Bound to the Alpha King

25 - The Mating Ball

Ivy's POV

I have never seen so many people in my life.

I'm currently backstage in the ballroom, looking out into the massive array of people that have arrived for the mating ball. The room is aloud with commotion, laughs and conversations alike. The teams assigned to get me ready escorted me here before I even had a chance to see where anyone else was, including Nathaniel. He's nowhere to be seen yet in my field of view.

I'm fully dressed in my ballgown, as I decided against getting another dress after all since this one is literally perfection on me now that it was tailored. My coppery red hair has been curled and piled neatly atop my head with some loose strands to frame my face. From what I got a look of my makeup, it was black and smoky, bringing more emphasis to my bright green eyes. It's the most I've been dressed up, and it feels so awkward. Unfortunately, it's necessary for this type of event.

As I'm looking out in the crowd, things quiet down suddenly, as I see Nathaniel's mother Daciana come up onto the stage and is handed a microphone. She speaks out to the crowd then, her bright voice echoing across the room, amplified.

"I would like to welcome everyone here from the Red Moon, Crystal Moon, and Twilight Moon packs to the annual mating ball. We are happy to have you all here in the hopes of you finding your true mates and we wish you all the best tonight. Firstly, we will be starting with some entertainment before we get to any mate pairings. She will be performing a few times over the evening tonight, and some of you may already know her from her performances at our local hangout, Iron Wolf. Please welcome Ivy from the Red Moon pack!"

There's a good amount of applause and hollering that ensues after she introduces me, and then it's my cue.

Time to kill it!

Nathaniel's POV

My mind races and my jaw drops when I see Ivy emerge on stage. I didn't see her after we had separated to get ready for tonight but am I ever glad I didn't see her before now. I mean she's beautiful the way she is, but done up like this?

She's exquisite.

The gown hugs her frame perfectly, with her fiery hair alight from the stage lights, making Kiba growl in enjoyment in my head.

Mate looks delicious. I hear Kiba say, and I wholeheartedly agree with him.

"She looks so good!" I hear someone say beside me, and I turn to see Kane and Genevieve, both looking at Ivy and smiling. Genevieve is in a long blue sequined gown, and Kane is in an all-black tux ensemble quite like my own. Genevieve then turns her attention to me. "Nice to see you, Alpha." She says as she does a short bow of respect.

"Likewise, how have you both been?" I ask and they look between themselves, and I see Kane nods briefly at Genevieve and then speaks. "To be honest, it's been a little rough since you left, Alpha. Cole wasn't much a fan of Ivy coming here early with you, as you know so he took it out on some of the other pack members verbally over the past week. But other than that, it was just what our normal is."

I frown slightly. "I'm hoping to change your circumstances when I become King, I hope you know that." I say quietly, and they both nod. "It would be greatly appreciated Alpha, especially for Ivy." I expected there to be some backlash from me taking Ivy and not giving Cole much of a choice about it, but honestly, as much as I wanted to annoy him, I didn't want it to be at the expense of others.

I'll have to investigate Red Moon a little more when I've got the time. Get the pack history and try to understand why this immature Alpha thinks he can run a pack this way. I spot Cole not too far from where we are, watching Ivy like a hawk. Who does this guy think he is?