Chapter Three

I over slept a little this morning. But it is Saturday. I don't really have to do anything until this afternoon. I get dressed and head downstairs for breakfast. Everyone is finishing up and getting ready to go on with their day.

"It's about time you showed up. Was your party too much for you last night?" My brother said laughing at me.

No, I just over slept. I sit down to my food and hurriedly eat it. I figure that I can use this morning to study for my exams. I go back to my room and sit down at my desk. I pull out the booklet of questions to work on. I wish we didn't have to put the page number in the book. I already know the answers to these. I finally finish it at noon. That took longer than I thought it would. So, I start on my Psychology. I'm already getting a headache. But I need to get through all of this. I'm sure I won't have time tomorrow. I will be getting ready to meet my future husband. I've got so much going on already it has kept me from getting so nervous about meeting him. Before I Know it there is a knock on my door. Its my servant.

"Erica, it is 3 o'clock do you want to start getting ready or should I come back later?" she asks.

Just give me a minute and I'll be ready for you. I put my books away and change into my robe so I won't mess my hair up when I change to my dress. I sit down at my vanity and she starts on my hair. She puts it in a low bun. It looks so nice. Now she starts on my makeup. She does an excellent job of putting on the right amount of makeup. She never over does it.

"It seems we have time to do your nails today. Would you like me to go ahead and do them so we aren't rushed tomorrow?" she asked.

Yes, that will be great. So, she starts on them. I usually only get French manicures. I'm not having anything done to my toes this time. I'm not wearing open toed shoes. Everyone will be arriving at six o'clock. We will be eating first and then dancing or whatever we want to do. She finishes my nails just in time to help me get into my dress. I have a plum purple Princess, A line, floor length dress with a sweetheart neck line. It fits me perfectly.

I go on down to the ballroom. There are already so many people here. Oh my, the room is decorated so beautifully. They used yellow roses. I love them. And my cake is gorgeous. I get escorted over to my seat beside my parents and brother. Everyone else starts taking their seats. Our palace minister leads us all in prayer. Then the waitstaff starts bringing out our meal. We start with a garden salad with our choice of dressing. After we finish that then the main course comes out. We are served Filet Mignon cooked medium, with loaded baked potato and roasted asparagus.

We finish with our meal and I go over in front of my cake and grab the mic. I would like to thank you everyone for attending the celebration of my eighteenth birthday. It's so nice to have everyone gathered here just to enjoy this and it not being a working meal. Enjoy the cake. I Love You All.

They start cutting the cake and serving it. My birthday cake is a three-tier cake. It could pass for a wedding cake in its white cream cheese frosting and the delicious chocolaty red velvet. As people are finishing some are moving to the dance floor and others just talking with their friends. Todd and Katie invite me onto the dance floor with them.

"Come on. Erica, we can all dance together." Katie says.

So, I go on out and join them. I suddenly smell this aroma. I'm not sure what it is. It is intoxicating. I look around trying to figure out where it is coming from. But I can't figure out what it is. I ask Katie and Todd if they smell it?

"No," They both replied.

I stop dancing with them and start wondering around the ballroom trying to find this smell. It has complete control over me. I must find it. I think it is coming from just outside the ballroom. I step out and see the front doors of the palace closing. The aroma was coming from that way. I hurry to the doors and open them. Only to smell that amazing aroma from out there and see someone running to a black suv and getting in. It speeds off. There is no need asking the doormen who that was. They aren't paying any attention. Standing over there together talking and smoking.

I just returned to the ballroom. That aroma disappeared with the mystery man. So, I kick my shoes off against the wall and join Todd and Katie on the dance floor. We held hands and danced with each other.

All of a sudden, the lights went out. Someone screams.

"Witches".

Next thing I know I get grabbed and pulled across the room. It is total darkness and I'm kicking and screaming. I hear a door shut and the screams are muffled. I dim light comes on in a small room. I look around and see my parents, my brother and Katie and some guards including my guard Jacob. I had heard about this room. It's a safe room at the ballroom just incase something happens. It looks like we are all ok. I hear in raspy voice.

"Where is she? We have to find her. How did she get away? Everyone look for Erica quickly we must go." Said a witch.

Why are they looking for me? The commotion settles down and then the safe room door opens. It's some of our guards.

"It is ok now they are gone. We were able to kill two of them." Said a guard.

We looked around the room and the council members were coming out from hiding under the tables. Everyone is ok. Just scared. How did they get in? And why did they want me? We all gather in the ballroom and try to figure out how this could have happened. My mother pulls me to the side.

"My dear Erica, I'm so sorry." She said.

Mom why did they want me?

"Honey you are eighteen now and are set to marry a future Alpha. You are a huge threat to the witches. As a child they had wanted to kill you and no telling how long they had been planning this attack. See you carry genes of both werewolf and witch. But in you the witch gene stayed recessed. If you reproduce and your child has both genes. It will be a force to reckon with. And that scares the crap out of them. A hybrid with the strength of a werewolf and the powers of a witch." My mom says.

She hugs me. So, they came here to kill me. Mom something happened a little bit before the witches showed up. I could smell an intoxicating aroma and when I tracked it down. It belonged to a man that was running from the palace and he left in a black suv. I asked Todd and Katie if they smelt it and they didn't.

"Oh Erica. I think you caught the scent of your mate. He probably could smell you too and panicked. So, he left. I'm so sorry my sweet girl. You must forget about him. I hate that we had to put you in this situation but it was for the good of our pack. A lot of packs have arranged marriages for the Alpha's children. But you must forget about him and if you smell him again please fight it and go the other way. You must marry Caleb McClay. I love you so much." My mom said with a tear in her eyes.

I love you too, mom. Everyone is starting to head out. I go over to Katie and hug her, goodbye. I'll see you Monday at school. I go on up to my room. I get out of my dress. I keep thinking about the aroma of that man. It just fills my head and the thought of him running away. I keep trying to remember anything about him that would help me recognize him. But wrecking my brain over it is no use. I don't know who he could be. I hang my dress up in my closet and go to the restroom to get ready for bed.

I lay in my bed just thinking of everything that happened tonight. The mystery man, the witches and finding out why the witches were after me. I have to be so careful now that the witches are out to get me. I'm so glad my mom don't sound like the witches. Those raspy voices were terrifying. I guess her not practicing magic kept her beautiful. But I have heard that the evil witches are hideous. And then my mom telling me to forget the man that could be my mate. Will I be able to love Caleb knowing that my mate is out there somewhere. I can't sleep with all these thoughts rushing through my mind. I need to get some rest. I can't show up to meet the future Alpha of the Blue Moon pack looking tired. I need to be at my best. I don't need to be having to compete with his girlfriend. I turn my tv on to a classical music channel. Hopefully it will easy my mind so I can sleep.