The familiarity of my apartment back in Seattle was making me feel emotional.
It had been only a week since the last time I had been here, but this was actually the only place I could sincerely call home.
My beast was pleased of being back in our den too, she had missed this place as much as I had.
The faint smell of jasmine and iris lingered in the air, enveloping me in the familiar sensation of being home.

Home.

A word with thousands of meanings.
For someone home is a person, lover of family, whose touch make them feel safe, protected, loved..for someone else home is a scent, reminding them of meaningful memories.. for others home is an emotion, recurring and familiar...and then, for someone like me, home is a place.

My home had seen me at my best and at my worst. My paradise, my safe heaven, my den...my anchor of sanity in the last four years.
I cried in here, suffered, screamed, tugged at my strands, scratched my skin till it bled.
It was the only place where I could actually be my true self, very different from the Lara I presented to the world outside of these four walls.

I was so glad to be here. So glad that the arguments I had had with Hercules during the week were now momentarily forgotten.
Since the Gala was held here in the city, precisely at the Four Season Hotel, I absolutely wanted to prepare myself and spend the night in here, in order to be more comfortable.
In my opinion, doing what I had suggested was the most favorable thing to do, but evidently not according to Hercules.
He kept saying that, being each other date, it would be absolutely inappropriate for us to arrive there not together and that he would absolutely not allow me to fetch a cab when he was totally capable of driving me there himself.

Basically, he wanted to be the perfect date.

After countless arguments, threats, bared fangs and color-shifting eyes, he finally gave up, grumbling under his breath about "me being a stubborn ass female" and "how he would like to chop his brother's tongue off, as he always hoped for him to have a difficult mate".
I hadn't been able to refrain from snorting: Perseus couldn't had been more right than that.

We decided upon meeting directly inside, as I had to start my Gala night a little bit earlier.
I had to go through the disgusting task of kissing the investors' asses to obtain funds for my research.

So here I was, currently swearing because my eyeliner didn't turn out as great as I hoped.
Actually, It wasn't anything new.
I had never been much a fan of makeup, but only because I had never been good at it. I actually loved buying sparkling eyeshadows, deep colored lipsticks and other eye-catching items, but unfortunately I had never been able to properly use them.
Tonight, however, I decided to put a little effort in my attempts of doing an "impeccable" maquillage.

With a last stroke of my right hand, the wing of black eyeliner turned out passable.
Resting the devil's tool on my vanity, I studied my reflection in the mirror.
I had to say, I actually did a great job.
My makeup, despite being minimal, was captivating, complementing my skin tone perfectly.
Consisting in a light coat of highlighter, a thin line of eyeliner, few strokes of mascara and a nude shade of lipstick, my makeup was on point, enhancing my features enough without me running the risk of appearing fake.

Casting a glance at my watch, I saw that it was time to dress and catch a ride, as the event would start in forty five minutes.
Standing up from my vanity, I strolled through the bedroom, till I reached the front of my wardrobe where a garment bag was hung upon.
I opened the bag, exposing the beautiful dress I had chosen for this evening.
Its silvery fabric was thin and sheer, showcasing a lot of skin here and there, but my breasts would be hidden under crystals' and strass' embellishments, which were sparkling brightly under the light coming from the lamps in my room.
The skirt resembled a waterfall made of tulle and silk, cascading straight to the ground.
In addiction to its sheerness, the plunging neckline and the slit on the side were making it appear provocative, but the dress was too elegant and refined as a whole to be possibly referred as slutty.

It was truly the most beautiful garment I owned.

Hercules would probably suffer a stroke seeing me dressed like this, but I honestly couldn't give a damn. I was more preoccupied about Will's reaction, honestly: he would absolutely try to make a move on me tonight, but I was sure Hercules wouldn't appreciate that, not at all. I was silently praying that Will would decide to behave himself, but deep down I knew that he would do anything to try to pursue me.

Poor Will.

He had been clearly devastated when I rejected his offer of being my date for the occasion, looking at me with his chocolate orbs clouded by sadness.

But in the end, I was dressing up for myself, for my own enjoyment, and not for someone else, Alpha mate or human wannabe boyfriend.

Discharging my robe on the bed, I slid the soft and thin fabric of the dress over my skin, paying attention at not ruin the sparkling embellishments on the upper part.
Casting a last glance at my reflection in the mirror, I exited the room, picking up my black stilettos from the floor and my pochette from the bed.

Breath in, breath out.
You can do this, Lara.

To do list:
Smile, be polite, be charming.
Kiss the investors' asses and dance with them.
Stand Hercules' behavior.
Try to stop Will's attempts at hitting on me.

Not to do list:
Not get angry.
Not argue with Hercules.
Not rip throats off.
Not argue with Hercules.
Not snarl at the pigs who try to touch me.
Not argue with Hercules.

I was ready.

—-

The man in front of me was currently making me feel sick.

His small sunken eyes never attempted to leave my chest, eyeing me like I was a piece of meat.
I was masking my true intentions, such as claw out his orbs and make him eat them, by fake laughing at what he was saying.

God knew how I needed new funds for my research.
And Baldworth here was one of the main funders of our hospital.
Smile, be polite, be charming.

"Well dear, it seems to me that you are unfortunately alone this evening... and a beautiful woman like you should never be alone, don't you think? I will happily provide you some company.."

His bald head reflected the light coming from the huge chandeliers hanging from the roof and I focused my attention on their reflection to distract myself from the audacity of this man.
The golden band on his ring finger was not stopping him from offering his "company" to another woman.
Pig.

I smiled politely to him, while in my head I was now thinking about chopping his dick too.
"Your concern flatters me, Mr. Baldworth, but I assure you I am not alone. My date will be here shortly. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to arrive here together, but he is on his way."

I didn't see his reaction, because my eyes were suddenly caught by the slim figure of a brunette clad in a tight red gown strolling through the ballroom on the arm of a very smart dressed man.
Eliza and Adrian.
Thank God.

I excused myself from the company of such despicable man, walking in the direction where I saw them proceed.
I found them by the bar, Adrian in line to order their drinks and Eliza scanning her surroundings, studying the room and the people scattered inside.
When she spotted me approaching, she smiled brightly at me and patted her boyfriend's shoulder to catch his attention.
They both looked great tonight.
Eliza's petite and slim figure was valorized by a tight-fitting long-sleeved red dress that left her back completely bare, while Adam sported a tartan suit very well.

"Hey Lara! You look wonderful! I was just telling Adam how we chose two killer dresses for tonight!"

I smiled at her, bending down to kiss her cheek and give her a light squeeze.
"Hey Eliza. I am so glad you are finally here."
I turned to her boyfriend, offering him a smile and a kiss too. "Hey Adam. You look so Scottish tonight!"

He laughed, placing a hand on Eliza's bare back.
"Yeah, I wanted to stand out from the boring black/blue/beige suits we would find tonight, you know? Hey Lara, would you like something to drink?"

I groaned happily, closing briefly my eyes.
"Yes please. A glass of Prosecco will be fine, thanks. I need that shit if I have to stand other old men ogling at my chest and trying to get in my pants."

Both of them laughed, and Adam returned to his place in the line, leaving me and Eliza alone.

"Speaking of men.." she eyed me smugly, her  eyes full of mischief  "where is your date? You told me you had found one, but I don't see you on the arm of a man."

I rolled my eyes. Why would a woman always need a man by her side? We are perfectly fine only by ourselves too.

Before I could tell her that he was on his way to join me, a male voice interrupted me.

"Hey girls."

I turned to look at the newcomer, locking eyes with a very elegant Will, dressed in a dark blue suit and white shirt. He looked good.
Despite the greeting directed at both of us, his dark eyes stayed planted on me, taking the appearance of my body in.
I shivered uncomfortably under his persistent gaze.

"Lara, you look utterly amazing tonight."
He said, while flashing me his white teeth.

"Hey Will, thank you."
I considered about complimenting him too, but I quickly abandoned the idea. I couldn't encourage him with compliments, especially since I would make them with a friendly meaning and not in the way he would hope for.

"What were you girls talking about?"

"About Lara's date."
Eliza uttered swiftly before I could actually say anything else.
If gaze could kill, she would probably be six feet under.

Will expression quickly darkened and he cleared his throat awkwardly, tugging at the hem of his left sleeve.
"Oh..what about him?"

"I was asking her where she has hid him, since she is here alone."

Fortunately, Adam saved the situation, returning with our drinks, two glasses of Prosecco and one that resembled red wine.
I received my glass earnestly, taking immediately a few sips of the sparkling nectar.

"Hey Will!" Adam beamed " sorry for the drink, I didn't see you there!"

"Don't worry about it man. I just arrived."

Eliza sipped her Prosecco, before eyeing curiously the room.
"Hey guys, what do you say about mingling a little? I heard dinner is starting in 20 minutes and I would like to taste some of those appetizers before they vanish!"
Having had enough of horny old men for the moment, I happily agreed to her suggestion.

She and Adam went first, zigzagging through the crowd to reach the buffet table while I began walking in their direction with Will at my side.
Suddenly, he placed a hand on the small of my back, rather possessively if I had to admit.
I stiffened.
Through the thin fabric of my dress I could feel the heat of his hand and, just like the previous weekend, it didn't feel right.
Discomfort began creeping through my body, leaving me with the urge to rip his hand from my back.
My wolf rumbled angrily in the back of my mind, showing her fangs in warning: she despised the touch of this man, she despised his possessiveness towards us.

We were not his to claim.
We were nobody's.

He leaned towards me and a whiff of his scent reached my nostrils, making me wrinkle my nose in distaste. Too strong.

"You truly look amazing tonight Lara. I hope you will reserve a dance for me."
He paused, taking a deep breath.
"If you were my date tonight, I would have never left you alone, waiting for me, like yours did."

The desire to defend Hercules suddenly overcame me: little did this man know that I would have not been alone now if it depended on Hercules' will.
I opened my mouth to reprimand him, but we fortunately, or unfortunately, had already reached our destination. I took the opportunity to distance myself from Will, focusing on the delicious-looking appetizers displayed on the table.

I was occupied studying the various finger food and canapè the buffet was offering when a marvelous heat engulfed me from behind, caressing slowly the exposed skin of my back and my arms.
Chocolate and spices sized the air, concealing the smells coming from the food, and I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes to savor the moment, despite my best efforts at remaining unaffected.

He had arrived.

Hot breath fanned my neck, making goosebumps appear on my sensitive skin.
He was not touching me, but I could feel the sparks nonetheless, electricity humming in the thin space between our bodies.

"Let him touch you like that one more time and he won't have hands anymore."

His deep voice was not higher than a whisper, but full of promise nonetheless.
In that moment, I believed him. I knew that he was perfectly able to accomplish his threat.
When I felt his body heath slowly dissipate, I opened my eyes and turned around to face him.

Divine.

Dressed in a tight fitting black suit Hercules Thorne looked utterly divine.
From the black slacks cladding his long and lean legs, his slim jacket fitting his broad shoulders and the white collared shirt underneath, to the silvery tie adorning his neck, his suit looked like it had been sewed directly on him.
Adam had described black suits as "plain" and "boring", but there was nothing plain and boring about the man standing in front of me.

My eyes were shamelessly focused on his figure, taking him in from head to toe.
I was not the only one, though.
He was actually doing the very same.
His blue orbs were raking my body, not leaving a place untouched.
My skin was burning under his gaze, scorching like it was lit on fire.
When his eyes finally settled on my face, they resembled a raging sea, caging me in their depth, making me drown in their intensity.
No words were needed to understand that he liked what he was seeing. His eyes spoke for him.

A strange sense of pride settled in my body.
It was not coming from me, it was coming from my wolf.
She was rolling on her back, happiness and pride erupting from her: she enjoyed the power we had on our male, she enjoyed that our mate was captivated by us.

Damned beast, she was hornier than me.

His black hair were neatly combed back, his usual fallen strands tamed by a bit of hair gel.
His chiseled face was bare, the scruff I had seen him with yesterday completely shaved.

"You arrived."

Smooth Lara, very smooth.
Is this the best you can do?! Obviously he arrived, he is in front of you.

He smiled a little and nodded his head.
"Yes. Sorry I arrived a little bit later than expected, but there was an emergency back at the pack."

I frowned.
"What happed? Is everything alright? Is everyone safe?"

"Yes, Lara. Don't worry. Everything is fine."
He smiled and offered me his arm "Shall we?"

I accepted his invitation, placing a hand on his strong forearm. Despite the layers of clothes between our bodies, I was painfully aware of the heat coming from his flesh.
"Yes. Come, I'll present you to my friends and colleagues."

Eliza, Adam and Will were gathered by the end of the table, each of them enjoying some sort of appetizers. While the two men were showing me their backs, Eliza was the one facing the direction from where I and Hercules were approaching.
When she took notice of us, the shrimp canapè she was trying to eat fell back on her plate.
She studied Hercules from head to toe, mouth slightly hanging open.
Then, she turned her attention to me, smirking. She mouthed "he's so hot" to me, followed by a wink, and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't blame her though: he normally was but tonight was an exception, tonight he was devastatingly handsome.

When we were close to reach them, I leaned on his side, whispering "Please behave."

" You have no trust in me, Lara. I always behave myself."
I casted him a side glance, noticing how his lips were raised in a naughty grin.

When we joined my friends, Hercules' smirk quickly disappeared, replaced by a friendly smile. Such an actor.

"Hey guys."
Adam and Will turned at the sound of my voice, taking notice that I was not alone anymore. Useless to say, Will's cheerfulness quickly turned in annoyance.

"This is Hercules Thorne, my date."

I turned to Hercules, noticing how his gaze was now fixated on Will, who was squirming a little under his penetrating eyes. I elbowed him lightly and imperceptibly on the ribs to regain his attention.

"Hercules, these are Eliza Green, my colleague, Adam Lander, her boyfriend, and Will Defoe, another colleague of mine."

While I was presenting them, Hercules exchanged greetings and an handshake with everyone of them, finishing with Will.
When he offered him his hand, Will squirmed uncomfortably under the pressure of Hercules' strength.
The blonde retracted quickly his hand, stretching it a bit to regain the correct blood flow.

"So you are the famous date Lara have been waiting for all along."

Oh Christ.
Shut up Will, shut up.

I eyed him sternly, shaking slightly my head as a signal to stop his testosterone-inducted speech.
Hercules narrowed his eyes at him, eyeing the other man sharply.
Not a nice move to challenge an Alpha male.
I clenched my hand on his forearm in order to stop him from whatever he was pondering of doing.

"Not exactly. I am the soulmate."

Oh well, at least he managed to stay calm without lunging to Will's throat for the disrespect..

Wait...What?!
Did he actually say the word "soulmate"?!
God please, kill me now.

I widened my eyes in horror and turned to watch the reactions of my companions.
Eliza was looking at me smugly with an arched brow, Adam seemed on the brink of laughter while Will had a completely shocked expression on his face.
I elbowed my "soulmate" stronger on the ribs, masking the action by bursting out laughing.

"Oh he always makes me laugh! He has a very peculiar sense of humor, don't you Hercules?"

He watched me with eyes twinkling in mischief and amusement, but maintaining a serious facade nonetheless for our spectators.
Oh I dare you Hercules! I dare you to defy my words!

"No, I don't."

Don't argue with Hercules.
Don't argue with Hercules.
Don't argue with Hercules.

I repeated the sentence in my head like a mantra, trying to calm myself down. I couldn't possibly do anything now, but oh how he was going to listen to me once the evening was over.

While I was thinking about how to save the awkward situation, the sound of a microphone being tapped echoed through the room.
Fortunately, the attention diverted from us to the man now up on the stage situated at the bottom of the ballroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the dinner is about to start. Please proceed to the Dining Room, where the dinner will take place. Please take notice of your accommodation on the tableau exposed by the entrance. Enjoy your meal!"

Eliza clapped her hands together, bringing our attention back.
"Well, it seems like it's time to eat. Hopefully we will be all seated together!"

Hopefully not, if we wanted the evening to proceed smoothly.

We began following the flow of people towards the Dining Room, when Hercules leaned into me.

"See? Everything went well."

I slapped his arm and scowled at him.
He broke in a deep, throaty laugh.

So much for "behaving himself".
The night was still too long.
Too long to foresee what he had planned in that sharp and cunning mind of his.

Damned me and my lose mouth that had agreed to his proposition.

———-

Helloooo 😘
At the beginning, I had planned for the Gala to take only one chapter, but when I was writing I noticed how it was becoming very long, so I decided to split it in two in order not to bore you!

So.. what do you think about it??
Hercules and Will finally met...😏

As usual, if you liked it, please vote, comment and share!
xx
Kate
Ps: after I'll publish the next chapter, I will edit and restyle the previous chapters, because  some of them actually don't satisfy me much!