Chapter 21


    21


    Chapter Twenty-One


    Caleb''s Point of View


    I can not let her see how angry I am right now. How much I want to tear her old pack apart. When


    Daphne stopped and could not take a step towards the front door, rage hot blinding rage exploded


    within me. The only thing stopping me from turning this ball into a massacre Is the fact that know that


    my mate needs to have faith, and trust in me. I do not know how Daphne will react if she sees the


    monster I can truly be. Instead of pulling her, or trying to coax her towards the front door, I simply


    swoop her up in my arms. '' Cradling her in my arms, I almost turn around and took her back upstairs.


    Simply touching her makes my pants fit tighter. She is light, too light as if she has not been fed


    properly. My heartbeat is racing, it is taking all my restraint not to kiss her. I carry her right through the


    front door. It is important to me that she knows that when times get hard, I will not abandon her. I will


    help her through everything in this life. <


    I take her hand and lead her down the steps, walking towards the meeting hall. I know that my mate


    enjoys being outside as much asI do. The silence isfortable between us, almost as if we have


    made this walk many times before. Absently I noticed that I have been rubbing my thumb back and


    forth over her palm. Daphne is even more beautiful in the moon light. The soft moon glow cascades


    down her hair giving her an ethereal effect. I could simply stare at her for hours and never get bored.


    Too soon the music gets louder and people can be seen. Daphne is worried about her dancing skills.


    Iam not worried at all because I know how to dance, and I can teach her. I am happy about it; I will get


    to show my mate a lot of new things in this world. My heart is light knowing that she will experience


    some first times solely with me.


    As we get closer to the doors of the hall, I can feel her nervousness flowing from her. I try to remember


    if Hannah was this nervous when Theo and I brought her home. Hannah’s situation was different, we


    brought her back to our pack house immediately. Daphne on the other hand is about to attend a ball


    with her old tormentors in attendance. Once again, I feel the rage building up and I must stomp it back


    down. Nothing matters more to me than ensuring that my mate feels protected, and I need to be clear


    headed because I want her to have a great time.


    “Are you ready to go in my dear?” Daphne tuns and nods her head at me. I can tell that she is unsure.


    Hoping tofort her I move and put my arm at her waist and pull her snug against my side. Plus, I


    want everyone in that room to recognize that she is mine and mine alone. I know that I have not


    marked her yet, but Daphne is my mate. :


    We walk in and I turn to look at Daphne''’s face. She has never been toa Mabon ball before and I want


    to experience it through her eyes. Even though she is nervous my mate can not stop looking around.


    Her eyes are darting all around the room. As her eyesnd on the buffet I can hear her stomach growl.


    :


    “Sweetheart would you like to eat before I show you how to dance?” I know that she is hungry, I can


    hear it. I am kicking myself for not getting her some food earlier. °


    “Yes, I think that would be nice.” Her voice is quiet as if she does not want anyone else to hear her. I


    lead her over closer to the buffet line. As we are standing in line I can Marcus is head our way. I am


    pleased to see him, and I can not wait to introduce him to Daphne. Marcus and I have not seen each


    other for some time, and I have heard that he has also found his mate. '' “Caleb it is so good to see you,


    and who is this stunning woman on your arm?” Marcus wastes no time asking about Daphne as he


    comes and shakes my hand. Daphne shrinks in closer to my side, with her eyes averted towards the


    ground.


    “Marcus it has been too long old friend. I would like to introduce you to my mate Daphne.” Daphne''s


    eyes whip up to look at me as I introduce her. “Daphne this old dog is my good friend Marcus, he is the


    Alpha of the Crest Line pack. They are very close friends of our pack.”


    “Daphne it is a pleasure to meet the woman that has made my friend smile. Wee to the family


    darling.” Marcus takes Daphne''s hand and ces a kiss on her knuckles. Without meaning to I growl


    softly. Marcus lets out a littleugh but takes a step back. “AhI can see that you two must have found


    each other very recently, as my friend is very possessive.”


    I apologize to Marcus and he assures me that it is ok. “I understand fully Caleb. I do not know if you


    have heard or not, but I have also met my mate” Marcus exins.


    “I had heard a rumor about it. Is she here tonight?” I am hoping that she is here, I would love to meet


    her. Iam also hoping that if there is another woman in the conversation that Daphne will rx a little.


    “Yes, she is currently in the powder room, how about you and your lovely mate get some food and


    meet us at our table? We are right there” Marcus says pointing to a table towards the back. “Sounds


    like a n, we will be along soon.” As Marcus walks away, I look down at Daphne. Her eyes are no


    longer on the floor, but she is still very nervous. “See my love that was not so bad right?”


    Daphne giggles a little over my words. “No, your friend seems very nice. Why did you growl when he


    kissed my hand though?” I was hoping that she would not remember that part of the conversation, but it


    turns out my mate is very quick witted. Grabbing some tes, I begin to exin to Daphne what I was


    feeling. “


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    Daphne usually when mates find each other, they mark each other. The mark is a bite, closer to the


    cor bone that releases some of your scent into your mate. This shows that the pair have epted


    that they are mates. Even though I have epted and am overjoyed that you are my mate, you have


    not fully epted me yet. So, I did not mark you earlier even though I wanted to. I want you to take


    your time, a lot of things changed today in your world, and I want you to feelfortable. When we


    mark each other, I do not want there to be any doubt in your mind that you are mine and 1 am yours.


    Although I am a patient man, my wolf is a protective beast, so when another mans lips touched your


    body, my wolf wanted to rip his throat out. I am sorry if I scared you.” °


    While I was exining my actions to Daphne, we had been moving through the buffet line. I made sure


    to fill both tes with a little of everything. I do not know what my mate likes to eat yet, but I know that


    she is hungry and too shy to fill her own te. So, I tried to ensure that she had plenty to choose from.


    Holding both tes, we walk to Marcus’s table. ?


    AsI set the tes down, a striking ck -haired woman walks up behind Marcus and wraps her arms


    around his shoulders. He hugs her briefly and then stand up to introduce us.


    “Alpha Caleb and Daphne, may I have the pleasure of introducing you two to my mate L.” Marcus is


    clearly love struck and is gazing at his mate throughout the introduction.


    “L it is a pleasure to meet you. This is my mate Daphne.” We all settle around the table, and I can


    still feel that Daphne is nervous. “So please tell me L, where did you guys meet?” Iam hoping that


    Daphne will rx if the conversation is flowing.


    “Well Marcus had been traveling through Eugene, and I owned a little café there. He and his men


    stopped in for lunch one day and when our eyes met over the counter, I simply knew that he was meant


    to be mine. Before I know it this feral creature had hopped over my counter, smashing some of my


    coffee cups and was trying to tote me out of my own café.” L is animated, and bubbly a lot like


    Hannah. She uses her hands to add drama to the story. L’s words are meant to be in humor, and I


    can see that Marcus''s face has gone a little red from her retelling of the meeting. Even Daphne is


    giggling at my friend’s antics.


    “So finally, I convince this brute to set me down, and I gave him a piece of my mind right there on the


    street.” L is nowughing, and I am trying to imagine my friend getting yelled at by his mate in the


    street. “Then to shut me up he simply kissed me. From that moment on we have not been apart. I thank


    the Moon Goddess everyday for allowing our paths to cross.” Now they are staring at each other, and it


    is easy to see the love flowing freely between them. Iam very happy for my friend. Marcus was like me,


    afraid of turning feral. We had many long conversations about it. So, to see that he has found his mate


    brings peace to my heart. I like L, she seems strong and vibrant an excellent match for Marcus who


    can be kind of caveman like. Absently I reach for Daphne''s hand, and softly caress the back of her


    hand. I wonder if these two women realize that they are our savlors?


    “Ok, so that’s our story. What about you two? How did you guys meet?” L directs the question at us.


    “Surprisingly, we just met today’ I tell her. “Daphne was a member of the Silver Moon pack, and I knew


    the moment that I seen her that she was my mate. You both will be invited to our mating ceremony;


    everything has just happened so fast that we have not set a date yet.” I left out that Daphne had been a


    ve. I was not ashamed of the fact; I just did not know if that would embarrass her. ''


    “Daphne we must get together and have a girl’s day when our men are out doing whatever it is men


    do.” L reaches across the table and squeezes Daphne’s hand. I am eternally grateful that L


    seems genuine and caring. I would like Daphne to make some friends, and to feelfortable in her


    new life. Daphne agrees, and we settle into gentle conversation about the ball, the decorations, and


    everyday life. I notice that Daphne has eaten a good portion of her te, and I am pleased. I do not


    want her to want for anything. L pulls Marcus away to dance, and Daphne and I have a moment to


    ourselves.


    “So, are you having a little bit of fun my love?”


    “Yes, I like them both very much. L is so animated.” Daphne seems a little more rxed.


    “Iam d that you ate, Iam sorry I did not get you food earlier.”


    “Oh no that’s ok, I am just happy that I did not have to eat the leftovers.”


    Daphne says giggling a little. She does not realize that her words have sparked another bout of rage


    within me. I want to tear the heads off all her tormentors, particrly her fathers. To know that my mate


    survived from scraps from other people’s tes is unfathomable to me. °


    “Daphne you will never have to eat other people''s scraps again. I will always ensure that you have a


    full te and that you are not hungry. Although my culinary skills are not great, I can make a few


    meals.” I am trying to lighten the mood, hoping that my rage stays in check. *


    I notice that Daphne is watching the dance floor. “Would you care to dance my dear?”


    She is biting her lower lip as she looks at me, nervous as usual. “I might step on your feet or fall.”


    “That is a risk I am willing to take, as long as I get to hold you in my arms.” Daphne blushes a little at


    my words, but she nods letting me know that she would like to dance. Wrapping my arms around her


    waist I lead her out onto the dance floor.