Adoring the Beta (Book #2)

1. Meeting Him

"Hey Vic, do you have any mascara on you?" Brit's voice pulled me out of the daydreaming trance I was in.   

"Oh no, sorry. I only brought some lip gloss and some powder for touching up my face. You look perfect," I said. 

"Brit! Stop worrying about your lashes, that's like the only pretty part of you," our friend Joanie teased, sticking out her tongue as she chucked her "Better than Sex" mascara bottle at Brit. 

"Look who's talking about being ugly!" Brit responded with a laugh, knowing that Joanie was only kidding and that they had previously done each other's make up earlier that night and gushed over they way they both looked. 

"Um, excuse me, but at least my lashes won't be falling off because of 10 coats of mascara," Joanie fired back with a laugh as Brit handed her back what is objectively the best mascara on the planet. 

"They won't fall off, I'll grow them back. And anyways, I'm wearing a mask for this masquerade ball, and it is very important that my eyes look absolutely captivating, which they do. Yours on the other hand, look questionable," Brit responded, giggling.  

Joanie said something else, and they both laughed again. I tried to be more interactive with the remainder of the conversation with my two best friends. But, I just couldn't. My mind wasn't thinking about Brit's perfectly beautiful eyelashes or the extra coat of mascara she was added. I could only focus on the fact that I was in a limo heading from the our hotel towards the Blood Venom Pack. The actual Blood Venom Pack--a pack that was most feared by every pack I know. Could this be an ambush, or could this be the night of my life? Who knows, but what I know is that I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity of meeting my mate. And this was as good of an opportunity as any. Everyone was going to be at the ball. After all, who rejects an invitation from the Alpha and Beta of Blood Venom? An idiot, that's how. I, however, am not an idiot. 

The limo ride was going to be a long one. It was at least going to be another hour, and I was starting to get tired before the night even started. I considered taking a nap, but the night sky was beautiful, the stars were perfect, the moon was perfectly round and glowing, and there was nothing wrong with day dreaming while staring into the night sky about the chance that I could meet my mate tonight. I didn't know how to imagine him though. Was he tall or short? What hair color did he have? What did his voice sound like? Is it raspy or silky smooth? Is he athletic or nerdy? I pondered everything about him, knowing that I didn't care about the specifics. I knew I would love him the way he is. The real question, is whether he is even alive. I looked over at my two friends who had both already found their respective mates, and felt real happiness for them when I saw them cuddling up to each other in the limo. I can't wait to have that for myself. I was the oldest though in my friend group and I just don't understand why I wouldn't have found him already. Unless he didn't want to be found. I remained optimistic, but careful at the same time. I am not about to throw myself at someone who doesn't want me.  

Eternity passed by, and we finally made it to what I assume is the official Blood Venom territory. Regardless of how long it took or how long it felt that it was, we were finally here and parked and ready to follow the groups of invited guests towards the gates. 

I got out of the car and adjusted my forest green gown. I tried to calm my racing heart, but I couldn't shake the nervousness. Why was I nervous? This was supposed to be fun. A literal dream come true. There were many lines at the gate to where the ball will be taking place due to blood Venom security cross checking every name on their list with IDs before letting people in. Luckily the lines were moving pretty fast. Brit pulled my arm towards her as she started running towards one of the lines. I instinctively grabbed Joanie's hand as well so we were all linked together as we ran towards the entrance laughing. 

"Everything okay?" I heard Joanie whisper into my ear. I didn't mean to let my nervousness seep out. 

"Yeah, I am just a little anxious about meeting my mate. What if I don't? I am really holding out hope for this," I responded. Joanie could always tell when I had the slightest change in my normal character. It was why she was such a good friend. If any one understood me truly, it was her. Even with that though, she could never truly understand what I am going through. She never had to wait to find her mate. She was one of the lucky ones who ended up being in the same class with her mate since elementary school before they finally discovered that their friendship bond was actually the mate bond in disguise. She never lived a day without Garrett, and for that reason, she couldn't truly grasp the weight of having to live every day not knowing if the mate you were destined for is even alive.  

"Don't worry, I have a good feeling about tonight. And even if you don't, you look stunning. And, we will take lots of photos, and remember this night forever. We will literally never get a chance like this again. Try to enjoy the night, and fate has this cool thing that it does," she reassured. 

"And what is the cool thing?" I asked with a smile. 

"It works out," she smiled back. 

"Who works out?" Brit chimed in, obviously unaware of our conversation. 

"The hunks of Blood Venom. Holy shit, they are so hot. Just look at them. They have got to be on top of their game all the time to be considered the scariest pack ever." Melanie, another friend of ours who rode in a different car, said while fanning her face. 

"I would do anything for one of them to slam me against a tree and do very, very nasty things to me including but not limited to some ass slapping and hair pulling," Melanie continued. 

"Melanie! Be quiet we're in public, and people can hear us!" Joanie exclaimed as we progressed in our spot in the line. 

"Joanie, don't you do all this stuff with your mate already? How could hearing me talk about it offend you so much, when you do it on the regular?" Melanie teased Joanie, who we all knew was a bit more reserved socially than Melanie. 

"What I do in private and in public are very different things Mel, obviously," Joanie defended while half hugging Melanie as we stand in line. 

The girls started talking again, and I just examined the atmosphere. Even though it was crowded and bustling with throngs of people getting out of cars and in line and conversing and adjusting their outfits, one voice stood out from the crowd. It was the smoothest voice I have ever heard and it reserved its own place in my head. It made my heart race and my hands sweaty. It was manly and powerful yet something about it made me feel safe. My eyes darted around trying to find the source of the voice, and when it did my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't help but think he was the most beautiful man alive. How could I not think that? His perfectly tailored suit hugged his body spectacularly. And his ass in those pants looked heavenly. Even though half his face was covered by his mask, his naturally dark pink lips were drawing me closer. They were the lock box to the sexiest voice. Every fiber of my being was drawing me towards him. Every instinct I had was telling me to let this man fully take me. Is this the mate bond? Could he be my mate? Am I mated to someone in Blood Venom?

A few moments later, I found myself standing right in front of him. I didn't realize my legs were leading me towards him, but I had left my friends and beelined towards him, like he was the only thing that ever existed. He was still looking down, at his clipboard. 

"Name?" he asked, but with a slight hesitation. My breath caught in my throat, and looking at his face up close, I could swear that I had no idea what my parents called me, where I was from, and what I was doing here. 

But finally my voice left my throat and I respond, "Victoria Mitchell." And in that moment our eyes locked.  I saw his eyes go larger, as if he couldn't believe that I was here. He was just as shocked. He reached up to lower the mask from my face, and as he touched me, small tingles erupted through me, making me shiver.

I let out a small gasp, followed by a smile, when I saw him beaming at me. Our eyes never leaving each other, knowing that the search is done, and there was no need to look at anything else in the world. In that moment, I knew that he is mine and I was his forever.

My worries escaped my body, and all I wanted was for this man to hold me and never let me go.