Chapter 4 IV

Felix still couldn't believe he'd let Victor and Caleb throw this shitty party.

His birthday was three months ago, what's the point of celebrating now?

He knew they just wanted an excuse to throw yet another party.

"Come on, Felix, it's just one night! I want to see if I can finally find my partner." Victor whined. He rested his chin on my desk, pleading.

"You keep saying that. And in this search for your partner, you've slept with about 90% of the female population." Caleb argued. He had a stack of papers in his hands.

"Oh, shut up. You don't care because you already have a partner." Victor shot at Caleb, who was the oldest of the three of us.

We had all taken on the roles we were assigned early in life, after the great war. After most of the leaders-including my father, the late Alpha, Victor's father, his second-in-command, and Gamma Lunt-had died in combat against the renegades.

"The fact that I'm with Cassandra has nothing to do with it. I want a moment to relax as much as you do, Victor, but our obligations come first." Caleb argued.

"But I want to find my partner!" Victor complains, sounding like a child.

Sometimes, I wondered how the hell he got the title of beta.

"You'll find your partner in due time. Now, we need to figure out a way to get rid of the renegade Alvin and his minions." Caleb continues.

"Argh. We've been running after these idiots for a year! A night off won't hurt anyone; besides, who knows, maybe you'll finally find your partner too, Felix?" Victor raises his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm not interested." I replied dryly.

And it was true; the last thing on my mind was finding my partner and having to worry about her safety and that of my offspring.

All I wanted was to get that bastard, Alvin, and end this war.

"What do you mean, 'not interested?' You know, I'm starting to think you might not be interested in she-wolves." Victor flashes a debauched smile, earning back my glare.

"If you don't mind me saying so, sir, he's right. No one has ever seen you interested in a woman; in fact, we've never seen you talking to one." Caleb adds.

I glare at him while Victor giggles at my side.

"Fine! I'll let you have that damn party at the end of the month." I pinch my nose, stressed. "But after that, we're going straight back to hunting and annihilating Alvin."

"Yes!" Victor jumped for joy.

"Yes, sir." Caleb nods. "Let's start the preparations for the gala, then."

~~

That's how I ended up here today, at this party I didn't even want to be at.

Now, we, the pack alpha, Star and his daughter Keira, Caleb and his partner Victor, and I, stood outside the door of the great hall, waiting for the announcement. One by one, they entered as their names were called. My name was the last. I walked in, not caring about the people around me.

As soon as I reached the table, I looked around, my eyes meeting a pair of grayish eyes that seemed to be able to see my soul.

It was a simple maid who stood in the far corner to my left. She looked intriguing, with those huge gray eyes and brown hair.

I quickly looked away and focused elsewhere.

The party went on slowly, much to my chagrin, and I was already bored with having to constantly reject the girls asking me to dance.

Even the alpha star's daughter, Keida, came up to me, batting her eyelashes and trying to seduce me.

"Hey, Felix." Her honeyed voice irritates me. And I just nod at her and keep my arms crossed. "Nice party you had; I didn't know you were the kind of guy who threw parties like that."

"I didn't do shit. Victor and Caleb invented this party; I just gave my authorization." I replied, already losing what little patience I had.

At that moment, I was approached by a drunk asshole.

"Hey, birthday boy!" Victor slung his arm over my shoulder as he tried to keep his balance.

"You know, my birthday was months ago. This here is just to get you off my back."

"Oh, come on, don't be a party pooper. It's not possible that you're bored." He says this with slurred speech while sipping his beer.

"Yes, I am. I'm only still here because I'm the host." I glared at him. "Have you found your partner yet? I want to end this party soon."

I regretted the question the moment it left my mouth. Victor started crying and threw his arms over my shoulders.

"No! I'm beginning to believe I don't have a date. Ah, Goddess of the Moon! Is it my destiny to be a lone wolf forever?" He shouts, grabbing my arms.

"Let go of me, you idiot!"

But Victor held me with an iron grip.

"No, you need to comfort me! I'm heartbroken; I can't find my partner."

"I told you to let go of me!"

I stopped abruptly as a heavenly scent penetrated my nostrils. I push Victor aside, trying to sniff the air for the source.

"What... Hey!" Victor started to whimper, but I interrupted him.

"Do you smell that?"

"What smell?" Keira butts in. I completely forgot she was still there.

"Hm?" Victor sniffed the air. "I don't know exactly what smell I'm supposed to smell, man."

I ignored him. The smell was sweet and delicate, like vanilla and marshmallow. Suddenly my wolf, Cedric, was howling like crazy in my head. He jumps up and starts running around, also sniffing the air.

"Man... I can smell her. I can smell my partner." Cedric says desperately, inside my mind.

I froze. This couldn't be happening; I haven't been able to find my partner in eight years. Why now?

"Felix? Are you okay?" Keira asked.

"Yeah, man. You've gone pale. Is everything okay?"

"Hm... Yeah. I'm fine." I said I was still focused on that smell.

"Our partner is here, kid, finally. Go find her! I can smell her!" Cedric shouted.

I snapped out of the trance.

"I need to use the restroom. Sorry." I walked away from Victor and Keira.

I had to find her; that scent was drawing me in like a magnet. Furthermore, I walked among the guests, not recognizing any of them; all I had in mind was to find her. Cedric was still screaming in my head.

I kept walking until my hand instinctively grabbed something small and soft. I looked forward and came face to face with none other than the gray-eyed maid I had seen earlier.

"Partner..."

"Partner..."

We both said it at the same time.