Ellen and Colby leaned back and looked.
"I think you're fine. Then again, maybe you'll find your future mate and you can skip the line of having to be in an arranged pairing."
Katie shrugged. "Stop complaining. One, you get an alpha. Or well, next in line kind of thing. Two, have you ever seen an Alpha that wasn't fucking hot? I'll skip the boohoos until we meet him. Mom said that once upon a time his dad was the most eligible wolf in the region. Do you think she'd have let dad set you up with someone less? You're our pack's next-in-line." Katie smoothed down the poofy skirt. "They let you have a Fae best friend. Believe me, you're basically the princess in both name and title."
Ellen tried not to argue, but she wasn't about to let her sister make any good points.
"Well, whatever. What if he's the one alpha-hole in the region the looks to match?"
That gained an eye role.
"For crap sake. I can't. Colby, fix her."
He finished putting on his mask.
"I can't fix her Katie. That being said, I have no problems helping her forget this little snafu."
Snafu? Being in an arranged mating was not a snafu. Getting your dress caught on the fence as you tried to escape was a snafu. Spilling hot coffee all over your car was a snafu. Being stuck with some stranger for the rest of your life was not a snafu. A snafu might be if they never had a cub. This mating thing sucked.
"What happens if He's out there though? Then, is this a snafu?"
Katie tied her mask behind her hair and didn't bother looking at Ellen. "You believe in fairy tales too much. Fate isn't real. The perfect mate isn't out there. This guy is real. You can touch and feel him."
Both Colby and Ellen glared at Katie.
"You're not my sister. Can I divorce you?"
"Wait? Back to the touching and feeling part-" Colby said.
Ellen slugged Colby as he joked.
"Ow. Fine. Then let's go before you all kill my mood," he said, as he rubbed his arm.
Colby ushered them out his bedroom door, through his tiny apartment.
"I do not have time for this drama. The party is starting soon and you two are my ticket. Let's go look at some hot men in their human grandeur. Although, if any start wolfing out I'll be running away. Does that happen?"
Both the girls shrugged. Like they had ever been to some kind of invitational party hosted by a pack. Normally all the parties were Fae in this town. Sometimes witch. Vampires didn't seem too keen on social gatherings with other species either.
"I'd guess no. There'd be no reason. Just don't give them a reason, Colby."
Ellen took the sidewalk carefully as they stepped into the night. The October breeze blew a chill across her skin.
"Get in the car and give me directions," Colby hollered.
Katie gripped Ellen's arm as they both attempted to not only stay upright in their ridiculous shoes but also keep the dresses from flying up.
As they made their way into the car, Ellen tried to find her excitement. She'd always loved Halloween, until now. Until she was told that she would be mated to some stranger who might take her away from her life.
"El, stop. Get out of your head right now. We look hot and you can't ruin this for us. Don't think you are the only one to suffer if you leave."
Colby was right. It was just that she would be the one to suffer the most.
4
West shook his leg. The damn pants were too tight. He hated restrictive clothing.
"Stop fighting, man. If you want to sew your last few wild oats, just stop."
West wanted to sock his brother for talking him into being a cop. Wasn't this a stupid human thing? To be a cop? And God. The mask itched his damn nose.
"Whose dumb idea was it to wear the masks, again?"
His brother laughed. "Don't mess with tradition, man. You can't see her until all pack members are present and that happens to be arranged for Halloween. So, you thank the females in our pack for upholding traditions. You wouldn't want to take away their fun? They're already losing you, brother."
Eric clapped him on the shoulder.
West scowled. "I'm seriously sick and tired of tradition. Who the hell decided it was a crime to be unmated at thirty."
Standing at the top of the stairs they looked over the balcony into the massive main room. West was pretty sure that everyone who was anyone in just about every pack within New Mexico was here.
His mom was adamant that they wait until the Fall harvests, a traditional season for mating. Fuck him though. The last few generations were all fated matches. He knew his true mate had to exist. Not that he wanted to find her yet. Well, now he probably did. He could do anything, except find her when he needed her.
Why the hell did he have to get mated at all? He was happy with the single status. His wolf snorted. Right. That wasn't how wolves were designed. They were meant to be mated.
"Fuck me."
His brother squeezed his shoulder before letting him go.
"Not a chance, dude. But feel free to do what you need to."
West scowled. "You aren't funny, asshole."
Eric shrugged. "Neither are you. In fact, you're a real killjoy."
Yeah, yeah. He was. He was about to have his manhood snipped. His wolf snickered. Damn animal just wasn't on his side as of late.
The music changed from a loud thump to something slower. It was now or never.
West followed Eric's lead and decided to head down. At least no one could tell the alphas from the betas, from the general population. Cubs raced through the party, in and out of couples on the dance floors. A sea of masks the only comfort of the night.
He would know his mate. That's what he
