Chapter 783
Judy’s POV
I had never been to a masquerade ball before. I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The girl’s got dressed in one suite and the guys got dressed in another. Irene looked stunning in her pink dress and white mask that covered only one eye, leaving the other bright blue and flawless. Her hair was curled to perfection and swirled down her shoulders and back. She had white and pink flowers entwined in her curls, and for a moment, she looked like her old self.
She wasn’t wearing sweatpants, and her hair was no longer greasy; she almost looked happy, though I knew she wasn’t.
In reality, her insides were on fire, and her nerves were set loose. I could tell from her eyes and the way she looked at herself in the mirror that she was pent up with nerves.
Nan, on the other hand, was a ball of eagerness. She wore a yellow dress with a yellow mask with feathers. She said she was going for a duckling type of vibe, and honestly, not only did she look gorgeous, but she looked adorable. She dyed streaks of yellow in her short hair and had it styled so it was a bit fluffier than usual. Since having it done yesterday, she spent the night and today in Irene’s room, avoiding Chester.
She wanted to surprise him with her new look. She was currently on the phone with my parents, who were looking after Emalyn while we were on vacation.
“How are you doing?” I asked as I approached Irene, who smoothed down the skirt of her dress.
She turned to look at me, her eyes scanning my black dress and the black mask that hid most of my face.
“You look beautiful,” she told me with a light smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eye, and my question was unanswered. “My father is such a lucky guy to have a mate like you.
She gave me a quick hug, and my heart both warmed and broke at her words. She was hurting, and I wanted to fix it so badly.
“Chuck’s an idiot,” I told her softly. “If he truly is cheating on you… He doesn’t deserve you.”
I hadn’t told her, or anyone, what Tabby had told me. She was right; Irene needed to find this out for herself. She would never believe us, and she might even hate us for bringing it up. I don’t want to be the cause of tension or heartbreak. We had dinner at the packhouse last night, and I could tell Irene’s mind wasn’t fully there. She kept looking around like she expected Chuck to just show up at any moment.
Hopefully, word about the Landry arrival hadn’t gotten to him yet. Tabby said he’s been busy with his patrol duties, so he isn’t in the loop about much these days.
“I’m so nervous,” Eliza said as she came into the room, Nan following after her as she put her phone in her small purse. “I’ve never been to a ball like this before.”
“You look gorgeous,” I tell her, admiring her light blue dress that hung off her shoulders and white mask that made her features practically glow. She certainly did not look like a typical pack doctor, that was for sure. The dress makes her look like Cinderella,
“As do you,” she said with a bright smile. “Black looks good on you. Very slimming.”
I chuckled.
“That’s what I was going for.”
I put my hands on the swell of my belly, feeling the light flutter of my baby boy kicking. There was a knock on our door, bringing us out of our thoughts. I was the one who answered it and smiled when I saw Beta Taylor standing on the other side. His eyes immediately went to his mate, who was standing behind me.
His eyes lit up, and I could see the love lingering in his eyes, leaving him speechless. After a moment, he cleared his throat and glanced at me.
“The car is waiting downstairs,” he announced. “We should get going so we aren’t late.”
“You mean the carriage is waiting?” Nan teased, sweeping past him with an exaggerated curtsy.
“It’s an SUV, not a pumpkin,” he said dryly, earning laughter from all of us.
Gavin entered behind him in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his mask a dark metallic silver hat matched the trim of his suit. The sight of him made my breath catch. He looked like sin dressed in velvet and authority. “Wow,” I whispered as he offered his arm.
“You’re one of talk, ‘he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “If you didn’t have this mask on, I’d swear the entire ball would stop breathing when you walk in.”
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.