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I stood and admired the finished product. I'd stuck to my standard black dress but this time, I'd gone a bit more dramatic in the cut. It was long and form fitting with an open back. A strand of rhinestones across my shoulder blades kept the straps from falling down. It belonged to Makayla and I had a feeling she'd ordered it for me and pretended it was hers. I was several inches taller than her and wore a size larger, but this dress fit me like a glove.
I didn't question it, though. She was delighted that I agreed to be her date. It worked well for both of us because while her potential date never gathered the courage to ask her, mine was far too complicated.
I'd seen both Ben and Luka separately in the days leading up to the ball and neither of them brought it up.
I supposed it was hard to navigate when you were dating two males but one of them was a secret.
The ballroom was only used for special occasions and as we climbed the stairs to the rarely used fourth floor, I wondered what it would look like. Most of our classes were on the first two floors and I'd been on the third floor once or twice to look around when I first arrived. The fourth floor was the ballroom, and guest suites for when people visited. Which, I supposed would be full come parent’s day in the new year.
I shuddered at the thought of having to see Ms. Obscura again. Hopefully, things would be less complicated between me and her sons by then.
Music wafted down the stairway as we climbed higher. It wasn't the usual party music with its loud, thumping bass. This was sweet and dreamy and a little bit sad.
We arrived on the fourth floor and I saw several students milling about in the hallway outside of the massive double doors that led to the ballroom. Makayla slid her arm into mine and we walked inside, arms linked.
A string quartet greeted us, their music filling the room louder than should be possible. It took on an eerie quality that reminded me slightly of the siren music I'd heard at the vampire party. But it didn't have quite the same pull to it.
The dance floor was full of students moving to the music. They seemed to know the steps to a formal dance I wasn't familiar with. I wondered if I could spend the evening at one of the round tables along the wall.
"Come on," Makayla said. "Let's grab a drink."
We walked over to a bar and each of us took a glass of champagne. Sipping the bubbly, I looked around for any signs of Luka or Ben. The first people I spotted were Zach and Matt. I frowned, trying to tell myself that I wasn't looking for them or that I didn't care what they were doing, but I did. They were both dancing with other mages. Jealousy rolled through me and I forced myself to look away. I had no right to feel like that. They were free to dance with anyone they wanted. Besides, I was already in a complicated relationship with two males. I didn't need to add more to my dance card.
"Do you see Luka or Ben?" I asked quietly.
"Not yet, but I'm sure they'll be here soon," she said.
"Hey, beautiful," a smooth male voice said.
Makayla and I both turned and as soon as I saw who it was, I glanced at her in time to see her expression light up.
"Jonah," she said. "You sure clean up well."
"And you look good enough to eat," he said.
"Just think, you could have had all of this if you'd bothered to ask me to the dance," she said.
"I didn't ask you to the dance because Ben told me not to," he said. "But he didn't say anything about me not asking youto dance."
"Wait, what?" she passed her champagne glass to me and I took it from her.
"Ben asked you to?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Guess he wanted to make sure his mage had company."
Makayla scowled then turned to me. "It was his suggestion that I ask you."
"I see." I threw back the champagne in one swig and then drank Makayla's glass too. "Seems he didn't want anyone else to ask me."
I set the glasses on the bar. "If you'll excuse me, I have a wolf to find."
