Love like chocolate

Chapter 1- How am I going to continue eating now?

Noah

A new day, another day when he felt the void in his chest growing bigger, next to him the woman was he met at the bar. The s*x with her was good and he knew they both enjoyed it. He also knew that this was just a one-night stand so once she woke up and ate breakfast, she had to go.

Just as he was thinking about what to make for breakfast, he heard a groan. The woman, whose name he remembered to be Anna, woke up, smiled at him and said “good morning, hot stuff”.

“…good morning” he answered after a couple seconds, showing a small smile.

That was what he liked about her at the bar. How confident she was and how she could fill the conversation since he was a man of few words, not because he was shy, as an alpha he could not be a shy man. His calmness and quietness were an attribute he was born with, completely different from his loud parents, since they were always energetic and yelled a lot in their fights that rarely occurred and were usually over silly things.

Anna got up from bed, not even a little shy about her bare exposed body, and picked her clothes from the floor. “I´ll go take a shower, and then you can feed me those pancakes you were so confident about, I hope they are as good as you promised me last night” she simply smiled and headed to the bathroom.

-At least now I don´t need to think about what to make- He thought.

He got up, got dressed with a simple t-shirt and pants and headed to the kitchen.

Once they were done with their food, they simply said goodbye. She got out of the house and he was once again left alone. Once again filling empty. “Enough” He simply said to break his line of thoughts “It´s time for work”.

He spent his days like any other day, check pack business, eat, paperwork, check money related business, make sure everything was running smoothly. If there was anything different about this day was that he needed to get ready for the mate ball, the place where the humans and werewolves of his territory joined to find their other half. He as the Alpha of the region (a rather large part of the country) had to attend as well, even though he knew he was not going to find his mate.

A werewolf normally finds his mate when they are 16 but he was already 25 years old, if he had a mate, they were most likely dead. He shivered at that thought. After almost 10 years of waiting, he had already lost his hope of finding his other half.

Hana

“Ok” Hana sighed, a gesture that obviously meant she was tired as f**k “please, explain this to me just one more time” She said to her best friend.

“ok, so, you know today is the mate ball and everyone from the age to 16 to 22 need to…” Her best friend started.

“Ja-Ja” she laughed an unimpressed and sarcastic tone dripping from her mouth, she normally wouldn´t be this rude but this was the second year the werewolves have done this and Hana knew this was hurting her friend.

“Not that far. I know where we have to go, don’t you remember I have to go too starting from this year?” Hana said with an annoyed voice. “what I want to know is why the werewolves send you a suit and not a dress like you requested” She explained with a now calm voice.

“It is alright, it happens every year, for some reason they have not change my name from Mark to Molly either” She pointed the name the suit was addressed to.

“It is ok… I do not mind; I understand if they find me disgusting…” Molly said with a sad voice.

“Yeah… NO, f**k that, Molly. You are NOT disgusting, you are a girl, you have always been a girl, got that? No one can tell you what you are better that you can! If you denigrate yourself one more time, I swear I will beat the ever-living s**t out of you until you raise your self-esteem” She said her voice raising little by little until she finished speaking.

After a couple seconds of silence, they look at each other and for some reason just that simple gesture made them feel better, they started laughing while rolling around the floor mostly due to what Hana had said at the end of the little speech.

Hana was always impressed by how these little things could make everything better. She had a tough childhood and hardly had a moment for connections like that, it was because of that that she always protected the people she was close to.

After the laughter died Hana sat down crossing her legs and said “do you want to wear a dress for the ball?”

“what?” Molly said with a bewildered voice.

Hana smiled, one of those toothy smiles that reached from ear to ear “do you want to wear a dress for the ball?” she said again with a voice full of mischief.

“If I am being honest… Yes, I really want to wear a dress. I don´t want to be owned by one of those mutts but I don´t want to miss the opportunity to use a cute dress” She said “Like… C´mon, we live in a f*****g orphanage, it´s not like we get to dress nice often, is it so wrong that I want to look as beautiful and stunning as the goddess I know I am?” Molly said while jumping from the floor and posing like Marilyn Monroe would have.

“JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA, god no, it is not wrong!! Work it girl!!!” Hana said while cheering and making gestures with her hands as if taking photos. “Now” Hana said on a more serious tone. “Do not call people you do not know mutts, you can find shitty people everywhere, they do not need to be werewolves to be assholes”.

Molly opened her mouth to say something but immediately closed it, it was the usual fight. Molly hating werewolves and Hana not giving a damn f**k about people species. They never agreed on that but still respected each other standing in the matter.

“Well…” Hana said while getting up, “guess what”

“What?” Molly answered

“I said you had to guess” Hana replied with a cocky smile.

“Oh, shush smart ass” Molly said and then both laughed.

Hana grabbed the dress that she was given by the werewolves and said while showing that mischievous smile she was known for “I got a dress”.

By the way Hana was saying that, many would think she was bragging, but Molly? Molly knew better.

“but I think there is a problem with the size, you see I am just so tiny for this dress… and besides, I do not like dresses, they are so airy and uncomfortable” Hana continued with her exaggerated monologue.

The dress Hana received was obviously too big for her (Molly´s height was 6'0” while Hana was 4'10”) but it was perfect for someone as tall as Molly. Molly was not sure why her friend got that size. Little did she know that Hana asked for a dress that size when the social worker came to ask for the size of every electable human in the orphanage since she knew Molly was not going to get a dress this year either and she did not want to see her cry like last year.

 “mmmmmmmmm, what to do? What to do?” Hana started to walk around the room with a trouble look and suddenly stopped as if a light bulb just turned on inside her head “oh my, what do we have here? Is that an abandoned suit that my oh so lovely friend will lend me?”

Molly smirk while holding her laughter and said “well… if you really want it, I mean… I can 100% use it but… if you really really want it, we can exchange”.

“My beautiful friend of smooth olive skin and gorgeous chocolate eye…” Hana started with an exaggerated pose.

“c'mon, no need to be dramatic” Molly cut her off and rolled her eyes “Just give me the dress and grab the suit”

Hana pouted but complied and said while grabbing the suit “I was going to give you a speech worthy of a Shakespeare´s play”

“Do you want me to leave the room so that you can change?” Molly said since she knew Hana hated people seeing the scars in her body.

“…Yes, please” Hana answered with an apologetic voice. The reason Hana was changing first was because she took no more than 5 minutes to be ready, they both took a shower earlier (different time people, do not think they showered together >.>) and just needed to change their attire and apply makeup.

“I´m done” Hana said and Molly entered the room again.

Molly glanced at her friend just once and dropped on the floor holding her stomach and laughing maniacally “You…” she wheezed “that suit is massive on you” she kept laughing for a good 4 minutes while Hana was looking at her completely unimpressed. Hana looked as if the suit was swallowing her. The sleeves far longer than what her arms needed.

Once Molly´s breathing returned to normal she felt a sharp pain in her chest, a pain called guilt. After all, that Hana looked like that was Molly´s fault, or at least that is what she thought.

“You know what? I think it is better if I wear the suit instead…” Molly started.

“AJAJAJAJAJAJAJA, Are you insane? I love this suit! You will have to fight me to get it back” Hana answered with a toothy smile.

“But…” Moly started.

“Nope” Hanna simply stated. “It is mine now, you lost your chance” she said while rolling the sleeves of the suit until they were the right length. “aren't you going to get dress?”

Molly sighed and got dressed. After 1 long hour (or at least long for Hana) Molly was ready, looking stunning with the makeup and hair style she decided for her normally thick unruly curls.

Hana on the other hand simply braided her long red hair and, against Molly´s loud complaints, she put on no makeup, she hated makeup, it was too stuffy for her.

“You would look freaking awesome with just a little blush, oh oh and maybe some eyeshadow…” Molly said with a defeated voice while they were both going down the stairs.

“Nah, you look beautiful for the both of us, I´m good with my style” Hana retorted.

Once they were on the first floor Hana looked around, the lobby was full with teenage girls and boys, some scare some excited but all of them anxious and that was to be expected, most of the humans in here had a bad experience with werewolves. Who would like to be owned by one? While Hana had no hate towards werewolves as a species, she did hate many werewolves as individuals and as many of her friends in the orphanage, she did not want to find a mate, she wanted to fall in love with the pass of time, she did not want an obsessive love. She wanted to fall in love not with someone who needed her but someone who wanted her.

-Ok, time for a strategy, the guards are going to pick us up soon, what am I going to do in the ball? Do I hide? Nah, the place will be full and honestly hiding and being paranoid the entire time is too annoying- Hana thought -Well, it is a ball so obviously there will be fancy and delicious food! Alright! - She thought excited -New plan, let´s eat like pigs the whole ball! –

Once she decided what she was going to do, she grabbed Molly´s arms and started walking towards the group of 3 people gathered in the corner of the room.

“Hey girls!” A short broad man with brown hair and freckle face called them out.

“Lou! How is my favorite man doing?” Molly answered with a flirty smile.

“I´m doing far better now that you are here” He answered back with a just as flirty smile.

“Guys, please, get a room…” a tall girl with wavy short black hair and smooth brown skin said with a really annoying voice.

“No, let them have this… what if they get owned by a monster today? Please do not bother them Lily” a tall man with dark skin and hair that seemed to only be interrupted by the clear green in his eyes said with an anxious voice.

“Jona, are you alright? You look pale… do you need a minute? Do you need water? Do you want me to call a doctor?” Hana said with a concerned look. The sudden bombarding of question may seem weird but Hana thought of these 4 friends not as friends but as family, if one was sad or scare, she wanted to make it better for them.

“What? Oh no, sorry Hana, I was just a little… hold up a sec, why are you acting like you are my mom? girl, you are the youngest here, c'mere let me pampered you little baby” he said with a now teasing voice.

“Do not make me fight you…” Hana said with a seemingly angry look but they all knew she was just playing. She was a good fighter but she would never hurt them.

“Molly, isn´t that little bit too much makeup?” Lily started “I mean, it looks cool but I think it is a little exaggerated”

“She looks gorgeous” Hana glared at Lilly “You like light makeup, I like no makeup, Molly likes awesome gorgeous sparkly makeup, you are just jealous of her amazing makeup abilities but it is alright, just ask her to apply it for you, no need to judge” Hana smiled an innocent smile but her eyes were saying -C´mon, try to say anything else, I dare you-

“Jeez! I was not judging, ok?” Lily whined but after a couple seconds she added with a defeated look “you know what, you are right, sorry Molly, I´m just scare, ok?”

 “Oh sweety, it´s alright, c'mere” Molly said while extending her arms to give Lily a hug.

Right before Molly was about to give Lily a hug, the moment was interrupted by a loud fake cough. The director of the orphanage, who happens to be a werewolf, started his speech while standing in the stairs.

The old grumpy skinny Mr. Wilson started “As you all know, tonight is a joyous occasion, tonight you all receive a chance to find your other half at the mate ball and I expect nothing less than your best behavior” He said quickly sending a glance towards Hana´s way but as quickly as the glance got her attention Mr. Wilson continued now looking at everyone “If you are lucky enough to find your mate at the ball I will be notify and they may be generous enough to allow you a goodbye and pickup your belongings, I wished you all the best of lucks”.

Once Mr. Wilson was done with his speech, the guards opened the front door of the orphanage and started saying names, if your name was called you had to step up and they would guide you towards the car you were riding. The cars were not fancy or anything like that, they were family vans enough for 8 people, 2 werewolves guards and 6 “electable” humans.

The guard started saying name after name and Hana crossed her fingers hoping she was going to be with at least 1 of her friends. She heard Jona’s name and that made sense since the name were normally done by age and alphabetic order.

“Mark Davis” A loud voice coming from a guard interrupted her thoughts.

After a couple minutes of nerve wrecking silence with no answer the guard started to look more and more irritated and angry.

“MARK DAVIS!!” The guard shouted.

“…Here…” said Molly with the tiniest voice.

The guard raised one of his eyebrows and scoff as if saying ´is this a joke? ´ but after a second, he said “I did not know humans were stupid enough to not know their own names and even more stupid to wear the incorrect clothes” Molly stared at the floor with an embarrassed look on her face.

“It is because you used the incorrect name you son of a cupcake” Hana said with a calm cold voice as if it was the prelude of a storm. Cursing was something Hana was not shy about, she did not do it often but she did not feel bad about it but when she was really angry for some reason she did not understand, she used baked goodies as an insult.

“Excuse me?” The guard said.

“Sure, you are excused, for the record her name is Molly not Mark, be sure to remember” Hana said with a sweet and casual voice and blew a kiss to the guard. Everyone got quiet, her friends all looking at her with a bewildered expression.

The guard was fuming and his face was so red Hana thought he was going to literally explode but before he could say or do anything another guard, this time a female guard, said “c´mon, it´s not worth it. We cannot hurt her, she needs to go to the ball, just let it go and we can take her to solitary confinement tomorrow morning” she patted the guard´s back and he continued with the list of names. Molly mouthed a ´thank you´ before going to the van she was assigned to.

Once Hana was mentioned she got on her assigned van and luckily for Hana she was in the same van as Lou.

“Any plans for tonight?” Lou asked while on the way to the ball, he was not really interested in what his friend plan was but he was so nervous he was willing to try any conversation topic. He did not say it out loud but Lou was scared of being apart from Molly, he was afraid that one of those Monsters were going to claim her or him and keep them apart.

“Eat” Hana said with a straight serious face.

“W-what?” Lou answered, of all the answers he was expecting that was not one of them.

“Dude, it is a ball, like a fancy ball with fancy expensive food, how often are we going to be able to eat that?” Hana asked as if her answered was the most obvious thing in the world “More importantly, what are your plans?

“You are one hell of a glutton, you know that?” Lou said, but that small conversation made him smirk and after a couple seconds he answered her question with a lost expression “…I don´t have a plan”.

Hana saw him and grabbed his hand, interwinding their fingers. “It is going to be alright, you both are going to be alright” Hana said with a calm soothing voice, like a mother trying to sooth her child.

Lou looked at her with glossy eyes full of unshed tears and said “Yeah… we are going to be alright”

The rest of the way was quiet but their hand stayed jointed the little warm giving them both a sense of comfort.

 ---------------------

Once they arrived at the House the ball was being held in (I say house but the place was most like a mothertrucking mansion) Hana and the others she was assigned with were guided towards the location of the ball.

-Ok, this place is huge and beautiful, the ballroom looks like someone copy-paste the page of a magazine or something- Hana thought.

She looked around still holding Lou´s hand, searching for her friends, she peeked at Lou and he was doing the same.

“Here!” Lily gave her hand. She, Jona and Molly were already together.

Hana smiled one of her characteristic toothy smiles and started walking-almost-jogging towards her friends while practically dragging Lou.

“So, everything alright?” Lily asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Why do you ask?” Lou said.

“EHEM” Molly faked coughed directing a glance towards the intertwined hands of Lou and Hana.

“Awwwww, is my babe jealous?”  Lou said with a cocky smile.

“Boy, you wish. Give me back my gurl before I end you” Molly said and then chuckle when she looked at Lou´s pouting face.

Hana let go of Lou´s hand and said “So, I am guessing you are staying here all night?” They all nodded.

“ok, then if you need me I´ll be enjoying some of the buffet goodies we have in here”

Hana smiled and walked towards the huge table filled with desserts and meals that look as if taken out of a cook book.

“FUUUUCK YEAAAAAAH, Jackpot baby! - Hana thought and started doing a little dorky dance. After a couple seconds she grabbed a cheesecake -how can a cheesecake look so fancy? - Hana thought.

She ate and ate one thing after the other while quickly glancing at the spot her friends were just to make sure everything was alright.

After some hours of eating delicious food, she left a really large pile of empty plates next to her. Before she could go for the next dish someone turned her around. She had to look up to see a rather large man looking at her with a surprised look.

The moment their eyes locked the man screamed “Mine!” and the only thing Hana could think at the moment was -Ah s**t! How am I going to continue eating now? -.