Chapter 3: Chapter 3

ELEANOR

I was on my third glass of champagne, and I’d already started feeling a little tipsy.

“~I think we should slow down on the alcohol~,” Erica reminded me, and even though I wanted to protest, I knew she was right.

I don’t want to do something stupid and face my father’s wrath.

I switched my champagne for a glass of water and began sipping on that.

I heard murmurs around the room with some of them asking why the host hasn’t arrived yet. I tuned them out. I didn’t really care, and I was mostly just looking forward to the food. A place this fancy must serve great food.

A couple of minutes later, I saw the omega rushing into the ballroom with the appetizers, and he started placing them in front of us.

“Where is Alpha Derek, Dad?” I heard Avery asking.

“I don’t know. He should have been here, but I guess he will come in after dinner,” my father said, shrugging his shoulders.

We all began eating. The food was delicious, but the best part was the dessert. It was a crème brûlée to die for.

~If I get a chance, I would definitely like to meet the chef and get the recipe.~

“Go and mingle with the others, sweetheart,” I heard Karla encourage Avery.

Avery quickly nodded her head, got up from the table, walked toward the group of young men, and worked her magic.

I was focused on Avery when the double doors opened again, drawing my attention. I turned to see a handsome man walk in with sandy-blond hair styled in an artful mess that perfectly contrasted his black eyes. A flirtatious smile played on his lips—not that he needed it to turn heads.

He was well built, and I knew he must have had a six-pack underneath the royal-blue shirt he was wearing. He started moving toward the center of the room and took a mic that one of the warriors handed him.

“Welcome everyone to the annual Moon Ball. I am Marquez Dante, gamma of the Full Moon Pack,” he introduced himself. “I know you all must be wondering where Alpha and Beta are. But don’t worry, they’ll be here shortly,” Gamma Dante reassured the crowd. “Till then, let us all engage in some dance and drinks.”

Soon, soft music began playing in the ballroom, and everyone started moving toward the dance floor with their partners. My father and Karla left the table as well.

“~Can we ask Jacob if he wants to dance?~” Erica asked me, and I shook my head at her absurd question.

“~You must be crazy. He would never dance with us.~”

“~Well, we can at least try~,” she said, but I ignored her.

“Hello.” A masculine voice broke me out of my conversation with my wolf. I looked up to see Gamma Dante standing in front of me. I quickly got up from my place out of respect.

“Hi,” I replied shyly.

“Well, why is a pretty girl like you sitting alone here?” he asked me.

This made my cheeks burn, and I averted my eyes.

“Um, I was…” I didn’t know what to say, but I was stopped midway when I heard his laugh.

“Don’t be nervous. Would you like to dance with me?” he asked me, and this made my eyes widen.

“I…I…I mean, there are prettier girls in this room, and I believe they must be eager to dance with you,” I stammered when a smirk appeared on his face.

“Well, I don’t care about them. I would like to have this dance with the beautiful woman standing in front of me,” he said and extended his hand for me to take. I briefly looked around me to see if anyone was looking at us, but it looked like everyone was engrossed in their own conversations.

“If you insist,” I said and placed my hand on his.

Gamma Dante led us toward the dance floor right when the music changed. It had shifted to a slow dance. Gamma Dante placed one of his hands around my waist, and the other took my left hand before we began dancing.

“So, you must be Gamma Amato’s daughter.” It was a rhetorical question, but I nodded my head anyway.

“I never knew he had two daughters.”

“Well, I recently came to live with my father after my mother died,” I answered, making sure I didn’t give out much.

“Oh.” That was all he said, and then we remained silent for the rest of the dance.

Once it was over, I gently slipped out of his hold. I don’t think he even noticed—he was quickly surrounded by women eager to flirt with him.

I walked back to our table, took my purse, and started walking out of the ballroom to go to the restroom. I exited the ballroom when I noticed that two warriors were standing guard.

“Hi, do you know where I can find a restroom?” I asked one of them.

“Go down that hallway and the third door to your right,” he said.

I thanked him and started down the hallway. I was so caught up admiring a painting on the wall that I didn’t see what was in front of me. I crashed into something solid as a rock and landed on my butt.

“Ouch!” I mumbled, rubbing my forehead.

“Watch where you’re walking,” an annoyed voice growled at me.

I looked up to see who the asshole was. My eyes quickly connected with stormy green eyes, and something within me clicked in place. Erica was screaming something in my head, though I didn’t hear it.

I was caught in a trance, my heart flipping wildly as if a whole zoo’s worth of butterflies had been set loose in my stomach. The smell of peaches and pears invaded my nose, making me momentarily close my eyes.

“~Mate,~” I finally heard Erica say.

“Mate.” The word flowed out of my mouth at the same time he uttered it, and I panicked.

I couldn’t have a mate right now. My heart and mind were at war. The logical part of me knew this wasn’t a good idea. I needed to find my mom’s killer, and I wasn’t in the right headspace to accept a bond that could change my entire life.

“Ah, it appears I’ve found you,” the man said when I got up from the floor and took a large step away from him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think this would work out between us,” I blurted out.

The slight smile on his face gradually faded and was replaced by a sour look.

“Don’t you feel the bond?” His words were sharp, and they only riled me up.

Mate or not, I wasn’t going to let him talk to me like this.

“I’m not ready for a mate right now.” I said it confidently, our eyes locked in a heated glare. I didn’t think anyone had ever offended him the way I just had.

“Xavier, do you…” We were broken out of our trance, and I turned to see another man standing with my mate, who I now knew as Xavier.

“Well, what’s going on in here?” the man asked Xavier with a smirk on his face.