"The rumors are true."

Everyone sat jam-packed in the pews of the church styled building. The building where mostly all of the pack meetings are held. Everyone intently listening, urging for their alpha to talk more. Ready to drink up his every word.

"We will be hosting a ball," Liam pauses watching everyone's expression. The whispering began, the girls squealed, and Liam couldn't help but roll his eyes. Even if it was just internally, "invitations have been sent out and preparations are already being made to host this formal event."

"Invitations?" someone in the crowd of pack mates asked.

Liam looked around, but could not find the source of the voice. Instead, he just turned in the direction and nodded his head sweeping over everyone, "yes invitations, have been sent to every pack in North America about attendance."

More hushed whispers and dramatic squeals.

Liam looks over at Mateo who stands behind him with Zoey on his arm. Mateo getting the point steps forward and takes over, "we will be bringing back the old tradition of a valentines day ball. Hosted the day before Valentine's day."

Liam stood behind Mateo sweeping over the crowd, looking for a certain pair of eyes. He knew she was in here, he could sense her. Like clockwork, their eyes met at the time linking up with a sparkle.

It had been a day since the encounter and neither had have gotten the time to discuss it. Heck serenity was still having a hard time processing it. She still doesn't believe what had happened.

He discreetly smiled, then looked away. He would have to make an excuse to slip away and see her later. This affair between the two of them was going to be discreet.

The pack meeting finally came to an end, and serenity followed Mercedes out of town hall.

"A ball, do you know what this means?" Des turns and stops right in front of Serenity.

"More work for me?"

Des rolls her eyes, "No, it means we get to wear ball gowns and prance around like princesses!" she swoons at the thought of it.

"Correction you get to. I will probably be wearing the comfortable attire of the serving help."

Her friend frowns, "one can dream though."

"Yes, yes I can. Meanwhile, everyone else will be living my fantasy," Serenity groans, "This is kind of depressing, can we talk about something else?"

"We have an extra place at the dinner table tonight, would you like to join us?" they began walking again as the subject was changed.

"Dinner with the ex Beta's family. Sounds lovely. Why the extra spot though?"

"My mom keeps on leaving a spot open just in case Aston finally brings home a girl. That will sadly never happen, so I'll take the spot instead." Des shrugs.

"Well, I guess lucky me then. Although, if he wanted to bring a girl home, he could ever so easily ask Julianne."

"Goddess no. Then she would just have one more thing to hold over us. She already boasts about how she's best friends with the cresent she does not need another thing to talk about."

Serenity laughs, "You're right."

The girls took the short walk to Mercedes's house. Serenity had only been to her actual house a hand full of times throughout all the years of friendship.

The two walk through the front door and des immediately calls out to her mom, "We have an actual guest for dinner tonight!"

Serenity follows her friends through the living room and into the kitchen.

"An actual guest?" her mom has their back towards them.

"Yes momma, Aston is not going to bring home a girl anytime soon, so I brought one home," she smiles over towards Serenity.

"Now Mercedes, be nice to your brother," she turns towards them and looks at serenity, "hello darling." She gives serenity a big smile, "I see what everyone's talking about you are quite a beauty!"

Serenity gives her a questioning look, "people talking about me?"

"All good things of course," she gives her a wink.

"Mom, stop. This is why I don't bring friends home." Mercedes facepalms.

"And here I was thinking you didn't like to have your friends come over because of your brothers."

Mercedes is the youngest child out of six. Five of which were boys. Growing up in a household with nothing, but boys left no time to bring home friends. Especially since they were always picking on her for being the runt.

"Speaking of my brothers are coming to the ball?" Des takes a seat at the kitchen island.

"An invitation was sent out it's their alphas choice on whether or not they are coming. You know that sissy." Her mom continues on doing her tasks to make dinner.

"I know, but we haven't seen them in years."

Serenity awkwardly sits to the side listening to their conversation. Sometimes she forgets that Des has other siblings just that they live in different packs. Some of which are very strict on visiting people outside of their pack. This gets her thinking about the other packs. They don't all live like theirs.

Like Zoey, and the rabbit food eating pack. Upon coming back home she couldn't have been happier to get some fresh raw meat. Her thoughts started to drift off to today's dinner. She wonders what Des's mom would be making.

Serenity finally comes out of thought whenever two people walk into the room.

Aston cautiously eyes her. He first smelt her scent whenever walking into the house, but didn't know if it was truly her. Upon walking into the kitchen he realized his sister brought a friend home for dinner.

"Hey honey, " Alex makes his way towards his wife and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello dear, Mercedes was so sweet and brought home a guest for dinner. She got tired of the empty placement at the table."

He chuckles, "Of course she did."

Serenity's presence is finally noticed by Alex. A pretty thing she was. No wonder his son is so transfixed by her. He didn't voice any of this out loud. Just gave her a quick smile and acknowledged his daughter, "Mercedes a quick word in my office please."

"Yes sir." She follows him out of the room.

Mercedes knew better than to show any sign of disrespect towards her father. The two were never close and she just kind of did whatever he asked. After all, she knew he never wanted any girls.

"Aston, Serenity, make the dinner table for me would you?"

"Yes ma'am." Serenity was quick to respond.

"Must I?" Aston on the other hand had other plans, "I have a few things to get done before dinner time."

"Yes, you must. Show Serenity where the plates, cups, and silverware are."

He sighs and walks towards the dining room. Serenity follows after him. He opens the cabinet behind the dining table to reveal the dining ware. He takes out a few placement mats and hands them to serenity.

"I'm assuming you know how to set a table?"

She gives him a look, "yes. I'm not dumb." She begins setting down the placemats.

"Just making sure. It'd be rude of me not to ask." He takes out the big places and sets them down as serenity places the placemats down.

Once all the placemats were set she goes back into the cabinet and grabs the smaller plates, "it's even ruder to ask."

"Really?" He stops. "How so?"

Shrugging she moves past him and looks in the cabinet for the silverware, "you're a smart guy. Figure it out."

"Oh, you think I'm smart?"

"No, because that's not what I just said."

He holds up his hands in defense, "the silverware is in the kitchen along with the glasses."

She nods her head, "of course they are. I'll get them." She walks back into the kitchen.

"Finish setting the table already?" Des was back in the kitchen helping her mom get stuff out of the oven.

"Um, we need the silverware and cups."

Des stops and raises her eyebrows, "we?" She then looks over to her mom who turns off the kitchen sink.

"Yes, honey your brother was sent to help her fix the table." Eloise wiped her hands dry.

"Unbelievable."

Her mom holds up a finger, "I don't want to hear it. Grab the silverware and glasses and I'll grab the food."

Dinner was uneventful. Mercedes sat fuming the whole time and didn't even bother explaining why to her friend. Serenity sat awkwardly next to Aston. The adults drank red whine with their steak, asparagus, and mashed potatoes.

The wine made her remember that Aston wasn't a kid. Being 20, he's a full adult. In werewolf age, he was allowed to drink and smoke as he pleased. Meanwhile, she can barely leave the packhouse without being questioned.

Heck, she's not even an adult in human years. She's only 17. Her birthday was coming up soon though. If it the olden days she could possibly meet her mate once she's 18. This however was the future. Mates were rare.

"I should get going," Serenity stood up from the table interrupting small talk between Watson and his mother, "It's getting late I should really start heading back to the packhouse."

"I didn't notice how late it was," Elloise looks up at Serenity, "you are absolutely right. aston be a dear and walk serenity back to the pack house."

"I don't think that's needed mother. She's cable to get herself back in once piece."

"Yes I am more than able to walk back by myself." Sernenity stepped in.

"No no no I insist that my son will be a gentlemen and walk you back."

Des takes this time to huff. Stanidng up she puts down her cloth napkin down and leaves the room.

"Honey, calm down. I believe Serenity can manage to make her way back to the pack by herself right?" Alex takes his wife hand and looks over to Serenity.

"Yes, I will be fine its just a short walk."

Sighing Elloise gives up, "Okay darling if you insist. You are more than welcome back at anytime. Don't be stranger."

With the last few greeting Serenity leaves to the packhouse.

Whenever she got to the pack house everyone was already in their rooms. She crept up the staires to her room only to see the door cracked open and a light coming from inside. She may have not closed her door, but she knew for sure she had turned off her lamp.

Hello guys late update as per usual, but its a pretty long chapter.