The Mist Wolves

Chapter 3

Maeve

The mist stayed wrapped around me, leaving a cool, damp sensation and a faint, pine smell until we reached the Yarlan Meadows.

Perched on a plateau, the Yarlan Meadows overlooked a jagged, rocky cliff. From the edge of the cliff, the sight of the turbulent sea below was intimidating. The mist touched the meadow on the northern side and swiftly veered in a different direction.

Our accommodation, a fortress, was on the east of the meadow. It comprised four towers, one for each werewolf house, interconnected by bridges and winding stairs. The hall at the center of the towers would host the Mating Ball. Hundreds of years ago, the towers were crafted for this sole purpose.

“Maeve.” Kai snagged my attention as the Omegas collected our luggage. “Joel and I are gonna have a bonfire at the edge of the cliff. Care to join us?”

“Tonight?” I asked, yawning.

“Yep!”

“I have to do some shopping with Joel,” I said lazily, checking my watch. Yarlan had a small market which catered to everything related to the ball.

“Ugh!” Joel remarked. “I’m not going, so count me out.”

“Come on, brother,” I urged, locking my arm in his. “I need a mask that matches my dress.”

“Didn’t you find any at home?” he replied, rolling his eyes.

“No. Please come with me.”

“Maeveeee!” a shrill voice sounded. “I’ll come with you.”

I clenched my teeth. “Evie.” I turned, acknowledging her. “It’s okay, you don’t have to.” She had just arrived, gotten out of the car and immediately rushed toward me.

“What?” she said, placing her hand on her heart. “I have to shop as well. Let’s go at 9 PM; that’s when the market’s most lively.”

I looked to Joel for help, but he was grinning. As for Kai, he was looking anywhere but at Evie. Traitors.

“Okay,” I huffed.

“Cool! I’ll come over to your room at 9.”

As dusk settled and darkness took over, Kai, Joel, and I slyly eluded our guards and moved toward the rear of the towers. The three of us wanted to be alone and have fun, away from the duties and protocols, which was a rarity these days.

Joel lit the bonfire. We danced and laughed and taunted Kai about how many women he can handle in his bed because all of them were falling for him. The Mating Ball was a masquerade, with the feasting and debauchery continuing until the moon dipped below the horizon and Kai loved it all.

“There’s no such thing as love,” I said, sipping beer as I settled on a fallen log. “Mates are rare and I—” I heard the angry waves crashing on the cliff below. “I don’t want to marry. Maybe I’ll die a spinster.” My neck ached with tension and I rubbed it.

I don’t know why, but since my encounter in the mist, my scar had constantly irritated my skin and I felt like scratching it. It wasn’t the scar that troubled me so much as the fact that I saw a face, for a fleeting moment, in my mind when I was wrapped in the mist.

“One day, a fearless werewolf is going to steal your heart, Maeve,” Kai snorted as he reclined onto his elbows on the grass.

I chuckled. “Speaking of fearless wolves, I—” My eyes went to my watch. “f**k, it’s 9:30!”

My brothers laughed as I ran back to my room where Evie was waiting, along with Beth, Amy, and Flora.

“I’m sorry,” I breathed.

“Goddess, Maeve, you look so burned out!” Evie shot at me, her anger evident. “Haven’t you had your hair done? Look at your nails. You should have got them manicured. And why are you wearing jeans and a shirt? There are so many Alpha wolves out here that are your age. Don’t you want to mingle with them?”

I knew it was a jab at my age and also a hint that I should leave Evan. She was five years younger than me, but hadn’t found her mate yet either. “I have no interest in mingling with the Alphas, Evie. The only wolf I’m interested in is Evan.” A pang of jealousy hit her, and I knew I had got her back. “Shall we go to the market?” I asked nonchalantly.

She blushed as her minions watched her. “Yes, let’s go…”

The driver drove us to the market with a car full of guards following us. Throughout the ride, Evie and her friends talked amongst themselves about the young wolves and what they were going to wear. I was bored to death. “What are you wearing, Maeve?” Evie finally asked.

“Haven’t decided,” I murmured. If I told her what I was wearing, she would wear a similar dress.

Ashen clouds billowed from the sea toward Yarlan Meadows, as if from the wrath of the Gods, when we arrived at the market.

The market was bustling with activity. I could see wolves of every house buzzing around. “That’s the best shop!” Beth said, pointing to one across the street. “We’ll get everything there.”

The shop was really huge. I hadn’t seen it the last time I was here. It had rows and rows of everything related to the ball, right from designer gowns to laces, dresses, shoes, tuxedos and masks. Evie made sure to stick with me so she could spy on what I was purchasing. I slipped away when she wasn’t looking and went to the rows of masks. My hands trailed the selection, featuring intricate patterns, lace, glitter, and sequins. Some were half masks and some came with ribbons to secure them in place.

My eyes landed on a beautiful silver half mask. I picked it up and tied it on. The mask contoured curves of my face delicately. The base was embellished with sparkling silver crystals that reflected light in every motion.

As I turned to look at myself in the mirror, I was startled to see a stranger staring back. He wore a white wolf mask with feathers on the edges. My breath lodged in my throat as I stared at the most beautiful pair of silver eyes that flashed golden. The wolf approached me like a predator stalking its prey, coming to a halt just inches from me.

His broad shoulders were beneath a white shirt that stretched over him like a second skin. Standing in front of him, I barely reached his chin. I couldn’t help but notice how his arms bulged with strength, capable of crushing me like a rag doll. His midnight blue hair, streaked with silvery strands, curled around his neck. My heart fluttered like a dove in a trapped cage. The urge to turn around and be touched or held by him consumed me, overpowering all rational thoughts. Enveloped in his delicious smell of pine and mist, all I could focus on was the heat seeping across from his body into mine. A fire built in my belly, coursing through my body, and my knees buckled. “Who are you?” I murmured.

His warm breath washed over my flushed cheeks when he leaned over my ear and whispered, “Don’t you remember me, Maeve?”

Remember him? Surprise mingled with confusion washed over me. I clenched my jaw to stop trembling as he leaned further and his fangs brushed my earlobes.

“Maeve!” Evie’s voice pierced my reverie.

“I’ll return,” he whispered and then disappeared between the shelves, leaving me with a sense of emptiness.

A crack of lightning filled the air, followed by a downpour.