Alynna took her place next to Grant, who were talking to two other men.
“Ah, here she is. Liam, may I present Alynna Chase. Alynna, this is Liam Henney, Alpha of San Francisco and his Beta and cousin, Takeda Matsumoto.”
The taller of the two men turned to her, his handsome face breaking into a smile. Dark hair swept across his brow and electric blue eyes sparkled as he greeted her. “Very lovely to meet you Ms. Chase,” he said, taking the hand she offered and giving it a firm shake. Liam was perhaps the youngest Alpha she had seen tonight, younger than Grant and maybe only a few years older than herself.
“Alpha,” she nodded. “Thank you coming all the way here to join us tonight.”
“The pleasure’s all mine. And on behalf of my clan, I would like to say that we are overjoyed that you have found your family and your pack.”
“Thank you,” she said. Cady explained that the welcoming words were a modified version of the traditional welcome for newborns. Usually, Alphas would have to say (or write) to the parents “We are overjoyed that a new life has joined your family and your pack” but since she wasn’t exactly a newborn, they had to change the greeting.
Alynna shook hands with his Beta, a shorter Japanese man who was dressed in a traditional formal kimono and hakama in dark blue. “Ms. Chase, I am overjoyed that you have found your family and pack,” he said in an accented tone, though his English had a slight British affectation.
“Thank you Matsumoto-san,” she gave him a slight bow. “I hope your trip here was pleasant.”
“It was Ms. Chase,” he replied.
“It’s been a while since we came to New York,” Liam interjected. “I do miss this lovely city.”
“But I heard San Francisco is beautiful as well,” Alynna said. She was getting the hang of this small talk. “I would love to visit…uh, I mean, you know, if you would allow me…er…” She blushed, thinking it was too forward inviting herself into another clan’s territory. Ok, so maybe she needed some practice.
Liam grinned. “Of course, Ms. Chase. You and your brother are always welcome in San Francisco. But do let me know if you’re planning a trip, as I would love to show you all the best places to see.”
His electric blue eyes seemed to pierce right into her, making her blush even more and her stomach flipflop. Sure, there were a lot of handsome Lycans in the room (and few of them hid their obvious interest in her), but there was something different and more sincere about Liam.
“Of course,” she replied, staring back at him.
She must have stared a little too long, as a light cough jolted her out of her trance. “Alpha, we mustn’t keep the line, Ms. Chase has more guests,” Takeda politely declared, nodding towards the line of guests.
“Of course, my apologies,” he bowed to her. “Ms. Chase, I hope to see you later.”
“Uh-huh…” was all Alynna could say.
The two men left and walked towards the ballroom, though they stopped when they passed by another couple standing by the doors.
“Hmm...”
Alynna looked up at Grant, who was looking at her with a contemplative look on his face. “What?”
“Nothing,” her brother answered, though the start of a smile was tugging at his lips.
“Grant Horace Anderson!” she mocked.
“That’s not my middle name,” he quipped, touching her chin lightly with his finger.
“It should be…since that sounds like the name of the town busybody!”
“Oh yeah, well I’m not the one who’s still blushing and has a bit of drool on her chin!”
Alynna gasped and touched her chin. Finding it dry, she nudged him lightly on the shin with her foot.
“Ouch,” he joked.
Alynna glared up at him and he countered with a smile. “As far as prospects go, Liam isn’t a bad choice.”
“Excuse me?” she asked in an incredulous voice.
“He’s only 29 and an Alpha for about, six months now? He’s definitely under pressure to choose a Lupa and produce an heir, though I heard his mom’s your typical Tiger mom. The current Tokyo Alpha’s aunt, I heard. But, good connections - you’ll not only be connected to another clan in the country, but also in another continent.”
“Whoah there, cowboy,” Alynna said. “Drop the keys to the car, you’re not driving to the courthouse anytime soon.” Alynna looked down the Silver hallway, and watched Liam and Takeda walk into the ballroom. To her surprise, just before they turned the corner, Liam looked back and gave her a slow smile and wink, before they turned and walked into the main room.
Alynna felt her stomach flipflop again and her cheeks grow hot. She never really dated or had high school crushes, but now she understood why those girls acted silly around cute guys.
“Shall I warm up the Maserati? Just make sure you bring enough quarters for the meters, I hear those meter maids are tough down in City Hall.” Grant said, looking at her with that knowing smile.
The urge to punch him in the shoulder was almost too hard to resist. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
They turned back to the receiving line and made quick work of the remaining guests. Finally, they reached the end of the line, where a short, balding man and a tall, willowy blonde in a slinky white gown were waiting.
“Grayson, this is Alynna Chase, my sister. Alynna, this is Grayson Charles, Alpha of Connecticut and his companion Ms. Vanessa Bennet.”
“How do you do? Thank you for accepting our invitation, Alpha.”
The older man grabbed her hands and rubbed his sweaty palms against hers. His eyes raked over her, lingering a little too long on her breasts. She almost gagged at the sensation of his damp palms and his perusal, but kept her smile. “Ms. Chase, on behalf of my clan, I would like to say that we are overjoyed that you have found your family and your pack.”
“Er, thank you Alpha,” she said. She looked towards the woman who accompanied him, who seemed to be a little too preoccupied talking to Grant. She was definitely invading his personal space, sidling up to him and giving him little touches here and there, while giggling at whatever he said. Oh brother, she thought. Finally, Grayson Bennet cleared his throat loudly, catching her attention, He gave her a disapproving look as she turned to Alynna.
“Ms. Chase,” Vanessa said in a sweet voice. “So lovely and an honor to meet you!” she grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Our Lupa, Caroline, sends her regards and deepest regrets for not being able to make it.”
“She’s due any day now,” Grayson interrupted.
“An heir,” Grant said. “I didn’t know Grayson, congratulations. I wish your family health and your wife a safe delivery.”
“Thanks,” the older man said, though he seemed distracted, staring at Alynna’s “charms”. “Uh, yes, well maybe in a month you’ll be coming up to Connecticut for another welcoming ceremony.”
“Looking forward to it,” Grant said dryly. “Anyway, I do apologize, seeing as we’re done with the receiving line, I need to prepare to welcome everyone. Alynna,” he offered his arm to his sister.
“Yes, let’s go,” Alynna said a little too quickly, wanting to get away from Grayson Bennet and his greedy, roving eyes. “Bye! I mean, see you…” She let out a sigh of relief as Grant led her into the ante room. She was looking forward to kicking off her shoes for a bit until she had to go out into the den of (literal) wolves.
***
After a quick, 15-minute break, Alynna was on her feet again. She accompanied Grant to the small stage set up at the front of the 4-story ballroom. At least she didn’t have to say anything, at least not until the end of the night. Also, she was glad it was a semi-public space so Grant was quite vague in his welcoming remarks. Frankly, she had seen all kinds of reactions and comments about her being the “True Mate” offspring, from disbelief, excitement, and even intense scrutiny, as if she’d sprout wings or horns at any moment.
“And so, I’d like to formally begin tonight’s festivities. Please,
enjoy the music, the dancing, the food, and the champagne!” he raised his glass to the audience, and everyone did the same. He motioned to the orchestra as he took Alynna by the arm and led her down the ballroom.
“I’m glad we don’t have to do a dance or something,” she remarked.
“Afraid you’d get your toes stepped on?” Grant laughed.
“Have you seen my feet? They’re as graceful as hooves!” she giggled. Grant had really loosened up around her and it was hard to imagine this was the man who was threatening her in his office just weeks ago. Despite all her reservations about being part of the Lycan world, Grant was one of the things that she was grateful for.
They walked around the ballroom, stopping and talking to some of the people she had been already introduced to. Many of the delegation members who were not part of the receiving line were clamoring to be introduced to her and soon, her head was spinning again from all the new faces and names she was trying to remember.
“And so, I was hoping that we could talk about that deal in Panama, Don Alvarez,” Grant began. Sensing her distress, Grant had grabbed the first group he saw, brought them to a quiet alcove and kept Alynna next to the wall, where his intimidating frame effectively blocked her from prying eyes and well-wishers. She sighed with relief, giving her brother a grateful squeeze on the arm and tried not to fall asleep as he and the businessmen from Panama talked about cement prices and last year’s banana crops.
“I think we can do something about that, Alpha,” the head of the group nodded.
“That would be great, Don Alvarez, I’ll have—”
Alynna looked up at Grant as she felt him freeze beside her. His eyes narrowed and the muscles in his arm tensed.
“Alpha? Are you alright?” Don Alvarez asked politely.
“Grant?” Alynna rubbed his arm, trying to catch his attention.
“What? Oh, apologies, I thought I heard my assistant call for me,” he smiled. “Keen senses, you know?”
“Of course!” the group of human businessmen laughed.
Alynna’s eyebrows shot up, as she didn’t hear anything and she could have sworn she saw Cady run to the ladies’ room just five minutes before.
Grant gave the Panamanians a nod and excused himself and Alynna, citing Lycan business. He gently pulled Alynna away, his eyes scanning the room intently.
“Grant, what’s wrong?” she asked nervously. “Is there…is someone here?”
“Yes…I mean…no I don’t think so. Didn’t you smell that? That scent?”
“What scent?” she was surrounded by about three hundred Lycans from around the world, so she had had her fill of scents. She was so glad she practiced tuning them out weeks ago.
“It was…I don’t know. Weird. Like I couldn’t ignore it.”
“Did you recognize it?”
“Sort of. I mean, that’s the weird thing. I only know it’s pleasant, but I can’t quite name what it is, you know? Like…smelling cookies or the rain for the first time.” Grant also felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, but not in danger. It was something else, and he wasn’t quite comfortable letting his sister know yet.
He had discussed the possibility with Nick that Alynna’s stalker coming to the ball, which is why security was so tight and he himself was on high alert.
“Well, don’t ask me, I’ve only been a Lycan for a couple weeks,” Alynna joked. Then she nudged his side and nodded across the room, where Vanessa was talking to a group of Lycans from Italy. She laughed and tossed her head back, swatting the Italian Lycan who had his arm around her waist. “Maybe it’s the dreaded feeling of having someone devour you with their eyes.”
As if on cue, Vanessa turned to them, giving Grant a sweet smile. She disentangled herself from the Italian and began to stalk towards them. “Speaking of which…”
Grant groaned inwardly.
“Ooops, I feel mother nature calling,” Alynna cackled.
“Please Alynna, don’t—”
“Throw you to the wolves?” she grinned. “I’ll be back…maybe!”
She sprinted (as much as she could) away from him and made her way to the bathroom. Maybe Cady was there and she could finally talk to someone she knew.
The bathroom was practically empty, except for a woman in a green gown who had just exited one of the stalls. Alynna realized she did actually have to answer mother nature’s call. Thank god the stalls were extra wide, probably to accommodate fluffy ball gowns like she was wearing.
As she was making herself presentable again, she heard the bathroom doors creak open, and a group of girls must have entered as she heard them laughing and chatting.
“Can you believe it?” one of the voices said. “True Mate indeed! How can they be sure she’s a True Mate offspring - I thought that was a myth!”
“Yeah, how can they be sure she wasn’t just born on the wrong side of the blanket?”
Giggling followed, and Alynna bit her lip and balled her hands into a fist.
“Well this certainly does change things, girls,” a voice she hadn’t heard yet say. “Grant Anderson will be even harder to catch, now that he doesn’t have to produce the next heir of the New York Clan.”
“Humph, that little thing, produce the heir of the New York clan?” another said haughtily. “I heard she was raised in Brooklyn, and that her mom was a waitress!”
The anger that was bubbling in her was ready to erupt. They could insult the clan, insult her, but not her mother. She grabbed the door handle of the stall, ready to draw her (metaphorical, possibly physical) claws out, but before she could open the door, another voice boomed through the bathroom.
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” the voice said. “Just who the hell are you girls, anyway? How could you judge that poor girl without even meeting her?”
“Excuse me,” said the haughty voice. “Do I know you? We’re having a private conversation here.”
“Well, this isn’t exactly a private place,” the other woman countered. “And so what if her mother’s a waitress? Raising a child by herself, without the help of a husband or a clan? That doesn’t even make you half the woman she is.”
“How dare you!”
“You wanna take this outside, bean pole?”
“Lorraine, let’s go…it’s not worth it. Besides, I saw Liam Henney by the bar just before we went in here. You know him? That hot young half-Japanese Alpha from San Francisco. I’m sure he’d enjoy our company.”
Alynna head the door creak open again, and the bathroom was silent. Then, she heard a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. She pushed the door open and took a deep breath.
The woman in green Alynna had seen earlier was sitting in one of the chairs, checking her makeup, muttering to herself. She walked up to her, catching the other woman’s attention when she appeared in the reflection behind her.
The woman jumped up in surprise. “Jesus Christ on bicycle!” the woman turned and put her hand on her chest. “Cazzo madre de dio! You do not sneak up on a Lycan like that!”
“I’m sorry!” Alynna quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean to…it’s just that…”
The woman let out a breath. “It’s ok ,” she said. “Ugh, I swear, I hate going to these things! I wasn’t even supposed to go, ya know? I have more important things to do!” she said, checking her cherry red lipstick in the mirror. “But, my ma and nonna, God bless their souls, they’d be rolling in their graves if I didn’t go!”
Alynna stared at the woman - no, Lycan, definitely. Hmmmm…cookies or fresh baked goods, she thought as she scented the Lycan. She was dressed in a gorgeous silk gown in a blue-green shade and white gloves that came up to her elbows. The woman was a little shorter than her with generous curves that filled her beautiful dress. Her face was gorgeous - dusky olive skin, thick lashes, high cheekbones, full red lips, almost like a petite, younger Monica Bellucci. Her dark, thick curly hair was piled on top of her head, and when she turned to look at her, Alynna was taken aback by her eyes - one was
a stark green color and the other a bright blue. “Oh my! I mean, I’m sorry to stare, it’s just…”
The other woman smiled. “Yeah, yeah, I know. The eyes. I have heterochromia. Runs in the family. All of us Lycans have it, but not the humans, for some reason.” She put her hands on her hips. “Anything I can do for you honey? Did you need a tampon or something?”
“No…I….” She didn’t recognize the woman, so she wasn’t at the receiving line (she definitely would have remembered those eyes.) “I wanted to say thank you.”
The woman looked at her quizzically. “Thank you? For what?”
“For what you said to those women…about me…and my mother.”
“Your mom?” Her eyes widened. “Oh figlio di puttana! You’re her! It’s you, I mean!” her face went red. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I mean…”
Alynna laughed. “Don’t be, please don’t!” she sat down. “I would have torn their throats out, if you hadn’t said anything first. And then where would we be?”
“I’ll tell ya, honey - I’d be right beside you, getting my own hits in!” the other woman chuckled. “Girls like that…they think their shit don’t stink, you know? Think they’re better because they’re from this or that clan or someone’s daughter or wife or whatever. Don’t listen to them. They’re just jealous.”
“I wouldn’t know why,” Alynna said, slumping down on the couch in the corner. She kicked her shoes off and sighed.
The other woman joined her, and slipped her own shoes off. “You probably have heard it all, the whole clan thing and how privilege you are and how people will be vying for your attention, and I get it! It’s a lot of responsibility.”
Alynna nodded.
“But you can’t let that or what others have to say get to you, you know? My Nonna always said, ‘Esse nufesso qui dice male di macaruni.”
“Sounds like good stuff,” Alynna sighed. “What does it mean?”
"Who speaks badly of macaroni is a fool.”
Alynna laughed out loud.
“Yeah, Nonna was getting senile by the end.” They both erupted into peals of laughter.
Fated Mates: Book 1 of the True Mates Series Page 16
