A Rare Gem

Chapter 8: Taste of Fate

Sam POV:

I get woken up before the sun, as servants barge into my room and start setting things up. The King ordered Stylist to get everyone looking their best for the party. It was supposed to start at noon and go till midnight. A butler stands watch by the door, just like in everyone’s room. The King didn’t want any quests to have some fun with his staff unless they were mates. I hear John yell as he is awoken in the same manner as I was. I chuckle and climb out of bed, letting a servant escort me into the running shower.

After the shower, a whole team of people come in to do their jobs. Servants, make up artist, clothes stylist, hair stylist, and a photographer. The make-up artist receives a few growls from me when she tried to put make up on me till the butler came over and held my jaw and head still. The artist then explained that is was natural make up to avoid flash glare in photographs. The strangely, inhuman, strong butler released me when the artist was done.

Once everyone was done doing their thing, the photographer took some pictures and left. Once I was alone, I looked in the mirror. I am dressed in a black tux. A white shirt is the background to a tie in my pack colors, purple and yellow. I have a rose dyed in the same colors pinned on my jacket. All the Alphas wore roses, Betas wore tulips, the Luna’s wore dresses, and Gamma’s wore lilies. All were dyed in the respected pack’s colors. It’s the King’s idea to be able to tell who belongs to what pack. So if someone causes trouble, the guards and warriors know what pack it is and also it’s easier to keep on eye on known problem packs.

Despite the King being so careful and even sending guards to escort everyone separately, I am certain that issues will arise. The King sent out a mind-link to every Alpha, telling us that he want no issues, no fighting, no arguments, no bickering, nothing but peace and happiness. He really wants tonight to be perfect. He has the special introduction planned out. We are in the banquet hall; we have been standing here for almost an hour. This lavish ball room was decorated with the royal colors of black and gold. Each table for the Alpha’s and their party guest, such as their Luna, Beta, and Gamma, was covered in their packs colors. Our table had our packs purple and yellow colors draped over it on a silk tablecloth.

I am curious who this special guest is. My focus was on the Alpha of a pack of murders, the BloodHunters pack’s Alpha, Alpha Brent. Brent’s father started this murder spree by challenging the Alpha of the pack of lone wolves. The pack was docile, never bothering anyone. They kept to themselves unless another pack needed their help. Before their downfall my father had asked for their help one winter because our fields were burned by a wildfire, that pack had sent more than enough supplies and a few members to help us till spring when we could replant. The pack was call Nightshade. Their wolves were said to have special gifts and very rarely let in outside packs or wolves into their territory. The night BloodHunters wolves s*******r everyone within their borders without remorse was the night BloodHunters became an enemy to all other packs.

“Alpha?” John grabs my attention from my thoughts by shaking my shoulder.

“Hmm?” I respond.

“I was making sure you are okay, you had a murderous look in your eyes and it appeared to be directed towards that smirking bastard, Alpha Brent.”

“Oh, I am okay. Just got lost in thought.”

Trumpets sounded off, announcing the arrival of the King and Queen. They gave a quick welcoming speech, asked for no fighting or challenges, and asked that everyone gives their attention to them for a moment longer.

“As you all are aware, I am introducing a very special guest tonight.” The king announced in his booming, deep, and powerful voice, “She has been lost for years, thought to be dead but with her appearance brings hope to the wolf kind.”

What did the king mean? Who is this special guest?

“If you all would be so kind as to welcome Princess Rosabella Elizabeth Qween…” Everyone in the room turned their attention the large oak doors craved with symbols of wolves as they opened to reveal a beautiful, long dirty blonde hair, young lady wearing a floor length, strapless, black, red, and white ball gown. She gracefully glides through the doorway and strides up to the King and Queen, bowing gracefully. She was beautiful. The King continues after the girl stands beside the Queen “The lost daughter and heir to the Nightshade pack we lost so many years ago.”

Roars of anger erupted from the Bloodhunters table as the alpha slammed his fist on the table, breaking it in to pieces. “LIES!” he yells.

“Alpha Brent, do you dare to explain?”

“My father made sure there wasn’t a single breath left in anyone who carried the Nightshade Pack name. No one survived that night.”

Murmurs and glares spread throughout the other packs.

“While the challenge and the actions following were within legal terms, doesn’t mean it was justified. You father killed children and babies!” A alpha across the room shouts.

“You may not be your father, but you are just as bad. You had the chance to repair the damage your father caused, but you decided to continue his plans and continue to challenge and attack other packs.” Another Alpha yells.

A glance at the King showed that he was frustrated with the drama and wasn’t okay with Alpha Brent’s actions, but there is nothing he can do against him.

‘Mate!’ Apollo screams in my head. ‘Mate is Rose!’

‘What?’ I asked confused. I know logically it can’t be the same Rose as the girl from the cabin. Charlie, Mike, and Howard all confirmed she was dead. She had no heartbeat.

‘She’s beautiful and she is the last survivor of Nightshade.’ Apollo yips and runs circles in my head, making me dizzy.

I’m not going to get a clear answer from him right now, so I block him. The chaos around me is getting out of hand. I need to stop this, but how? My Alpha tone will grab everyone’s attention for a moment but not get them to stop. I have to try though. I stand up, John standing up too his gaze fixed on Brent. I take a deep breath.

“SHUT UP!” A female voice orders, everyone’s mouths still open mid-sentence. The hall that was louder than an opera house suddenly goes quiet enough to hear a needle drop on carpet. “Close you mouths and return to your seats.” Everyone, including John and I, obeys. Confusion courses through our veins.

“Thank you, Rose.” The King says to her, annoyance at everyone misbehaving clear in his voice. Rose nods and takes a seat at her table near the throne.

The table was covered in the same colors as her dress just like every other pack table. Black, Red, and white. Why does her pack have 3 colors when its customary for packs to only have 2 colors. It was weird but I didn’t question it too much. The King made a few more announcements then the party truly got started. People mingled and mumbled to each other. My gaze was fixated on Rose.

“John, you can go mingle around or something. I need to go meet someone.” I mumbled.

“Hell no, I ain’t leaving your side. I have a feeling who you’re going to say hello to and I want to see her too.” He follows me. “I didn’t get a good look at her on stage since I was focused on Brent.”

I didn’t care, I had to meet her. Several Alpha’s tried to stop me and talk, but I just kept walking. John stopped to apologize to each of them, making him fall behind. I am about 20 feet away from her table when the heavenly scent of roses and nightshade berries hits me. I stop and take a deep breath memorizing this scent. I continue for about 5 feet when I see Brent go up to her table and sit down. I hang back and listen in.

“So, you survived the downfall of your pack?” Brent asks with such a rude tone and attitude that I just want to slap him with a cinder brick labeled respect. “How?”

“Apparently I did and I don’t know how.” She gets rude back. Her voice is the same voice from the maze garden.

“Is there anymore survivors?” He presses.

“How should I know. I didn’t even know I had a pack till 4 months ago!” She yells at a whisper. 4 months ago? That’s around the time I got the report from the trackers.

“Where have you been all these years there? Who has been hiding you? Who saved you that night? I want answers.”

“You are insanely annoying. Please leave me alone.” She rolls her eyes, those beautiful baby blue eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere till you give me all the answers I need.” He snarls at her. Apollo wants to jump in and rip his head off his shoulders, I hold him in to see how she handles it.

“You can either leave willingly or I can make you leave.” She snarls back.

“Ha. You can’t make me do anything. You may have the title of Princess, but you are not royalty and I am a Alpha.”

“Last chance. Leave or I will make you.” She growls, he laughs. “Suck your thumb.” He shoves his thumb in his mouth and sucks it. He tries to resist the order and shock floods his face. “Put your other hand on your b*lls.” His other hand goes to his crotch. “Squeeze your balls anytime you have a disrespectful, illegal, cruel, or s****l thought at any point for the rest of your life and suck you thumb for another hour.” My eyes go wide. An order like that is harsh but he definitely deserved. His b*lls are going to be sore from those massages. “Oh, and do not bother me again at this party. I wish to actually enjoy it.” With the final order, he gets up and walks away still sucking his thumb.

I laugh and walk up to her. her confidence intoxicating. I am a couple feet from the table, the chair just out of reach, when I see tears on her cheeks. I grab a napkin off the tray a servant was carrying as he passed. I walk up next to her and kneel as I hand her the napkin. She looks at me, her eyes go wide as she takes the napkin and our fingers brush together. The tingles that shot through my arm are amazing.

“Mate…” She whispers so softly. I just nod and sit in the chair next to her.

“We can talk about that later. First, dry your tears and tell me why you are crying.” I tell her in a soft sweet tone I didn’t even realize I could muster.

“That man that just left… he was so rude as he asked so many questions. It just reminded me of bad events that happened recently.” She says as she dries her tears.

“Alpha Sam!” My annoying Beta spots me and runs up before I could say anything else to Rose. “The Alpha…. Oh, hi Rose…” He freezes for a moment and stare at her. “You’re supposed to be dead!” He yells, she snarls, and I growl.

“JOHN! Sit you’re a*s down and explain without yelling.” I tell him and wave off the looks from the people around us. “I’m sorry about him. He only has two braincells and they are both fighting for third.” I tell Rose as John growls at me as he sits next to me.

“She is the girl from the cabin. The one that Charlie and the other two said died.” He explains. I look at him dumbfounded.

“Charlie? You two know Charlie, Mike, and Howard?” I look at her confused. We were told by all 3 of them that she was dead. How is this possible?

“Yes, they are trackers from my pack.” I tell her.

“Did they make it back safely? I don’t know what happened to that crazed wolf that attacked us. They weren’t hurt were they?” She leaned closer to me. Her eyes beg for me to tell her. I just froze, this girl came back from the dead twice in one night.

“Yes they made it back safe and unharmed. They told us in their report that you had died though. How do you sit here before us now?” John asks, cautiously. She sighs and sits back in her chair.

“I don’t know myself. I thought I was dead. When I woke up here, the doctor explained that my wolf was focusing everything we had left in us to keep the poison away from our heart and that is slowed our heartrate down to be almost undetectable without an EKG.” She explained. It kind of made sense.

“Well, Rose. I am Alpha Samuel Hawkins, and this is my Beta John Kinsthe. I understand you two have met before, back in my pack’s hospital.” She nods. “I want to thank you for saving my life that night.”

“You are welcome, but I didn’t do anything special.” She is humble. I like it.

Her and I talked for the rest of the night. John stayed close by and chimed in occasionally. It was time for the fireworks, so I led her outside into the garden on my arm. The tingles still feel amazing and like electricity running through my spine. She was entranced by the colors and the noise, all the while I was entranced by her. I turn towards her and slowly lean down to kiss her. Our lips meet and I feel her shock but she slowly relaxes into the kiss as fireworks explode in the sky behind us. I could feel my smile reaching from ear to ear as we parted. She had a shy, timid smile too. I escorted her back to her room and told her good night before walking to my room. John entered through the adjoining door as I sat on my bed.

“So, is she…” He left the question to hang in the air a moment.

“Yes” I said, smiling as I kicked off my shoes.

“Congrats man. Now the council and your parents will get off your back about finding a Luna.” He was overflowing with hope and joy.

“I have to get her to actually accept the bond and agree to return with me. That’s the challenge.” He nods and we say goodnight. I finish stripping and crawl into bed. I was ready for the night to end so I could see Rose tomorrow.