Chapter 4 — Masquerade Ball

Three Years Later…

I can’t believe how quickly time flies, within a blink of an eye to me it’s been three years since my graduation day. Three years since the unforgettable road trip that Silas and I had before me leaving for College. Three years since I have seen my best friend and family.

It’s not like I didn’t want to go home. It’s just that I have been having such an amazing time in College and different opportunities that have been placed before me that I choose over going home and being with my friend and family.

This weekend is the Alpha Ceremony for my home pack, and I decided to surprise my family making them think I was not attending and then show up at the ceremony. They decided to do the ceremony a little different than normal but sounded cool. The ceremony was being hosted as a Masquerade Ball. Everyone that is invited would have to wear a mask and show their invitation in order to get into the ball.

The Alpha and Luna were really making the ceremony memorable. Silas’s brother Sam was taking the place for his father as Alpha, and my brother would also be taking my dad’s place as Beta. These were scary/exciting times. I am glad that it is not me taking my dad’s place. I still feel that I have too much to see before having to come back home to settle down and take responsibility. These last few years I have had opportunities to see how other packs live. I have dated a few wolves but nothing serious as I get closer to the time where I will be finding my mate, I can feel Sasha my wolf getting anxious.

My twenty-first birthday was two days after the ceremony, and I am not sure if I wanted to hang around here for my birthday or go back to college. What if my mate is here or close by? I want to be able to finish college.

The gown that I picked out was a black Victorian style gown with off the shoulder straps that were more like strings that just laid gently on my arms. The bodice came in tight until my hips and then flowed in pleats and ruffles down to the floor. I had found a pair of Victorian style boots to where with them. No one would see them, and I was at least comfortable.

I twisted my hair up into a slight French twist leaving the ends out and curled them. I added some eyeliner to my eyes and a little tinted gloss to my lips and I was ready to go.

I made sure I had both my mask and invitation before heading out the door. I found a small pouch purse that hangs from my wrist to carry my phone, ID, and a little cash in case of emergency.

I headed out the door and waited for the town car that I had ordered to drive me there in style.

It took only twenty minutes to get to the packhouse and I had to check in with the guard at the Gate before they would allow us to drive into the pack town.

“Miss Meadows, glad you could make it for the ceremony. We heard that you were not going to be able to make it.”

“I wanted to surprise the family; it has been a while since I have been able to come home.” I told the guard before he pulled up the guard rail to let us in.

“Have a good time” He yelled as we made it through the gate.

I was starting to get butterflies in my stomach and did not understand why I was getting so nervous.

I pulled my mask out from my bag and put it on. I wanted to make sure no one could recognize me before I wanted them to.

The car pulled up to the circular drive and a gentleman was waiting outside to open the door for me. I thanked my driver and reached for the hand that was waiting to help me out of the car.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure Miss”

I looked at him and smiled.

After stepping away from the vehicle and moving out of the way for the next guests to arrive, I look at the pack house that was right in front of me. Memories. With a heavy sigh I lift up the sides of my gown and slowly started walking up the stairs to the front door. The French doors were both pulled open and had two gentlemen standing on both sides to welcome the guests and point them into the direction of where the party was being held.

They decided to have the party out in the side Courtyard. There were twinkling lights hung up through all the trees to add a little ambiance to the evening. The decorations were simple yet elegant almost making the courtyard look like a fairytale.

A waiter came by and offered me a glass of wine, which I happily took. I needed a little liquid courage to calm my nerves a bit. I took a sip and enjoyed the cold beverage cooling the burning sensation that was currently residing in my stomach. A little better.

I move around making my way through the crowd. I had not yet seen anyone I recognized. I still had these tingles going crazy in my stomach.

I felt someone move close behind me and whisper something in my ear.

“Well, well if it isn’t my best bud Char.”

I quickly turn to Silas standing behind me.

“Silas!” I squealed as I jumped into his arms for a hug.

“Hey girlie, I had heard you were not going to be able to get away from that big bad college that keeps you from us.”

“I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“Well, you will definitely be doing that. Stand back and do a spin, let me see you.”

I took a step back and did a slow spin in my dress. I guess I have changed a bit body wise since I have been home.

“You are absolutely breathtaking.” He said as he looked at me.

“Ahh thanks Silas. And look at you! A handsome devil as always.”

“I do make this look good, don’t I,” he says as he acts like he is adjusting his tie.

I giggle. It was good to see him.

“Come on, let’s go do a turn out on the dance floor. After you?” He says as he does a small bow to me, and I do a simple curtsy as we head out to the dance floor.

He wraps one hand down by my waist and takes my hand with the other and slowly guides me across the floor.

I smile, this brings me back to prom. He was the best date any girl could have, and I was glad he was mine for the night.

“So how is College going, Char?” He asks as he was trying to make small talk.

“It’s good, I like it there a lot. Right now, I am taking a class on pack history and learning about the old pack laws that all the packs use to have to abide by. It is crazy how strict pack laws were back in the day.”

“So, what do you think your major would be?”

“I’m thinking History, with a minor in business. I have been talking with the curator at the History of Wolf museum and might intern for him during the holidays.”

“That sounds great.”

“How about you? What is new with you?”

“Nothing much, just trying to help Sam get ready to take over for Dad.”

“I bet it has been really stressful.”

“Definitely.”

“Your birthday is coming up soon, how has your wolf been handling with possibly finding your mate soon?”

“He has been absolutely restless, and I don’t know I just feel uneasy and restless and constantly horny. His testosterone is endless. I almost feel sorry for my future mate, I feel like I’m going to jump her like a dog in heat and hump her leg.”

I laughed.

“What about you? Your birthday is the day after tomorrow. Are you going to stay for us to celebrate?”

Oh no.

The song ended and we moved off the dance floor and found a tall table to stand at.

“I don’t know, I am kind of scared to.” I finally answer.

“Why?”

“Because if my mate is here, then he may not let me go back to college and finish school. I’m enjoying my life right now. If I meet my mate, everything is going to change, and I don’t know if I am ready.”

Before he could comment, he heard the clanging of a glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Good Evening Everyone! Thank you for coming tonight to share with us the transitioning of the Pack Leaders. I am honored to announce that my oldest Son Sam will be taking my place as Alpha.”

We all start to clap as we watch Sam step up and shake his Dad’s hand.

“Also, he will be joined by my Beta’s son Christopher to take over his position and be my sons Beta.”

I let out a whistle as I clap for my big brother. I am so proud of him.

“Our pack continues to grow with each passing day and so I would also like to add that we decided to add a Gamma position to the pack and my other son Silas will be taking on this position.”

I could not believe the news that was just given. I give Silas a shocking look, and he simply shrugged his shoulders, as he turned and headed up the steps to join my brother and his on stage in front of everyone.

“I give you Crimson Moon’s new Pack Leaders.”

Everyone clapped in celebrating a new generation taking on the leader roll. I was completely thrown by all of this. I can’t believe Silas kept this from me.

I walked up to my brother and said, “Hey Big Brother congratulations.”

I threw my arms around him and gave him a big hug.

“Hey little sis, I thought you couldn’t make it,” he says as he wraps his arms around me to pick me up off the ground.

“I wanted to surprise everyone; I know it has been a while since I have been home. I couldn’t miss this though.”

“I am so glad you are here; you can meet my mate,” he says as he puts me back down and let’s go.

“What? You found your mate!”

“Yeah, she lived a few packs over.”

“Well look who decided to grace us with her presence.” I hear whispered into my ear and before I know it Sam has swept me up into his arms.

“Sam! Please I’m in a dress, put me down. You are going to make a scene.”

“Please Squirt, and that is Alpha to you,” he says as he refuses to put me down.

I give him a challenging glare when I hear:

“Charity Summer Meadows!”

Uh-oh.

I turn and I see my parents standing there and my mom with her hands on her hips. Sam immediately puts me down and backs away from me.

“Hi mom, hi dad,” I say with a gentle wave. I’m in so much trouble.

“Not that I am not totally thrilled to see you. But what is the meaning of getting us all riled up with you saying you wouldn’t be able to attend your brother’s ceremony and then just show up out of nowhere, like everything is simply fine?”

“Ahh mom I wanted to surprise you all. It had been a while and I just wanted to see your surprised faces when I showed up. I didn’t mean to hurt you mom.”

“Get over here and hug your mother and father.”

I walked over and gave them a group hug, my brother joined in behind me and I believe I felt Silas somewhere around there too. One big happy family.

“Ahem.” We all hear and freeze.

Slowly we all separate to see a beautiful woman with long blonde hair standing in a red gown that just flowed on her fair skin.

My brother quickly walked over and wrapped his arms around her and then turned to me and said, “Charity, I want you to meet Rosie.”

“Rosie, this is my sister, Charity.”

“Hi Rosie, it is so nice to meet you,” I say as I give her a gentle wave of the hand.

“Hi there, it’s great to meet you too. I have heard so much about you from everyone.”

“Oh no, hopefully it was all the good stuff,” I say as I bring my hand up to my chest.

“Oh yes, it was,” she says with a smile.

We all laugh.

Everyone slowly dispersed as people came up to congratulate them on their new positions. I moved to get out of the way, it always made me uneasy being around a large group of people.

I walk farther away from the party reaching my favorite part of the courtyard. I walk over to the pond that has some koi fish in it and beautiful water lilies floating on the top of it.

My wolf inside me was going crazy and it was making me anxious. I don’t think I am going to last another day here if my mate is this close. I know she wants us to find our mate as soon as we can. But everything I have worked hard for will be gone the moment he finds me. I don’t want to lose myself just because I find my mate.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

I turn and look up and see a handsome man walking towards me. Wearing a simple black suit with a white shirt and black tie and as he gets closer, I notice his eyes are icy blue.

Is that?

Sasha: So dreamy.

Huh?

“I’m sorry?” I ask.

“You looked like you were lost in your thoughts. I was simply curious to what you were thinking about.”

He is standing in front of me now and his scent wraps around me, smelling like a delicious treat.

“It’s nothing. So, are you having a good time?” I ask him to try to change the subject.

“Yes, it seems like Crimson Moon knows how to throw a good party.”

“And you are from?”

“A neighboring pack.”

“Which one?”

He gets closer to me and whispers into my ear, “Guess?”

I pull back from him and look at him for a moment trying to figure out if I knew this masked man in front of me.

Before answering him, he grabs me and pulls me into a kiss and then walks away.

I stand there completely dumb struck. I put my fingers to my lips still feeling the tingling that kiss left. It had been a long time since I had a kiss that felt like that one. And then it hit me.

Dom!

I start making my way to the exit not being able to mentally deal with the feelings that were stirring inside me. It’s been almost 3 years since that day, and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I have tried so many times to get that memory out of my head, but it always comes back and hits me like a ton of bricks.

“Char, where are you going?” Silas says as he catches up to me.

“I have to go now, I can’t stay.”

“Wait.”

He stops me and tries to read me and figure out what is going on.

“Char, you are shaking, what happened?”

“Silas, I have to go now, I will call you tomorrow.”

I pull out my phone and start planning for a car service. Silas grabs my phone away from me and says, “Stop, I will take you wherever you need to go. Just give me five minutes.”

I stare into his puppy dog eyes; he knows I can’t say no to those eyes. I take a deep breath and whisper, “Okay.”

“Okay,” he says in a relieved tone.

He walks away from me, and I start to rub my arms, I’m not cold just anxious and confused.

After a few minutes of waiting, I see Silas making his way back towards me and says, “Okay, let’s get you out of here. I promised our parents that we would be back in the morning to have breakfast with them.”

Nodding my head in agreement, I follow him out to his car and head to the hotel that I am staying at.

When we get on the main road Silas finally breaks the silence and asks, “So Char what happened?”

I take a deep breath and ask, “Was Dom supposed to be here tonight?”

“Yes, I know he was here. I spoke with both he and his parents earlier tonight. Why?”

“I was over by the pond and a guy came up to me and was talking to me, but then kissed me before walking away. The kiss felt the same way Dom had kissed me that day.”

“What?”

I could tell Silas was just as confused as I was.

We could never figure out why he kissed me that day. After all the years of him harassing me. I mean he was with Missy, why would he kiss me then and why would he kiss me now?

“Are you sure it was him?”

“No, not completely because of the mask. But it felt just like how he had kissed me. Why? Why now? I have been gone for almost three years. Why keep this game of his going?”

“Were you able to pick up on his scent?”

“All Sasha said was yummy. She and I have not been getting along very well lately.”

I slump back down in my seat. The one good thing was the farther we were driving away from the pack the calmer my wolf was getting.

I can’t go back.

“Hey Char, maybe it wasn’t him. Just let it go, you will be heading back to College, and you won’t have to worry about him again.”

“Yeah, I know you are right. I need to just let it go.”

Sasha: I could tell you if it was him or not. But I won’t.

Me: You are being childish.

Sasha: Look who is calling the kettle black.

I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed. I don’t think I am being childish, just because I don’t want to find our mate immediately and I want to finish college. What is so wrong with that? If I was fully human, it wouldn’t be such a crazy notion. It would actually be praised upon.

“Hey, our brothers and I were going to head out to the lake tomorrow and do a Bonfire in the evening with some friends, want to come?”

“That sounds good. I will drive the beast that way I can head out afterwards and get back to College before Monday.”

“You mean leave here before your birthday.”

I sigh and turn to look at him.

He looks back at me and gives me a half-smile.

He shakes his head before saying, “Alright, I will spend time with you tomorrow and try to make that be enough, I cannot believe you are not spending your twenty-first birthday with your best friend. BUT I would really like to see my best friend on my twenty-first birthday.”

Staring at his adorable face while he is focusing on the road I wait to answer until he looks at me and finally whisper. “Ok.”

Then realizing I speak out, “Speaking of best friends, why didn’t you tell me about the Gamma position?”

He simply shrugs and says, “It’s not a big deal and I didn’t know if you would be happy about it since you are at College, and I chose to stay here after our road trip.”

“Are you happy?” I ask him.

He starts to smile one of those true smiles that lights up his whole face and even leaves a twinkle in his eye kind of smile and says, “Yeah I really am.”

“Then I am happy for you. All I care about is your happiness.”

“Thanks Char! Goddess I have missed you.”

I turn in my seat to just stare at him and when he finally looks over to me, I say, “I have missed you too.”

The rest of the car ride we drove in silence which was really not for exceedingly long. We pulled up to the hotel and Silas got out of the car giving the key to the Valet and taking the claim ticket. I was helped out of the car on the other side.

Silas whistled while looking at the hotel.

“Nice place you choose.”

“Thanks, Come on.”

We went up to the room and I headed into the bathroom to change out of this dress. I still hate wearing dresses. I changed into a pair of leggings and a t-shirt and pulled the updo out of my hair and threw it into a messy bun. I wiped off my makeup and looked at myself for a while in the mirror.

A stampede of thoughts started charging through my head of various things. Why am I so determined not to find my mate? Am I afraid? What if he rejects me? Would I reject him? Why does their have to be a bond? Why can’t we just fall in love when it is the right time?

I finally maneuver out of the bathroom and walk out to Silas who had taken off his jacket and removed his tie, undoing the top few buttons on his shirt. As handsome as he is, I am glad that there were never any romantic feelings between us. I would have been deeply sad if I ever lost Silas as a friend. I hope that when he does find his mate, they will understand the kind of friendship we have and not be jealous by it.

“Are you doing okay?” He asks as he pulls back the covers on his side of the bed.

I nod my head as I walk over to my suitcase and find a baggy pair of sweatpants that I throw Silas’s way. I always carry a pair just in case. Sometimes a girl just wants to be in loose baggy clothes.

“Yes” He says as he makes his way into the bathroom to change.

I walk over to my side of the bed and pull the covers back on my side and crawl into the cozy bed. Grabbing the remote I turn the TV on and see what they have available for us to watch.

Silas walks out of the bathroom and turns out the lights into the room, making sure the door is locked and heads to the bed.

For years we have on and off slept together in each other’s bed with no awkwardness. He crawls in and with open arms has me curl up to him. I lay my head on his chest as he wraps his arms around me.

“You know one of the sad things about growing up?” I say out loud.

“What?”

“After you find your mate, we won’t be able to do this anymore. Our friendship isn’t going to be what it once was.”

He kisses the top of my head before answering, “Well, I guess we need to just enjoy the time we have left. You will always be my best friend Char, no matter what.”

I nod my head and curl into him more, closing my eyes and enjoying the peace and comfort that he is giving to me at the moment.