•••

We come down the stairs and all eyes are on us well–on me considering the fact that I have not attended this event for the past four years and the times I did before leaving for good, I retired early.

I try not to look at anyone in the eye or sweep my gaze across the room. We finally make it down the stairs and Noel holds my hand and squeezes it, giving me assurance.

I smile lightly at his kind gesture and then widen the smile being the perfect hostess that I am.

"Thank you all for coming to attend this celebration with my family and trusting our territory. May this Gala be more successful than the last. We may now move to the ballroom." My father's loud voice says and people orderly move from the waiting room to the ballroom.

We go in last and I openly gape in awe at how beautiful it looked.

"Enjoy yourself honey." Dad says and kisses my cheek while Mom gives me a reassuring smile as they leave to converse with other Alphas and Lunas.

Quinn and Faye are no longer with me–they're probably conversing with the young guest which leaves me alone and awkwardly standing around so I grab a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and walk to the back of the ballroom.

I just look around purposely avoiding everyone's questioning gaze. I make eye contact with a familiar pair of green eyes.

Mason.

The world stops for a fraction because after seven years the attraction is still there. His eyes rake my body before coming back up to my face. He doesn't say anything or move–he just stares but it all vanishes when Alexa comes smiling at him.

I tear my gaze from him to a very pregnant Alexa. I feel my eyes burning and tears threatening to fall but I can't look away and neither can he. Alexa traces his gaze and before she could catch me staring back, I turn the other way and busy myself with nothing.

A shadow looms above me and I look up to see a very cross looking Noel.

"You're not enjoying yourself." He states.

I roll my eyes, "How can I? And besides shouldn't you be with your mate."

"She's catching up with her older sister and her father so I put it upon myself to make you have fun while she is away."

"And how would you do that?"

"By dragging you to socialize and then dancing"

I glance around in fear of talking to these people knowing that they would question me on my whereabouts and why?

Noel seems to sense my hesitance, "Relax I won't leave your side let's dance first." He says pulling me to the dance floor. Quite Literally pulling me causing me to stumble a bit

"Oh my god Noel I can walk, I'm not going to take off." I mutter when people give us questioning glances.

"You wouldn't have agreed if I didn't practically drag you." He scoffs.

People are already dancing and others clear way for Noel and I to pass and when he leads me to the dance floor, he gives me a triumphant smirk.

People are looking at us and even though they try to hide it, everyone is curious about the last few years and why I'm here now.

He pulls me to him and puts his arm around my waist while I put my arms around his shoulder and we start to move to the music.

"You looked like a fucking creep just standing there, drinking champagne and looking around." He smiles.

"A beautiful creep." I correct.

He laughs out loud and attracts more attention.

"Finally good to see you talking lightly." He says softly because everyone seems interested and adamant on listening to our conversation with their wolf hearing.

"I feel so awkward and out of place." I say not caring if people were listening, "I mean–I could honestly retire early today and curl up in my bed reading a Dan brown novel"

"You my dear little sister, are staying till the end of the night. Maybe till the wee hours of the morning."

"I will obey your orders oh my might alpha Noel." I mock.

"When I'm Alpha I'm banishing you and I'm going to make you pay for your mockery." He jokes.

I smack his hand and he pouts.

"Or I'll make you stay here in this pack and you'll be my personal ass wiper"

"You're disgusting." I playfully chastise.

"Or I could just throw you in the dungeon and prevent you from leaving"

"You know running away is looking like a better option." I say.

"Pshh the security here is tight. You wouldn't get very far."

"This pack is going downhill when you're alpha. With your misplaced priorities." I joke.

"You're not a misplaced priority." He says and there's almost pure sincerity before he continues, "I can't believe that you have so little faith in me. People will be singing the poem of the great Alpha Noel in years to come."

"It's not faith, I can see the future", I roll my eyes at him.

"There's no way awesome powers will pass over me and go to you. I'm the better twin." He says all smug.

"Better twin? Someone been lying to you lately." I chuckle.

"I'm done, I'm leaving you to look like a creep at the back." He threatens.

"Oh no you don't. You forced me here and now I'm enjoying this dance so you're stuck with me." I tell him. I hold him tighter in case he really wasn't joking about leaving.

"You threatened your soon to be alpha, I can assure you that there's going to be a cell with your name on it"

"You're a drama queen how does Alia survive with you?"

"He's a man baby." I hear alia say from behind me.

I turn around to see Alia dancing with her father.

"Babe. You're supposed to be on my side." He whines.

"Man baby." She rolls her eyes with a laugh and she continues dancing with her father.

"You all will come begging for me I swear." He says like a prophesy.

"You can't do without me."

He scoffs and chuckles, "I dare say it's reversed Odetta"

"I remember a certain sixteen year old—" I start to say but noel quickly covers my mouth and drags me out of the dance floor.

People look at us but I brush it off. He finally pulls me away to a quiet corner and removes his hand from my mouth after I lick it.

I struggle to keep from laughing, "Everybody here has werewolf hearing they could hear that" He says.

I laugh even harder at his flustered face.

"I'm going to ditch you Odetta if you don't stop laughing."

"Okay, okay." I say then I start wheezing again. I'm laughing and smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt but I don't stop.

"Odetta." He warns.

"I'm sorry but I can't stop." I say in between laughs.

He goes on with his threat and ditches me. I'm too weak with laughter to follow his flustered ass so I just slump on the wall and take a glass of champagne. I'm just smiling to myself trying so hard not to laugh.

"Odetta!" I hear her shriek and I wince and turn around. There Alexa is in her glowing pregnant state and mason beside her staring intently at me.

I ignore his hard gaze and focus on Alexa. She seems to have put away the past seven years behind her and she hugs me but her belly does not grant her full access.

"How are you alexa?" I ask and force a smile.

"Oh I'm doing great. Hope you are. Well obviously you are because you look stunning tonight." She gushes.

I keep my forced smile, "You do look good too. Pregnancy suits you."I say, "By the way congratulations. Is this the first?"

I hate that I asked.

She smiles wider, "Oh No I got two more angels at home, Natalia and zoey, it's to bad that we couldn't bring them, they would've loved to meet you." She says.

"Really?" I force a wider smile and my tears back.

I look at Mason, "Congratulations I hope you're enjoying your night." I end the sentence looking at alexa.

He looks pained and even though there's not as much connection as before, it's still there and it hurts so much.

"I wish I could stay and chat but I have to get going." I say and politely kiss her cheek.

I give mason a hard stare, "Good bye" I say and walk past them.

I leave the ballroom and I'm climbing up the steps when I hear my name being called.

"What do you want Noel?" I ask not turning around to let him see my tear stained face.

"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay" He says. His voice wavers a but at my harsh tone.

I sniff, "It's alright, I'm okay. I just need to sleep"

"Are you sure?" He asks concern laced in his voice.

"I just want to be alone." I snap and continue going up the stairs.

•••

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------sorry this chapter might have been filled with so much errors but I'll work on it.
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