Midnight Love

III. First Quarter

Feeling bad that she tricked Marco into thinking she put her number in his phone she decides to text him pretty late that same evening. Being a creature of the night it was easy for her to be up all hours of the night. After she texted his saying who she was, he responded almost instantly. "Hey, I tried to text you earlier but I couldn't find your number in my contacts." She explained the joke and they start talking about random things. Favorite colors, what they got their undergrads in, whos the best Marvel character, even got into the conversation of what Marco is doing his thesis on. "I think I would like to take you up on your offer," Marco texted her. "You sure you're ready for the journey?" "With you guiding me, I'm sure I'll be just fine." MArco sent back. They set up a time after they are free the next day to hangout. Marco falling asleep on her as the sun started to rise.

They go to Celine's place the next day to smoke. When they reached her floor there's a smell of blood that sets her on edge. She noticed that there's a spiral on her doorknob and its made in fresh blood. She turned quickly to Marco noticing he hasn't seen it, "You know what I forgot my place is in shambles with everything going on. I haven't had time to clean it properly. Do you mind if I just get the supplies and we head some place else?" Shrugging his shoulders, "Oh yeah we can just head back to my place there's this cool hole in a wall place nearby I want to show you." She nodded her head as she placed her key in the door. "Cool, I'll just meet you back at the car." She shut the door before she even heard his response. As she listened for his steps down the hall she pulled out her phone. Ring. Ring. "I've been marked Eli." "What?!" "Where?" "What kind of mark?" Her comrade's deep voice filled with questions and growing anger. She cut him off abruptly, "I don't have time for a lot of explaining but there was a blood spiral on my door knob and I can smell that someone was all over my apartment it's making my wolf stir crazy. I cant even stay in here." Celine took some calming breaths to keep her wolf at bay, "I have some where I need to be but I want you and Nic to come and investigate my place." She commanded. "Yes alpha, we can be there in less than thirty minutes. I'll get Nicolas and head over now." "Make it fifteen." She could hear the alpha in her voice and tried to calm down. "Thanks Eli, and keep this on the low. I don't want anyone else to know about this except us." She insisted as she looked at how destroyed her apartment really was. Feeling her nails as they broke through the skin of her hand. "You sure? This could be serious, we need the Elders involved if its an act to initiate war." She rubbed her fingers against her temple, already feeling the headache thats coming. "Yes I'm sure, I'm just getting my pack settled under my control. The last thing we need is to have wolves panicking over a threat until we know who did it. It could be an outsider or it could someone in the pack." Hearing Eli agree with her thought process, "We have to tread softly with this." Celine reasoned."Okay, but I feel like you need someone to be with you until we know who's targeting you." As Celine gathered her supplies thinking how much she actually needed this blunt now, "No, I will be fine. I don't need no other wolf tracking my every move." She whispered into the phone, "I'll stay at where the paw descends into footprints until things are back settled here." That was their code for saying she will be at her best friends house. Neither of them not knowing if the enemy was still in hearing distance or not. She couldn't sense another wolf but they could be hiding their trace. Eli heard the code and knew where his Alpha's head was at, "Got it, I'll text you with what we find." She hung up as she closed the door. When she headed out to Marco's car she fixed her facial expression and hoped he didn't notice how long it took her to come down stairs.

The smoke session was a success. Celine and Marco became close with the following weeks that passed. THey spent more and more time together but neither wanted to address the growing tension between them. As the semester passed, the annual Gala was approaching. It's the biggest event of the semester. Only seniors, teaching staff, and the donors were invited. It was also a huge event for Celine being that it was her senior year but also because her company, Blue Moon International, was giving one of the biggest donations to the school. With her being the newly appointed CEO she would have to not only present the donation but she had to make a speech for it. Celine never liked formal events. Never being a fan of being the center of attention and also never being of fan of gowns either. So of course she enlisted her best friend who's human, Cassandra but she preferred to be called Cass, to help her pick out a gown. Cass has known about Celine being a wolf for years now. Being the only human in her life that actually knew about the other half of her life. Cass even met Eli, who was the closest person Celine could call her brother, that's why he was the only one who knew where she was staying at since her marking. As they shopped, which consisted more of Cass pulling gowns and making Celine try them on. "Have you gotten any updates on your apartment?" Cass asked as discreetly as possible. Always abided to the rules Celine taught her when they talked in public. "No, whoever did it knew what they were doing. Eli and Nicolas are getting more on edge with each passing day that dont know who did it." She said almost disappointedly. Not wanting to kill the happy carefree mood they were in, "You excited to see Marco at the Gala?" Celine sucked her teeth, "Why would I? He's just a friend." "Just a friend my ass, I have never heard you talk about anyone as much as Marco; male or female." Cassandra accused her friend jokingly. "And I know you finished trying on that last dress five minutes ago, bring your ass out here so we can have a look." Celine rolled her eyes at how well her best friend knew her. She pulled at the dress one more time before she pulls the curtain back. "Oh yes that's the one right there." Cassandra says with glee. Had a smile so bright it could blind someone. The dress was a floor length solid black gown with a plunging neckline and a high split. Cass told her to try the dress on with a pair of strappy black heels that already hurt her feet. "You sure it's not too much for a Gala?" Celine continued to pull at the dress until Cass popped her hand like she was a child. "You look beautiful Cel, Marco is gonna love you in this." Cass looks at her as if she knew that's what she wanted to hear to make her get the dress. She went back into the dressing room to put back on her ripped jeans and dirty sunflower vans. "I'm not picking a dress for Marco," she insisted. "Well if you're not why are you taking the dress and the shoes to the register?" Cass laughed loudly as she saw Cel stop dead in her tracks at what she just pointed out. "It's not because of that it's because we have a couple of hours to the actual event I don't have time to find anything else," Celine said defiantly as she handed the cashier her card.

She wished she could bring her best friend along with her to help calm her nerves. But at least she was able to help her get ready. They decided on pining her long dreads into an updo. Her makeup was simple with a bold red lip. As they put on the last thing to pull the whole look together, her long diamond earrings. Cassandra took a step back to admire the complete look, "You really do look beautiful Cel." Popping her knuckles nervously as she looked at herself in the mirror, "Thank you Cass, I just wish my dad was here." Her voice choked up slightly as her eyes burned with tears that didn't fall. Holding her hand knowing just how much her father's death really hurt her. "He is with you tonight," She encouraged Cel as they heard the car beeps of her chauffeur. She hugged Cassandra deeply before she grabbed her clutch and phone, headed out the door. Marco was already at the Gala by time Celine arrived. Feeling even more self conscious as she thought of how he would react to her look tonight. She pulled on her gown the entire drive to the Gala. Her curiosity grew as she imagined what Marco was wearing himself.

He was waiting for her outside of the venue and opened the door for her. His eyes went wide as he saw her in her gown. He looked like a deer in headlights and said nothing. "Um, are we going to go in?" She asked nervously, still feeling uncomfortable in her dress but enjoying the effect she's having on him. Pushing his glasses up, he gave her his arm and they walked in arm in arm. "Would you like a drink?" Marco asked. "Please." Celine said desperately. "Do you have a preference?" He suggested as he sat her at her seat. "The strongest thing they have would be great." She whispered in his ear. Marco went over to the bar and requested their drinks. He threw back a shot before he even left the bar trying to gather himself before he goes back over to Celine. He couldn't believe how stunning she looked tonight. Having to think of some pretty disgusting things to keep the effect she was having on him concealed. Knowing the thoughts he's had for her have been going on for years but he always kept them to himself. Would rather be just her friend than to say something and lose her all together. He brought both of their drinks to the table and watched as Celine drunk from her glass until it was all gone. He could tell she was really nervous about her speech. "How about you go over your speech with me?" He stated. Celine looking at him with gratefulness filled in her purple eyes. She shook her head and started to recite her speech to him. She left his side once they announced the winner of her company's donation. She stepped off the stage after her standing ovation. She made her speech and felt confident in her achievement as she subtly looked for Marco as she handled her business obligations. She was relieved when she was able to break away for a much needed breather. Never really wanting this life for herself always thought that she could live out her own life before she would have to take over for her father. She spotted Marco outside in the lobby drinking what looked like Hennessy. He noticed her bun first, could recognize it anywhere at this point. He started to approach her. They stand in front of each other in awkward silence. "How did I do?." She asked nervously. Feeling the liquid courage sneak up on him he said, "You looked sexy as hell on stage handling your business. You killed it." She flusters, "umm...thank you I appreciate your compliment." Trying to hold her composure and watched as he gave her that one of a kind smirk as he says, "And I know you have more business to handle but what about after the auction? You got any plans? I could wait all night, Ms. Matthews." She snatched at her self control that was fleeting away. Wanting nothing more than to leave this Gala immediately and let him wear her out for the rest of the evening. The Alpha in her never liked to be taken off guard, "I wont be done here until late tonight, what did you have in mind Mr. Ramírez? " Marco showed off a mischievous smirk, "Let's go at my apartment, we can order from that late night munchie spot and get some wings after I show you exactly what's on my mind."Celine laughed at the mention of their favorite munchie spot. "Damn, and there's wings involved, oh this night just became a lot more interesting, Mr.Ramírez." "Indeed, Ms. Matthews.", he said as he nodded his head. Playfully she rolled her eyes she whispered, "Pick me up at midnight, and I'm all yours for the rest of the night," He sat his glass down and placed his hand on her lower back and leaned to whisper in her ear. "Your magic carpet will be waiting, Madam." Walking away before Celine could really react to his touch. She instantly become irritated that she still has a few hours before she was able to have Marco all to herself and take off these god forsaken shoes. Her wolf felt like she was about to burst at the seams.