War Claim (The Claim: Book 3)

Chapter 40 - Chloe

Chloe couldn't imagine mating with her mate so soon after meeting him. He was still a stranger after only spending a few hours with him. Mating was a huge deal, and not something to be taken lightly. A wolf's whole life changed after mating. Plus, they were still expected to return home so the one who was moving had time to pack their belongings and say goodbye to their friends and family. Leaving a mate so soon after mating with them would only add greater stress on the pair.

Ethan asked everyone to gather into groups of four of the same sex while they waited for Animkii to return with their room keys.

Five minutes later, they had sorted themselves. Chloe was with one of her cousins and two of her classmates when Animkii returned.

Standing in their groups of four, Animkii handed out the key cards, two to a group and instructed them to look out for each other since there weren't enough key cards to go around.

After going inside and settling in their room, Chloe and her cousin relaxed side-by-side on the bed they would later share while the other two girls hogged the bathroom to slather layers of makeup on and curl their hair.

"What do you plan on doing with your hair?" Chloe's cousin asked.

Chloe shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know yet. Guess it depends on how much time is left for us to get ready."

Her cousin smirked. "True. Though it's not like we have to be down there at five o'clock sharp."

Chloe tried not to be anxious, but the room was filled with the scent of it from the four of them. Who were their mates? Would they have to leave their pack or could they stay? What if their mate didn't like them or was disappointed in some way about them?

"You're lucky," Chloe's cousin whispered while the other two females talked together in the bathroom. "You don't have to worry about rejection. You have a second-chance mate ready and waiting for you."

Chloe's heart fluttered at that.

But did she want Animkii?

She still wasn't sure what the right choice was. That was why he was giving her space though, wasn't it? He didn't want to confuse her.

Who does that? She asked herself as she rose up from the bed to change into her dress. The other two females said they were almost done and Chloe only had half an hour to get ready now.

She slipped on her dress and went into the bathroom after the other two females left and quickly got to work applying some eye makeup and lipstick. She decided to pull her hair up into a messy bun and curl the loose strands that framed her face.

She stared at her face in the mirror. Her mother always said she looked like her father, but how could overlook the fact that Chloe had her green eyes? Her freckles? The natural copper highlights in her hair came from her mother. Chloe even thought she had her mother's nose and lips—and that wasn't mentioning the obvious that made all single young males stare and drool a little.

She was a combination of both of her parents and she loved it.

"You ready?" her cousin asked a minute later.

Heaving a sigh, Chloe said, "I suppose so."

"You look awesome."

Chloe gave her a wavering smile that widened as their eyes locked. "Thanks. So do you."

Leaving the bathroom, they discovered that their roommates had already left. They slipped on their heels and grabbed their little purses, and hurried out the door.

There were already two other females waiting for one of the three elevators. If it weren't for the fact that they were wearing three inch heels, Chloe would have suggested taking the stairs down. They were only on the fourth floor.

It took a minute of waiting before an elevator arrived. It was already nearly full so Chloe and her cousin let the other two females squeeze on and waited for the next one. Everyone must have been heading down to the banquet hall at the same time.

Chloe's cousin was tapping the toe of her shoes impatiently as they waited another full minute for the next elevator. It was almost as full but by the time they reached the floor of the banquet hall, they were packed in like sardines.

Everyone reeked of anxiety and now Chloe had a a dozen other anxious scents mixed in with hers. She and her cousin strode out of the elevator and down a hallway with a sign pointing to the banquet hall. They didn't need directions, they could smell the wolves, hear soft music playing, and the chatter of anxious voices trying to find their mates in the large and crowded space.

When they entered the large party room, her cousin inhaled deeply and exhaled with a groan. Chloe saw her pupils dilate as she flashed Chloe a big grin. "Sorry, Chloe. Gotta go hunt down my mate." Without looking back, her cousin disappeared into the crowd.

She stood there for a second, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked around. She took a deep breath in through her nose but couldn't smell anything of interest to her.

Swallowing, she began to walk slowly around, sniffing the air discreetly as she observed mates finding each other, being introduced to friends and relatives, chatting over glasses of champagne, throwing back shots of hard liquor, and snacking on appetizers that waiters served on silver platters as they wove gracefully through the crowds that hardly noticed them.

Where was her mate? Was he late? Was he even here at all?

A cold feeling of dread wrapped itself around her heart as she wandered around the ballroom three times before heading back to the entrance and taking a seat at one of the tables, watching the open doors for a male to walk in and catch her nose.

But as time wore on, fewer and fewer wolves dressed in handsome suits and beautiful dresses trickled in until the doors were closed and the lights dimmed and the music kicked up a fast-paced tune to get everyone on the dance floor.

Chloe's eyes stung as her heart squeezed in despair.

He wasn't here.

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