Masquerade Me

- Chapter 8

Everyone's eyes were on us as Daniel and I entered the ballroom. My elegant purple dress just barely dragged across the hardwood floors of the large, open room. Once everyone's attention was redirected away from us, Daniel suddenly gasped. I followed his captive gaze leading to a tall girl with auburn hair staring at him the same way. 

So quiet and lowly that I could barely hear him, he muttered, "Mate." 

I smiled and shoved him towards her, "Go get her!" 

I walked over to the refreshments and began to fill up my drink with punch. I was faintly aware of a large, masculine figure behind me. For some reason the presence of whoever was behind me sent cool shivers down my spine. I looked behind me, and found no one there. For safe measures, I scanned the room -- and froze. 

His cruel, dark brown -- no, black -- eyes stared right into my own sweet blue eyes. All hope drained out of me. Suddenly, another person was standing next to me. 

"Margo? Are you okay? You're as white as a ghost," Wesley says quietly to me. Startled, I break my gaze with Darius and turn to him. 

"How did you recognize me with this mask on?" I asked, trying to hide my fear. 

"Who was that you were having a stare down with?" He asks  in all seriousness with a large drop of worry in it. I give him a tight, and fake, smile. 

"I don't know," I lied. 

"You were shaking under his stare. Who is he?" I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked back the tears. 

"Can we go outside?" I ask him, and he nods. With his hand on the small of my back, he leads us outside. He stiffens when he smells the scent that Darius so carelessly left behind. 

"Margo--" He began to plead, but I cut him off. 

Bluntly, I told him, "That was Darius." 

He freezes and looks at me with shock, horror, and worry. So much worry. He doesn't know what he's done but he knows Darius isn't good news. Not in any single way is he good. He's a bad alpha, bad mate (his was killed), bad friend, and he was only 22. 

"Introducing me already?" A cold, snarling voice echoed through the clearing that Wesley had led us to. I flinched at his voice and Wesley pulled me into him. He finally emerged from the trees with a cold hard glare directed right at Wesley. Not me, Wesley. 

"Get off of my territory," Wesley growled in his Alpha Voice. Darius just laughed at him. 

"Make me," He retorted. Wesley just growled at him, but Darius growled back.

Wesley's growl was more intimidating -- but then again, maybe that's because I've gotten so used to Darius growling at everyone he sees who even knew his deceased mate. 

"Come here, Margo," Darius spoke an intriguing voice, "Just step away from that little boy." 

Wesley squeezed my hand a little tighter. I just managed to stutter out, "N-n-no." 

"Do I make you," he breathed, walking closer to me, "Nervous, Margo?" 

I closed my eyes and shook my head, waiting for the impact of a slap or punch. But it never came. Darius was surrounded by wolves, and Wesley just looked relieved and proud. I just shook my head and looked down. 

Darius could take them all. 

I'm so in over my head. 

He shifted, causing the wolves to jump back in surprise. Darius was, by far, the largest wolf I've seen. The pack wolves backed off and stood aside, and partially in front of me. Wesley stripped off his clothes until he was left in boxers. He then shifted and I took a step away from him. Actually, I backed away all the way into the woods. Wesley was larger, by a great lot, than Darius. 

I froze when I felt the hot breath of a wolf on my neck. It was definitely not one of our wolves. 

"Wesley!" I screamed, but it was too late. Men were already tying me up, and to the wolf. I cried and screamed. I could see Daniel in his wolf form running towards us. He bit into three of the men before biting the neck of the wolf that held me, sedating him. Wesley came running in a new found pair of shorts. He punched one of the guys from the other pack square in the nose. 

"Daniel, move!" He shouted, and Danny moved back, "And thank you." 

Wesley began to untie the ropes that bound me and held me against his chest. I slipped off my masquerade mask. No tears even threatened to come out. 

"Can you take me home?" I croaked out of my sore throat. 

Wesley nodded, "Of course." 

So he did just that, he drove me home. He tried to give me a hug, but I had taken off my silver stiletto's and ran into my house, past my dad, up into my room. I buried my face into blankets and pillows and screamed. I screamed until I could actually taste blood.