Chapter 3

Arthur POV

I looked down around the large ballroom again and took a sip from the glass of wine in my hand as I leaned against the wall at one corner of the landing, wishing I was somewhere else.

There were probably over two hundred women present and I didn't find one even remotely attractive.

From where I was standing, no one from below could see me.

The room had been built for occasions such as this as my father had liked to throw parties and organize soirees just for the heck of it.

Not for the first or second time, I cursed my father in his grave. The man had never liked me doing anything fun when he was alive and I didn't want to think about how impressive it was that he still somehow managed to find a way to get under my skin even now that he was dead.

"That is not the face of a man enjoying his evening."

I turned to see Amelia walking towards me with a sneer on her lips.

"That is probably because I am not," I replied wryly, emptying the glass and then immediately

regretting it. I needed something stronger.

"Why not?" She gasped dramatically, holding one hand to her chest. "With all these women groveling for your attention?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't even want to get married. This is a complete waste of time."

"You could always let Oliver take over."

"Over my fucking dead body." The thought of it alone infuriated me. I'd die first before I let him take anything that was mine.

"Then plaster a smile on your face and let's go down. You're the fucking Alpha; heavy is the head and all that shit. Suck it up."

I hated the words but they were spot on. Like a coward, I was hiding from my problems instead of doing what I should be doing; finding a wife.

None of them pleased me. Even as I looked around the scenery, I still didn't-

I froze. "Who the hell is that?"

Amelia leaned forward to meet the line of my gaze. "Who?"

"The lady in red."

Immediately I said the words, I heard my wolf growl and mutter one word.

"Her."

****

Ava POV

There had to be over three hundred people here. It was unlike any event I'd attended. How the hell would anyone be able to form a coherent thought in this crowd?

It was a large room, the largest room I'd ever been in. I tried to keep up with Jennifer as she walked around the room greeting acquaintances and introducing me to very young men.

I was beginning to think she had ulterior motives for bringing me here.

My research on Jack Williams had not yielded any substantial results and it almost felt like I was going in circles.

Anna’s assurance that she'd try to find something on her end made me feel slightly less alone and I was grateful for it, even though I also felt guilty that I had come to the ball without telling her. She would've liked to attend.

Though I wouldn't admit it to anyone, I was looking forward to meeting the man with blue eyes. It was the only reason I'd come.

I wanted to know if the effect his picture had on me had been real.

Would he bring me to my knees or would he further convince me that I was just overthinking it? I wanted to find out.

"Sweetheart, don't dally. There's someone I want you to meet."

I sighed, knowing I couldn't get out of it. It was the same line she'd used before she introduced me to not less than ten good-looking young men, a few of which were Alphas in their respective packs. I wasn't bothered; she was wasting her time.

Nothing was going to make me give any of them the time of day, not when I had a cure to find. Something that spoke against the very core of their being.

But this time was different.

Those blue eyes were staring down at me like they were seeing into my soul. I stood transfixed as my skin prickled and my heart raced. I wanted to speak, to say something, anything but for some reason, my mouth refused to open.

It was him. The man with blue eyes from the picture.

Alpha Arthur James.

I felt my wolf stir restlessly and I knew she approved. It hadn't been fake. Whatever that image of him had done to me, seeing him in person was ten times worse.

"Jennifer." His deep voice started, though his gaze never left mine. "Thank you for coming. It's a pleasure having you here."

The double entendre of his words didn't escape me.

My lower stomach upended and I swallowed. I could've sworn butterflies had somehow found their way into my stomach and they were fluttering their stupid wings inside me.

"It's an honor to be here, Arthur. I offer my deepest condolences at the demise of your father and I celebrate your reign as Alpha."

"Thank you."

I didn't even know they were close enough to be on a first-name basis with each other. It occurred to me then that there were things about Jennifer I didn't know.

She turned to face me, cutting off my thoughts.

"This is my daughter Ava."

All the while they had been speaking, his gaze had only left mine once. They rested on me again, this time, darkening.

"Ava." He rolled the name over his tongue like it was hot chocolate on a cold winter morning and my knee buckled. “I don't think we've met."

Of course, we hadn't. He wasn't the forgettable sort. I forced my mouth to open and my eyes to concentrate on his eyes and not his extremely delectable-looking lips.

"That's because we haven't." I extended my hand, surprised that I hadn't stuttered. "Ava Charlie.”

He took my hand slowly, rubbing his palm

against mine.

I got the feeling that the soft gesture meant he wanted to rub other places and I felt my cheeks color.

"Arthur James, Alpha of the Moon pack."

I half-expected him to say Devil Alpha but thankfully he didn't, because I probably would've burst out laughing at the ridiculous name.

Anna had said he was known for his brutality but looking at those blue eyes and a straight nose, his full lips and chiseled jaw that could plausibly cut through glass, I concluded that the only thing he was a danger to was the female specie.

"Jennifer, I had no idea you had a daughter, much less one as beautiful and elegant as Miss Ava here."

I heard my mother chuckle, then touch my shoulder briefly. "She's not a social butterfly and that's the reason you haven't met her. An introvert, if you ask me. I wish she was more involved in my business but she's a scientist and so she spends all her time trying to discover new ways to help mankind."

I almost rolled my eyes at the more than abundant information. Seriously, that was my whole life in just a few lines. It couldn't have been more obvious what she was trying to do.

"Mom."

"A werewolf who's a scientist. Odd." His hand still held mine in a firm lock and I didn't think I would be able to let go even if I wanted to. "Do you want to go somewhere quiet where we can talk, Ava?"

And be alone. As much as I savored the way he said my name, warning bells rang at the back of my head. Going with him would be like giving grass to a goat. Something told me Jennifer wouldn't object so I didn't bother asking. My wolf on the other hand knew what I was about to do and almost growled. Down, girl, I was in charge.

"It's been my pleasure, Mr. James but I'd like to stay here and mingle with the rest of the room. I'm sure you understand."

****

Arthur POV

I'd never been turned down by a woman before.

If it hadn't been so funny, I would've been pissed.

The thing was, I was sure I'd assessed every woman present at the ball, and yet none of them struck me as fiercely as she did. She was like an enigma, one I absolutely had to decode.

Ava. I couldn't think of any name more fitting for her.

I wanted her; my wolf wanted her. All the while I was conversing with her, he had been there, wanting, needing. As I watched her walk away from me, I fought the resilient urge to walk up to her, haul her up against a shoulder and walk off.

The possessiveness I felt towards her was alarming. It irked me to think of her smiling up at another man the way she'd done to me. I'd kill him.

Nothing else mattered but getting her. Nothing.

I sighted who I was looking for and strode towards her, purpose in my step. "Amelia, I need you. Now."

She was talking with a couple of people I had seen once or twice but didn't know.

She nodded, taking leave from the conversation and walking with me to a corner that was less crowded. "What's up?"

Her face crossed my mind again. I'd never wanted to possess anything, to unravel anything like I wanted to do with her.

"I need a love potion. And quick."