A DANCE WITH MY MATE

CHARLOTTE I had just clocked twenty a few days ago before I was driven out by my parents to this place I took as my new family. “Aren't you worthless and useless? You have been here for two decades now, yet nothing to show for it. You have no mate and as if that's not enough, you are unable to tap into your wolf energy. You would probably be better off when we sell you off to the highest bidder. I see no reason to still keep you here with us.” Those were the last words my father said to me before he finally sold me out like he promised. My mother had stood behind him, helpless and having no say or contribution in what was going on. She was left with no choice but to succumb to his orders, as he was nonchalant and never tolerated us for once. I had always understood the predicament she was in. She had no say in whatever decision my father took. She would always nod her head whenever he said anything, just to avoid his endless troubles and banters. But it was totally different this time around. I expected her to stand her ground and come against this particular suggestion. But to my surprise, all she did was stand behind him and nod in affirmation like she always did. I was both betrayed and helpless as he pushed me out of the packhouse. Mr Olive and Mrs Alice, who were my foster parents, stood at the door and opened their arms in a welcoming manner as I was being dragged out of the house. I was about to be pushed into a totally different phase of my life, yet all I could do was let myself be pushed like a wine glass which had no other usefulness but to be pushed around by its owner. “Oh! She looks really adorable.” I heard the middle aged woman yell in excitement. She smiled wholesomely as she welcomed me into her bosom. “What a cute little girl!” Meanwhile, Mr Olive was at the other end of the door, exchanging pleasantries with my father. I was taken into the carrier by some men who had come with them, and in no time, the carrier zoomed out of sight. *** “Mom? Dad? Who's this and what is she doing here?” A young girl who looked almost my age, if not younger, asked with a disgusted look on her face. It was just so obvious that I was never going to be welcomed with her around. She walked into the inner chambers with Mrs Alice, her face still smitten with anger. “Oh , you both really went ahead to adopt a sloth?” “Hey! Watch your mouth!” I heard a masculine voice yell back at her from a distance. Their voices suddenly faded away as they went farther away. They all stepped out in no time to where I was sitting. “Come on. Get up and go have a change of dress. You need to look refreshed and not malnourished.” Mr Olive urged. He had a bundle of keys in his hand. He wagged the keys in the air and dumped them into Celine's palms. “Go right in there and show her to her room. Return the keys to me as soon as you're done.” The girl showed no interest in whatever he said. She acted like she had never heard him say anything in the first place. This infuriated Mr Olive and he flared up in anger. “Celine? I'm sure you are not deaf!” He added curtly, his voice more aggressive and compelling. Celine was forced to grab the keys all of a sudden. She let out a loud hiss and walked away. I followed behind her gently until she finally arrived at a spot. She forced the key into the door lock, and it opened up in just a single trial. She took out the key and walked away without sparing a single word to me. *** Celine continued this way for so many days. She acted so cold whenever she was with me. But there was always a little shift in her attitude whenever her parents were in the pack house with us. Then all of a sudden, she turned all extremely nice to me. “You would attend the ultimate dance competition right?” She asked me on a certain day after she had barged into my room unannounced. She smiled heartily as she shut the door. “How about you let me style you for the day?” I was left dumbfounded seeing her act all nice and welcoming to me all of a sudden. This was someone that never approved of my presence in her family. She had never acted this nicely towards me before. “What do you mean and what do you want?” I asked her regardless, even though I was still frightened by her presence. Instead of being as excited as she was, my reaction was the direct opposite. I was engulfed in fear and panic at each step she took. But there was something about the way she behaved that got me questioning myself. She was really persuasive about this so-called dance competition. If indeed the dance competition was what she described it to be, then why wasn't she interested to be the one dancing to be the Alpha's next mate? “What happened to you going to the competition yourself?” I quizzed curiously, my eyes flashing through hers in anxiety. A feeling of unease washed over her as she took in the question. I could literally see the unhappiness written all over her face. She managed to smile a little, but that didn't stop the fact that she was trying to hide something from me. She wrapped her arms around me in a more welcoming manner, her smile soothing and convincing. “Well, let's just say I lost the chance to do so a few years ago. And for the meantime, I have been denied the opportunity to showcase my dancing talent to the Alpha.” “I see!” I exclaimed in shock.