Chapter 2 Mine

I had never been good at waking up, but knowing that I would have to go to the mating ball today, the only thing I wanted to do was stay in my warm bed and hide under the covers, safe from any monsters. Naturally, however, that was not feasible, and in order to make sure of this, Alaricus Knight had guards visit the homes of the attendants in order to personally collect them and their families.

After what seemed like a haze of a day, my mom threw me into my bathroom and told me to get ready. I took my time in the shower, enjoying the warmth of the hot water and blow-drying my hair. Even though I detested applying makeup, I just didn't have the face for it. If I didn't, though, my mother would definitely kill me, and I wasn't mean enough to let the guards who were coming to take us away be met with my mutilated corpse. The satin of my dress felt sinfully silky on my flesh as I slid into it.

The family bracelet had been passed down through the centuries and was now mine, something my dad had always wished he had done for me. Some may not find the thin white gold chain with our family's W charm, set with a single diamond, very striking, but I found it to be the most exquisite item I had ever seen.

When my dad glanced up at me and I saw the tears in his eyes, my heart began to swell. I had always been a daddy's girl, but tonight I felt like I might lose him, so I threw myself into his arms and pretended that my father had me covered. My dad kissed my forehead and gently let me go as soon as I heard my mother enter the room. My mother informed me that our designated guard had arrived and exclaimed over how gorgeous the dress looked.

Two other human families were already seated in the vehicle that the guard had come to pick us up in. It was an overly brief and silent ride. It was over before I could even try to slow down my heartbeat, and the guard, trying not to be too rude, was insisting that we get out of the car in a rough voice.

I had never been to the Alaricus Knight residence before; if you could even call it that, it was a stunning castle. However, the more I looked at it, the more I realized something was missing-I wasn't even sure what.

My mom's arm squeezed into my dad's as they walked a little ahead of me, and I couldn't help but feel sad that I would never get to experience that. I never had a partner with me when I walked in tune because I never knew when I would be claimed by some monster who would drag me everywhere he went for eternity. The results of human-wolf matings have never been good; the human is constantly treated with deference, and the wolf's protectiveness is almost offensive. It was disgusting to witness, and it happened more often in public than I or most of my human companions would have liked to recall. The wolf would always make a scene wherever the human went.

The inside of the castle was beyond compare, even if I had found the exterior to be stunning. The castle had an unexplainable strength, or, despite its ageless beauty, a kind of eternity that seemed to be carved into the very walls. I always imagined the beast's abode to be dreary and empty, but this was breathtakingly gorgeous.

I glanced around, expecting to recognize someone, and soon I saw Marina standing beside a lovely girl, waving passionately at me. I cautiously approached her, trying not to draw any more attention than her frenzied waving already had. Even with my clumsiness, I still managed to trip and fall against a couch's edge. When I did eventually make it over to Marina, I waited quietly off to the side as they spoke, following the awkward introductions and the exchange of admiring looks that Marina and her companion most certainly deserved. My inherently awkward disposition didn't help much, and I was never totally incapable of striking up a conversation.

I frowned as I surveyed the area. The poor girl had genuinely been hoping to find her mate; the romance novels about werewolf matings had clearly led her to believe that there was anything romantic about the long-standing custom. I pray she never discovers the true extent of her misperception about mates. She didn't have someone to tell her the truth or how I felt, but I knew better than to disparage them in front of thousands of others.

I therefore managed to keep my mouth shut despite my worry that the effort might cause me to become purple. However, I would undoubtedly blow out if Ana continued to talk about how great it would be to have a partner or to be allowed to pick the curtains for her home.

While searching for something to divert our conversation, I spotted the strange warrior who lived a few homes down staring at me. He took his job seriously and stood in his spot, his eyes shining with admiration. Perhaps he assumed I would leave before the ball. He began to move toward me, and my eyes grew wide as I screamed in an attempt to get away from him. I hurriedly left Marina, asking her to divert his attention, and dashed down the hallway in the hopes of coming upon a restroom to hide in.

I could still feel his eyes on me, so I quickly sought the exit to the enormous party buffet and ran out. My eyes sprang wide at the stunning castle as soon as I was able to get outside and gather my thoughts. The inside of it was much more exquisite than the exterior.

I was strolling around the magnificent castle, not in the slightest rush to return to the meal, when I was noticed by a staff member who was rustling around. She gently asked me to return to the banquet. The woman sighed wearily at me before turning around, and my cheeks grew hot with shame. Apparently, she thought I was one of those annoying people. I stammered to myself as I stumbled about the vast palace, utterly lost.

After navigating a lengthy, winding hallway, I came to a staircase. Even though I knew that was not the way back to dinner, I felt my curiosity peak and began to climb the staircase. I carefully ascended the steps, aware that doing so might land me in a dungeon, but my curiosity always got the better of me. When I eventually made it to the top, I was greeted by a lengthy hallway with numerous doors and a stunning old chandelier. Fortunately, the first door I carefully unlocked didn't lead back to the feast. Big, dark couches were pushed up against the walls, with an opulent-looking glass table in the middle. However, the grand piano at the rear of the room was what really drew my attention. We didn't have the money to buy one for my dad, who used to love to play.

Before I could even think, my feet carried me there while my fingertips lightly traced over the keys. Though I had no idea how to play, I could still recall my father's joy as he tried to teach me as a four-year-old. I was startled out of my daydream by the sound of the door opening, and I froze, closing my eyes tightly. I carefully turned around, keeping my eyes tightly shut, counting to 10 in my mind in the hopes that it was only assistance and not a wolf from a higher class. I shuddered as I saw someone's sharp gaze on my face. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw two eyes that were burning honey in color with a noticeable hint of gold. thick black lashes framing them, which makes them even more alluring. The one thing I had been dreading my entire life was spoken, and it made my heart stop.

"Mine"