Spirit Tales (The Millennium Wolves AU)
Chapter Thirty-Three

The girls scattered around, each going to her own date for the evening, and I stood stiffly before Apollo, Fred, and Strider, who continued to stare at me. “You look amazing,” it was Apollo who said that, being the first to snap out of the shock.

I reddened. “Er, um. Thanks,” I said, lowering my gaze and studying me very interesting feet.

A hand stretched forward to me and I raised my eyes to Strider, who smiled that carefree smile of his that made my heart skip a beat. “Dance with me?” he asked.

“S-Sure,” I muttered, taking his hand, and he led me to the dance floor, as far away as possible from Apollo and Fred. He put his arms around my waist, while I had no choice but to wrap mine around his broad shoulders.

“You look gorgeous,” he whispered in my ear, leaning forward a little. With my heels I barely grazed his chin. “I didn’t think you would look so good in such a dress, and especially not a red one,” he sighed. “You make my hind dive right into the gutter, Angie.”

I couldn’t speak so I simply lowered my gaze and danced quietly with him. After a couple of songs in which moved together silently, Apollo appeared, giving Strider a sharp, terse smile. Strider nodded, his face falling with disappointment while he let me go, letting Apollo have his turn. I felt like I was in a speed-dating program or something - and it wasn’t a feeling I liked much. This entire situation, this fucking mess I stumbled upon - I didn’t like it at all.

Apollo’s arms felt different than Strider’s when he wrapped them around me. Strider’s were bulky and strong, and Apollo, while no less strong, were more lean. He also played no games - his hands lowered from the small of my back right to my ass and my face, which was already red, turned scarlet. “Apollo!” I scolded him in a hiss and he smirked and returned his hands back up. He looked at me with a face that was much more peaceful and serene than I’d ever seen it, as though he was born to be here on the dance floor with me. I didn’t know what to think, but I knew for sure I didn’t feel as calm as he was - quite the contrary, in fact. I was nervous, anxious, and felt the need to flee this hall, which closed in on me.

“I said once you had potential,” Apollo’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I saw him staring at me with an expression that reminded me of how werewolves looked at girls like Rachel that caused them to growl primitively and possessively. It made my heart beat faster. “And here you fulfilled it.” He caressed my hair and sighed.

I looked away, unable to return his sincere gaze because I was too embarrassed. Tempest, for a change, was silent. I didn’t even wonder about it - I’d rather she kept her mouth shut for once.

After two more songs or so, Fred came over, and again I felt like some piece of meat in a speed-dating program. When Fred wrapped his arms around me, I felt that spark of electricity I felt with neither Strider nor Apollo. Fred’s heat hypnotized me, his muscular arms giving me a sense of comfort and safety, and my head rested on his chest while he embraced me like a shield. I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like to have him be here with me forever, protecting me like that.

For the first time I wondered if Fred was my Mate, but I had to dismiss the thought - how someone so out of my league like the Alpha of the Millennium could be the Mate of someone like me, a mere human with a Spirit? If so, my Mate must be Apollo - I couldn’t be with anyone who wasn’t human. It went against the law of nature - werewolves could only Mate or marry with werewolves. Humans - Seers, Spirits, whatever - had no place within a werewolf’s reach.

Even though he said nothing throughout our dance, the silence wasn’t terse. It was pleasant and comforting, and I felt relieved he didn’t compliment me like Apollo and Strider did. I’d never been good at accepting compliments, and when he said nothing about how I looked, it made me glad. My heart still beat fast and strong, and my face was still crimson-red, but it was better than feeling that pressure when I felt before with the other two.

After a while, Fred had to leave me in favor of some guests who required his attention, and I was left on my own on the dancefloor among the dancing crowd. I saw Maria dancing with Alessandro, of all people, who was flirting with her unabashed. Sally was dancing with Greg, and the two look really well together, better than even Sally had looked like with Fred. Brom and Megan were also in each other’s arms on the other side of the dancefloor, more in love than ever, and Adria and Louis were dancing so tightly, it seemed like they were afraid that if they let each other go they would disappear. Cora was with Albert, and the combination of the two - Albert, the telepathic, quiet and lanky werewolf and Cora the beautiful warrior - was much better than it had first seemed to me, because the way they moved together… they looked good. Like Greg and Sally, or Brom and Megan.

Apollo, for my surprise, danced with Samantha, and he didn’t look very happy about it, even though Samantha was a million times more beautiful than I was, with her black hair pulled into a tall ponytail, her blue eyes gleaming like shining diamonds, and her cheeks flushed prettily. I was unable to wrap my head around the fact Apollo wanted someone like me when someone like Samantha Lawrence stood before him, obviously in love with him.

Strider wasn’t left alone as well. He danced with Rachel, and the two looked so much better than I could ever hope to look with someone who was as hot as Strider. Rachel’s deep affection for the Beta was obvious on her face, and she was trying to get even closer to him - something Strider didn’t seem very pleased about.

At that same moment I couldn’t help but think they were acting irrationally. They should be with these girls. They needed to be with girls who didn’t feel stupid things for the Alpha of the Millennium. But of course it wouldn’t matter if I tried to make them not want me, since the two were too stubborn for their own good.

As took a glass full of sweet punch, I couldn’t help but wonder if they were delusional. Maybe they only thought they wanted me, because I gave them some sort of attention and helped them when they were in tight spots? Maybe the fact that they only thought they wanted me affected that bond of the Mating Race? Besides, I couldn’t feel anything for them beyond friendship. With Strider I felt like we were friends, not lovers or something like that. Apollo, too - he was some kind of mentor to me with everything concerning the Spirits, and romance didn’t exactly come to mind when I thought about him.

Only with Fred I felt something different that was neither friendship nor mentorship. Something… else. Even though I still didn’t know him well, and I only knew a couple of private things about him, the thing I had with Fred felt more… right, more real, than all the things I felt with Apollo and Strider.

A man suddenly appeared before me. I stared at him in surprise when I saw that he wasn’t a werewolf, but a human, like me. He had a dark brown hair, almost black, and messy in a way that seemed mechanic, full of gel. His eyes were like beacons, so bright a blue they almost seemed white. I’d never seen eyes like his before. He was also handsome - like Apollo, as a human, was hot even compared to a werewolf - and he had a lean, muscular body, which was evident underneath his green suit -

Green suit. He wore a green suit.

I didn’t have time to gasp because he asked with a twisted little smile, “May I dance with you, Miss?”

My lips dried when an odd feeling pooled in my stomach. Something about this man wasn’t right. The feeling was similar to the one I felt around Melinda, but not identical, not exactly. It was more like this man wasn’t supposed to be here, in this ball.

He also looked like he was taken out of the Victorian Era or something. He had an aristocratic look I didn’t know how process; high cheekbones, sharp face, pale skin. He seemed almost angelic, no doubt, and his accent was very British, which reminded me of Jane Austen’s books. Like he was Mr. Darcy or something.

“Y-Yes,” I murmured, taking his hand hesitantly. He was a British man who wore a green suit and was very beautiful. The strange feeling in my stomach tightened. What if he was Magnus Odin? Or… or Ryan England? But it couldn’t be. The two of them were supposed to be somewhere else, travelling time.

He put one arm around my waist and took mine with another. He moved to the sound of music, which was now some Reggaeton popular tune. The man could move, that was for sure, and I tried to follow his lead. I didn’t like dancing, and it showed with how poorly I danced.

“Will you let me know your name?” he asked, his voice deep. His eyes twinkled with amusement, and a shadow of a grin on his face.

“A-Angela,” I stuttered, blushing. “Angela Wayne.”

“Angela,” he repeated, his accent ringing like bells. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Wayne.”

“What’s your name?” I asked when I saw he wasn’t about to introduce himself, as was polite.

He gave me a mysterious smile. “What would you want it to be?” he asked,.

An unpleasant shiver went down my spine. “Er…” what did one respond to such a stupid question?!

Suddenly Tempest cursed in my head. What’s wrong? I asked at once.

Alton, was all Tempest replied, her voice full of venom like I’d never heard before in her.

What? What’s Alton?

Never mind! She snapped.

“It’s better for both you and me you won’t know my name, Miss Angela Wayne,” he said, his smile falling suddenly and his face turning somber. “No one besides you knows I’m here. I shouldn’t be here.”

I had no idea what to respond, what to say.

He put his index finger on my forehead before I could move away, making the same gesture Maria had done so long ago, and closed his eyes. I had no idea what he was trying to do until I heard an unfamiliar voice drawling mockingly in my head, As I thought, Tempest has already awoken.

GET OUT OF HERE, ALTON! Tempest screamed in my head, causing me an instant headache. GET OUT AND NEVER COME BACK! GET OUT!!!

Charming as always, Tempi, the second voice murmured condescendingly. It’s been a long time since I heard you talking like this. Millions of years, actually. It’s nice to hear you again.

GET OUT! Tempest’s voice verged on panic and I found myself freezing in my place, bending over with how aching my head turned. LEAVE ME ALONE, ALTON! LEAVE ANGELA AND ME BE!

But it’s so nice and comfy here, Alton snickered, and his voice made me shuddered uncontrollably. Besides, I need to check a few things. Think of me as a technician who needs to run some maintenance.

Alton, please, no - Tempest had never sounded so hysterical before; she’d always been the calmer of the two of us. Or maybe not calmer, but more rational. Hearing her panicking made fear crawl into my stomach.

Suddenly I felt pressure in my head. A sharp, cutting pain encompassed me at once, while Tempest screamed, agonized, in my head. I let out a scream myself, shutting my eyes tightly, putting my hands over my ears, trying to make Tempest stop but in vain.

“GET IT OUT!” I screamed unstoppably, my voice mixing with Tempest’s. “GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD!”

“I’m sorry, Rosangela Martinelli Wayne,” I was sure I heard from far away the man in green suit saying quietly. “But it was more necessary than you can imagine.”

When I managed to open my eyes slantly, I saw him disappearing right before me into the thin air. Then the pain was so sharp and strong, Tempest’s screams mixed with mine made me lose any control I had.

The earth shook. The windows shattered. The chandeliers flickered and fell to the floor like bullets. Cracks appeared in the ceiling, the floor, the walls. The guests shouted and screams in fear, running to find a place to hide. I heard people calling my name, begging me to stop, but I couldn’t do a thing. Tempest’s pain was mine. We were one soul with different personas. We were one. Tempest and I. Me and Tempest.

Without thinking of what I was doing, I found myself on my knees, crying, my hands stretched to the sides with my palms facing up, and the earth quaking in such power that put Richter’s scale to shame. Sheer power flew down my veins, my blood, my bones, like invisible currents, and I let them embrace me to a choking point.

I heard thunders and saw lightnings. Outside downpour flooded the earth, and the mansion’s building shook like a leaf from the storm, which slowly turned into an uncontrollable hurricane. Blurredly I heard people calling me to stop, but I couldn’t. No matter how much I wanted it all to stop, Tempest didn’t let me, and I didn’t let myself as well.

Then something landed on my face so strong, it threw my head to the side sharply enough to almost cause me a snapped neck. At once it was all over; the floor stopped shaking, the hurricane calmed down, the downpour, the thunders and lightnings, everything just stopped.

My body was limp, Tempest was silent in my head, and I found a mere glimpse of strength in me to raise a hand to my face and feel how my cheek burned from the powerful slap I got . My eyes were wide in shock.

I barely turned my head to see Samantha looking at me with a scared and furious look on her face, her hand still in the air after the slap she landed on me. When I looked around, I felt myself starting to shiver. I was outside, on the field next to the mansion, and speaking of the mansion… the place where it was held no hint of the huge building that had just stood there, and only remains were left. People were stuck under those remains, and rescue teams were sent to get them out of there, getting help from anyone who could still stand, and unable to save a few that were killed in the mayhem.

Like Brock was killed when I couldn’t get him out of there in time.

Around me stood the people I knew, staring at me in horror, and I felt the darkness embracing me, taking me under, forcing me to close my eyes and sleep.

The last thing I felt before I lost consciousness was a tingling ache in my right hand.

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