© Claimed By Him ~ Elektra Orfanos

The courtyard was filled with chattering people, all dressed in their court finery. A table was laden with red velvet cakes, fruit tarts and delicate glasses of berry drinks. I spoiled myself with the treats. Lively but elegant music played and many couples or aquaintences danced as guards were posted at corners of the courtyard and at the doors sneaking a few drinks every once in awhile,

"Pardon me." Ella came up to dressed gloriously in pink, pink feathers, pink pearls, pink satin with golden print. That's what she wanted, she wanted to be bright pink and seen from the dark corners of the world. So I turned her into a glamorous flamingo. She grabbed a cake ready to delicately stuff it in her mouth but when her dark eyes met mine she eyed at me suspiciously behind her small pink mask. "Do I know you?"

"Sorry I'm mute." I replied walking away smiling to myself.

"Luna?" She called out shocked. I shushed her. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Who is this Luna you speak of?"

She answered back panicked. "Father will throw a public fit."

"Oh dear, poor beautiful Luna, well I hope you find her before that happens." I chuckled finding my way back to Mari at the double doors to the grand mansion. We stood beside it sticking together to analyse the party guests drowning in their extravagance and envy of each other's 'uniqueness' slowly getting bored out of our minds.

"I've been here for half an hour and no one has asked me to dance." She complained. She perfected her golden pleated dress that is low cut and emphasises her large curves, she as well put on a powdered wig however covered in golden glitter and her mask was just more golden glitter stuck around her eyes.

I am in the red gown she made for me and a beautiful silver mask that hides the wound on my cheek but I added lace pattern gloves that are fingerless and ride up to my elbow. "Aren't you waiting for your lover?"

"Still it doesn't hurt to reject a few men."

"What's the point if you're just going to reject them?"

"Don't act as if you do not know what I am talking about."

"In all honesty Marilyn I do not." I smirked as she pouted unamused. Her Aqua eyes then gazed over my shoulder and I followed her gaze at two men who had just stepped through the doors behind me and paced to the top of the staircase glaring over the courtyard. "Is one of them him?" I asked her in a whisper.

"Yes. It is." She sounds breathless which I found extremely adorable as well as over dramatic. She lightly gasped gripping my wrist and we both smiled like little girls that had never seen boys before. "He's about to talk. Sh."

"Is she here?" The golden haired man asked his friend. I giggled behind my hand eyeing at the lion tail he's wearing on his white trousers. Did he do that for the sake of being extravagant or because he wants to please Mari? But that would mean he would know what Mari is.

I frowned because yes, it does annoy me that she would tell some man she's known for a night her secret before telling me but I didn't make a fuss of it. Not tonight when she's so happy to see him.

"I can't smell her out remember she and her fiends have no scents." Said the man next to him dressed in all black. His deep voice did something to my stomach and I felt suddenly the air grow thick as I felt like I was surrounded by flames.

"Oh no he brought the dog." Mari scowled while my heart swelled in my breast. I didn't recognize the back of his head because a little part of his hair is tied in a tiny ponytail then the rest out. Is it odd to find the of back of someone attractive? It's almost like you can just tell they look absolutely handsome from the front. His hair is as lustrous as a panther pelt and I already know how annoyingly perfect his face is.

"Luna's family is here." The friend next to him elbowed his arm suggestively. I found this peeking my interest.

"Enough Charles I swear I will end you." Sam growled and they began to descend the steps.

Other women noticed them. Him. They all took notice of Sam.

"Well then you won't mind me saying..." The blonde friend-Charles grinned. "That I find Luna extremely beautiful and I'm not the only man that's noticed." Mari scoffed.

Sam turned on his friend Charles showing me the side of his face. He decided not to wear a mask not following the host's request and I wish he did. Butterflies flew around in my stomach as I noticed how complimenting the light is on his face. His eyes have gotten to me again but that gooey feeling soon disappeared once he opened that mouth of his. "Like me they will learn that she is intolerable and a nuisance." The heat that burned me dropped down to a deadly chill. "She is always near trouble and it is exhausting to keep up with her." He growled. Marilyn scowled and tried to comfort me by spitting profanities but I didn't listen to her. I'm a nuisance? How have I ever bothered him purposefully? I don't remember ever asking for his help with anything. I can feel the anger boiling up but I don't understand why. Why should I care for what he has to say about me? Before he seemed perfectly fine with being around me in fact he is the one that's been lingering around! And now he's going to talk behind my back like some petty girl?

Fuming inside, I walked up next to him and breathed in his ear. "Oh cry me a river Samson." I continued on walking and overheard his companion roar in laughter and felt Sam's intense burning stare on my back.

~*~*~

I drew myself back to the buffet not intrigued by stranger's conversations and I'm trying my best to avoid Sam at all costs. Who does he think he is? I never asked him to save me and it is not like I never paid the same respect. Stupid cocky wolf!

He hasn't dared to come near me and I'm assuming the reason is because he knows I'm in a fit of rage. Good to know he fears my anger. Typical men can't handle a hormonal woman but you want to know what angers me more? He has ignored every other girl that comes up to him and continues to watch me from a distance. I don't know why it bothers me more than him talking to them maybe it's just I don't want to be the focus of his attention. The thought of him avoiding other girls because of me came to mind but I shook the silly thought away.

I'm a nuisance.

I took a sip from my berry drink its alcoholic sweetness riding down my throat. When I lifted the glass away from my mouth, I snickered at the lipstick stain on the glass but saw through it a hint of gold glowing from the bushes. I gazed towards the rectangular trimmed hedged behind the buffet table finding nothing there, no scary golden eyes but I couldn't shrug off the feeling. Loud cheering and applauses erupted behind me and I turned around to find the crowd focused on the dauphin and the ships in her powdered wig so I joined them in their clapping from my place with the food.

"The outfit is ridiculous." A deep voice growled right next to me and I jumped in surprise making Sam's lips perk up into a smirk. He's clapping to and he's not looking at me but looking ahead at the dauphin so I to looked ahead and removed my hand from my weak heart to continue clapping. The fire returned burning along my neck.

"Don't talk to me." I ordered sternly.

"Why not?" I felt his stare. I kept clapping.

"Don't play dumb. It doesn't suit you and don't think a petty apology is going to fix the hurt feelings."

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way. I was just getting sick of my friend making assumptions." Petty excuse. Extremely petty!

I glared at him while he stared at me emotionless and with a quick flick of my wrist released my fan. "And so the only solution you could think was to insult me. That's pathetic even for you and another thing..."

"You look pretty tonight." He interrupted making me stumble on my words. Pretty is not as grand as beautiful but coming from his mouth I feel as if it's something even a woman close to his heart wouldn't have gotten. He's tone is sincere and his eyes, I am too afraid to look into them so I gazed back at the crowd my skin aflame. I batted the fan faster to cool me down. It did not work and I began to worry for my health.

"Well that worked. But don't think it will work the next time." I said breathless.

He must have taken note to on my voice because his brow creased concerned. Sam concerned for me? Why? "Are you alright?"

"I'm feeling rather ill. Must be too many of those cupcakes." Cupcakes don't give you fevers stupid.

"What's wrong?" He questioned ignoring the stupidity of my last comment.

"With you? I think I could write up a list." He clasped his hands over one of mine and violent shocks rode up my arm hitting my chest. I gasped and pulled away from him.

His brow furrowed but his lips tugged up slightly before they set themselves in a grim line. "You're burning up."

"I'm fine. Mr Night please..."

"Mr Night?" He said hurt. I drank down my glass and continued fanning myself. "Luna?" His hand reached to touch my cheek but I backed away afraid.

"Not here Sam." I whispered noticing a few snobs looking our way. All of them being the women he had ignored and I can already tell that they have a new found hate for me. "You can't speak to me so casually here."

"Fine then." He picked up a plate off the table and randomly held it up for me. I gagged behind my fan. "Try one."

"They're frogs legs." I said swallowing back today's lunch. Roasted legs of frogs, not tempted. Not tempted at all. My mouth didn't drool at its crispiness it just set itself in a grim line.

"Tastes like chicken." Sam replied picking one up examining it amusingly.

"They're frogs legs. Frogs covered in slime."

"Mucous." He corrected. "And these are cooked."

"They're frogs legs Sam!" How can he stand touching it? He suddenly brought the pair of legs closer to my face making squeak. "Uh ah no get it away from me."

"Try one. I dare you." He teased smirking deviously.

"Samson..."

"Don't call me that." Ewe it touched my cheek, I was just touched by a dead frog!

"Mr Night please." I whined.

"Don't call me that either." He smiled childishly. I smacked the legs away but I didn't intend for them to fly very far so when they flew into the bushes it made us break into silent laughter.

"I swear I have never behaved this foolishly at these events before. You're such a bad influence Mr Night." With full view of his face I noticed the fresh purple bruise along the left side of his jaw like he'd just been recently hit.

"You were very badly behaved before me anyway." I didn't laugh. "Luna?"

"What happened to your face?" I asked him reaching out stroke the bruise and I swear his face had tilted forward but a firm hand gripped onto it. On the end of that hand was my mother and she held a tight smile behind a blue mask made of a sheer fabric.

"Luna I have yet to meet your friend." She said.

"Mother?" She recognised me. Uh oh... I immediately searched for a fuming devil as she looked at me expectantly and I gulped. I didn't expect my mother to ever meet Sam, my werewolf acquaintance. My pain in my- "Mr Night this is my mother Comtesse Mystique."

"A pleasure." He bowed and my mother nodded at him giving me a quick glance before smiling back at Sam.

"Mr Night? I apologise for my lack of knowledge but that does not sound familiar are you a new gentleman of the court."

"I am a old friend of the King." He lied so easily that I had to hide the frown with my fan. Friend of the king? Are you kidding me?

"The King?" My mother repeated stunned.

"Aye." He nodded.

"I-I had no idea... How do you know my daughter Mr Nightly?" How does she know we've met before? He and I looked at each other expecting the other to say something, to make a quick save but we're both speechless.

"We met over..." I started.

"Informally out in the streets..." Oh so that he's not going to lie about? Thanks Sam!

"He had caught me storming off when dad sent me home." I admitted in a whisper in her rolling my eyes.

"That was a month ago." She stated.

"It's been that long already?" I asked aloud.

He nodded at me then his eyes trailed back to my mother. "Excuse me ladies." He muttered shying away from us and I watched him just lurk around like a simple shadow. What was that about?

"Friend of the King?" She questioned in a whisper.

"I am just as surprised as you are." I brought a glass to my lips to swallow away the uneasy feeling.

"A friend of the King is attracted to my daughter." She grinned. I coughed out my drink almost choking and she pat my back grinning.