Chapter 32

“The party will have the most powerful alphas and their entire families in attendance.” Ethan said with a lopsided smile.

“So this is actually a huge deal, then?” My eyes widened as I looked up at him.

Ethan, still holding onto my hand with a comfortingly tight grip, shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, “It is an important event, but nothing you can’t handle. You’re ready.”

In my mind, I tried to recount every rule, every manner that Ethan has drilled into me with his lessons. I had all the tools to do well, but could I execute them all? My heart beat erratically in my chest; I wasn’t sure.

I nod, though, his icy eyes bore into mine and I couldn’t think of any reason to say no.

“You’ll be great, don't fret your pretty little head,” Ethan teased, releasing my hand to ruffle my hair. I scrunched up my nose and playfully pushed him away.

“I guess I can rewear the dress we bought for the banquet,” I thought aloud, realizing I would need something beautiful to wear. “The dry cleaners were able to get the stains from the chlorine out of the fabric.”

Ethan scoffed, loudly, and gave me a pointed look. His face practically screamed ‘Are you serious?’.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re insane if you think you’re going to wear the same gown twice. You’re even crazier if you think you’re going to wear the dress that got soaked in pool water.” Ethan folded his arms as he talked. Acting like a teacher scolding their student, I guess in a way he was.

“I don’t want to be wasteful,” I retorted.

“If you want it to be used, then wear it around the house. I won’t have you attending a birthday ball in that.”

Despite the bickering, we smiled at each other.

The next morning before he went to work, Ethan gave me his credit card and had me go shopping for the perfect dress while he was busy. I kept sending him pictures of my favorite ones and, when he had the chance, he replied with his opinion.

It took several hours of texting back and forth, going from boutique to boutique, but Ethan and I finally agreed and settled on a dark purple gown that I normally wouldn’t have even thought about for myself.

The dress was tight yet tasteful. It accentuated my curves and hid any imperfections that might stand out. When I sent Ethan the picture of me wearing the dress in the fitting room he texted back immediately.

‘That’s the one! You’re ethereal.’ -Text From Ethan’s Cell Phone. A small blush dusted the apples of my cheeks at his words.

I bit my bottom lip to stifle a giggle as Ethan sent another text that was a bunch of heart emojis on fire. It was settled, that was what I would wear.

I got home from shopping, threw the dress in my closet to stay safe until the night of the party, and went into the living room to relax for a little bit.

I bounded down the stairs, ready to fling myself on the couch and watch a cheesy romance movie.

As I turned the corner into the room, my soul jumped from my body. Ethan was sitting on the couch with a shopping bag beside him and a dopey grin on his face.

“Ethan!” I squeaked, heart leaping into my throat. “You scared me!”

“Oh I’m sorry, is a man not allowed to come home to see his wife and give her a present?” He stood up and pulled me to the middle of the room. His expression looked like a kid in a candy store and I knew he was up to something.

“What’s going on?” I raised an eyebrow, but allowed him to guide me anyways.

“I have a gift for you.” He grabbed the shopping bag from the coffee table and set it down at my feet.

I reached down for it so that I could open it, but Ethan stopped me. Wordlessly, he lowered himself to his knees and kneeled in front of me.

“Ethan?”

“I couldn’t focus on work with all the pictures you were sending me,” Ethan looked up and my stomach flipped at the devilish smirk he shot my way.

I gulped and nodded for him to continue.

“So I went and bought you a little something to wear with your new dress,” Ethan lifted a pricey looking box from the bag.

Inside were the prettiest pair of heels I had ever seen in my life. They glimmered in the evening light and reminded me of a glass slipper from fairytales.

“Allow me?” He inquired, gesturing to my pajama-clad leg.

I nodded, of course, and he lifted the fabric to expose my leg. He ran his hand up my calf, massaging the muscle as he went. I shivered, though I wasn’t cold. His touch ran lower and lower, he wrapped a warm hand around my ankle and lifted my leg.

He delicately placed the shoe on my foot; it fit more perfectly than any other pair of shoes I owned. His thumb stroked the exposed skin of my ankle as he set my foot back down.

My breath hitched as he repeated his actions on my other leg.

I felt like the princess in a fairytale. Ethan was my charming, gallant prince who found me and returned my magic slipper.

Looking back up at me, eyes hooded, I noticed the way Ethan’s lips were parted and his breathing grew ragged. I swallowed the urge to pull him to his feet and shove my mouth against him.

“They’re beautiful.” I breathed, trying to silence my rampaging heart.

“They’re nothing compared to you,” Ethan lowered my pajama pants back over my legs and stood up. He pulled me closer by my hips, our noses barely touching.

That primal urge that always rose in me whenever he got too close was building in my stomach again, but I had to remind myself of our conversation about boundaries. We needed to learn restraint. How else could we ever be close to the public if this was how we behaved at every little touch?

“I’ll wear them with pride, I’ll show them off as much as I possibly can.” I took a step back to test out my shoes and tried to break the spell that Ethan’s gaze had me under.

“I’m looking forward to the party,” Ethan joked. “Only because I cannot wait to see you all dolled up as my wife on my arm.”

“You are too flirty for your own good,” I playfully chastised him, removing the shoes and placing them back in the box. “I need to get some sleep so I am rested for the party.”

Ethan, before I could leave, placed a quick kiss on my cheek and bid me goodnight.

--

We sat in the back seat of a limo on our way to Andrew’s fiance’s birthday party. Ethan’s face was stoic and calm. He looked like the perfect leader, brave and ready for anything. I was practically bouncing out of my seat with nerves.

If my hair hadn’t been put up in a bun for the event I would’ve been nervously running my fingers through my locs. Instead, I settled for biting the nail on my thumb, anxiety creeping up my spine as we got closer and closer to the party.

Ethan noticed my nerves and put his hand over my own. He pulled it away from my lips and grasped it tightly.

“You are going to be wonderful.” He whispered, his breath tickling my neck.

I tried to smile, though I knew it looked fake. Ethan pressed a quick kiss to my hairline, and the limo stopped.

Apparently, we arrived.

The house was grand - in fact I don’t think it could have even been considered a house. It was a mansion, maybe a castle. This Andrew, whoever he was, was rich beyond anything I’d ever seen.

A server took our invitations and showed us to the ballroom where a majority of the party was being held. The entrance to the room was at the top of a grand staircase. The marbled dance floor was littered with dozens of luxuriously dressed men and women mingling with each other.

Ethan and I stood at the top of the stairs, ready to make our official debut.

I squeezed Ethan’s hand to dispel the nerves and we descended. Halfway down the stairs, the crowd below us grew quiet and I felt a hundred pairs of eyes linger on Ethan and I. A hush fell upon the guests and I gulped.

Every eye was on me.