you prepare. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. I’ll fetch your father and we’ll complete the blood ritual, and then we’ll start preparing for your party.” She turns and shouts, “you all know what needs to be done! I’m leaving with my daughter!” she says, waving bye to everyone, grasping my hand and we walk up the stairs together.

“Before we go find your father, I need to talk to you about Cassius,” mom says as she pulls me towards the pack house’s vast library. We sit down on one of the plush couches and kick our feet up, resting them on a coffee table in front of us.

Waving my hands around, I roll my eyes in annoyance, then glance over at her. “There’s no point in talking about Cassius, momma. I already rejected him. He didn’t accept the rejection though, so…”

Mom blows out a breath, shaking her head. “I wish I could have spoken with you first before you rejected him. It was in my plans to do so this morning. But I got called away and then you shifted into your wolf before I could make it over to you.”

“I have little to say, momma. He’s been aware for seven years that I’m his mate. Despite that, he stayed with Charity all this time and even marry her. It’s clear that he truly loves her. He engaged in other relationships in my presence, despite being married. As a result, the bond between us has diminished considerably. Tonight, I’ll seek a chosen mate. He needs to experience the discomfort of seeing me date someone else right in front of him for a while.”

She blinks a few times, then closes her eyes, shaking her head again. “Sweetheart, Cassius was only doing what he thought was the right thing to do. You were so young when he realized you were his mate. Such a vast age gap between mates is unheard of. In fact, there are only two cases to date, beyond yours and Cassius’s bond. There are hundreds of millions of wolf shifters out there. He didn’t know what to do, Xeraphina. I don’t condone his behavior over the last couple of years, but he is a man.”

Holding my hand up to stop her, I nibble my lip to keep myself from crying. “He had Talon all of those years and he fought him the whole time. Talon hated Charity. He threatened to die if Cassius married her. Yet he did it anyway. Because he loves her. He has spent several years dating that…”

“That spoiled rotten gold-digger,” Mom says with a smile.