The Possessive Alpha
Chapter 86

ELLE POV

Walking down the steps behind the Beta and Gamma families, I cannot help but gasp at the breathtaking beauty of the room. Black tables sit on the outskirts of the space surrounding the dance floor, with the pack emblem in the middle. Olivia did a great job incorporating the pack colors of silver and black in everything.

Each table has a silver candle stick centerpiece covered with dangling jewels and candles that were lit. A DJ sits in the corner, getting set up for when the dancing can finally begin. The further into the room we get, the more my skin burns under the scrutinizing gaze of the other guests. As Olivia predicted, they hadn’t taken their eyes off our group since we appeared at the top of the stairs.

A few Alphas made their interest in me so known I am positive they’d resort to kidnapping me to get their hands on a born Luna to strengthen their pack and bloodlines. What they feel for me has nothing to do with who I am but more with what I am.

‘Stay close,’ Theo says through the mindlink as he warily eyes the Alpha’s practically drooling over the thought that their son may be mated to me. ‘I don’t trust any of these Alphas with either of you.’

‘Neither do I,’ I say, ‘they’re practically drooling with the desire to have Charity and me in their packs. It’s disgusting.’

‘Luna Olivia wasn’t kidding when she said we would be watched,’ Charity grumbles, looking around the room, on high alert for anyone to make advancements towards us. We ignore the blatant stares and direct ourselves to the table with a welcome book. Once our names are signed, we grab the place card and find table two. Finding table two, we take our seats, waiting for the Mate Find to begin as we sip on water and chat quietly through the link.

“The Mate Find will begin in five minutes; please find your seats,” a harsh male voice says through the intercom as wolves not participating in the event find their seats.

Once everyone is seated, the lights dim as Nine young women cascade down the stairs, looking to hide among the crowd. A pretty, gorgeous blonde with bright blue eyes and a pink dress takes the seat next to me with a timid smile, the nerves radiating off her in a delicate storm.

“It’ll be okay,” I lean forward and whisper, “what’s your name?” I ask, giving her an encouraging smile as she watches the side door nervously, waiting for the unmated males to walk through.

“Maddie,” she says, glancing at me before her eyes darting back to the room’s opposite side, “I think you know my brother, Jonah. I love your dress, by the way.” As her eyes cascade enviously down my custom-made Elie Saab. It’s an A-Line with a low neckline, the top a light sage that ombres into a dark forest green at the bottom, wildflowers and butterflies sewn into the tule.

“Thank you,” I say, but before I can say more, the voice comes over the intercom again, announcing the first unmated wolves entering the ballroom.

“Entering the ballroom is Alpha Fennick Sanderson, Alpha Tristan Dugray, and Beta Eli Linville.” At the mention of Eli’s name, her head snaps to the front door, her heart pounding so hard I can hear it sitting next to her.

As soon as Eli walks through the door, her nose is in the air, and before I have the chance to blink, she is out of her chair and running across the room, flinging herself into Eli’s arms, both of them screaming, mate, as the room erupts into cheers. They move quickly to the side, finding their table, with Brad, Taylor, Emma, and Victor sitting there, but Jonah is conveniently missing. Is he participating in the “Mate Find”? Neither Alpha finds their mate among the guests, taking to their seats so the next batch of men can walk into the room. “Entering the ballroom is Alpha Thomas Strange, Beta Hal Walker, and Gamma Freddie McIntosh.”

The Alpha walks into the room, nose to the air, a scent catching his attention, and like a missile on a mission, he walks up to a petite brunette in a gold dress, and the word “Mate” leaves their mouths together. The crowd stays quiet, waiting to see if the Beta and Gamma find their mates. Which they do seconds later, the entire crowd going chaotic in celebration. As the room settles, the announcer announces the next group of men to enter the room, “Alpha Charlie Danger, Alpha Michael Scott, and Beta Abigail Swift.”

Both Alphas find their mates easily, fraternal twins who could pass as identical practically knock the prominent men over, throwing themselves into their arms and screaming, “Mate.” Because Abigail is a female in a ranked position looking for a mate, she had to stay separate from the unmated Males and Females in a different room. Each “Mate Find” is unique because it’s done differently for each event. But generally, it’s always the ranked members, or the males if you have no rank, looking for their mate while women wait like pathetic damsels. Abigail, Charity, and I are the few who will get to take the reigns in these types of events.

Walking up to a tall blonde in a bright green dress, Abigail says, “mate,” but the woman doesn’t reciprocate, instead running out of the room, leaving a heartbroken Abigail in the middle of the room. The room is so silent that you can hear a needle drop. No one stood to help the woman, not even her pack members. Unable to take the silence any longer as people stare at her, I make a split-second decision, my feet pushing me away from the table and carrying me across the floor in her direction.

“Abigail?” I whisper, grabbing her hand, “let’s get you in a chair, okay?” She nods slightly but doesn’t say anything, the embarrassment of the moment clinging to her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I feel her falter, but I can keep her upright using my strength. Charity walks to the other side of me to help support her. Together we get her to our table within seconds. Theo is already pulling out a chair for her. We lower her into the chair, placing a glass of water in front of her and a jacket over her shoulders.

She remains silent as the rest of us take our seats, the entire room watching the interaction. ‘Poor girl,’ Theo says, through the link, ‘she’ll probably be demoted after this.’

‘What?! Why?’ Charity and I practically scream through the link, both of us jumping to face him, startling poor Abigail, who stares off distantly into the room.

‘Abigail’s mate is the younger sister to Tristan Dugray,’ he sighs, giving her a sad glance, ‘Dugray’s pack is one of those ultra-conservative ones where they don’t allow gay pack members. Abigail is the future Beta to Alpha Fennick when he takes over. While Fennick is a d**k, he is not as conservative as his gambling-addicted father. She’ll probably lose her position. Fennick’s father will force him too, which sucks because Abigail went through hell to obtain that position.’

‘That’s bullshit,’ I say, my anger building, bubbling inside me, wanting a release, a way to break free and lash out at these hypocritical assholes.

‘Alpha,’ Charity’s voice comes through, ‘you need to simmer; others are starting to notice the energy.’ Closing my eyes, I let my lungs fill with air holding it in until they burn, slowly releasing the carbon dioxide into the air around me. The Alpha energy recedes into nothing as my b***d begins to cool over.

‘Theo, once she comes to her senses,’ I say, looking at Abigail, who hasn’t moved a muscle since sitting in the seat, still shocked at being publically rejected, or what probably feels like a public rejection. ‘Offer her sanctuary among us if she would like, her mate as well if they can work things out.’

‘Yes, Alpha,’ he says, a deep smile on his face, pride swirling around him at my kindness. After an impossibly long time, the voice comes over the speaker to announce the next to enter the ballroom. The closer it gets to Damon being called on, the more my insecurities about someone else being his mate rears their ugly head.

“Beta Andrew Tyler and Gamma Matthew Simmons” comes over the speaker as both men enter the ballroom, walking around aimlessly, neither finding a scent that is intriguing enough to chase both finding their way to our table. Andrew is sitting on the other side of Abigail, beside Theo. Matt is sitting beside Charity, who looks less than thrilled, turning her body away from him to face me.

I don’t know what the hell happened between the two, but Matt looks like a kicked puppy, and I almost feel bad for him, but knowing better than to ask Charity about the situation, I return my attention to the front door. My heart is pounding nearly as loud as Maddie’s was earlier, secretly praying to the Moon Goddess to keep him mine.

“Lastly, the reason we are here to celebrate tonight, Alpha Damon Ledger,” the man says over the intercom as the doors open again. Without hesitation, he strides through the door in a beautiful forest green suit that matches my dress perfectly and some wildflowers lying inside his breast pocket, like a boutonnière.

Damon looks flawless with his hair slicked back like a 1940’s movie star in his snug suit that hugs his frame to perfection showing off his broad shoulders. His blue eyes are magnetic, finding me among the crowd at record-breaking speed; ignoring everyone else in the room, he makes confident strides toward me.

Stopping at my feet, his comforting scent filling my nose as electricity cackles over my skin, racing up and down my arm from where his hand is in mine. The entire room explodes into shocking whispers as the guests watch Damon’s next move.

“Damon?” I whisper, trying to keep my voice low as everyone stares, “what are you doing?”

He whispers back, leaning closer to my ear, “we are dancing, Biscuit. Get out of that chair.” Pulling me up and out of the chair, he pulls me across the room toward the dance floor, nodding to the DJ, not caring about the hundreds of eyes staring at him from around the room or the angered whispers by Alpha’s knowing I am underage. Although the only reason they are angry is that they think the Ledger family snagged me first.

Once in the middle of the dance floor Damon pulls me against his chest, one arm placed firmly on my waist, and another holding my hand as Taylor Swift’s “Lover” pours out of the speakers drowning out the comments of the guests. His song choice makes a clear statement to the entire room, essentially making a public claim that he has picked me as a chosen mate; when I turn eighteen at least.

As if we occupy a world of our own, Damon and I glide effortlessly over the floor, our eyes never leaving each other, neither of us saying a word and not having to because we know how the other one feels. As we spin around the room, staring only at each other, I cannot help but think how perfect this moment is, wanting to imprint it into my memory so I never forget it.