Chapter 7

Elise

When approaching the banquet hall the first thing I notice was just how many people had come to attend this years Mating Ball, for in the past not many wolves would attended as they either never found their mates or just refused to take a chosen but this time around it would seem like many had indeed shown up for this event.

‘It’s probably because of the twins’ muses Elza causing me to snicker for one had to admit the twins where mighty fine but when we had briefly seen them, I didn’t get the reaction I was hoping for and knew instantly they weren’t mine which meant the next lucky wolf to get them would have their hands full with the two.

‘True, but then again, who needs twins when we can find just one lucky wolf to be our mate’ I say back to her, my eyes scanning the room as I try to find an empty table for us to sit at, eventually spotting one off towards the outer area of the room. Nudging Shaun, I move to gesture to the table as he moves to nod, he along with Ian and Iris moving to grab the table before anyone else could.

Moving to follow, I slowly make my way inside only to pause when the scent of sandalwood and orange hits me, the scent giving me a woodsy scent as my eyes now scan over the crowd of people hoping to see where the scent was coming from.

‘MATE’ purrs Elza as she all but rolls around inside my head.

‘I know that, but I can’t find them, there’s too many people here’ I tell her, my eyes still trying to find the one the scent belonged too.

Feeling her growl, I know she must be annoyed for this was the whole purpose of coming here, to find our mate and be done, not spend the entire night searching for them. Annoyed, I move to head for Shaun and the others unaware that the one I had been searching for had already seen me without me even knowing about it.

“Everything okay there Elise? You seem annoyed suddenly” asks Ian, once I move to take a seat beside Iris, my eyes still trained on the those within the room.

“Yea, everything’s peachy” I mutter, my focus now torn from what I was doing when the Alpha of the Moon Walker pack moves to speak up.

“Welcome honorable guests, it’s with our greatest pride that we welcome you all here tonight, as this year it’s the Moon Walker’s turn to host this years Mating Ball, as we hope that the twelve packs that have gathered here tonight are able to find their mates as those did before them” replies the Alpha as he addresses everyone within the room.

Keeping my focus on the Alpha, I can’t help but see who was all gathered around his table. For there, seated at Alpha Blackwood’s table was Luna Hestia along with their son Jacob and a girl who could only be his mate based on how she clung to him at the table. Then there was Beta Collin along with his mate, Beta Leah along with there son Brian followed closely by their Gamma and Delta, Gamma Brady and Delta Kyle along with both their sons David and Shane their mates not present for tonights event before finally resting on a young girl who looked completely nervous to be sitting with them.

Poor girl, I muse feeling sympathy for her as my eyes move to see the twins, the twins suddenly acting weird once the Alpha and his group entered the room, almost as if the girl in blue was their mate and they were struggling to stay in control.

‘Well, it would seem like the twins have found their mate Elza, who would’ve guessed’ I say to her, happy that the twins managed to find theirs but I had yet to find mine.

‘Indeed so Elise, but hopefully when the dinner slowly dissipates, hopefully we might be able to continue our search for ours’ replies Elza in hopes we would get time to mingle with the other packs before tomorrows ball when the Alpha moves to speak again.

“Aside from hosting this years Mating Ball, it’s with our greatest pride to be able to honor you all with tonights dinner, for tonight we feast as we move to celebrate the Moon Goddess, the one who has blessed us with mates for the upcoming dance as we celebrate our unions to those who successfully find their mate, but for now let us eat for tomorrow is another day.”

Hearing those in attendance clap and applaud the Alpha, my attention moves to look over meal choices, for tonight it looked like we were able to choose from Chicken, Beef or Seafood and while I wasn’t a huge fan of Seafood, I only know that I had two options to pick from, either the Chicken or the Beef a decision I was struggling with to figure out.

“Who would have thought this would be so complicated,” I murmur as I continue to pick and choose, unable to decide for the main course. “Did you pick yet?” asks Iris, having seen my dilemma and decided to speak up.

“No, not yet, why is this so hard?” I ask her back, not liking this side of me.

“It’s not, your only making it complicated by not trusting in what you like” whispers Iris back to her Alpha, slightly amused by my limited options.

Giving her a soft grumble, I move to speak again, “What are you having then?” smiling at my question, Iris moves to answer back. “The Chicken.” Rolling my eyes, my attention is now drawn to the appetizers as they are now placed down in front of us. Arching an eye, I move to inspect the food, the appetizers a bit strange in appearance as I move to give it a slight sniff before giving it a try.

No sooner do I try the food, do I fight the urge to spit it back out, the food not that great of a taste as I force myself to swallow it, not wanting to seem rude by not eating the food as Shaun, Ian and Iris all but giggle at my reaction.

“Snob” whispers Ian, as he moves to take another bite of the appetizer.

“Am not” I whisper back, a soft glare on my face as I move to look at him, a smug look on his face as I did.

“Are too” smirks Ian, knowing I completely was, for ever since I started cooking for me and my father, I had begun to develop a specific taste for specific food and if it wasn’t up to my level of standard then I would refuse to eat it, which dubbed me a food snob as I became extremely picky but could you blame me when I only wanted what was best for me and my pack including that of my father’s when his health wasn’t the best.

Refusing to say anything further, I simply move to eat the food, forcing myself to swallow everything that I put into my mouth as I was always taught to be a humbled guest even if I didn’t like something that was being offered or suggested.

‘Yep, definitely a food snob’ snickers Elza, who was enjoying my discomfort with the food.

‘Oh shush’ I move to say back to her just as the appetizer round comes to an end before being cleared away to make room for the main course, the Chicken, Beef or Seafood.