CHAPTER 19 – THE BALL

CHAPTER 19 – THE BALL
Nathan P.O.V.

Five days ago, the boot camp officially ended. Our team got the highest number of victories in the matches, although all this mate bond situation weighed on me the whole time, I was very proud of the results. I hope we’ll do something like this again, it’s good for the kids, and it gives us old warriors the opportunity to interact with the next generation.
The last night of the camp, after the winners for each age category were nominated, a party was thrown at the packhouse for everyone, to finally enjoy ourselves and relax after all the hard work of the past two weeks.
I hoped I would have the chance to talk discreetly to Sloane before she left the following morning; at least to smooth things between us. I saw her chatting with Mason and Matteo for a while, and then she just disappeared, probably retired to her room. I asked Daniel if he could set up a meeting, but he turned me down and said that it’s better if we kept our distance. As if that would help with anything. Since our discussion in the woods, I felt dead inside. Every day I had woken up and gone through the same routine, but everything just seemed dull and unfocused, only when I managed to get a glimpse of her on the training grounds or at the canteen, my wolf wood perks his ears up, and my world would come back to color. 
But now that she’s left, everything is just grey again, and I have no hope of seeing color again. Until tonight. Tonight, the ball will be held in the packhouse’s ballroom, I will have my chance to see her, and this time I’ll talk to her, I’ll try to make things good between us.
I enter the ballroom with a dry throat and Evelyn on my arm. She asked me to go together as friends, although we both know she hopes we can be more than that, proof of that is the outrageous amount of boobs she has on display with this dress. But at the moment I’m not in the right mind frame for that, my mind and heart are only drawn to one person, and that’s Sloane. Plus, I’ve been friends with Evelyn for a while now, and although we have hooked up sporadically, it was just for fun and sex, which is kind of common among warriors, the majority of us not being mated yet.
I’ll always see her as a friend and nothing more.
After chatting and drinking and dancing and stealing glances towards the entrance hoping to spot a certain someone, I’m starting to worry that she won’t show up. Would she really desert this event to avoid me?
Suddenly the lights go off, and stiffen, going into defense more, ready for an attack. I see Evelyn do the same, although her gold low-cut gown makes her feel somehow less threatening.
All of a sudden one spotlight illuminates the entrance, and two people make their entrance under the OWs and Ahhs, of the mesmerized onlookers. It’s Axel, with Sloane on his arm. I find it difficult to swallow, my throat feeling parched. She’s a vision of beauty. If I thought she looked sexy in her tight working outfit, it’s nothing compared to what she looks like now, in a deep red gown with a slit on the side, showing off her toned thigh, and a cut between her breasts, showing a hint of her creamy boobs. The corset flares out on top in a flowery design that makes it look like it’s on fire, perfect for my little red devil.
People start chatting excitedly on how Axel and Sloane are perfect for each other, they are already imagining their marriage and kids, and I chose to stop listening before I start beating someone up out of sheer jealousy.
The couple walks to the middle of the ballroom, that’s when the lights come back on, and everyone starts cheering and hooting.
Axel silences them with a sign of his hand and then starts his welcome speech. 
I don’t hear a word of what he says, my eyes and mind completely trained on the goddess who’s standing by his side, wishing with all my might that she would turn to look at me, giving me just one second of her sweet attention.
But she doesn’t turn to look this way, she keeps staring ahead smiling falsely for the crowd of idiots who really believe the lie of her and Axel as a couple. As she would be with that rapist.
What would they say if it were me escorting her to this ball? They’ll say I’m not worthy of her, that she could find someone better, someone like Axel.
Anger starts bubbling in my veins at the injustice of this situation, no matter how good I try to be, I will never be enough, never meet her high standards. But my heart won’t hear it, it wants her with a vengeance, making this war between my mind and my heart an endless loop of torture.
Axel and Sloane start dancing on the dance floor, and quickly other couples join in bringing the ball back into full swing.
Evelyn wants to dance too, but I decline, settling myself at a bar, with a drink in my hand, and my eyes trained on the red fairy who’s swaying her body lost to the rhythm of the music.
After the tenth glass of wine, I gather the courage to approach her while she’s still dancing. Axel has left her side to go talk to some other Alphas, but he’s still stealing glances at her now and then, maybe worried someone will try to steal his bone away. 
I push my way into the crowd and position myself right in front of her; she’s dancing with her eyes closed, so she can’t see me, but I’m sure she’ll scent me soon. And, as if by magic, suddenly she opens her sapphire eyes wide, gracing me with her long-longed attention. 
“Hey,” I say roughly, my throat still feeling dry from anticipation.
“Hi,” she says softly, not taking her eyes off me, like she’s entranced. She’s stopped dancing, and to my dismay, her smile has dropped from her pouty red lips, replaced by her signature impassive expression.
“Would you dance with me?” I ask, feeling like a teenager at his first crush, bound with nerves like a bow ready to snap.
She hesitates for a moment, so, I just seize the opportunity and place her hands on my shoulders, while I put mine on her waist, and start swaying us to the rhythm. 

Sloane P.O.V.

Seeing Nathan after what felt like an eternity makes my brain turn to mush. I’ve longed to see him for days, replaying every moment we have spent together in my mind, imagining what I’ll do and what I’ll say when I finally meet him again. But now that he’s here, in front of me, my mind is completely blank and the only thing I seem able to do is stare at him, most probably looking like an idiot.
At least he hasn’t lost his brain capacity, and starts leading me on the dance floor, through this romantic song, which I’ve never heard before, but is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
I get lost in the feeling of his hard shoulders under my palms, while his hands on my waist send sweet tingles straight to my core, making me want more; I want to be pressed to his body and feel every inch of him, I want to be lulled by his woody scent into a sensory high until him is everything I feel and see.
The music changes to an upbeat one, and too soon his hands leave my waist, making me rapidly crash down to our cruel reality, but unexpectedly, he doesn’t move away, instead he takes my hands and pivots me around, landing me with my back against his front, my arms crossed before me. Oh, this feels even better.
We keep dancing to the rhythm, he spins me around a few times, then spins me back into his arms. He’s good at leading, and soon I find myself enjoying myself, laughing even, something I haven’t done in a while. 
We get a couple of stares from other participants, probably wondering what’s going on between us, and if I’m being unfaithful to Axel, as if we are already promised in marriage or something. People are so fast at drawing conclusions, seeing stuff that isn’t there.
This song ends and Nathan releases me from his hold, still keeping one of my hands hostage in his. I gaze into his eyes, and all I can see is happiness and adoration, something I wished I could have seen in his eyes since that very first day.
Maybe it’s the full moon messing with our souls, but I feel like tonight the connection between is stronger than ever, like no obstacle would be big enough to stand between us.
Someone clears his throat beside us, breaking this spell between us.
“Do you mind?” Axel’s hostile voice comes, directed at Nathan, who doesn’t hide his annoyance, and seems ready to bite back a reply.