Four

Chapter 4

Lucianna’s POV

The night of the Mapping Ball has come! I had few hours left to prepare and I spent most of the day inside my appointed room. There’s nothing to do outside, anyway. My body is asking for some sweat and work out but I’m not sure if I can use the training centers at the pack right now, nor where it is located.

Well, it is prohibited to cross those red borders so it's not like I can go anywhere. But damn, I wanted to lose some steam.

I tried calling Ashira but she’s not picking up her phone. I already talked to Mommy Len so I’m embarrassed to contact her again. My contact sums up to them, I guess.

Rummaging my small suitcase, I took the dress I will wear to the Ball later, flattening it to the bed. The guesthouse room contains essential tools like clothing iron and such so I started fixing my crumpled dress.

I bought this at a thrift store back at my pack and it still looked good as new, as well as the pumps.

Being an orphan and a pack fighter, it's hard to earn money. Most of what I have are from prizes I won to the She-Wolf Fighters Game.

Riiiiing!

I grabbed my phone and placed it between my ear and shoulder as I continue ironing my dress.

“Luce speaking!” I said in a cheery voice.

“How’s the second strongest pack?” said a familiar male voice on the other line. My eyes grew wide from realizing who my caller is.

“Dylan?!” I screamed!

“Hush, Luce. That hurt my ears!” he complained!

I screamed and turned off the iron, making sure it was far from my dress. I can’t risk ruining the only clothing I have for the ball!

I laid on my bed with a wide smile. “Why are you calling just now?! I haven’t heard from you since the Game!”

Dylan is a Beta of the Trivian pack, the third strongest pack of the North. I met him last two months ago when I joined the fighter game and he becomes my friend there.

“I am calling now.” he chuckled.

“You got my number two months ago, you idiot!”

Dylan laughed on the other line. “I’m sorry, I got busy. How are you doing?”

“I’m at Shadow pack right now!” I said with enthusiasm.

He paused for a second. “Why are you there?”

“For the Mapping Ball, duh. The same event will take place at Trivian, too, you know.”

He chuckled lowly. “Of course, I know. That is what made me busy. I was just shocked.”

I frowned at how disappointed he sounded. “Why?”

“I thought you will be my mate. I prayed for it, you know.” he laughed even though I can sense the awkwardness in it.

“Aw, Dylan…”

I’ve joined the fighter's game since I was sixteen. And I have been talking with Dylan when I come over his pack but only two months ago, he joked that he likes me. Or did I just thought it was a joke?

“You didn’t take me seriously, huh,” he stated.

“No! I mean, yes, I thought you were just kidding.” I pouted. My heart was pounding loud and that’s because I’m nervous. I never thought someone will romantically like me, I never experience this and it feels crazy!

“Just as I thought. Well, I’ll hang up now. Give me a call if you didn’t found your mate.”

“Hey!” I called but he turned off the call.

Sighing, I stare at the ceiling. I think Dylan is insane to like me, he will meet his mate. Whatever he was feeling will fade eventually.

I can’t even think of cheating with my mate even though I haven’t met him. Dylan is a nice guy, he was kind and too concern with me during my stay at their pack. But still, I’m after my fated one, not just affection or infatuation without a strong bond.

“Okay, Lucianna! Time to prepare for tonight!” I should shrug these thoughts and focus on my big day!

I stare at myself in the mirror. Hair = Check! Eyeshadow = Check! Blush and Contour = Check! Plump lips = Check! Dress and Pumps = Check!

I decided to put my hair up in a perfectly messy bun with loose strands on the side of my face. I don’t want my mate to have a hard time claiming me when my hair is all over the place, so I made sure he got easy access to my neck. On my eyes, a light smoky black eyeshadow and winged eyeliner made my dolly eyes a bit squinted. I colored my cheeks with a light rosy shade, not too much to scare anyone. My lips are normally full and bow-shaped and I used a light pinkish nude lipstick to avoid a battle between my eyeshadow and lip color.

I’m wearing a red, strapless tube long gown with sequins on the lower fabric. It is also backless, and I don’t care if I freeze in cold tonight, I wanted my mate to be seduced! The long gown hugged my body well and tight, and my curve is invisible through this dress.

“I think this dress will look even better with a slit…” I talked to myself. I’m 5’6” and my legs are long and round, it's a waste that I can’t flaunt it tonight.

Oh, well! I’m sure my mate will take me off this dress soon so no need for the slit, baby!

“Kyaaa!” I screamed as my face turned red from the thought of completing the mating process!

I’ve learned that after this ball, after my mate put his claim on me, it's normal to get on straight to the business and hit the home run.

Okay, I’m seriously flushing right now.

*Knock*

*Knock*

I went to the door and saw a smiling girl in a uniform when I opened it, she is smiling together with her eyes. I’m not sure if her eyes are open or not, to be honest.

“Good evening, Ma’am. I hope I’m not disturbing your preparation. I’m Maya, one of the guesthouse staff here.” her voice sounded stern, not matching her expression. I have a feeling that this person is not as friendly as she looks.

Still, I smiled. “Hi, good evening. You’re not disturbing me at all, is there something wrong?”

I don’t know why she approaches me since there’s an allotted time to head downstairs and get together before riding a vehicle to the Hall where the ball will be held.

“There is a change of time and we are asked to tell the guest to come to the lobby as soon as possible. Three van has left with the previous batch, only one van left awaits downstairs. I’m so sorry for this inconvenience.”

So the Ball will be held early and not on the schedule? And one van left-Holy f--Oh my god! I can’t be late! This is a huge problem if I’ll be left out!

“Sure! I-I’ll just grab my things and head down.”

“Okay, Ma’am. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“No, it's okay. Thank you, Maya!”

I immediately took my pouch and put the make-up I will use for retouch later inside it.

Why did they change the time? This is so sudden! It is a good thing I’m too excited and prepared myself early! I think there’s still an hour before the scheduled meet-up at the lobby.

“Oh! My invitation!” Oh my! I almost forgot my invitation! I won’t be able to attend the Ball if I don’t have an invitation with me!

Oh, no. Oh, no! I’m panicking!

I almost run to the elevator and my feet kept tapping on the tiled floor because of how slow the human box to escalate! Why am I on the last floor! Argh!

Oh, fuck! I’ll fucking run!

I went to the stairs and inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with oxygen that I know will leave my body later.

Oh, my thrift heels!

I took off my pumps and almost hugged them. I don’t want to judge the durability of this poor little thing but it's better to be safe than sorry.

With inhuman speed, I started running down the staircase of the emergency exit, slamming on every floor’s door, and boom! I reached the ground floor, huffing.

“Oh, there is one more here, bud!” said a guy in a uniform to the same guy who oriented us yesterday.

The serious-mysterious guy looked at me and arched an eyebrow when his eyes landed on the heels on my arms. I smiled sheepishly and started wearing the three-inch precious black pumps.

“H-Hi!” I said, trying to walk closer to the guy while putting on my heels. Struggling.

“You can sit down first and put it on,” he said, pointing to a chair nearby.

“I think I’m late. I don’t want to be a-”

“We will wait. Please take a seat first.”

“Oh, okay.”

I slumped on the soft couch in the lobby and wore my heels, making sure to lock the straps.

I muttered under my breath when I realized how unladylike I sat and the position I have now. I forgot to be prim and proper! Ugh! It’s hard when what I’m used to are man-clothes and boots!

 I immediately sat up straight, smiling at the guy who frowns at me.

“Come along.” he started to walk so I walk-run to keep up with him. The guy holds a piece of paper and he scanned it before asking me, “From which pack?” he looked at me with a poker face.

“Regal,” I said with a grin.

He cleared his throat. “That’s weird. The other girls from your pack told me there’s just three of them. Your name, please?”

My jaw dropped from what he said. Those bitches!

“L-Lucianna Withefield.”

How can those bitches gang up against me? I didn’t do anything bad for them to act like that! Fucking bitches!

“May I see your invitation? I need to confirm that you belong to the Ball,” he said as we stop beside the vehicle that will take the last batch of women to the Hall.

“S-Sure.” I handed him what he asked.

And now I’m under investigation because of those selfish, bully bitches!

Okay, calm down, Lucianna. This is your night. You will meet your mate tonight! Forget Leslie and her group and just hope that their mates are dead or away so they had to come back for the next year's Ball!

As for me, I never entertain in my head that I won’t meet my mate tonight. I will meet him! Claim it to have it, right?

“Okay. Here is your invitation. Hop in, the Ball is about to start by now.”

I paled and hurriedly went inside the vehicle. I felt some chills as burning eyes from irritated girls stab me in the back. They must be mad that I’m the last one who made it in.

Looking back at them, I gave them a wide smile though my lips were trembling from how awkward it is. They all looked away and I shrugged as the vehicle started to drive us to our faith.

“I think I’m gonna pass out!” says one of the girls inside the van.

“I know, girl!” another said with excitement then all of them started a whole conversation full of giggling and squealing.

I wanted to join, too!

But since they kept pretending I’m invisible, I couldn’t. I’m too familiar with this ambiance, the feeling someone has when they are being left out. I’m not that dumb to try and blend with them when I can sense the cold stare and treatment from these girls.

Sighing, I decided to focus on the Ball tonight.

As I remember from pack lessons about the Mapping Ball, the she-wolves will fall in line at the entrance of the venue. And one by one, the girls will move to the middle where the males can see them.

The one fated to them will move forward, having their wolf at dominance, uttering the one simple word but enough to make my knee turned to jelly just by thinking about it.

‘Mine’ That is what the male will say before biting on the females’ neck, putting his claim on.

I can’t wait for my turn! Just thinking about it makes me so dreamy that butterflies on my stomach are causing a stampede inside my system!

Male wolves sense their mate through scent and other senses while female wolves will only know theirs once the eyes met.

It's so magical! I will definitely look for mine in advance while being lined up there!

“Okay, girls. The Ball has started, follow the line.” the mysterious guy said when we reached the Hall.

Shadow pack’s Hall is much bigger than ours. And that’s understandable because the population here is bigger than the Regal pack. I was too amazed by the Hall and started walking slowly.

One girl bumped my shoulder and I almost stumbled but gained my balance back and looked at her.

“You’re in the way,” she said, not even complaining, and then moved on to walking.

“Gosh! We didn’t have the chance to watch the opening remarks of the Alpha because of that weirdo.” I heard one of the girls said to another.

Huh! It’s not my fault that they changed the fucking time, dumb ass!

I followed the line and my shoulder slumped from realizing one thing.

Great! Just when I’m ready to die from being excited, I’m the fucking the last one in the line!