Howler

Chapter XXXIX

"So are you coming?"
"Yes Evie I will be there in exactly thirty five seconds" I was walking to her house, a garment bag in hand and a whole lot of impatience. "You I'm counting right?" I groaned at her "isn't Jem there can't he entertain you?"
"Yes but-"
"Goodbye Eve" I quickly hung up the phone call and look at that in thirty three seconds I was there.

Walking inside I saw Jem and surprising Harry sitting on the lounge both looking bored as hell. "Harry?" I walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek "what are you doing here?"
"Jem picked me up" I turned to Jem and he shrugged "it was nothing" I noticed they both weren't in suits yet but in traditional t shirt and jeans combos. I was about to say something else when I heard Evie call my name.

I walked in to see Evie who seemed to be in a fight with bobby pins and was wearing only a bathrobe and she seemed stressed. "Oh thank god your here" she got out while still somehow having like 4 bobby pins in her mouth. I put my garment bag down and stared at her "Evie we've been going to this ball since we were thirteen and I've never seen you like this" I sat down beside her as she took the bobby pins out of her mouth.

"I know but this year it's with Jem and we've been dating three months and well..." Evie rubbed her mark and looked into the mirror "I want tonight to be special..." I saw the twinkle in her eyes and I nodded understandingly "you want to complete the mate bond tonight?" And she nodded sheepishly and blushed "I want to look nice for Jem, I mean he's the guy I'm going to spend the rest of my life with and you know this is important" I nodded it was true, Jem and Harry were the people that were going to be our forever and we liked to equally impress them as they do for us.

"Okay first of I'll help you with your hair because I don't think your sloppy bun will cut it" Evie sighed and turned to face the mirror. I ended up putting her hand in two braids and knotting them up intricately, Mine was done similarly but I had my hair was half up and half down with half of it in Dutch braids.

It took us about 20 minutes for us to do our makeup and for us to put on our dresses. Mine was a long pale pink dress with sparkly gold detailing and Evie's was also pink but hers had a bronze overlay and a spilt up the side. "Ready?" I nodded and we began to walk downstairs.

"Woah" I couldn't help but blush at the synchronised shock that came from Jem and Harry. They both opted for plain black suits and we both had their jaws dropping to the floors, it was quite flattering. Walking over to Harry I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed the tip of his nose "you look very handsome" I smiled and I noticed the pink flush on his cheeks. "Are you ready for your first werewolf ball?"

"First ball?"

"Well yeah, I'm going to be Queen and this is one our oldest traditions so this will be one of many" I watched Harry smile slightly and I couldn't help but understand that this was a lot to handle that your whole life was basically written for you.

"Now, we ready to go?"

----

Later we were all standing in the pack house and I was watching Harry stare around in awe. This year we had opted for silver and fairy lights and the whole pack was there wearing all gowns and suits. The unmated males were pulling out all their tricks with the unmated females and the ones who had mates who flirting shamelessly.

However my favourite part of the Christmas ball was the massive Christmas tree in the middle of the room which had dozens of decorations and a Christmas buble for each pack member (mine was up the top). "Wow this is amazing..." Harry clutched onto my arm as we walked through the pack and everyone gave him slightly wary looks because they instantly knew who he was:

The mate who hurt their queen...whether he meant to or not.

"Abigail!" I turned to see my parents walking towards me. Although they were my parents first and royalty second it felt strange to see them in their crowns ( really simple metal bands which encircled their heads and jewels encrusted within ) I hugged them both as they glanced at Harry and greeted Evie and Jem. "Have you seen Tia?" They asked me and I shook my head. "She's just arrived with her aunt and Tia also has a boy on her arm" I followed my parents gaze to where I saw Tia standing with her Aunt Victorié and a boy I'd never seen before, I didn't even think he was apart of the pack.

I looked at him and felt a pang of recognition but I couldn't tell you where from. He looked like a surfer stereo type with his tanned skin, blonde waves and blue eyes that even from a distance looked piercing but where was he from? I shook myself out of whatever thought I believed was true and turned back to Harry.

"Do you know him?" I asked him as I stared back at Tia and the guy. In traditional Tia fashion she had gone against the status quo and wore off the shoulder red lace cocktail dress while her date went with a traditional black suit. "No I don't but he feels familiar..." Harry looked hard at him too. "Alright we need to open the ball now anyway" Harry looked at me with wide eyes but I extended my hand "it's fine, it's just a waltz".

Walking out into the middle of the floor everyone spread out and was watching us intently. As the music began I began to waltz with Harry and he looked nervous. "It's okay, just look at me" I tilted his head down to look at me and I could feel the nervousness radiating off him. The pack began to join us on the dance floor and I could see Tia dancing with her mystery date.

"Okay now you are going to switch partners to our right okay?" I watched Harry's eyes go wide but he nodded. As the music picked up tempo and the males switched partners and I ended up with the last person I had expected: Tia's date.

"Well hello there" his voice was smooth and it seemed to be laced with sarcasm. "I've never seen you before, are you Tia's mate?" I followed his lead as he smirked "no my name is Hugo Johnson and I'm just...an acquaintance" his voice had something familiar about it, like I had heard it in passing or something. "Do I know you from somewhere?" I asked him as he twirled me.

"Perhaps, but that would have implied that you and I had been introduced and since I told you my name that means we haven't" I was taken aback but his lopsided smile and relatively soft voice made my defence falter. "Well whoever you are Hugo Johnson I suppose I'll see more of you" he gave me a slight smile as he moved on to the next partner.

But how did I know him? Why did I know him?