Fire And Ice

Chapter 74 - Winter Mate Ball

Natalia's P. O. V

I stared myself down in the mirror, searching furiously for any imperfections. My eyes bored into my reflection long and hard, and the girl in the mirror did the same, her glowing brown eyes digging back into me.

At a knock at my door, I started, pulling my eyes away from myself.

"Come in." I called, smoothing my already smooth dress with gloved hands.

Hailey walked in, wearing her own gown. It was a simple princess gown with long sleeves and a cold shoulder neckline, but the shimmering gold accents sprawling the dress from the hem of the skirt to the ends of her sleeves made it look simply divine. Her hair was piled atop her head in an almost messy updo that let her show off her elegant neckline and brilliant sun-shaped earrings.

She smiled when she saw me, a beam fitting of the endearment Timothy had given her: Sunshine.

"You look gorgeous, Ari! Every time I turn around, you get more beautiful." She took a long, proud look at my dress, "I really outdid myself this time styling you."

Outdid herself she had.

While her dress was a sweet princess dress, she'd dressed me to stun and kill. My dress was a figure-hugging mermaid dress with a train that trailed behind me by a few inches and a slit that went up to my thigh. Like hers, mine had accents that were condensed around the hem of my skirt and became sparser the higher they went, only mine were a brilliant ruby red. My dress was also off the shoulder, but without sleeves and with long opera gloves instead. I'd chosen to make my hair black, and it sat atop my head in a style identical to Hailey's.

A blush crept up on my cheeks and I smiled, "Thank you, Hailey. You look absolutely radiant."

Radiant was truly the word. She was beautiful on a good day but ever since she and Timothy had accepted each other as mates last week, you'd think they somehow swallowed the sun with the way they constantly radiated warmth and joy. Several pack members had joked about them being each others' sun with the way they revolved around each other.

Her smile grew wider, "Thank you. Now come on, let's go make your debut."

"Okay."

I spared one last glance at my reflection and followed her out, locking my door behind me.

As an Alpha, my assigned room had been separate from the others of my pack that decided to attend the Winter Mate Ball. Nine of us had come in total, the three girls sharing one large room and the four other guys split into two sharing rooms. As mates, only Timothy and Hailey had been allowed to share a room co-ed. Unfortunately, in a place full to the brim of Werewolves, many of which were searching for love, Kaesha had decided to stay back at the pack, keeping Kirstin company and taking leadership in our absence, and I'd seconded her decision.

I'd questioned Timothy's decision to come, being that he was still on the Lightwood's hit list. He'd argued that the one that had visited his pack was the Gamma, who was unlikely to attend the ball, according to Kirstin. Another point he'd presented was that killing was strictly forbidden on the Royal territory. I'd suspected that he had more unspoken reasons for attending that had less to do with our plans and more to do with Hailey, but I'd figured that even if he was somehow recognised, it'd only make them more eager to visit my pack so I allowed him, despite the risk.

Hailey informed me that the others had already joined the party as we emerged through the grand doors to the ball.

I'd never been to a Mate Ball before, but they were as grand as I would have imagined. Glistening chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, reflecting the golden light around the room. A live orchestra had taken up residence in a corner of the room, playing tones that you would most definitely hear in the background of a scene where the love interests of a movie finally reunite. There was a buffet lining one end of the ballroom, and a small cluster of tables for those that decided to do more eating than mingling.