Emily Clayson was awoken from her deeply needed slumber by her mother, Eliza, dumping a large bucket of freezing cold water on her. Emily bolted upwards into a sitting position, a look of complete and utter shock painted on her face. When her eyes connected with her smirking mother's, she shot her an incredulous look.

"Really, Mom?" Emily shouted, anger and annoyance evident in her morning voice. There was definitely no way she was going back to sleep after that, which made Emily even more annoyed than the fact her mother poured a bucket of water on her.

Eliza sent her daughter a smug look, "I've been trying to wake you up for almost an hour. The bucket was the last resort, so you only have yourself to blame for that. Now, hurry. We have a pack meeting to get to within the next thirty minutes." Eliza then turned and left to let Emily get ready.

Emily huffed before reluctantly getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. She knew that she had to hurry, so she stripped quickly after turning her shower on. She stepped in and immediately felt her muscles relax. They were tense because she had stayed up late the night before studying for the finals which were beginning next week.

You'd think that being a Werewolf, you wouldn't have to study as hard for high test scores to make it into college and get a job to make money considering all you have to do is shift and hunt down a free meal, but you still have to in Emily's pack. The pack also provides money for clothes to all of its members, so it was kind of pointless to go to college. Most Wolves stay in the pack for their entire lives where their only job is to protect the pack and reproduce so the pack can keep thriving.

After Emily had washed herself and her hair, she hopped out and began to get ready. After she was satisfied with how she looked, she headed downstairs to see breakfast already lying out on the breakfast table, most likely cold by now.

Emily didn't mind the cold waffles, she ate them anyways since she was starving. After she had finished and set her empty plate into the sink, she saw her parents walk down the stairs, her dad's eyes on her mother's butt the entire time, making Emily slightly uncomfortable.

What made her even more uncomfortable, yet a little happy, was seeing her father slap her mother's behind. Her father, George, laughed as Eliza gasped. Then, he spun Eliza around, bringing her in for a kiss. Their kiss didn't last for long because Emily awkwardly cleared her throat, making her parents pull away, revealing both of their red cheeks.

"Uh, you guys ready to go or do you want me to leave you to it?" Emily joked, a small smirk on her lips. She couldn't help but envy her parents' marriage. Not all of the adults in her pack were married. Some people didn't exactly get along with their mates, and Emily prayed to the Moon Goddess that she and her mate were the perfect fit.

Her father spoke up and held back a laugh at getting caught in the act, "Yes, honey, we're ready. Are you?"

"Yeah, let's go." Emily replied as she hurried and walked in front of her parents, afraid that if she stayed and walked behind them that she'd see something she wished that she hadn't.

Within three minutes, they all had walked right next door to where the pack held meetings which reminded Emily of a church, but instead of a podium at the front of all the rows of seats, there was a long table. And behind those tables were three chairs which was where her father, the Beta of the pack, would be sitting beside the Alpha, Jacob, and the Gama, Toby.

As the Claysons departed, George went to sit in his seat at the front while his wife and only daughter went to sit with the other wives and children of the Alpha and Gama on the first row.

As the rest of the pack sat down and quieted, Alpha Jacob cleared this throat through the microphone that was connected to many speakers throughout the building. You'd think that they wouldn't use speakers since they all have Wolf hearing, but they do for some unknown reason.

"Hello, pack members, we gather here today to announce the invitation to a masquerade ball that we've all been invited to... by the Pearson Pack." Gasps could be heard throughout the entire building, and shocked faces could be seen everywhere someone turned, "I know, I know. It's a surprise to most of you. The cause for this celebration is that the Alpha, Carlos Bennett, is ready to meet his mate. The Ball is this weekend, which gives you all plenty of time to buy everything you need for the Masquerade and the weekend stay. I hope to see you all dressed your best and to all of you young she-wolves out there..." Jacob trailed off, his voice coming off as light and joyful, but there was a definite emotion hidden behind his words, and Emily claimed it as concern for all the she-wolves, which included her, "I'm wishing you all the best of luck."

It was as if Jacob didn't want to attend the Masquerade, but it wasn't like he could decline an invitation from Carlos Bennett, the Alpha of the strongest pack in the USA. If he did, horrible events would take place. It'd be idiotic of him to decline.

Emily stood as everyone else did, heading out and back to their homes. Some of the teenage girls immediately rushed to their cars to go dress shopping, excited to be attending a ball seeing as their pack never really had many dances or parties. It was all very sophisticated when it came to Emily's pack.

Emily and her parents went back home and once Emily got inside, she plopped herself on the couch as her parents went out to the backyard for an unknown reason. Emily pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend, Anna's number. She was a little concerned because she didn't see her or Anna's parents at the pack meeting.

After a few rings, Anna picked up, sounding as happy as ever, which ruled out the possibility of her being sick as the reason she didn't attend the pack meeting, "Hey, Ems. What's up?"

Emily sighed tiredly, her body yearning for her to go to sleep, "Nothing, really, I just got back from the pack meeting, which you did not attend. Why didn't you go?" Emily fiddled with the hem of her shirt out of boredom as she awaited Anna's reply.

"I just didn't feel like going. Can you just fill me in on what happened?"

Emily rolled her eyes lightly at her blonde best friend, feeling slightly stupid for even asking the question. Of course she didn't go because she felt like it. It was so typical of Anna. She was a free spirit, as she liked to call herself.

"Alpha Jacob just told us about a Masquerade Ball that we all have to attend this weekend at Carlos Bennett's pack. Crazy, right? I mean why would he, of all people, invite our pack, the third highest ranking pack in the USA, plus the second highest ranking pack, to a Masquerade Ball to find his mate? It's not like he'd actually accept a mate from such a low ranking pack." Emily mocked, remembering what Carlos had said about her pack last year.

There were rumors about Carlos Bennett that Emily had heard of, and they weren't making him out as a nice guy. Some say that he's a cruel and heartless monster, and Emily couldn't help but believe those rumors. But, they were rumors, after all, so there was a very small chance that they were actually true.

Emily heard Anna chuckle across the line, "That's hard to believe. Are you going to actually try to look nice for the Masquerade?"

This time, Emily rolled her eyes in true annoyance. This was rare, but Anna's smart little comment sort of angered Emily. Was she saying that Emily never looked nice? That she was ugly? Emily couldn't help but feel a little down about the question.

Emily pursed her lips, "I don't know, maybe. I don't see why I should, I have no one to impress." Anna sucked in a breath of air as a fake gasp as if she couldn't believe her best friend had just said that.

"Ems, I'm the blonde one here, not you. Just think about it. You said that the second highest ranking pack would be there too, right? That means that there's a large possibility that your mate could be apart of that pack. So, technically, there is someone to impress. You wouldn't want the first time that your mate saw you to be when you're the only person wearing sweats at a Masquerade, now would you?" She had a point, Emily had to admit.

Emily reluctantly spoke, not liking the idea of admitting that Anna was right, "You're... right. I guess I'll dress up nice. It's not like I had a choice, anyway. My mom would have never let me show up to a Masquerade wearing sweats."

Emily heard the faint voice of Anna's mom sound through her phone before Anna sighed irritatedly and groaned, "Alright, I got to go, Ems. Duty calls. I'll talk to you later." And then she hung up, not giving Emily a chance to say goodbye. She just shrugged and looked at the clock, seeing it was only twelve-thirty. It was the perfect time for a nap.

So, she took one.

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(a/n): tell me if you like this chapter better than the one before! (if you've already read the original one and can remember it)