Emily didn't move. She didn't speak. She didn't even blink. She was just taken away from shock and a creepy feeling that she didn't recognize. She felt like her whole world had just fell down right on top of her, suffocating her. Emily actually wished she was being suffocated right now instead of being in this predicament.

Carlos sent shivers down Emily's spine as he spoke, but she couldn't tell if it was from pleasure or something far worse, "My name is Carlos. What is yours, sweet angel?" Emily gulped, preparing herself so that she could answer his question.

"My name is Emily."

Carlos smiled, his pearly whites flashing before Emily's eyes. Carlos' rough yet somehow gently hands took her hands, lightly massaging them as he said, "What a beautiful name, although very common... How about you take off that mask?"

Emily's cheeks were flushed slightly. She had completely forgotten about the mask she was wearing, blocking Carlos from seeing her actual face. Emily reached up and pulled off her mask just as Carlos' eyes lit up in awe.

"My, my, my, how did I get this lucky?" Carlos chucked, and Emily silently thanked him with her eyes.

Carlos' eyes finally found themselves on Greyson's unconscious body, the cold glare back in his features. "What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?"

Emily's heart momentarily warmed while answering his questions with; "No, not really. It's more like what did I do to him? Because I'm pretty sure I gave him one badass concussion." Emily lightly giggled, making Carlos' lips twitch up in a small smile, but his eyes never left Greyson's body.

"You get back to the Ball, I'll take care of this." Carlos demanded sweetly, nodding his head at Greyson as he said this. Emily's eyes widened. What was he going to do to him? Kill him? Lock him up? Emily didn't care, she just wanted him gone. But, she couldn't help but feel pity for Greyson.

Emily nodded her head obediently and slowly made her way back to the ballroom, putting her mask back on and every now and then turning her head back to see what Carlos was doing. But, every time she looked back, Carlos was looking at her, waiting for her to be completely out of sight before he touched Greyson.

When Emily got back inside the ballroom, she was immediately dragged into a hug by Anna. Emily was surprised because she hadn't seen the blonde in a long while. She was happy that she finally got to see her best friend.

"Hey, Ems! You look gorgeous in that dress. What about me?" Anna shot Emily a confident look after complimenting her. Emily lightly laughed, trying to push the irritating thought of what Carlos could be doing to Greyson right now. Emily shivered at the gory images that flashed through her mind.

"If not equally gorgeous, then more." Emily smiled, looking down at Anna's beautiful yet unique bright yellow dress. Anna could sense the uneasiness behind her smile.

Anna pursed her lips, "What's up, Ems? Where did you just come from?" Anna crossed her arms over her chest, worried about the stability of her best friend's mind.

Emily contemplated about telling Anna that she had found her mate — Carlos Bennett. Emily had always known that Anna had a slight obsession over the Alpha, and she didn't want to see Anna's reaction if it wasn't what she was expecting.

Emily took a deep breath after clearing her throat, "I found my mate..." Anna could hear the nervousness in Emily's voice as she spoke, making her wonder who the hell did this to her best friend. "My mate is... Carlos Bennett."

Anna's eyes widened. Carlos Bennett? Yeah, right, Anna thought to herself. Emily had to be joking. Although, Emily was never one to joke about matters as serious as this one. Was she telling the truth?

"You're pranking me, right? Because there's no way in hell... that Carlos Bennett is your mate." Anna said a little bit more harshly than she had meant to, making Emily flinch at her tone.

Anna wouldn't admit it, but she was pissed that her best friend was the hand-picked soulmate to the man she had been pining after for almost two years now. How unfair, Anna thought. Anna was angry with the Moon Goddess as of right now.

Emily avoided Anna's fiery eyes, keeping her eyes down on the marble floor, "I'm not pranking you, Anna. He's my mate—" Emily was cut off by the devil himself.

"—Talking about me already, Angel?" Carlos emerged from out of nowhere, looping his large arms around Emily's small waist. Emily noticed that his mask was back on his face, also. Carlos looked at the blonde who was staring at him in awe as he walked up to his mate. The blonde looked familiar, but he couldn't put a name to her face.

Emily introduced the two, "Carlos, this is my best friend, Anna. Anna, this is my mate... Carlos." Anna's eyes were still wide, and it seemed like she hadn't blinked in a few minutes, which wasn't normal. Carlos thought it was a little creepy.

"Hello, Anna. It's nice to meet you." Carlos stuck out his free hand towards Anna. Anna blinked a few time before finally taking his hand in hers, batting her fake eyelashes at him in a flirty way. Emily noticed this and couldn't believe her eyes.

"Same for you, Carlos." There was this strange way that Anna had said Carlos' name that made Emily uncomfortable. Like Anna was concocting something in that pretty little head of hers.

Carlos nodded before smirking down at Emily, "I apologize for stealing your friend away, but I do believe that my mate owes me a dance." As if on cue, a slow song comes on, making Emily hold back a smile.

"Oh, no — by all means, go ahead." Anna said, shooing the two mated wolves towards the dance floor. Anna was seeming as if she was happy for Emily, but deep, deep down, she was plotting something so dark and twisted that even Carlos himself couldn't come up with.

When Emily and Carlos made it to the center of the dance floor, the people around them began to stare, piecing the puzzle together.

Carlos Bennett had found his mate.

Carlos' right hand stayed on Emily's waist as her left hand found its way to his neck. They then both connected their other hands together and started to slow dance. Emily started to notice all of the supernatural eyes on her and her newly discovered mate, making her cheeks redden.

"People are staring." Emily's innocent voice sounded Carlos' ears, making his wolf calm down from the earlier situation with Greyson. But, it also made Carlos' wolf protective, making him pull Emily closer to him, not wanting anyone to see his beautiful mate other than him.

Carlos looked around, and sure enough, everyone had stopped dancing and shifted their eyes to him and his mate dancing. Carlos smirked and whispered seductively into Emily's ear; "Good. Let's give them something to watch."

Before Emily could register what was happening, Carlos had spun her out of his arms, twirling her as her dress spread out in a circle and bringing her back to his hard chest as she giggled and smiled like nothing in the world mattered. It was like a scene that you would see in the movies. And, at that moment, Emily felt like she was in an actual movie, having a wonderful time dancing with her soulmate.

But, she knew it wouldn't last long. And just like in the movies, the people would be seen having the time of their lives, being completely and utterly happy just before all of the smiles are wiped from their faces as their happiness is stolen, leaving nothing but chaos and despair.

+

sorry it took so long to update, major shit was happening. but, it's summer now so that means that i get to update my stories faster!

i hope you all are liking this version better than the old, undeveloped book.

vote & comment! sammy wants to know how you feel about the book!

-samantha