Jessica glares at my dress, her eyes tracing over the seams of the black number. It's a deep front cut, my back on display. A floor length twinkling gown that barely sticks to my shoulders. My hair is pinned up, light curls falling to the side of the face. My makeup is styled smokey, a bright red lip to pair. I pull the heels I purchased over my feel settling myself on my toes before looking back to Jess, "Something the matter?"

"How'd you find such a scandalous dress with so little time?"

"The human help. Ares sent them out yesterday to pick up a plethora of dresses, I just chose from those." My mark burns on my neck today. Ares tells me it's because of the new magic coursing through my blood, however something feels more off about it than I anticipated.

"Such a gentleman." She spits at me grabbing her purse from the side table. Something had to have crawled up her ass and died before she walked in here. She seems off, completely one-eighty from the normal personality that I'd grown so used to.

"Something wrong?"

"Only the fact that you get everything at your fingertips while the rest of us have to bend to your will." She groans under her breath. I raise a brow, she just rolls her eyes in return, "Never mind lets get down there. The car's waiting."

"What crawled up your back end and shat?"

"The fakest Luna in the house." She retorts leaving the room quickly. I grab my purse as well following after. She's walking proudly on her heels, my own legs trying to catch her speed. She barely looks back when she struts through the door, her mate on her side. Ares greets me with a kiss on the cheek and large smile. I return it. Jessica is a later problem, her attitude most likely due to a bad meal or something.

"Ready, love?"

"I am. Let's get this over with." I mumble letting his hand wrap around mine and guide me to the waiting car. Jess and her mate take a separate car, their words traveling silently between them. I lean into Ares before he opens the door taking in his scent. My nose has been the first thing to start "wolfing up" and everything is bothering me. Ares contributes most of the "bother" to the pregnancy, especially when I ran from the room to puke at the smell of coffee.

We ride in silence to the ball. Everyone in the pack plans to be there, this being one of their most cherished moments. A new fucking Luna.

My mind trips between itself. I'm going through a constant state of up and down with myself. I can't pin point if the feelings I think I feel are really mine or the bond convincing me I feel it? Did that even make sense? Sometimes I feel like I could lay down my life for him, especially when he rescued me from the collar of James. However, maybe I'm just into the sex? This primal emotion controlling me all the time to be with him.

"Still rumbling through your thoughts. You seemed to have closed yourself off." Ares mumbles from the drivers seat. I adjust my dress shifting uncomfortably.

"Yeah. Working through some things. Nothing crazy!" Am I allowed to go back and forth? Should I even worry about it? I can't change my mind every twenty minutes about how I feel, but the fact that it took a horny moment for me to mark Ares tells me enough about myself. Fuck.

I just have to decide. Do I love him and give into every bond fantasy I can imagine, or do I push him away and finally admit to what he's done?

He's drugged me, put me into a contract of basic submission, demanded I work for him, controlled my movements, locked me in his house, used the bond against me to get me half way convinced that I might love him?

Yes he saved me, yes he provides amazing things, and yes he cares for me in his own way. Can I account most of this to the wolf? Blame him for such actions being apart of a world I don't understand?

Tonight he plans to announce me as his Luna, officially claiming me to the pack. Just yesterday, the child's wolf caused me to kill. No one batted an eye. My body was over taken by an unborn child, then used to kill someone we thought was threatening me. Even a child can control me, take away my thoughts and wants to do its bidding. How can I believe that the same hasn't happened in the relationship? A child, and wolf, would naturally want mates together. Could it be that after he knotted me in the woods and the baby was "created" that the bond grew in impact? Could that be why such things have been easier and why I've been more agreeable to the bond?

"You're worrying me, love." Ares breaks my thoughts. I look over to him with a sincere smile.

"Thinking about your birthday and all that. Don't want to ruin the surprise!" Lying through my fucking teeth.

"Mm. Whenever you want to tell me, I'll be here."

"I know." You're always here.

We pull into the driveway, the large building taking me by surprise. Its a brick building styled as one would style a castle, however it's a brighter, more welcoming color, "Excited to dance?"

"Excited to eat dinner. I'm starving." I'm ready to ge home. Right now. I don't want to be here.

"Then lets get you inside my beautiful mate." He climbs out of the car tossing the keys to a valet. Ares grabs my handle letting me out from the passenger side. I keep steady on my heels, our steps powerful and concise. Ares keeps my back straight as we walk. The wolves are watching and I can't make a mistake.

The deltas greet me, the beta watching from a distance. Omegas litter the dance floor shaking their hips, most have a glass of some kind in hand. I grab a wine glass off a tray for show, Ares doing the same with a whiskey. The pack moves for us to pass through, I keep my chin up. Shoulders back. The scent of Ares covers the room. The alpha is showing off, letting everyone know who's in control. The King to be.

We guide ourselves to two chair seated the front. I'm allowed to sit in one, Ares taking the other. The pack lines up to give us grace and say peace. However one person is noted. A glare covering her face when she stands in line. Her aura scents deception and my heart hurts to see it.