The day of the Winter Ball arrived without trouble. Fidelis was glad that Amy and her cronies had left Sera alone the last week of school going into the Winter Break. He made plans with Blainel and Sodalitas to use magic if they needed to make the Winter Ball a success. He didn't feel bad about using magic on humans who were malicious and caused pain to others. Tonight would be perfect. He'd make sure of that.
He checked his reflection. His blond hair was slicked back, his grey eyes gleaming in satisfaction at his appearance. The black tux fitted just right, outlining his muscular frame. He looked down at the jewelry boxes on his dresser. He gently tapped the lids.
"Soon," he murmured.
He straightened when he heard the knock and turned to the door. Blainel and Sodalitas entered dressed in their tuxes. They, too, wore black. They bowed to him, and he grinned.
"You guys are being too formal. Let's go," Fidelis said with a laugh, leading the way to the garage.
They got in his car and drove to the venue. Fidelis's fated mark warmed with Sera's emotions as they got closer. He grinned. She was happy and enjoying herself. He also felt her disappointment. Probably because I'm not there yet, he mused with a smile. Sometimes his future mate was easy to read. Other times, not as much. Made for an interesting relationship.
He found a space and parked. They got out, and he checked his clothes one more time. Satisfied, he nodded, and his guards moved with him to the doors. They paused at Griff's shout.
"Yo, Romeo! Wait up."
He spotted Griff, Karl, and Drake making a beeline for them.
"Great minds think alike," he joked once he got a look at their outfits. They were also wearing black tuxes.
"You know, people are going to think we dressed like this on purpose," Sodalitas chimed in.
Griff laughed. "They can think whatever they want, George. I couldn't care less. My only concern is the girls' opinions of our outfits."
"I agree," added Drake.
Karl and Blainel nodded their agreement.
Fidelis smirked. This was why he liked this group of humans. They had strong personalities and strong morals. "Come on, the ladies are waiting."
He put action to words and walked quickly to the doors, and the underclassmen dressed as Santa's helpers. They exchanged hellos with the door greeters and entered the main dancing hall.
The ballroom was as impressive as the outside. The soft lights gave the room a mysterious, romantic vibe. Fidelis took a breath as the magic of Earth washed over his senses. It was always a nice reminder that this dimension wasn't completely devoid of magic. Earth's magic was strongest when humans used their creativity, producing amazing art, music, and inventions. He came out of his thoughts at the rise of heat in his mark. He turned his head and caught sight of Serenah.
He stopped breathing for a moment, stunned by her outfit and appearance. His jaw dropped, his eyes riveted on her. The top portion of her hair was plaited into thick braids coiled into a bun. The ends of the braids hung free, flowing gently into the bottom half of her curled hair that hung free past her shoulders. Her dress was what stuttered his thoughts to a halt. The dress, an ombre violet/sapphire blue corset-style long skirt gown with black trim, fitted her body beautifully, while the thin straps accentuated her shoulders. Her makeup, especially her eyeshadow, was a beautiful palette of violet and sapphire, highlighting her dress and Sera's violet eyes.
He snapped out of his trance when Griff whistled. For a moment, Fidelis felt irritation at the human's interest in his fated mate. He had to suppress his urge to demand that Griff avert his gaze. He knew the human was only expressing appreciation at Sera's beauty. Didn't make him feel any less bothered by it.
"Sera!" he called as he hurried to her.
He watched Sera shyly approach, coming to a stop before him. He hugged her, ignoring the whispers and her sudden tension. He was just that happy to see her. And even though she was a little uncomfortable, she was happy to see him, too. His fated mark would never lie about her emotions.
"Romeo," she whispered shyly, her eyes dropping to the floor.
He frowned when she dropped her head. He hated that habit of hers. He used his fingers to raise her head.
"Hey, my face is here," he joked.
Heat flooded her cheeks. She was so adorable when she blushed.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
He kissed her forehead and leaned forward to whisper, "Shall we dance?"
"Sure," she replied, slipping her hand in his as he led her to the center of the dance floor.
Fidelis knew he was grinning like a fool and didn't care. Sera was in his arms, and everything was perfect. Her emotions flowed steadily through his fated mark. He could see and feel how happy she was. This was truly bliss. No one was bothering them, and they could relax while enjoying the dance.
They stayed on the dance floor through two more songs before retiring to the table and their friends. Not even Al's scowl could dampen Fidelis's mood. He pulled out a chair for Sera before seating himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her nervously fidgeting with her purse. He leaned closer to her.
"Everything alright?" he whispered.
She gasped. "Um, yes!" she squeaked.
"Now, I'm curious as to why you're so flustered."
"Oh, um, um," she stammered before going still beside him.
He started to say something when she reached into her purse and pulled out two jewelry boxes and placed them in front of him.
"Sera, what's this?"
"Open it," she mumbled, her gaze on the table.
He hadn't expected a gift. He grinned and opened the first box. Inside was a sterling silver bracelet with a wolf charm.
"Wow, Sera! I like this." He saw the blush on her cheeks deepen. He quickly opened the other box, which contained a sterling silver man's necklace.
He hugged her and spoke softly for only her to hear. "My love, I love both the gifts. Can you put them on me?"
"Yes," she whispered.
He watched as she shakily put first the bracelet and then the necklace on him.
"Why a wolf?" he asked, curious as to why she picked that particular animal.
"Because you are strong, loyal, and protect those you care for," came her immediate reply.
Fidelis found it ironic that his human mate would pick the animal that was his symbol from back home. The only difference was that wolves in the Old World were dire wolves and triple the size of Earth's wolves. Also, the meaning behind them was a little different.
He kissed her cheek, and her emotions surged through the mark. Happiness, embarrassment, and love all filled him. This night couldn't get any better. He was happy, and so was his mate. This moment was perfect.