Mate

It was not just any kind of ball. It was a special kind of ball event. Seldom did werewolves assemble together in a unified form like this. Everyone preferred minding their own pack's business. This ball just goes to show how influential the Shadow Keeper pack was. 

The ballroom was elegantly decorated with beautiful ribbons, the chandelier lights shone brightly offering different colors of lights as they glowed. The tables were mixed up in square and rectangle shapes. The table clothes were either designed with large florals or multicolored stripes. Candle lights spotlighted the tables. A food station was set up in a corner where attending guests were already going to make their pick from the assorted delicious looking meals. 

Whereas every other person was mingling and chattering as they made their pick, Hayley leaned on a wall just observing the event. Her father had instructed her not to overstep her bounds.  That included not going to the food station. She watched Amelia and Elena talk animatedly, that was until she decided to eavesdrop on what they were discussing. Amelia was fair and had dimples on her cheeks each time she smiled.

"Look at the way she's standing there looking all slutty in her attire," said Elena, snickering. 

"She's a mistake, I should've been the one born to be your sister instead," said Amelia. The thing about Amelia was she was being a bitch just to be favored by Emilia because she was from one of the weaker packs. 

"I bet she wished she could get some food," said Elena, laughing menacingly.

"She could eat the remnant cause you know she's a dog," Amelia said. Hayley shook her head at the dry joke still listening to their boring ass conversation.

"Amy, I'm literally dying to see Lance, gosh he's so hot and powerful," said Amelia. She used her ability as a watcher to scan the room but she found no trace of Lance. 

"Relax, I think he's going to be here any second now. He possibly wants to make a grand entrance."

Blah, Hayley thought as she tuned out from their conversation. She made her way past a few guests, making sure to greet the older ones. Her father was occupied talking with Nick and Nina. She backed out slowly, silently , willing her dad to keep being engrossed in his conversation. She was thankful she could slip away unnoticed. She had not eaten anything since the entire day. 

As she came out, she felt the crispy wind blow and the bottom of her dress billowed in the wind. When she turned to face her front, she collided with a male figure and almost tripped over. He caught her arm and smiled faintly. 

"Watch where you're going, young lady!" he said. "Hayley, isn't it?"

"Um yeah, who is asking?" Hayley asked surprised the guy knew who she was. 

"I'm Gray," he responded flatly. 

Her wolf became jumpy in an instant. Someone was here, there was another presence much stronger than that of anyone else in the attendance of the ball. A pack consisting of five werewolves had been waiting besides a car. One of the pack members, probably the Omega, opened up the door. A leg came out first and then the other leg next. He was dressed in all white and he looked dead gorgeous with his really curly dark hair, full eyebrows and beautiful shaped red lips that accentuated his gorgeousness. 

"That's alpha Lance right?" said Hayley. She picked up his scent on Gray's body. He nodded to her. 

"Yes, and I'm the bloody beta," Gray said, grinning. 

Hayley did not delay entering back into the ballroom to locate her family. She saw everyone coming together to sit down. The event was properly about to start now as slow music filtered through the room. She found her family walking towards a rectangle table. Her father glared suspiciously at her. 

"Lance is here," said Hayley, in an attempt to turn everyone's attention away from her. Just then Alpha Lance and the members of his Storm Growlers pack emerged inside the ballroom. 

There was a bit of silence as they made their way towards the direction of the Shadow Keeper pack. Talk about the greatest meeting with the great. Elena was feeling very excited. Her head literally swelled ten times over as he drew closer. Meanwhile, Hayley too felt a torrent of emotions flooding her from within. 

"Ahem, girls behave yourself, especially you Hayley," said her father. Hayley thought, what the hell? She was not even breathing. It was Elena who was smiling and looking like she would topple over the moment Lance got to them. 

The Storm Growlers pack consisted of seven members which were four males and three females. It seemed everyone in the pack had found their mate save for their alpha. The same guy who had opened up the car door for Lance now drew out a chair for him to sit on. 

"Lancelot I'm humbled by your presence," said Hayley's father in what Hayley labeled her father's gentlest tone. 

"Hmm," was the only word Lance responded with. That was because he was doing his best not to be rude to the alpha of the second strongest pack. 

"We are glad you could make it," said Leah. 

"Thank you," Gray responded. "Which of your daughters will be dancing with the alpha tonight?"

"Elena will be dancing," said Leah placing her hand over Elena's shoulder. 

"In your face Hayley!" said Elena gleefully. "I knew I was mated to alpha Lance. Hi Lancelot I'm Elena your one true mate and I'm so happy we'd be-"

"Shut up!" said Lance tersely. Father looked embarrassed. Ha! That was what you got for raising a child with no manners at all.

"Elena behave yourself," he warned but it was too late.

"Hayley will dance with me when it is time," Lance said, but did not even sound interested. 

Hayley sunk lower into her chair. She wished the ground would have opened up and swallowed her whole. Elena's face was red with anger. Her parents forced a smile. 

"Well of course she will, won't you?" asked her father. 

Hayley nodded and swore she heard her dad say to her to speak words. "Yes I'll. It's the highest pleasure to dance with you, Alpha Lance."

Ding ding ding someone rang the bell at the far end of the ball room. It was time for them to start dancing but before then the host had a  speech to make. Right, and so Dakota stood up and straightened out his dress. 

"Ladies and gentlemen," her father began with an air of superiority. His voice would be audible to everyone without a mic because everyone could hear him supernaturally. "I thank you all for making an appearance today. Today marks the beginning of a new age in time. All the packs are united in love. We would not be divided any further by reason of this gathering. 

"For some time now the vampires have won over us because of the pack wars that we fought. We would stand as one from this day forth until forever. We will be brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters and most especially lovers! Please put on your dancing shoes and dance with me on this account for we will never be divided again!"

There was cheering and fists pounding the tables. Silently Hayley questioned her father's speech. United in love? Where's the love when he constantly battered her? She hoped now, no longer scared, that Lance would take her with him as his mate. He had already accorded her the chance of getting a dance with him. She had not really practiced her dancing skills properly but she hoped he cared not for such things. 

Lance was up and his outstretched arm was held out in front of her. His face remained frozen in an expressionless gaze. Elena got up and marched out angrily. Leah went after her to console her. Frankly, Hayley could care less. She took his hand. Her wolf was jumpy the moment she did. Her father narrowed his gaze at her. He seemed to be warning her to not screw up. 

Amelia looked at them in disbelief. She shook her head in disgust and continued dancing with her mate. As they danced to the slow music, Lance interlaced his right fingers with hers in the air while holding her waist. He spun her around while letting go of her waist and let her collapse into his hand by catching her from her back. He stared coldly into her eyes. 

"Mate," Lance whispered. 

"Mate," Hayley replied. 

Hayley could feel her heart racing all through the dance. Her father was gazing at them intently. And she could hear Elena still furious about being rejected. None of it was her fault. Elena behaved like a child regardless of the fact that she was the first born. Her father's love did not extend to her, it had stopped with Elena's birth. Perhaps it was because Elena looked more like her mother, while Hayley looked like her father who was not bad looking to tell the truth.