Party
1736 Words
"Don't worry, when I grow up, I'm going to marry you."
Dane woke up with the same dream for the past 15 years. It's as if those are part of his lost memory due to his selective amnesia that he failed to recover until now. The little girl's face in his dream was hazy, and he could not figure out who it was. It's been fifteen years since he took over his father's position. He was only ten years old when the pack held him as the new alpha after his father's death. He goes through thread and needle during his reign, and the trauma he gets from childhood has caused him memory loss and until now, he's still undergoing therapy. Dane wanted to remember everything, but the more he forced himself to think, the more his head hurt.
He heaved a sigh and went straight to the bathroom. He got rid of his clothes and stared at the mirror. The scars caused by the person he once loved are still carved into his skin. Dane gritted his teeth, remembering how that person betrayed him. He gives her everything, but in the end, she still leaves. Starting from that, he vowed not to be trapped with a woman again, significantly not to fall in love. Love is poison— it can kill, burn and make people insane.
Dane opened the shower and let the water cascade on his body. He combed his hair with his hand as he remembered his beta's news yesterday.
"Alpha, the ex-Luna, gives us an invitation for her wedding to the alpha of the Sailor Pack."
He unconsciously punched the wall. That wench's face is as thick as the soil beneath. Where did he go wrong to be fooled like this? If the mated bond is strong, how come his mate betrays him and leaves him in just a blink of an eye? Why are women so heartless? For once, Dane let himself go through this one. He won't force himself to be tough, to act as if he is unscathed. Today he will tend his wounds, accept his defeat, and let himself grieve. No matter how much he denied it, that woman had been able to penetrate the walls he built. After all, she was his mate, and he had loved her. This will be the last time that he will shed tears for love, and the last time he will cry for that heartbreak.
Dane went outside after all his emotional battle in the bathroom. He had many things to be done this day, and there was no time for delay.
"Alpha, we had another invitation from the Red Howl Pack. There is a party later, at 6 PM. Everyone is invited, and they're expecting your presence," Antonio, his beta, muttered after he arrived at the training center for weekly updates.
For the past 15 years, Dane had never set foot again in the Red Howl Pack. Instead of wasting his time attending parties, he'd rather train and be one of the feared Alpha in Europe. But now, perhaps he needs to unwind and meet new people. His alpha duties sometimes choke him to the bone.
"Okay, we will attend," he replied after surveying all the warriors. Unlike his last visit, everyone seems to have improved now.
Dane closed his eyes as he inhaled the fresh air, and once he opened it. The gold exterior of the automated gate welcomes him. The Red Howl Pack never disappoints. Their place never goes old and out of style.
"It's been a long time. Welcome back, Lunar Pack Ruler," the robotic system scanner on the double automated door spoke as they made their entrance to the place.
Antonio was at his side as they made their way onto the crowded platform. Dane smoothly passed and went straight to the second head councilor, who was talking with someone. On his way, he unexpectedly hears gossip in one of the groups about the moon goddess's daughter. However, Dane knows that goddesses can't just descend into the lower realm, and it would be impossible for werewolves to be mated with a superior creature.
In front of the second head council is a fair lady that peeks his attention. Her beauty is so unlikely, and no one in the lower realm could match it. Dane swiftly moves, trying to get the woman's attention. After the second head introduced himself, he decided to butt in as though they were close.
"Dane Storm from Lunar Pack, milady...and you are?" he uttered. Dane notices the man on the right side of the woman who stares intently at him as if ready to kill him. He smirked, realizing that the man could be the woman's mate just by looking at his possessive expression.
"Selene from Silverling Pack," she responded. Dane raised his brows after hearing the pack's name. The Silverling Pack is one of the feared packs in the werewolf realm, and they are known to be ruthless, especially towards rogues.
"I heard so much about you, but I think those are just plain hearsays," he declared while getting a glass of wine from the wine steward.
Kia, the council head's eldest daughter, arrived after a minute or two. Kia appeared to recognize Selene's mate as they struck up a conversation right away. Dane grinned as he noticed Selene's attitude change, then she excused herself from the rest of the group as if she didn't like her mate chatting to another woman. Possessive.
He took a short glance at Selene's mate, but it looked like he didn't notice his mate's disappearance. Dane shrugged his shoulders and decided to go to the wine counter to get wasted. Surprisingly, he saw the woman before ordering some wine from the bartender. Dane doubted that the woman was a hard drinker, yet she ordered a hard drink.
"You drink?" he asked before sitting on one of the stools. Selene shook her head, "No, but I want to try," she responded while staring at the colorful drink.
"Will your mate be okay with that?" he added, which made the woman's face turn sour.
"It's my life, though." Dane laughed at Selene's response, which made the woman raise a brow. Jealous women are indeed amusing to watch. Her mate sure is lucky to have her—she is like everyone's dream girl.
"What's funny?"
"Nothing, just drink."
Dane ordered another glass of vodka. While Selene at his side just took the whiskey in one shot as though it was water.
"Do you know who's the girl Damon is talking to?" she asked while ordering an extra drink.
"Ah, that's Kia, the daughter of the head."
"It seems like they're close," Selene uttered bitterly while reaching for her drink. Two shots and she is drunk already. Dane couldn't leave the woman, afraid that someone would take advantage of her. Damn, where could this woman's mate be? Shouldn't he be watching his gorgeous mate? 30 minutes had passed, and it seemed like he was going to babysit another man's mate.
"Where's your mate? Why are you alone?" the woman asked after ordering another drink. It looks like the woman plans to get wasted, though her alcohol tolerance doesn't seem that high.
"She's dead," Dane replied after taking a shot. His mate didn't die, but to him, she was already dead. People who left him are considered dead. Once they cut ties with him, they become nothing but a mere memory from the past that he would not give value to.
"I'm sorry for asking," Selene replied. He wanted to burst into laughter as it appeared like the woman really believed that his mate had died.
"It's okay. She's not a good mate, to begin with," he chuckles, not wanting to recover his first reply.
"I heard you're the moon goddess's daughter. Perhaps you can give me one," Dane joked as he took another shot.
"Don't worry. I'll tell my mother," the woman responded, which made him bawl his eyes. It was just a mere joke. He didn't expect to get a weird answer from her.
"Are you kidding?" he asked, wanting to get a more apparent answer. Somehow, Dane thinks she is just drunk, and it was the alcohol effect that made her utter nonsense. It would be impossible for those rumors to be true.
"No."
"So, the rumor is true?" Dane asked doubtfully, and this time, he looked serious.
"Yes," Selene nodded.
Fuck!
He waited for the woman to say something like she was just pranking him, but she didn't. He was about to open his mouth when someone punched him, causing the glass to fly on the wine rack. While holding his chin, Dane glanced at his back and saw Selene's mate's raging eyes.
Shit! He was only watching his mate get drunk and yet what he got was a f*****g punch? What a problematic dude.
Antonio immediately appeared in front of him, "what happened, Alpha?" his beta asked while wiping the blood on his mouth.
"Some lunatic punched me, damn."
Dane stared at Selene's mate, who seemed like he still wanted to punch him while the woman said something. At this moment, he was still very calm, but that didn't mean he'd endure another unreasonable punch. He came to the party to drink, not to get into a fight.
"Let's go, Antonio," he exclaimed while massaging his temple. It appears like the vodka has had an effect on him already.
He began to walk away from the crowded hall. Not wanting to participate in the main event. Dane was about to take his exit together with Antonio when a woman with his fiery red gown suddenly bumped into him. He was so pissed off and ready to shout at the woman, but when their eyes locked with each other, he felt something different. A weird feeling of familiarity, as if he had known her already.
"I'm sorry, I was in a hurry. By any chance, are you going home?" the woman asked while staring at him, then at Antonio. Dane gets his cool and snobs the woman away, afraid that someone will punch him again. Dane knows every gorgeous woman has a possessive tail on their back.
"Waittt— I am asking. At least give me an answer!"
Dane took a short pause, "we're going home, satisfied?" he asked with a cold expression and walked away.
- Writer
