Chapter 07 #2
The distance of the lot of parked cars brought him some peace, momentarily.
It was totally unfair to assume Alpha Jaxom Bane would outright reject him.
Maybe it would be kinder for Drake to reject Jaxom?
That way, Jaxom could get a second chance mate.
It made more sense that way. Why cut off Jaxom’s chance for happiness?
If Drake did it himself, he’d never have to worry about a mate again.
He’d never choose to have a mate. He’d just bring them shame because of how slutty he’d been.
Well, he’d been force to be a slut, but Jaxom didn’t know that. The label still counted.
The afternoon was an absolute battle. Nervous energy pumped in his blood so he ran trails, endless miles trying to get his heart and wolf under control.
He finally gave up, washed up at the truck and changed into his nicer set of clothes.
His dad’s mom had taken him shopping for clothes for the ball.
She’d been hopeful he’d find his fated mate.
A pair of black slacks with a white button down shirt tucked in, and a light blue vest his Grammy said showed off his hazel eyes.
The reality was that he had inherited his Grammy’s eyes and her mischievous smile.
Chip said it was the first thing he’d recognized of his family in Drake, other than they could have been twins at the age of 16.
Chip’s parents, Gayle and Trip Loftus, had become an immense source of support.
They’d been the ones to really force Drake out of his shell.
They’d taken his angst and used it to help him see life really was worth living.
16 was way too young to give up on a future.
Grammy had constantly reminded him that two years of a life that could span 100 years was nothing in the scheme of things.
There was so much life to live. So, Drake pushed back his anxiety and got ready to see if he’d spend most of those 100 years with a mate, with Jaxom.
His wolf accepted Drake getting dressed for the ball as a victory in his favor. The grumpy jerk finally relaxed as they waited to see Jaxom again. Drake took a nap, promising to go to the ball and meet his mate. His wolf laid down to take a nap, too.
The evening settled in, drawing Drake out of a dream where Jaxom was smiling at him, his face lit up with joy as he held his hand out to Drake.
That damn dream made Drake want to curl up in a ball and cry.
That dream was the ultimate desire of Drake’s heart, to be wanted and needed.
To be loved by a mate so completely the past didn’t matter.
It broke his heart to realize he’d probably never see the fulfillment of that dream.
He finally trudged into the back of the ballroom.
He didn’t want Jaxom to see him just yet.
He needed a drink, nothing strong, just a little bit of liquid courage.
He could smell cinnamon rolls in the air.
It made him want, need to hold Jaxom in his arms. One kiss.
Just a kiss before the end. He'd remember that kiss for the rest of his life, if they even got that far.
The Single’s Ball was held at one of the Blood Moon Pack’s hotels.
They had built two hotels for the Winter Solstice Festival.
The mated wolves had their own ball in the other hotel.
The back of the ballroom had three large glass doors that opened onto a beautifully decorated patio.
It was cold outside but the ballroom was full of hot bodies so wolves were ducking in and out to get some fresh air.
The women were a beautiful bouquet of colors. They all seemed to have spent hours on makeup and hair. Drake could only imagine how much the dresses cost. Any man would be lucky to find one of these beautiful ladies to be his fated mate.
Cheers and well wishes erupted in the crowd. The lightly spiked drinks were raised in celebration as another couple had found each other in the swirling dance. Drake smiled as the guy led his blushing lady out of the chaos. She looked like the smile would never leave her face.
He didn’t know the two guys he was sitting with. They’d just grunted in acceptance of his sitting with them. With so many packs gathered for the festival, it was expected to be seated with wolves one didn’t know. The guys were quiet. They were content just watching the dancing.
There was safety in the corner, far enough from the dancing to see everything.
However, his wolf was fuming all over again.
He could see Jaxom dancing in a crowd of ladies.
He towered above the other dancers. A forest green button down shirt set off his broad shoulder and hugged his waist. Black pants and a brown belt completed the ensemble.
Jaxom could have been wearing a tablecloth and still would have outshone everyone there.
The girl he was twirling was actually a lot of fun to watch.
She clearly just wanted to dance and wasn’t there to be serious with Jaxom.
It’s the only reason his wolf didn’t attack.
Drake saw it the moment Jaxom caught his scent.
His mate stopped dancing, pulling away from the lady abruptly.
Drake could see Jaxom close his eyes and inhale deeply as he tried to track the source of the scent.
And then he was moving, pushing through the crowd to find his fated mate.
The urgency in Jaxom’s face hit at Drake’s heart. He longed for his fated mate, too.
Drake couldn’t stop his hands from shaking as Jaxom moved his way.
His heart beat in his chest louder than the drums of the music.
For a moment he considered bolting for the exit.
The legs of the table made him stumble as he stood up.
Intense dark blue eyes locked onto his, captured him and made him truly need for the first time ever.
He could drown in those eyes. They called him to trust. They promised they were his safety.
In that moment, Drake knew he'd never be able to reject Jaxom Bane. He was absolutely screwed.