Time to Party?

"Mei get down here. You've been avoiding me all day!" Kelly yells from in the kitchen making Mei roll her eyes at her exaggeration since the day had just begun and it's only 10 in the morning. Letting out a sigh and wiping the joyous grin off her face she heads down to the kitchen where Kelly is cooking up a storm with Darren assisting her in the best way he can.

"My presence was requested." She says as she enters the kitchen, arms folded.

"I made your favorite." Kelly says and Mei perks up.

"Key lime pie?" She asks and Kelly hands her a plate with a slice and a fork.

"Thank you." She says kissing Kelly on the cheek as she settles on a stool and takes a bite of the pie letting out a groan of satisfaction.

"You're the best." Mei says as she takes another bite of her pie, making Kelly smile at her.

"What time will y'all be returning?" Darren asks as he takes the apple pie out of the oven.

"By 11." Kelly answers as she takes a sip of coffee.

"All right. I'm off" He says then gives Kelly a quick peck then leaves for work. Mei finishes her slice of pie then returns to her room to retrieve her overnight bag while Kelly places all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher then goes to her room to retrieve her car keys along with her overnight bag packed with their outfits for the party.

"Kelly, let's go." Mei says as she waits next to her car for her.

"I'm coming." She responds as she finally exits the house and unlocks the car as she approaches bags in hand.

"Finally. What took you so long?" Mei asks as she takes a seat in the passenger seat.

"I was making sure we had backup outfits." She says as she places all four of her bags in the back seat.

"We only need one outfit, Kelly." Mei tells her.

"I disagree." Kelly says as she drives onto the main street heading to the main packhouse. They park in the garage and are greeted by the pack Beta, Alec, and the Delta, Thane as we exit the vehicle.

"Welcome back Alpha." Thane says a little nervously.

"At ease, Thane." I say to him laughing lightly as he forces himself to relax.

"How's Carol?" I ask him and hear him let out a sigh of relief.

"She and the baby is great." He says his joy rolling off of him in waves.

"Congratulations." I say smiling at him just as Alec pulls me into his brotherly embrace.

"How are you?" He asks as I return his embrace.

"Better." I say giving him a final squeeze before I pull away.

"Let's head in, we have a lot to do before tonight." I say.

"You three go ahead and do your pack work, I'm going to turn my room into a salon so when it's time to get ready it'll be easy." Kelly says as she struts out of the garage heading towards her room while the others head towards the meeting room.

As soon as they are settled they dive right in addressing all the important incidents that popped up in her brief absence. The meeting lasts late into the afternoon around half 6, knowing that they have to end the meeting there and go prepare for the coronation they all go their separate ways to get ready.

Meanwhile back at the castle, Nate is pacing in the room as Derek watches with an amused look on his face.

"Would you stop pacing already?" Derek asks and Nate comes to an abrupt halt to look at him.

"I'm nervous." He finally admits as he runs a hand over his face.

"You'll be fine Nate." Derek says as he stands and stretches.

"I'm...not so sure." Nate says with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Derek asks.

"She's different." Nate says.

"Different good or different bad?" Derek asks

"Different good." Nate says in response and Derek smiles at him.

"Then don't worry about it and stop overthinking." Derek says then checks his watch.

"It's time?" Nate asks and Derek nods. Both put on their suit jacket then leave his office heading towards the ballroom. They stand behind the doors waiting then Derek is announced and he enters the ballroom, not long after he is announced by his royal title and enters the room to the sound of applause.

Walking down the grand staircase he gets the scent of pumpkin spice with peppermint with a hint of vanilla causes Eli to stir as he tries to take control. When the applause dies down his parents signal for the party to continue as Nate ducks and weaves through the crowd until he sees her.

Bathed in the light of the chandelier standing there in her navy blue dress with a slit on the left stopping midthigh paired with black red-bottom stilettos, her raven curls in an elegant bun with a few loose strands framing her face with ruby red lipstick to high light her lips with blue smokey eye makeup to attract attention to her eyes with diamond stud earrings.

She was talking and laughing to another well-dressed girl but Nate's gaze was stuck on her and her unique beauty. He watches as she pauses for a moment and tilts her face up sniffing the air then she turns to face and gives him a small smile as their eyes meet.

He slowly approaches her and her female friend notices and steps back and goes to make conversation with someone else. When close enough to her he takes a deep breath of her scent and a content smile appears on his face.

"Are you going to stay?" Nate asks as he looks her in the eyes.

"Depends on if rouges are welcome here, my king?" She responds with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"You're a rouge?" He asks unable to believe for she doesn't smell like one.

"Yes, my king." She says addressing him respectfully making him growl in disapproval.

But before he can ask her another question the orchestra starts to play and not asking he pulls her onto the dance floor and he smiles in satisfaction at the disappointed looks of the unmated males. They continue to dance and Anna watches with disdain evident on her face until the orchestra falls silent and a childlike laugh is heard along with gentle knocks on the door of the ballroom then a steady beeping is heard before the bomb on the door goes off along with six others positioned in various places of the ballroom creating chaos as pained screams and bodies are thrown about.

A psychotic laugh is heard as someone enters the room walks around the room as though he's searching for someone then he comes across Mei's unconscious figure being held by a furious Nate as he looks up at the figure.

"There you are my princess though I am sorry to hurt you." The figure says as he looks at her wounds that aren't healing due to the silver used in making the bombs.

"I'll be back for her. Take care of her for me until then, will you." He says to Nate who debates whether to take care of Mei or to deal with the threat.

The figure laughs again before he disappears in a cloud of smoke and the darkness that obscured everyone's vision is cleared and the sleeping gas is dispelled.

'So time to party?" Eli asks sarcastically as he looks around the room before his eyes go back to his unconscious mate.

It doesn't take long for the Shadow Warriors to start doing damage control getting all the injured wolves to the medical help that they need while Nate leaves the room carrying his mate to the castle's doctor's office specially reserved for the royal family.

The doctor greets them with a smile but when he sees the expression on Nate's face and the unconscious woman he's holding he wastes no time as he gestures for her to be put on the examination table as he begins treating her, pulling out the shard of glass and silver parts from the bomb out of her.

"Not to seem rude but I need you to leave your majesty so I can work effectively." The doctor says to him but he hesitates. In the end, he nuzzles her neck one last time inhaling her scent then leaves the room.

'Time to get some answers.' Eli says as Nate tries to keep a reign on his anger.