5. THE BALL- (part 1)

CHAPTER 5- THE BALL- (part 1)

Kendra was seriously starting to regret inviting Artemis over to spend some time with them.

It wasn’t any fault of the redhead really, it was just… she and the Alpha were hitting it off very well,

Perhaps a little too well.

Kendra knew that was supposed to be good news, because it meant that there was a chance at redemption for both Killian and the entire pack, but why did it hurt so badly then?

Killian barely spent time with her anymore.

They didn’t spar as often as they used to…

They didn’t talk much, only making time to talk if it was related to pack business and affairs,

Heck even Artemis barely spent time with her as well.  

It was quite sad really, for aside her duties as Beta of the Silver Crest Pack, she didn’t have much of a social life.

“Why don’t you go out and try to have fun, my dear?” Her nanny, Rhea had asked her. “You should have known that the Alpha wasn’t going to remain by your side forever. Tell you what,” The older she-wolf had whispered conspiratorially. “Why don’t you go for the annual Supernatural Ball then?”

Kendra had shot the woman a disgusted look that had had her bursting out in laughter.

No matter how desperate she was for companionship, the Annual Supernatural ball was the last place she was going to go.

Not even if hell fucking froze over.

“Come on, child… at this point, anything is better than sitting in your chambers moping. I know you miss the Alpha’s company. Go out there, make new friends, have fun… hopefully find yourself a handsome wolf and—”

“Now, you just made the whole prospect less appealing, Rhea.” She had interrupted the older wolf, “I’m not going, so just drop it.”

And that had been the end of their conversation.

She was currently seated in the gardens, watching the moonlight cast a pitiful gaze on her, as if to mock her loneliness.

She watched from open windows, she-wolves scurrying about… making last minute preparations for the ball. She watched them yell at servants and talk and laugh among themselves in excitement as their shadows danced in the warm glow of candlelight.

So lost in thought was she that the sound of someone collapsing into the bench beside her greatly alarmed her, but she quickly recovered, concern abruptly replacing the look of fear in her eyes at the sight of her friend looking so distressed.

“Artemis! What’s wrong?”

The redhead burst into tears, throwing her arms around her friend and sobbing to her heart’s content.

When she was all spent, she said, “Why didn’t you tell me everything about Killian, Kendra? It’s even more serious than I thought.”

Kendra’s heart sank.

“Does that mean you’re leaving?” she asked in trepidation. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to find anyone who would make as much progress with Killian as her friend had if she left.

“Leaving? No, I’m not leaving.” Artemis assured the dark she-wolf. “I’m determined now more than ever to help Killian break the curse, he’s just an innocent soul caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The redhead reached for her friend’s hands, her eyes turning dreamy, “Fuck, when he kissed me, Kendra… I felt it all the way in my toes. It was so magical, even with his cursed face. I can’t really explain it… b-but I just knew there and then that we were meant to be.”

Wow, okay Kendra had heard enough.

She didn’t think she could handle anything more, she needed to get out of here, and fast.

“Well… sorry, Artemis, but I just remembered I’ve got somewhere to be,” The beta stood up, squeezing her friend’s hand slightly, a wry smile making its way onto her face. “I’m truly happy for you and for Killian as well, have a lovely evening.” With those words, she gathered her black, everyday gown about her and dashed off, leaving a very bewildered Artemis stuck in the garden.

When Kendra barged into her bedchambers, Rhea was folding some clothes into her dresser.

The older wolf took one look at her ward and knew right there and then that something was seriously wrong.

“Is everything okay, child?”

Kendra was absentminded for a moment before she finally came to. “U-uh… yeah. Everything’s fine.”

Rhea wasn’t buying it for a little bit, but she didn’t say anything. She had suspicions that her ward’s countenance had something to do with the Alpha, but the young wolf was in too much denial to be confronted about it.

“Uhm… Rhea?”

“Yes, child?”

“Could you… could you uhm- help me dress me up? I think I might be going to the ball after all.”

The older wolf grinned inwardly,

Well things just turned interesting!

*****

Killian hated balls with a passion.

It was one of the norms that had somehow managed to inculcate itself in werewolf culture as well, and that fact annoyed the Alpha so greatly.

No pack worth its salt did without them…

Wolves… male and female alike looked forward to them with glee.

He couldn’t stop them just because of his own selfish needs?

So he avoided them as much as he could.

But today he had chosen to be here.

He was happy.

Well, as happy as someone who now had to fall in love without Aphrodite’s help could be, that is.

Artemis hadn’t called him names, or fainted in fear when she had seen him in his cursed form.

For the first time after the curse had been renewed, his lips had finally touched a woman’s.

Granted, it wasn’t the woman he wanted—wasn’t the woman with creamy dark skin and a lovely flow of kinky dark curls who haunted his dreams at night…

But at least, it was a start.

He wanted to do something nice for Artemis… something to show his—his gratitude, hence the reason why he was at the ball.

A quick guess had told him that she was the type who seemed to like those things, and from the delighted look on her masked face, he knew his hunch had been correct.

Kendra fortunately hated them just as much as he did, if not worse.

This year’s Supernatural Ball had a Masquerade Theme, which Killian was actually quite grateful for as it allowed him to avoid the blatant stares and hushed whispers of the ton as they discussed his condition.

He was used to them by now though, and today was all about Artemis, so he wasn’t going to let anything ruin that.

As he danced with his companion—and they did do a lot of dancing— his mind couldn’t help but stray towards his beta.

He felt guilty for avoiding her, but it was for both their own good. He had a wolf who knew where this was gradually heading towards… who was aware that eventually marriage would be on the table.

And she was okay with that.

But Kendra wasn’t, and yet he just couldn’t stop fucking thinking about her.

Killian didn’t understand the feeling he got whenever he was around his Beta. He wanted to hold her close and never let her go, but knowing the she-wolf, she was probably going to either bark his head off, or leave him…

And he didn’t think he could handle that.

For the Alpha, it was better to have her in his life as a friend than not to have her in his life at all, and so he had kind of resigned himself to their fate.

“You’re so quiet, Killian. Is everything okay?” Artemis asked in concern, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah… yeah I am. Sorry, just a little lost in thoughts.” He apologized.

Artemis sighed deeply and leaned against him, allowing herself to be swayed to the left and to the right, following the rhythm of the beat.

For the beautiful redhead, they were the only people in the room.

Her feelings for the Alpha were growing by the day, even though at the moment they were quite undefined.

Oh, but Artemis was sure she could break through the stone walls that held his heart captive…

She was absolutely positive that she could make the Alpha fall in love with her.