Tempest

13 : Second Guessing

Galan, Reed and Otis stood watching the sixty odd people who filled the ballroom. The Royals across the different supernatural beings were represented. At least those who wanted to fight against this threat that had been hanging over their heads for decades. He saw all sorts of weres, Elves, Witches and a whole lot of others. It was quite interesting, to say the least.

His parents walked into the room and he nodded at them from where he stood. They nodded back in acknowledgement. His father was tall, almost as tall as him, with broad shoulders, narrow hips and long legs. He had pitch black hair, brown eyes and a beard his mate had been begging him to cut for weeks. His face was chiseled with a strong jaw, full lips and a straight nose. Apparently he looked a lot like his father, although he had his mother's rounder face and high cheekbones.

His mother was a gorgeous, red haired, green eyed Lycan who loved his father dearly. They had found each other almost two hundred years ago and had barely been apart since. His heart broke as he realised that he might never find the same love with his own mate.

He looked around the room, and saw different weres, some with their mates, some without. He felt a pang in his heart as he thought about his mate.

Tempest.

His beast seemed to sigh within him and he almost felt a physical pain as he thought about her. She had not even given him the time of day before she had wanted to reject him. Okay, that wasn't totally true. She had kicked his ass, hard. His and his men's, without so much as breaking a sweat, before she had disappeared into thin air.

"I haven't seen this many different supernaturals in the same room in a long time," Otis remarked.

"We are all spooked," Reed said. "There are too many things happening that are inexplicable, even for our world."

Galan hummed in agreement but clearly his thoughts were elsewhere. He could not get her out of his mind. He had been searching for her for years and his heart ached as he thought about how she wanted nothing to do with him. The thought of her caramel coloured skin, dark hair and blue eyes were never far behind his mind's eye and his yearning to be with her was almost tangible.

"Hmmm?" he asked Otis as he turned absentmindedly towards him, having only heard part of his question.

"Do you think," Otis repeated, his voice amused, "that Enoch will be here? I know he's one of your favourite people."

Galan chuckled darkly. He was no such thing. Just being in the same room with him was enough to have his hackles rising. He was one of the most irritatingly egotistical and irrational men he had ever come across. Fortunately for him, his father liked him so ripping his throat out was not an option.

The single strike of a crystal bell had everyone's conversation coming to an end. All eyes turned to the front of the room as the host and hostess, King Erdel and Queen Faleya of the Elvin tribe demanded their attention.

"Welcome," the king announced in a deep voice that demanded everyone's attention. His mate stood tall by his side and looked around slowly, her eyes taking in everything around them. For a moment, she seemed to be looking directly at him contemplatively before her eyes moved on. "I thank you all for being here tonight. Tomorrow, there will be a lot to talk about but tonight we are amongst friends."

Galan should have been paying attention to what he was saying, and he would have had his nose not been assaulted at that exact point.

Tempest.

She was there.

His beast stood at attention immediately and he sought her out. He knew he was looking around and he made his movements more subtle, forcing himself to be casual. He should have known he wouldn't fool his friends. He knew the exact moment they were aware of what he was doing because they came and stood directly by his side, as though to ward off an imminent attack.