Entering the ballroom, the sheer size took me aback. It had looked like a simple one story building, but inside, it was so much more intricate.
Besides the enormous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, or the sheer magnitude of the room, it was bright and rich in design. The walls were a soft cream, yet every panel seemed to be lined with some kind of golden silk. Intricate designs swirled around each decorative panel, creating borders and styling throughout. Every so often, there were porcelain looking ornamental figures, some wolves, some people.
The roof was high, so, so high that if it had floors, it would be the same size as a two-story house. The roof was domed and if I squinted, I could make out depictions and images of wolves and humans painted across the ceiling. It was as though Michelangelo himself had been here and filled his bored days with art.
Lavish green and cream curtains hung from fifteen feet tall windows, draping elegantly into tie backs. The floor was a shiny creamy marble, polished to perfection. Couples were scattered throughout the entire room, with some even dancing to the soft music playing from a stage in the far-left corner.
Next to the band was a single curving staircase that travelled up to a balcony. At the back of the gold encrusted balcony, was another set of doors shielded by curtains. I assumed the Alpha was going to make some kind of royal entrance. It was only his second baby, so I wasn't sure why all the chaos was for a second babe. Plus, it was already like a month old!
"Okay?" Asra mumbled.
I swallowed, blinking back to my present and nodding softly at him. He bent down to kiss my temple, and I pushed myself closer to him. We trudged into the room, going around the edges so I could make sense of my surroundings. Asra remained stoic, his back straight and eyes scrutinising every person we passed. Most of them were preoccupied, and those that saw us did not approach and merely bowed their heads.
That was until we came to a person who turned around with a broad grin.
"Well, if it isn't my neighbour!" The man bellowed, patting Asra on the shoulder. "Asra, my friend, what are you doing here?"
"They invited me, Earl. What about you? I didn't realise they needed anymore knobs in this establishment. It seems well decorated." Asra quipped, quirking an eyebrow, catching me off guard.
The man, Earl, laughed. "Yep, suppose I deserved that."
I observed him as he turned to me. Sharp angular features with deep brown eyes, his dark brown hair had a burgundy flare to it, choppy and styled neatly on his head. He was as tall as Asra, if not a little more, with a fairly slim build. He was an alpha, or beta; I was sure of it, and when he took a step closer to me, I could smell his overwhelming stench of cologne.
"Well, I assume this to be Lady Asra." He grinned lazily. "My name is Earl, Earl Eastwood of the Eastwood Pack, and you are..."
My jaw tightened but Asra did not comment, leaving me a few seconds to introduce myself if I wanted to. This Earl seemed okay, a little boisterous, but Asra wasn't too bothered by his presence; just his normal amount.
"Ailia, nice to meet you." I outstretched my hand.
He beamed, clasping my hand in his own before pulling me closer to plant a kiss to my cheek. I blushed, taken aback by his approach, but he didn't linger, releasing me with a broad grin.
"I never thought I would see the day that Asra claimed a female." He stated. "I must say, mate-ship looks good on you."
Asra shrugged his compliment off, looking down at me with a calm expression. "Earl is the neighbour of my old pack. He and my family go back a few centuries."
I nodded gently, suddenly wanting nothing more than to get this man to answer my questions. I wanted to know more about Asra as a child, and by the sparkle in this man's eye, I knew he had many stories to tell.
"So... you knew Asra before he was an alpha?" I wondered.
He grinned, picking up my direction of the conversation right away. "Sure did. We often crossed paths growing up. He was such a mummy's boy."
"Was not." Asra scowled.
Earl chuckled. "Please, she was the entire reason you learnt to cook and bake. I still remember the first batch of scones you made, as solid as your damn head."
Asra rolled his eyes. "Don't you have a whiskey bar to lose yourself in? Or perhaps find your mate?"
Earl snorted, patting him on the shoulder once more. "Sir, yes, sir! Nice to meet you Ailia, look after this one for me, yeah?"
"Of course," I smiled softly.
Earl shot me a wink before disappearing behind us. When he left, I looked at Asra with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head with a smile, taking my hand.
"Earl is a friend, almost like a cousin. A very annoying one." He grunted.
I giggled as we continued to walk around the room. The head couple wasn't here yet, and I assumed their grand entrance wasn't far away, considering the room was full now.
A server passed us by, and Asra summoned them with a click of his fingers. I scowled at him, noticing the male server come running to us. Bowing before us, with his arm outstretched, he held a silver tray with champagne glasses on them. Asra took two from his tray with a soft grunt and I tutted at him.
"Thank you," I told the obviously human server.
He straightened his spine, staring at me with curiosity. But without another word, he turned and left us to hand out the rest of the drinks. Asra passed me a glass, raising his eyebrows at me.
"Don't give me that look. A lot of powerful people may surround you, but you still use your manners." I scolded him.
"I know, I apologise."
I huffed, wrapping my fingers around the stem of the drink and taking a sip. My lips curled with distaste, the sudden shock of champagne assaulting my tongue.
"It gets better after the first couple of sips." Asra chuckled.
"If that is the case, why is there so little in the glass?" I muttered, taking another sip.
"Why, that is because it makes it more pleasant to sniff." An unknown voice interrupted.
I spun around, surprised when whoever it was trailed their fingers down my bare spine.
Asra grumbled lowly at my reaction, and I frowned at the strange man who dared to touch me.
"Benjamin, didn't know you were coming tonight." Asra growled.
Benjamin grinned. "I am an alpha."
"Yes, but you stay away."
"Well, sometimes curiosity kills the cat." He smirked, glancing at me.
I shifted my feet, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. The man wasn't tall or intimidating by any means. His darker skin tone shone with a fine bead of sweat, a scruffy, thick beard coating his jaw. His hair was black, his eyes a deep brown, and I wondered where he was from.
Asra growled again, pushing me behind his body slightly so half of me was hidden. It only caused Benjamin's smirk to widen before he laughed sharply.
"Always so defensive, Asra." He mused. "I often wonder why I have not taken your pack over yet."
"Because I am stronger than you and you know it," Asra snapped.
"We shall see about that," Benjamin sang. "Care to introduce me to your human?"
I glared at him, his eyes wrinkling with amusement. Looking around, I noticed we had attracted a few gazes and Asra must've too, because his back was tense. He held me tightly to his side, his jaw working overtime as he fought back his anger. I laced my fingers with his, and I squeezed his palm with encouragement.
"This is Ailia, my mate. Ailia, this is Alpha Benjamin." Asra grumbled.
I assumed he was a territorial alpha because he was not that powerful. Asra, however, seemed to have a problem with him.
"Pleasure, Ailia." Benjamin smirked, holding out his hand.
I gave him a faux smile, unfortunately taking his hand in my grip. To my surprised disgust, he lifted my hand to my his face and kissed the back of it. He held it there too long for my liking, sniffing it as I pulled it away.
"If ever you need a decent man, you know where to find me." He grinned.
My nose crinkled. "You know of a decent man?"
"Yes," He mused. "Me, the better alpha."
Two can play that game.
"I think you need to find a key and check yourself out of whatever fantasy hotel you live in." I scowled.
His eyes widened, and I heard various shocked murmurs come from the observers. Benjamin's grin dropped into a frown, and he shook his head.
"They said you were mouthy. I couldn't quite believe such beauty could speak so out of turn."
Who was they?
I glared. "Sometimes people have to be put in their place, Alpha."
He clicked his tongue, scowling down at me before looking at Asra. "Your female human is out of line."
"My luna can speak her mind." Asra stated. "She is free to speak."
He growled, eyes darting frantically between the two of us. "Modern society, ready to doom the hierarchy."
Benjamin turned without another word, scoffing as he flicked his suit jacket to the side. His hand dived into his pocket as he weaved his way through the crowds, ego bruised and face a picture of disgust. I couldn't care, too annoyed by his presence to care that I spoke too boldly.
"Who is he really?" I muttered.
"An alpha who believes I don't deserve to be a continental alpha." Asra grumbled.
He pulled me closer, wrapping his hand around my hips. My palms fell to his chest, and I diverted my gaze back to his face. He was staring down at me with a drained expression and I smiled softly, lifting a hand to caress his cheek.
"You deserve everything you have earned." I promised him.
He thanked me, kissing me softly. Before we could talk any more, the music stopped, and the room fell to a quiet hush. We were at the back of the room, in the centre, and wrapped in each other's embrace. Turning my attention to the front, I saw a male standing at the top of the balcony and took a large sip of my drink.
"May I introduce to you all; Alpha and Luna Augustus Black and their son, Leonardo Alexandar Black." He announced.
The room fell into a soft murmur before the grand doors opened. Augustus Black stepped through, his face holding every piece of intimidation I expected him to show. Beside him was his Luna, and in her arms was a soft white blanket encrusted with gold embellishments. You could only see the side of the baby's face, but it was enough for everyone to pay attention.
"Thank you all for coming here tonight. I welcome you to my home." Augustus announced. "We as alphas have nothing more than our power and our legacy, and I present to you my first son, Leonardo. The future alpha of Wolfram."
Nothing more? How sad for them.
The entire room erupted with a soft cheer and slight howls of welcome. I clapped alongside them, but a frown marred my face when I paid attention to what he said. Leonardo was his second child. I thought the first child was usually alpha?
Asra turned to me slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Their first was a female. Their assumption is she will be non-alpha."
I didn't know he was on my mind. My head didn't even ache.
My frown deepened, but I nodded once, turning my gaze back to the balcony. Their daughter didn't get the gene. It was a common thing, but also highly sexist to assume.
"Please, dance, eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves." Augustus gestured with his arms and dismissed the room.
I licked my lips with nerves, grabbing another champagne from a nearby server. They didn't even notice, continuing their walk through the crowds of people. Asra chuckled softly at me, taking my empty glass and placing it on another server's tray as they, too, passed.
Sipping from my glass, I looked around, but I drew my attention back to the balcony. The alpha and luna were descending the stairs, but it was the male at the doorway that caught my gaze. He was dressed in a formal suit, his hands clasped before him, but it was his features that threw me off guard.
I couldn't quite see his eyes from here, but I could tell they were pale. His face was soft, a broad grin on his face as he followed behind the alpha pair with a woman to his right. My tongue barely tasted the bubbles that travelled across it, too distracted to form a coherent sense.
There was something about this man that attracted me, but I did not recognise him.
Not his face, not his eyes, nor even the soft smile. But the hair...
That vibrant, wild hair that I saw every day in a mirror... That had something in my stomach twisting.
*********
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH
also, filterless, drunk, ailia incoming