The Lady and The Alpha

3

Cerriella spoke with several alphas before finally taking her seat at one of the large tables. She eyed her name plate almost as soon as she'd walked in. She settled down, her dress pooling on the floor. Swathes of fabric created a vacuum of black. Her shoulders and neck were sheathed on gold fabric, glittering against the simple black. She did not need to dress to impress here, given her position. Fiddling with her napkin, she noted all the names near her, and the movements of the people around her. With a slight smile on her face, she turned to the wolf that had sat next to her. No words left her mouth as she locked eyes with the beast.

A face of stone, already weathered by scars. Piercing teal eyes looked out of the stony face. Alpha Darzi held no emotion as his eyes glazed over, scanning the room until he was satisfied with the goings on. He turned to Cerriella.
"Miss Stanshaw. You are Alpha Stanshaw's daughter. Correct?"
Cerriella simply nodded, before turning to a passing waiter, and accepting a champagne flute. She took a sip, and set it down.
"You have strong alpha blood, and your pack is incredible. I'd be interested in becoming acquainted." He offered, a surprisingly gentle smile on his face.
"It would be my pleasure Alpha." Cerriella responded, curious as to what the man wanted.
They ventured into the realms of conversation, but never about his pack, so Cerriella didn't speak about hers either. Nor did she let slip her true position as alpha of the Airedale Glen pack, because who knew what sort of attention that might attract.
Cerriella was very aware of the other females in the room, and the glares they were giving her. It made her wonder how many others Alpha Darzi had actually spoken to since he'd been here. She'd take a guess at not many, if at all. Even some of the males were giving her a second glance now that Alpha Darzi had struck up a conversation. Cerriella didn't care for the extra attention she'd gained, but she could potentially use her interactions with Alpha Darzi to her advantage when it came down to pack negotiations.

They spent the evening talking and dining, and as the sun set and the moon rose, people started leaving the large hall. Yet Alpha Darzi and Cerriella talked until the moon disappeared. A yawn escaped Cerriella's mouth as she nodded in agreement to something Alpha Darzi had said.
"You're tired. We can talk again at breakfast?" He asked with a smile.
"How does eight thirty sound in the right wing dining room?"
"I'll see you then Cerriella."
She smiled in response and rose, her dress crinkled from being sat on for such a long time. Alpha Darzi followed suit, and moved to her side, placing a ghost of a hand on her back as he walked with her to her room.
Cerriella tried not to focus on the contact or the tingling sensation where their skin met. She focused on holding her head up, and her steps steady. Alpha Darzi seemed calm and collected as they walked next to each other down the halls in a peaceful silence.
Alpha Darzi tried not to glance down at his hand touching her bare back, focusing instead on breathing steadily and not focusing on her scent. As Cerriella stopped next to her door, she turned around to face him with a shy smile.
"I'll see you at breakfast then. Thank you for walking me."
Alpha Darzi could only nod for fear that he would say something embarrassing. He had hastily shoved his hands in his suit pockets as Cerriella had turned around, hiding the black whorls that were appearing on his fingers and up his hand that had rested on her back.
Cerriella turned back around, opening her door to reveal Isabella half asleep on a sofa with paperwork in front of her. Alpha Darzi's pupils flared as he spotted the swirls and whorls that were slowly spreading across Cerriella's exposed back. She turned back to face the mysterious alpha, but he had vanished, nowhere to be seen. With a confused shrug, Cerriella shut the door and approached Isabella's tired form.
"You were with him the entire time?" She gasped, her eyes almost popping out of her head.
Cerriella nodded before telling Isabella about it. Isabella nodded, half listening. She didn't know if or how to bring up the mating mark that had spread itself across Cerriella's back. It hadn't taken her long to work out who was Cerriella's mate even in her exhausted state. She'd only spent time with one person all evening and given Alpha Darzi's expression when Cerriella had her back to him, he knew too.