Chapter Two:

Alley POV:

I woke feeling much more refreshed than I thought I would, but nothing was going to

kill my excitement for the day. Tonight is the night! Everyone in the pack has been so busy

preparing for the wolf ball. I jumped from bed and straightened my hair and tossed on a skirt, 

button-up shirt and sandals. I didn’t want to overdo anything since I won’t be in this outfit for

very long. When I was finished, I ran downstairs and was greeted by my family.

 “Alley, you look much better. You and your brothers are to greet the guests as you see  them,” my father announced. I nodded my head; it was important that we are involved. It was

always the same anytime we held an event. Greet the guests, make sure they get taken to their

rooms to freshen up, make sure they don’t need anything.

 Me personally, I just liked to greet them and learn as many new names as I possibly

could. I wouldn’t be an alpha or anything, but knowledge was always important to me.

 My brothers and I walked outside to see the amount of people arriving. They were

being ushered to the guest houses we had set up for them but now it was time for us to start out

tasks. To say it's been a busy day is an understatement. My mother has been like a bridezilla but

for the ball instead. I think everyone is relieved to finally have the day come; all we must do is be polite and enjoy the night.

Rose on the other hand has been on edge today pacing around in my head and she is

starting to cause a headache, so I decided to push her to the back of my mind and focus. With the

amount of people, it's amazing we have enough rooms for them to stay in.

Due to the recent rogue attacks, my father upped the patrol and some of the other packs

have brought extra men to guard their lunas just in case. After a lot of begging, my dad finally

agreed to just have my brothers stand in as my guards as he knew they wouldn't let anyone harm

a hair on my head.

 "Hey, Alley cat, it's almost time to get ready! I took all my stuff to your room so we

could get ready together," Leia said, pulling me from my thoughts. 

 Leia is my best friend and the daughter of our Beta. She is beautiful. She's 5 '6'' slender

with blonde hair that fell to her waist and green eyes much like the rest of us she had a natural

tan. She came up with my nickname when we were in seventh grade when I tried to save a cat

that was in the alley, and it didn't turn out so well and I was scratched to hell.

"Let's go up and get ready. We only have a few hours and I need to snack on

something before my brothers scold me. Again," I spoke.

 "Ughh, I know my damn brother has been pestering me all day giving me rules to

follow, make sure I eat and shower," Leia replied with an eye roll earning her a hysterical laugh

from me. Her brother is my brother's best friend and will be Beta when Jackson takes over.

 "They aren't that bad; they're just looking out for us like they always have."

While we walked across the lawn, I could feel someone looking at me although it didn't

make me feel uneasy, but my wolf and I were on guard.

 "What are you looking for?" Leia asked.

 "Nothing, just felt like someone was looking at me, I didn't see anyone though," I  spoke.

 "There are a lot of people here for the ball, maybe some are just realizing you are the

alphas' daughter," she replied.

 "Yeah, maybe but honestly who just looks and doesn't say anything? It isn't hide and

seek you know they could come out and be respectful," I muttered; my eyes continued to scan

around us, but nothing peaked my senses.

We finally reached my room with our arms full of snacks while we talked and started

to get ready.

 “Do you think either of us will find our mates tonight?" Leia asked with hope in her eyes. 

 Being without a mate can eventually take a toll on our wolves, those who never find

them which is rare usually end up adopting children and live life in silence.  "I hope so, Rose has been restless all day and causing me a damn headache," I spoke.  "I know the feeling. Mine has been a pain in the ass too. I just hope that our mates treat

us right and not like those stories we have heard," she said.

 "I do hope I meet mine, but I'm not going to focus on that, we just need to relax and enjoy

the night," I spoke.

 "Yeah, I know your mom has been cracking the whip last week. Taking the night off

will be nice for a change," she huffed.  

 I couldn't help but laugh. Poor Leia couldn't get away from my mother at all. She tried

to come and train but her father said the ball was more important than her training right now.

Leia was a lot like me. We wanted everyone to see that we were more than the alpha and betas

daughters, we wanted to show them we could stand next to them in any battle that may come.

There was a soft knock on the door that pulled me from my thoughts. I looked over as the door

opened and my father stepped in with his Beta and my brothers.

 "Girls, we need to have a word with you," I stared at my father wondering what could

be troubling him.

 "What is it, Dad? Is everything alright?"

 "It's the mate talk again," Tye said through our mind link, and I internally rolled my

eyes.

 "Now you girls both know that either of you could meet your mate tonight…” my dad  started and it took a lot for me not to cringe. 

 "I know we have the same talk each year. Don't worry you will be notified

immediately," I answered. There was no way I wanted to have this talk with my dad and brothers

when my mom and I had this talk already.  

 "Good now, finish getting ready, you have an hour and a half before the ball starts," he replied as he left the room, but our brothers stayed behind.

 Tye had a lopsided grin which made me growl; they always give us a separate chat after

our dads leave.

 "Alley, you know you are stuck beside us tonight. Don't get any sneaky ideas,"  Jackson said with a stern face. I rolled my eyes; they knew me a little too well.

 "I promised Mom and Dad I would stay close so don't start. We don't have much time

to finish getting ready." I sighed. There was no point in arguing with them.

 "Yeah, if you boys don't want to be stuck in a dress with makeup on your faces you

three need to leave," Leia snapped out. Her brother raised his hands in defeat, knowing full well

she would do it.

 "We forget you two can hold your own but, you are our baby sisters, we just want to

look out for you guys. So just stay close,” Leia’s brother spoke softly.

 We both signed, we know, and we understand. We can't be mad at them for caring.

 "We know and we love you guys for it," I replied. They nodded their heads before

walking out and closing my door.

"They can be too much sometimes," Leia mumbled

 "I know but they truly only want what's best for us. They just don't know how to go

about it in the right way. They opt to be overbearing instead," I replied.

 "You remember when your brothers punched that poor omega for trying to kiss you?" I

laughed remembering it.

 A bunch of us had gone to the movies and he had asked if he could talk to me. Of  course, we couldn't get too far from everyone. I've never been interested in dating or anything, so

I had let him down gently. He tried to kiss my cheek and both my brothers got mad. Jackson had

pulled me away while Tye landed a single punch to the kid’s nose. I felt horrible and tried to

apologize but the family had moved to another pack.

 "Yeah, I remember, they moved not long after that had happened."

Coming back to earth, I focused on getting ready. I decided to keep my honey brown

hair down, pinning it up on the sides, slicking it back and curled the bottom where it fell just

above my waistline. Leia on the other hand had a blue dress on that hugged the top half but

flowed at the bottom where it just above her knees. She wore matching flats to go with it. She

French braided the top of her hair and let the rest flow its natural blonde curls.

 Both of us applied light makeup. I chose to match the eye shadows with my skin tone

and apply a light shade of pink under my eyes which oddly made my brown ones stand out more. Leia opted to just use a light shade of brown with a little eyeliner. I was just happy that the

bruises had gone away just in time for the ball.

Finishing up our final touches, there was another knock on my door and my mother

walked in wearing a purple formal dress that flowed around her. Her hair was put up in a

ponytail that was curled with matching purple shoes. She looked at both of us before walking

over and engulfing me in to a huge. 

 "You both look lovely. Alley, make sure you stay close to your brothers and Leia you

stay close to yours and your guards." My mother had a way of being stern yet loving at the same

time. We both replied to her telling her that we promised.

 "Leia, may I have a word with my daughter in private please?" she asked.

 "Yes, Luna. Alley, I will be downstairs whenever you are ready." With that Leia

walked out leaving me and my mother to talk about whatever was bothering her. Usually nothing bothers my mother, but I could see her eyebrows crease and the frown

that had set in. My mother looked beautiful. She wasn't much taller than me. She stood about 5'8''  with brown hair that was mid length at her back. She had hazel eyes that oddly had a red tint to

them at times. She was naturally tan and curvy.

"You know your father will be overly protective tonight. There may be a chance you

finally meet your mate since you are 18 now. I want you to be safe, my little love. I know you

can protect yourself, but it would make me feel better if you stayed by your brothers," my mother  told me to take my face in her hand.

 "I will be safe, Momma, I promise. Jackson and Tye will keep me safe, and I will

check in with you through the mind link to keep your mind at ease," I told her, smiling. She

smiled from ear to ear replying.

 "Yes, that would make me feel better. Go see your father before you head out." She

kissed my cheek before sending me off to my father’s study.

I knocked on the door and walked into my father standing in front of the mirror trying

to adjust his purple bowtie to match my mother’s dress. I looked more like my dad out of all us

siblings. I got his honey brown hair and his brown eyes. My father was roughly 6'5" and was

well built. I walked over to him smiling before I straightened it up for him. 

 "You can clean up well, Daddy. You look nice," I told him.

 "Thank you, baby girl, you look beautiful," he replied.

 "Mom told me to come and see you before Leia and I head out to the ball. Is

everything alright?" I asked, wondering what he needed to see me for.

 "I just wanted to see you before you headed off. I may not get to see you and the boys

much tonight. I want you to stay by them and check in with either me or your mother to let us

know you're safe," he told me to try to be stern, but a smile hinted on his face.

 "No worries, Daddy. I already told Mom I would check in with her and stay by the  boys. Please try not to worry about me and enjoy the night." I smiled at him. That earned me a

smile from my father before he hugged me and shooed me out of his study.

I quickly went down to meet Leia and the boys before we went out the door to the ball.

I took a quick look over Jackson and Tye. They both had black suits with their dark brown hair

slicked back. They both had our mother’s hazel eyes, and both were equally tan. It's not every  day we get dressed like this. All and all everyone looked amazing.

 "Those pups better keep their eyes to themselves tonight," Tye murmured.

 "Tell me about it. I wish Leia would have picked a different dress,'' Brad murmured. He was about 6 '2'', blonde hair and green eyes. If people didn’t know, you would think he and  Leia were twins.

 We walked across the lawn, and I could feel eyes on us. Everyone slightly bowed their

heads when we passed. With everything going on, everyone knew about the additional

protection, but this will be the first time I meet a lot of the farther area packs, not that there have been any other issues. We just stay to ourselves unless there's meetings, but even then, I don't

usually go because I won't take over the pack. I'm sure they are curious to see the only daughter 

of an alpha. It seemed like no one could believe it unless they saw me, and even then, I couldn't

be denied. I looked a lot like my father. As we walked across the lawn, I ignored the stare that I

felt burning into my back. I kept my head up and walked forward to where the ball was held.