Chapter 6 The mistake

For what seemed like ages, Elora's breath stilled.

Even as air became quite hard to catch, her eyes continued to look around, searching for the perfect escape route.

Tears wanted to gather up in her eyes.

How could she have been so stupid?! The one thing her father warned her about had finally happened!

A wolf had recognised her. And from the looks of it, he knew just what her history was with his people.

Elora's frightened gaze flickered up to his cold and dark ones again. Her hands were locked in each other, as she fought to steady herself.

What would she do now? Where would she go?

On cue, his grip around the curve of her waist tightened, he pulled her to himself. Elora found herself "face-to-chest" with the tall man.

Just what did he want from her? She had always known there was a bounty on her head. Perhaps, if she promised him twice the amount, he would be an honorable merchant and just let her go?

Now, he was leading her deeper into the ball room. But, she did not want to be here!

The further she walked in - as she had come to notice - the harder it would be to get out.

And she had to get out. , there was no other choice.

But, she would try every possible way, she would exhaust all her ideas, she would do anything to make sure that this man released her.

Elora shut her eyelids firmly. She could feel him lean into her. When his lips parted in order to speak, Elora felt his warm breath fan the nape of her left ear.

The next feeling that washed over her was unlike anything she had ever experienced in the arms of a man. In her defense, Elora had never actually been in the arms of any man, besides her father.

Her heart shattered once more. His sleeping face flashed through her mind.

If she died in the hands of this man today, she knew her father would be broken for the rest of his life.

Douglas would never forgive her. He would never forgive himself.

"Relax yourself."

It was more of an order than a suggestion. His voice echoed in her ears. Elora could not help the pounding of her heart against her chest, nor could she help the tingling sensation between her legs that his voice caused.

She wanted to slap herself. What kind of woman got turned on while staring death in the face?

It had to be only her of course, Elora Everest.

"We do not want to attract attention to ourselves now, do we?" He spoke again. This time, Elora was walking beside him. He plastered a smile on his face as he gave curt nods to whoever bowed to him with respect.

Elora could not take note of this gesture. The tears she struggled to fight back, the confusion, fear, pain and regret that she felt made it almost impossible for her to see anything at all.

She had to find a way to make this man release her. She could not die here, not like this.

Determined, Elora gripped the wrist of his right hand, the one which rested on her back. Slightly alarmed, Ace frowned and turned to her.

"I would advise you not to do anything stupid..."

"Do not kill me, I beg you."

"If anyone else recognises you, you'll be..."

Ace stopped when he realized they had both spoken simultaneously. Neither had gotten each other's statement clearly.

In their minds, they decided to try again.

"Please I.. "

"You should..."

They stopped again. Ace frowned and turned away from her. Elora was not sure just how much longer she could keep her tears at bay.

Ace on the other hand, found their syncing very uncomfortable. He decided he would not speak any further. Not until she had gotten what she wanted to say out of her chest.

In a room filled with almost a hundred people, theirs was the only heartbeat each other could hear. The only scent Ace could draw in, even with his heightened wolf senses, was the scent of freshly plucked Lavender petals. It oozed out of her skin with so much grace.

Ace did not know why he found this realization...thrilling.

And he did not care. He simply turned away from her, staring straight ahead into the crowd of couples they were walking towards.

Elora shrunk into his hold when she realized the number of eyes that rested on her. What was it about this man that announced their presence?

She wanted to disappear. For the first time in her life, Elora wished to be invisible. She did not want to be seen anymore.

"Please sir, do not kill me. " She finally muttered, when she found the voice to do so.

Ace scoffed. His eyes did not return to hers.

"I have quite better things in mind, witch."

It was the way the last word rolled out of his tongue. It carried so much spite, so much hatred.

Looking up at him, Elora could only wonder how such a venomous tone could escape his lips, even with the broad smile planted on his face.

She was going to say something else, but a guard who had just walked up to the strange man, was faster.

She watched him bow to her captor.

"Your mother has sent for you, your highness."

Emerald green eyes traveled up to her captor's face.

Your highness?

The room suddenly began to spin.

No, there was no way this could be happening.

Beads of sweat formed and trickled down the creases that had now formed on her forehead.

Beside her, Ace lifted his gaze from the guard's face. His black eyes scanned the room until he found Hera standing beside a man he could very well recognise.

He also recognised the woman in his arms.

Ace could not help but frown. He had always known Hera to be quite a stubborn woman. It was a trait she passed on to him. Yet, it was the one she complained about, the most.

With a swift move of his hand, Ace pushed Elora to the front of the guard.

She stood still. She would not move. She would find another chance to run, running now would only be foolish.

And Elora was far from foolish.

Somewhere above her, Ace's voice thundered.

"Take her to my Chambers. Make her comfortable and make sure she cannot move." Elora's eyes darted to him.

The look was swift, but it did not stop her from recognising it.

Elora could tell a disgusted face when she saw one. And right now, he was disgusted by her presence.

"No. Please. No." She tried to cry out. Instead, it came out as a bare whimper.

The guard gripped her right hand roughly, slightly bruising her arm. Elora winced in pain.

"You heard my Lord, move."

It was the second time she was being rough handled by a guard, in less than two hours.

As they brushed past him, Ace's eyes returned to the spot his mother currently stood in.

He turned his back to make sure the guard had exited the hall with the strange woman.

Black orbs met her green ones.

His breath seemed to seize for a split second.

He tore his gaze away from her immediately, and made his way to Hera.

"Mother." He called out, tapping her shoulder when he had finally gotten to her.

Delighted, Hera turned to him with a broad smile on her face.

"Ace dear, where have you been?" She asked, locking her left arm with his right. Doing so, she was able to pin him to her side, making sure he could not get away.

When Ace Looked down to the arms of the man his mother had been talking to, he realized the lady was locked just the same way as him.

Amused, he raised his eyes to meet her brown ones. She smiled, he feigned one out of mere courtesy.

He might have always detested people, but his mother had not raised an uncultured man.

"Duke Evan Belarus, allow me to introduce my son. Alpha Ace Talon."

Hera spoke with pride, as Ace shook the Duke's extended hand.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Ace." The elderly man spoke. The glee in his eyes only said that his words were honest.

"Allow me to introduce my daughter, Eva Belarus."

He knew her name already, but that did not stop him from smiling with a bow. She returned his courteous gesture with one of her own.

"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Alpha Ace."

Ace took note of the way her words slipped out of her tongue with a rich London accent.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Belarus."

"Ah! Perhaps we should get some lemonade, Duke?"

Hera cut in, her eyes fixed on the Duke. She could tell she sounded quite urgent, but it didn't matter to her.

"Yes! Of course. That is true for a fact."

He replied, straightening his posture as he walked away from the children, following Hera closely behind.

Now that it was just the two of them, Eva was the first to laugh.

Ace found her laughter pleasing to his ears.

"I must apologize to my mother." He spoke up first. He watched as her eyes glittered when she looked up at him.

"Then, I must do so for my father as well." She replied, quite pleased with him.

Ace watched the soft features of her face closely. From brown eyes, to her nose, to the pale pink lips her lipstick helped to adore. She was indeed a pleasure sight to behold.

"She set me up. My mother." Ace spoke again. He found himself wanting to be polite, that was a good sign.

"Then that makes the two of us." She was laughing now.

"My father believes you would make an excellent husband for me."

Now, her eyes were fixed on his. As they danced around his face, Ace could tell that she was eagerly searching for something.

Whatever it was, Ace wanted to tell her that she would not find it.

The only true emotion his eyes had learned to show was anger.

And he was not angry. At least, not with her.

"My mother believes you'll make the perfect Luna."

He spoke. And he knew he was not wrong.

If Hera had decided to bring them together, it would only be because she saw a perfect match in them.

"Do you think she is wrong?" Eva asked again. It was now Ace took note of the champagne glass in her left hand.

She was leading him to a corner he did not expect to be led into.

"Do you believe your father to be wrong?"

"I would not say he is never wrong about anything. But he does form solid and true opinions about people." She replied, her tone was confident and decisive.

"So you think I would make a good husband to you?"

His question had not unnerved her like he had expected. And she did not seem too quick or eager to reply either.

Instead, she took small steps towards him, dangerously closing the gap between them.

"I believe that we can both partner to get what we want. I, a husband as powerful and as honored as yourself. And you, the perfect Luna."

Straightforward. Ace thought with a smile.

Just how he liked them.

"What about love?" Ace asked, leaning into her so that she felt the intensity of his gaze.

He saw her shiver, but she had done a good job of hiding it.

"Do you mean to test me, my Lord?" Eva's eyes lit up with desire.

"I believe I retain the rights to." He spoke, his aura of authority did nothing but excite her all the more!

She laughed and looked away from him. Ace smirked. He could keep this one around.