Alpha Loren

October 31st

After dragging the boys back to the car, Allison dropped me home.

A few hours later, I was stood the piano again.

"Arms up," Leo said before slipping the dress over my head trying not to ruin my hair. When it was on he carefully putting a diamond necklace around my neck. "Don't lose this. It's probably worth more than this entire house."

"I'll try not to," I said before Leo took his tie out the glass case. He was already wearing his black suit and white shirt. I watched him put it around his neck and tie it perfectly neatly before flattening the collar. 

"Ready?" he asked looking at his watch. "The rest of the guests should have arrived by now."

"Wait. I don't have any shoes on," I said sticking my foot out of the long dress.

"Oh shit shoes," Leo said, "I forgot about shoes."

"You don't have any?" I asked.

"Do I have any ladies ball shoes small enough to fit you...?" he asked, "Um, no?"

"Well you had a fucking dress," I replied.

"Do you have any shoes?" he questioned.

"I have my old converse," I suggested, "That's it."

"You know what the dress is long, no one will know," he said with a shrug.

"Yeah and I can't even walk in high heels anyway," I said.

"It's fine."

"Totally fine."

A few minutes later, Leo was stood in the doorway holding my converse by the laces with a grimace on his face.

"These are disgusting?" he said looking at the mud and rips all over them, "Remind me to get you a new pair."

I slipped them on and he looked me up and down, "You can't even tell," he concluded."

I smiled and rocked back and forth, my feet incredibly comfortable.

 "You've gotta act like a lady tonight," he said.

"A lady?" I asked.

"No cursing, no burping, no sarcasm, no slouching etcetera," he said.

"Yawn," I said. "And you know I can't control my sarcasm."

"This is your first official public appearance as Luna in the pack and most of them are yet to even see you so it's important that you make a good impression," he explained. 

"Good impression? Fuck that," I muttered. "I don't care what people think of me."

"You're Luna, Ells. You need to please the people for the benefit my rule," he said. "And it's just one night that you have to pretend to be a charming elegant creature. Then you can go back to...whatever this is..."

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Rude! And I've never been to a ball. I don't know how to be elegant and charming."

"No cursing, eye-rolling, slouching, sarcasm etcetera," he said, "Just be polite, smile and for the love of the Goddesses, don't chug the champagne."

"Whatever," I said, "But I've never tried champagne. I might hate it."

"You've never had champagne?" He asked.

"Poverty, Leo," I replied, "Heard of that?"

Just then the doorbell rang.

"That will be our ride my lady," Leo said holding one hand out and tucking the other one behind his back, "Tonight you are my Queen and I will ensure you first taste of champagne will be the word's finest."

"Why thank you Sir," I said curtsying before taking his hand. 

When we opened the door there was a man in a tuxedo waiting.

"Alpha, Luna. Your car awaits," He said nodding. 

After I had crammed my dress in the back seat of the car, which looked like something the Queen of England might own, we began our journey.

It wasn't long before we reached the building the ball was in. The car pulled up in front of it the sound of an orchestra and a lot of chatter hit my ears. 

"Remember back straight and be polite," Leo said as he helped me out the car and lead me to the huge wooden doors. The door men bowed to us before opening them revealing the huge ball room. There were 8 symmetrical chandeliers lining the incredible high ceiling that needed pillars as thick as rooms to hold it up. People were everywhere. Every man with a neat suit or tuxedo and every woman with a long ball gown and beautiful hair.  There were balconies all around acting as a second floor with even more people. Butlers were handing out platters or wine and champagne whilst the band we had heard from outside played for people dancing on the vast dance floor each with a mate. Giant bouquets of flowers decorated the room along with incredibly long curtains reaching from the ceiling to the floor. The whole room was so big I could scarcely make out the other side, but I didn't have much time to. After we had been stood at the entrance for a few moments the two door men had whipped out trumpets from somewhere and started to play some kind of royal sounding fanfare. Silence immediately swept across the room and every face turned to look at us. 

"Signore e Signori i leader di questo grande branco: Alpha Leonardo Loren e la sua Luna Ella Jones." One of them announced in Italian. I was starting to pick up the language in this pack. I had always been quite good at languages at school. 

I didn't understand all of it at the time but it was somewhere along the lines of 'ladies and gentlemen your leaders of this fine pack: Alpha Leonardo Loren and his Luna Ella Jones'.

Leo smiled charmingly to the crowd as he stood tall and confidently. Everyone looked upon him in silent admiration and I tried to follow his lead but felt the embarrassment of this much attention sear red across my cheeks instead.

Without a word, he then stepped forward, his arm still through mine to the middle of the hall. The dance floor cleared and then I realised what was going on. My eyes widened and I looked up to Leo who had a reassuring look on his face. When we were in the centre of the dance floor, Leo stopped, placed one hand on my waist and with the other held mine in the air. Naturally, I reached up and placed my hand on his shoulder. The orchestra then began playing and Leo began to guide me around the dance floor. Why don't we just add dancing to his list of talents? I hadn't a jiffy in a jaffa how to dance but he led and I just followed his steps and it felt completely natural. After the dance was over. Leo kissed my hand and turned to the vast audience which I had been trying not to think about. They all applauded civilly.

"Let the ball begin!" Leo boomed no need for a microphone.

"Didn't know you could dance," I said once the dance floor had filled with other couples and there wasn't as much attention on us.

"I didn't know you could dance," Leo said in response. "Come with me, there's some people you need to meet."

I nodded my head and let him guide me through the crowd which was splitting for us anyway.

Eventually, we reached a cluster of men gathered in a circle. 

"Good evening Leonardo," One of them said. He looked around 60 yet still tall and muscular. Around him were two other men and one of which was Antonio.

"Ella, here we have the previous three Alphas of the pack.  My Father, Antonio, as you already know, my Grandfather Francesco Loren, my Great Grandfather Marcello Loren and My Great Great Grandfather Lorenzo Loren."

I tried not to say anything unladylike but Lorenzo must have been bloody old. At least 100 if there were that many generations below him. But despite his age, he still stood tall and strong.

"A pleasure to meet you all," I said politely nodding my head.

"A pleasure to meet you too. Leonardo is very lucky to have such a beautiful young Luna," Said the one I remember to be called Marcello.

"So tell me, Leonardo, How long will it be until I am a great x3 Grandfather?" Lorenzo, the oldest said. 

I saw Leo's jaw clench slightly.

"He's certainly not rushing it," Antonio said half jokily but with an underlying seriousness.

"Soon enough Lorenzo," Leo said placing his hand on my back.

"Good to hear," Lorenzo replied.

"And what about the pack-" Marcello started to say, but something caught my eye and I completely lost interest. 

By a golden spiral stair case was Max, but that's not who I was looking at. It was the women next to him. She looked just like my mother, same dark hair and tanned skin. Even her eyes were the exact same shade of dark brown. She looked a little younger than her though, maybe 25-ish. She had a slim fitted sophisticated dress on that matched her diamond necklace and hair pin. Leo was still forcing himself to be civilised with my new in-laws, but I wasn't in the slightest bit interested. A hidden sadness lay in this woman's eyes. It reminded me of my mother the years after Dad died. I looked over to Max, he had taken her by the arm and was leading her away from something that she seemed to want to go towards. I tuned my ear into their conversation.

"You have no right to manhandle me this way, Maximus. You are not my son," She said breaking away from him.

"You're right, Maddison. I am not your son, I am your nephew and since you don't have any sons yourself I see it as my duty," Max growled in response.

"I don't have any sons because your father forbade me to be with my mate," She said. 

"Then you have him blame," Max responded bluntly.

years, yet I have had one conversation

does not end up with a man from that wretched family, so that is what

remaining sister? Mara is not dead even now," Maddison responded. Mara? Mara Jones was my mother's

him," Max spat ending their

looked back across to

alright Ella?" Leo

with Max. She's my Aunt isn't she?" I

sister Maddison. Ever heard

an only child. Turns out she has a brother, sister and a nephew,"

nephews actually. Max has three younger brothers,"

I asked not even surprised to hear about

best. There's a lot of complication in Milo's

sisters to

"Yes, mainly that."

minute or two. She's my aunt and I have never

bit," Leo said and we made our

evening, Alpha," Max said bowing his head, "Good evening, Luna," he

my Aunt I believe," I said attracting Maddison's full attention. She had been looking over in the same direction she had been when

"Mara's daughter, isn't it?" She said

is Ella," I

 "You look just like your father. None

is the one with our mother's

yes I remember. How old are you both now?" Maddison asked

18 and

since I last saw your mother. I

is," I answered half lying. "Since my father died, she hasn't been the same, but she seems to

how she is myself," Mara said a sad look on her face like she knew that that would never happen. I didn't know why and I

it been a shock coming to this pack?" She asked me, changing the subject as we wandered across the room to a butler serving champagne. Max and Leo walked behind listening

I didn't know I had four cousins and an Aunt,"

doesn't surprise me that Mara never told you. She was ashamed to be apart of a family that would rather keep a young girl from her mate than lose a little bit of reputation," Maddison said clearly directed at Max. "I used to wish I

acting like I hadn't

haven't spoken to him once though. Milo didn't approve and now his son doesn't

awful. Why not?" I said

Tobias Jones," she

"My Dad's brother...,"

out from behind and took her arm, pulling her

should be going," Max said

pulled Maddison a little more forcefully. She forced a smile and nodded to

Max won't let them talk to each other?" I said turning to Leo in the hope he would

a repeat of Mara," he

here?"

looking at. By the golden stairs was a tall man in about his early thirties. He looked a lot like my Dad did. Touselled blonde hair and a stubbly beard. Scruffy, but not in a disreputable way. He wore a smart suit but he hadn't bothered to tuck his shirt in properly and his tie was loose. He stood out in the way he stood slouched

once, but when I was really

don't see why not"

said nodding as we approached. He unfolded his arms and stood up straighter before setting his eyes

only daughter," Tobias said with a bow. "Still as beautiful as ever I see. The last time I saw you was 14 years

do. Only vaguely though," I

two for a moment," Leo

your mother?" Tobias

well," I responded,

mate, I know that better than most," Tobias said taking a swig of his champagne and looking over to Maddison who was dancing with Max the same pained expression on her face.

are nice to me...mostly," I said thinking

you're about the only Jones that can say that. We don't

you go and talk to her?"

with the pain of not being with her, but at least I have a glimpse of her beautiful face once in a while to comfort me."

sighed in pity. "I'm so sorry. If only

my shoulder. "I'll be fine and I'm glad to see my niece doing so well," he then looked at Leo who was now on the other side of the room and brought his lips closer to my ear. "Your Dad would turn in his grave if he knew who you ended up mated

and I couldn't

Goddesses must find it amusing to challenge us with the most unsuitable or impossible mates. How long ago did you find out

before but she wasn't old enough for the mate bond to be present. When she finally turned 17 I was 25 and Milo immediately banned us from seeing each

understand why Maddison doesn't run away like Mara did,"

Max's little prisoner, he never lets her out of his sight and she rarely leaves the Megestanis house," Leo

of her soft, beautiful skin,

no right," I

sighed. "I should probably stop watching her, seeing her with him is killing me. Hopefully,

certain dreariness in his posture. It ached my heart to see him so down whilst everybody

had to be

I said approaching my mate and taking his hands. "You have to do something about Tobias and Maddison. Everybody has the right

a right. But after Mara and your Dad, the pack code was changed and now it's up to the family to decide. Max is her family so he is entitled

Alpha you can override the fucking pack code? Surely? She's old enough to decide for herself, surely?!" I questioned before tuning back into

life without my mate. You are preventing me from happiness, I have to talk to

will do no such thing. And as for happiness, was your sister ever happy with that

healthy, well mannered, beautiful daughter and my sister never came running back did she?" Maddison said breaking out of Max's arms and storming

 "Maximus, I do not require your presence at this moment in time so if you could leave me to talk with your Aunt that would be most kind," Leo continued before Max left looking very pissed off. Maddison

over at Tobias who had also

my mate," She said

Megastanis will no longer be keeping you apart," Leo announced and Maddison's face lit up. "I'm converting the code back

Alpha I don't know how I can repay you," Maddison said

you need

bodies crashed together in an embrace. He held her in his arms gently caressing her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. Leo lead me away

knew you had a heart in there

him, "I just thought about how I'd feel if someone was keeping you

capable of empathy too? Things are

for his finger holding my chin up, my gaze would

moments before he looked down

guess Jones's aren't all terrible

Leo but he raised his eyebrows in a warning kind of way, before mouthing something at me. It was somewhere along the

Lia and Allison. Allison was wearing her beautiful maroon dress, whilst Lia was

sort stuff out with his pack but he's coming back tomorrow to see

to go back with

but I also want to spend all

you could go and live with him in Ayas, but come back

worried we'd get there and he wouldn't let me come back,"

the challenge remember? He has

it, if I can always

have to

a girls'

and whisked me off to meet more cousins and relatives. The night went on with multiple more glasses of wine and even some nibble things here

stood at a large bouquet

he?" Mateo asked referring

in tune,"

the family," Mateo said taking

the eye of Max again. He was still stood in pretty much the same place and seemed

shook myself out of

do you want to dance?" I asked. Leo was

Mateo said taking my hand.

danced I kept spotting Max over Mateo's shoulder in different places around the large hall.

mouth was very close to Mateo's ear so he

"Yes," He replied.

you ever think there's something off about Max

do you mean by 'off'," Mateo

trust him. The way he looks at me is

your family, I wouldn't take it personally," Mateo replied brushing the

more personal than someone

Leo who as I had

was officially the packs anniversary and Leo had mentioned something about how he does a speech every year. Everybody fell silent and Leo lead me through to the stage that

the stars and Ennosigaeus  Goddess of Neptune, set forth to create the greatest pack to ever graze this earth. The time in which Vulgarise Loren became the mighty Potestas Loren and the time in which our fourteen factions, Triton, Nereid, Larissa, Proteus, Naiad, Thalassa, Galatea, Despina, Neso, Psamathe, Laomedeia, Halimede, Sao