LANDON
“I’m not going!” I tell my parents, for what feels like the thousandth time.
“Yes, you are!” My mother replies, her tone unwavering.
“There’s so much going on right now that the last thing I want to do is attend this stupid ball, only to be embarrassed yet again by not finding a mate. Mom, I’ve given up. Why can’t you accept that?” I ask, frustration simmering.
“Because you can’t give up,” she insists. “Besides, I have a good feeling about this one.”
“You say that every year,” I point out, rolling my eyes.
“That’s true,” my father admits with a chuckle.
“Don’t you both team up on me. I’ll put you both on the couch!” I threaten, knowing it’s more of a playful jab than a real threat—especially to my father.
“Honey, maybe we should just let things be and let him find his mate when fate wills it,” my father suggests, a conciliatory tone in his voice.
“Well, I’m certain this will be the time,” she says with conviction. “I had a dream.”
“Okay, then, Mom, tell me what she looked like,” I ask, raising a skeptical eyebrow. She’s known to have glimpses of the future, but I’m not above calling her bluff.
“Pff. I’m not going to tell you, since you’re giving me lip,” she says, her gaze darting sideways.
My father and I exchange a roll of the eyes. I decide to offer a deal. I can’t believe I’m entertaining this idea. “Fine. I’ll make a deal. If I find my mate at the ball, I’ll owe you an apology. But if I don’t, promise me you’ll stop having these ridiculous balls. Our family has held them for centuries, not because of any inherent magic, but because of the pressure to find mates.”
My father and I exchange a smirk, knowing she won’t take the deal and will admit defeat. She looks at us, then holds out her hand, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Alright! Deal!” she declares.
“Okay,” I smile, shaking her hand.
“Oh boy,” my father says. “This will be very interesting.”
He’s right. It won’t be any different than the past hundred years, and I’m willing to risk the humiliation of watching everyone else find their mates while I remain alone.
Our family has thrown this masquerade ball for the past century. The masks were originally meant to allow Alphas to reject potential mates, but times have changed. Honestly, I don’t care about appearances. It’s just annoying.
I’ve also learned that some Alphas live their entire lives without a Luna, and their packs remain strong. I’ve started to wonder if I’m one of them. But then there’s my mother, a hopeless romantic who believes everyone has a mate.
She used to say to let fate work its course, but now she’s impatient. It baffles my father and me.
I can’t believe I agreed to this, but I guess it’ll all work out. She’ll see once and for all that I’m right, and she’ll let me handle finding a mate on my own.
Granted, I know she hasn’t approved of the casual encounters I’ve brought home over the years, but I have needs.
Tonight is the ball. As I finish getting ready and reach for the mask to cover my eyes, my phone buzzes. It’s a text from my cousin, Elliot, who finally RSVP’d after receiving my invitation weeks ago. He’s lucky he’s family, or he wouldn’t have been allowed in at the last minute.
He says he’s arriving with his mate, Kavina, her best friend Giselle, and Giselle’s mate, Rockwell. I’ve met them all before—they’re a cool bunch.
Then he adds that a friend is coming along as well.
I almost told him no, but what the hell, there’s more than enough entertainment, drinks, and food to go around.
“Fine,” I text back.
I slip my phone into my pocket, finish tying my mask, and take a deep breath.
“Here we go,” I tell myself, and start making my way downstairs.
The moment I reach the bottom of the stairs, I’m greeted by a swarm of people thanking me for the invitations—my parents handle all the guest lists. Then there are the girls who don’t care about finding mates and don’t mind sleeping with Alphas who do. They’ve already slipped their numbers into my pockets.
Finally, I finish greeting everyone before heading towards the bar and ordering a drink.
While I wait, I hear whispers and notice people staring towards the door. I see my cousin walking in with his friends, all dressed impeccably as always. Then I notice a nervous-looking, curvy girl walking behind Giselle. She stops to talk to her friend. I can’t see her face clearly, but I can already tell she’s beautiful.
But something about her is off. Something about her is different from the other women here. I start to make my way towards her.
The next chapter will be posted soon! :)