Amalthea's POV I stormed out of the ballroom as I suddenly felt suffocated. I walked towards the gardens, a place which had now become my place of refuge within the pack and asides from my bedroom. My heart beat loudly in my chest and I couldn't help but wonder if I was over thinking it, it all felt too much.I took a seat on one of the benches which kept me well hidden and out of sight as I recalled Nic and Mikayla swaying together to the music and the way he tightened his arms around her when she fell on him and it struck me.Were they in love? Was that the reason Nic didn't want me as his mate because he and Mikayla already had something going on?It would make a lot of sense as to why Mikayla didn't like me when I had arrived in the first place and why she was protective of Nic. What I couldn't understand though was why Nic would need a breeder in the first place if I was right about everything else."I don't know what it is you are thinking about but I can almost hear the wheels
Nicholson's POV "What was that?" Callum inquired as he slid up beside me."Where have you been?" I growled as I shot my head back and downed my whole glass of wine."You are deflecting." He noted and I turned to him."I am not." I retorted, ignoring the suspicious look he threw my way."I saw you dancing with Thea," Callum commented after a second and I merely hummed in response."You two look good together," he commented."What exactly do you want to say, Cal? Just spit it out," I growled, tired of beating around the bush with him."Okay, frustration... that's never a good sign," he raked his fingers through his hands. "Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it. You looked the most peaceful than you have for the past few weeks when you held Thea in your arms a few minutes ago. You looked like you wanted to devour her and take care of her as though she was a porcelain doll, all at the same time." He informed me."She clearly affects you Nic and I know the curse is holding you back
Amalthea's POV I struggled through the throng of bodies on the dance floor."What happened to Jade?" I asked as I stopped in front of Nic."I don't know...I think she just found her mate and she ran," Nic informed me and my eyes bulged."I thought she already found her mate but he betrayed her?" I questioned as I remembered the first conversation I had ever had with Jade."She did...I think the moon goddess gave her a second chance at love," Nic retorted as he stared at me intently."Stop looking at me like that," I muttered as I looked away from him."Like what?" His deep voice was like a caress over me."It doesn't matter anyways," I retorted."I'm going to find Jade," I informed him as I tried my hardest to flee from his domineering presence as fast as I could."I don't think that's such a great idea," he stopped me as his hand gripped my wrist. Sparks began to swirl around us just like eve
Jade's POV "Callum really went all out," Thea muttered as we walked into the ballroom and really I had to agree with her.The once dull and forgotten ballroom had been transformed into something magical."Really I wasn't sure he was going to pull it off," I replied as I scanned the brightly lit room. "Is my mask in place?" Thea asked as she turned to me. Callum had wanted to give the gala a little spice and had opted for a masquerade ball instead, everything honestly looked like something straight out of a movie. "Yep, it's perfect." I said as I adjusted Thea's black mask which complimented her midnight blue gown. She looked so pretty and as we walked, eyes turned."I think I'm seeing why Cal opted for a masquerade...it adds to the allure and there is a certain freedom that comes with being masked and unnamed." Thea giggled as we walked towards a corner, watching the few couples on the dance floor."An orchestra...fan
Nicholson's POV "Are you serious?" Frederick stared at me in disbelief."Unless you don't want it anymore that is," I arched a brow at him."No, no...I mean I do want it. I was just caught off guard because honestly, I didn't expect you to help." He revealed."Yet you didn't leave my pack," I pointed out flatly."A man can hope," he retorted with a shrug."Or were you hoping on something else?" I asked as I assessed the man whose face went blank before understanding dawned on him."Thea has made it very clear nothing is going to happen between us and she won't be returning to my pack with me," Fredrick informed me and just like that the constant tightening I felt within me ever since Fredrick arrived at my pack loosened but I kept my face stoic."Why are you telling me that?" I inquired."I thought you'd want to know." He shrugged."The first day when I saw Thea, I saw the way you looked at her. I told myself I was just over thinking it but when I spoke to Thea and I heard the way
Amalthea's POV "Today was fun," Fredrick commented as he swung our picnic basket in his hands as we walked back to the pack house."It was," I affirmed. I hadn't been expecting to actually enjoy myself or have fun when Jade had told me she had invited Fredrick to join us for our picnic. A part of me was relieved when she revealed it would just be three of us and Nic wouldn't be joining in. I imagined how awkward it would have been if Nic was present."Have you made any headway with Nic yet?" I questioned."He hasn't told me a thing since yesterday." Fredrick revealed."And he made it perfectly clear I couldn't rush him into a decision so I'll just have to wait," he added with a shrug."I guess Jade and I would just have to keep you busy till then," I teased. I marvelled at how easily I could forgive Fredrick and how we fell back in sync with each other as though the last few months hadn't happened. A part of me remembered when I