Chapter 7 7|Astonished

~Declan~

The moment my foot settled on the ground floor landing, I understood why my wolf had been eager to know the lady in the blue ball gown.

It started with a scent so delicious that I deliriously salivated for a single taste. A growl rumbled from my chest, loud enough for Seth to look over his shoulder and frown at me. His frown quickly morphed into concern.

"Declan." His wide eyes scanned my face, then our surroundings, worried someone might notice the change in me.

It took all of my strength to control my wolf from catapulting forward to take over the situation. The tension coiling inside me was chaotic, a storm ready to wipe out everything in its path. Liquid gold filled my eyes, my canine elongating, and my fingernails lengthened, digging into my palms as I tried to keep it together.

I was shifting. And a crowd of influential people in the human and shifter world would witness it if I didn't control my wolf.

Deep breaths in and out, I willed my heart to slow its beating and my wolf to calm the fuck down.

"What's going on?" Seth threw an arm over my shoulder, looking left to right with a tight smile.

His question, his concern, the music, and everyone around me didn't matter. Each breath I took only made my head spin. That delicious scent... what the fuck was that?

Everything around me started to fade in the background like a beautiful painting of a royal ball in ancient times, losing its color as the seconds passed. The glow of the bar's overhead lights smoldered like thousands of sapphires under the moonlight.

Seth stirred me forward in the direction of the bar. He's trying to appease the turmoil inside me, but it did the exact opposite. That delicious scent got stronger the more distance we covered.

Apricot... my nostrils flared. With a pinch of cinnamon. Goddess, fuck. I need more of that scent. I wanted to rub myself on whoever was wearing that perfume.

Seth's palm on my shoulder stiffened. "Control your wolf, man." He sounded calm, but he could not hide the underlying worry in his tone. If I shift, he'd be the one doing damage control.

I could hear Seth and understood his concern, but the animal inside me was a stubborn bastard who wouldn't listen to reason. If he set his mind on one thing, he'd do everything to get it. He was just like me.

That scent. Fuck! I inhaled more of it. It was heroin injected into my system, intoxicating me. I was in a frenzy. My mind was in a daze as the realization settled within me.

It snapped in place when I locked eyes with the lady in a blue ball gown. A pull so intense it nearly brought me to my knees. Her eyes glowed gold like mine, like sunlight peeking into the darkness of the night, lighting up the horizon. She's of an alpha bloodline.

Lower lip locked between her teeth, she whispered the exact word I had uttered.

"Mate."

"Mate."

Seth froze. "What?"

Following my line of sight, Seth connected the dots. "No shit..." He whispered.

Fated mates were a myth. The world was wide, and shifters have spread out to every continent. In the billions of living souls walking this earth, finding one soul that would complement yours was finding a needle in a haystack.

Fated mates were gifts so rare from the Moon Goddess; you'd be a fool to let it go once you find it.

My mate, I found her dressed as a damsel in that ball gown that matched my own stupid clothing.

I never believed in fairytales, but it sure as hell felt like I was in one right now. She was my princess, and I was her prince.

I couldn't make out her face, but I had no doubt that she would take my breath away under that full butterfly mask.

Time slowed for the two of us, but everything else moved at a fast-forward speed, blurring in a splendid kaleidoscope. It snapped in place, the mate bond. It was everything they've written in history. The overwhelming pull. The palpable connection that I could almost touch with my bare hands and the sweetest taste of apricot and cinnamon permeated the air, making me delirious.

My wolf scratched forward, the air shimmering around me. She's sitting on that bar stool like a prized possession I needed to mark right fucking now.

Mine. That she-wolf is mine. That's all I could think of.

The longer I stared at her, the stronger the mate bond locked into place. Its power tasted so good, yet unnerving at the same time.

My breath hitched as her lips pursed. It was the only reaction I could make out from her, apart from her glowing eyes.

I admired her further. The silvery light behind the bar bathed her skin in a moonlight-like glow. Her skin looked smooth and flawless. My hands itched to touch her, mark her as mine.

Her neck was on display, and her rapidly beating pulse matched my own. My mouth salivated for a single taste of her. I would lick that junction between her neck and shoulder, sink my canine slowly, and inject my venom into her system, marking her forever mine. My inside shivered; the euphoria of marking her made my head spin. The pulse on her neck quickened, clearly feeling the elation of being in her mate's presence.

Holding a tall glass of blue beverage, her glove-clad hands trembled as I took another step. Her grip tightened, breaking the glass into shards and attracting the attention of the men seated close to her at the bar.

"No..." I heard her say. Her glowing eyes darkened. Thick, dark smoke swirled around her as she stood, the barstool tumbling behind her.

I didn't understand what was happening until she turned the other way and ran as though the penthouse was on fire.

"No?" Utterly bewildered, uncertainty and confusion whirled in my entire system.

What the fuck, no? And where the fuck is she going? Did she just reject me?

My wolf, confused and hurt that our mate ran away from us, refused to accept that this moment would pass just like this. He was as stubborn as I am.

My feet moved in haste, following where our mate ran off. I understood shit of what was happening. All I knew was that I needed to catch her.

She was quick. I could only follow the glimpse of her blue ball gown disappearing through the crowd, climbing the stairs, running towards the exit.

Nose flaring, I snarled, shoving away anyone in my path. I might have shoved Seve's dad on my way out. He cursed and called me a bastard, but he was the last of my concerns.

I climbed the red-carpeted stairs two steps at a time. The loud banging of the door made my heart skip a beat.

'She can't get away just like this. She cannot just reject me!'

Exiting the door, the guard in a sharp suit manning the double doors frowned at me. The hallway was empty. The number on the panel above the elevator was descending, but call it gut feel, I knew she was not inside the lift. "The girl in the blue ball gown. Where did she go?"

"What's going on, Al-Declan?" Jared asked, catching his breath.

Ignoring my beta, I repeated my question to the guards, allowing a sliver of my aura to roll off me. "The girl in the blue ball gown. Where did she go?"

Fear shone in their eyes, stuttering as they answered simultaneously.

"The stairwell, sir."

"She took the stairs!"

Though I am pissed off that she ran away from me, the chase was giving me goosebumps. Hands clenched, I ran towards the stairs, Jared following behind me.

"What girl?" Jared matched my pace, wiping the red lipstick stain on his lips.

"My mate." I pushed the stairwell door open, looked up, and saw her peeking down at us.

Her glowing eyes narrowed to slits before she slipped away from my sight. Her footsteps were light. As we climbed the winding staircase, I allowed her delicious scent to guide me.

"Mate?" Jared whispered to himself, mirroring Seth's expression earlier.

"Yep," I chuckled, chasing my breath, still fighting my wolf for control. This stairwell was nothing to his agility if I were in my wolf form. The bastard was trying to intimidate me.

We've climbed two stories, reaching the top floor. Her scent was much stronger on the door, as though she had lingered there before exiting the rooftop.

"Wait, Alpha. Are you sure this is wise? Following your mate?" Jared rested his palm on his knees, heaving like a marathon runner reaching his limit.

"Would you chase your mate if you found her?" My hold on the metal door handle tightened as Jared frowned.

Determination coating his eyes, he nodded at me. "Go, I'm right behind you, whatever happens."

He wasn't speaking as my beta but as my friend who witnessed all the losses I experienced in my life. I was never one to chase a girl, not after losing Serena, but if this was my chance at finding true happiness, I would chase my mate through all realms. She'd be that one thing that would make me want to live again, my reason, my fucking world.

Taking a lungful of air, I pushed the door open and stepped out. The cold Brille air mingled with her intoxicating scent. She was so close that my wolf went on a rampage. He was in havoc, trying to break free, until I felt a painful sting in my chest.

It happened so fast, I wasn't able to evade the dagger she shoved in my chest. It missed my heart by a mere inch.

"Alpha!" Jared called, worry and panic raging in his voice.

"Don't!" I raised my hand, warning Jared not to make a move as my mate stepped in front of me.

Jared hissed, his daggered glare directed at my mate burned through my shoulder.

She wasn't a damsel but a lady warrior wrapped in Cinderella's blue ball gown. She hid on the wall beside the door, a hunter waiting for her prey to fall into her trap. This was a wicked plot twist, a fucking good one at that too.

She smirked at me, twisting the silver knife and bringing me down to my knees.

She bent at the waist, leveling me with a stare as if I were a pebble beneath her shoe. I couldn't move; I couldn't utter a fucking word. Her presence turned my world upside down and added the raving animal inside me into the equation. I could only stare up at her in confusion and awe.

Yes. Even though I can't see her face through that mask, I am astonished by her presence. The moonlight shone upon her. Her hair was free of the braids, flowing down in blond curls around her face. She was a fucking dime; even her voice was music to my ears.

"Don't ever try to chase me again. I don't miss... mate." With that, she let go of the dagger and looked down at me as I dropped to the floor, pulling the dagger out of my chest with a pained grunt.

Something about her felt familiar and odd. That voice, I thought I heard it somewhere. It might be the mate bond, but I didn't have time to process it. She sprinted away from me at the speed of lightning, running towards the edge of the building, jumping off to god knows where.

"Alpha," Jared stirred me to the wall where my mate lay in wait to attack me. Her scent was still fresh, and I closed my eyes, savoring every last bit of it. I choked on a laugh, dropping the dagger to my side. Then I completely fell into a fit of laughter, clutching the dagger my mate shoved in my chest.

Jared wore a frown of confusion, his sapphire eyes scanning my body for damage beyond the wound in my chest.

My tissues started to heal, my shifter healing kicking in. A patch of crimson stained my white inner dress shirt, and the silver dagger in my hand was my only evidence that what had transpired seconds ago was real.

I shook my head, still chuckling like a fool.

"Why the fuck are you laughing, Alpha? That woman is crazy. You should've let me handle her." He sat beside me, furious that I didn't allow him to interfere.

I looked up at the sky. The silver moon was partially hidden behind a thick cluster of clouds. It's a full moon.

So, the myths were true. In the light of the moon, true love will show. What an eventful night this was. "Thanks, Jared."

My beta pinned me with a sideways glance, a deep crease on his forehead.

I smiled at the moon, wondering when I would be meeting my mate again.

"I was wrong. This wasn't the worst night of my life. In fact, it's the best I have ever had in a long time."

Jared was quiet for a while, mulling over what he had witnessed. "That chick, are you sure she's your mate?"

"I am." I lift the dagger, the silver blade smeared with my blood. Its tip reflected the moonlight, glowing as I studied it under the dimmed glow. There was nothing special about the blade. The wood handle bore a carving. The blood stain made it hard to make it out. "And she just left a glass slipper, her version of it."

Jared looked at the dagger. "Why do you think she ran away if you are fated mates? And why the fuck did she stab you?"

"Who the hell knows?" I murmured. "But I'm sure of one thing. The hunt for my princess begins."