I Scored Myself A Mate

Nervous would be an understatement. After he got dressed all ready and handsome after quite a while Luke picked them up and they headed towards the dining hall. He hadn't seen any people at all and for some reason he had believed the vibe would still remain the same. Oh, how wrong he was. 

From the last turn they took he could hear laughing, shouting and all sorts of loud noises. There were people in there, a lot of them and Alex would be at the center of their attention, there was no doubt about that. 

The place was incredibly huge, to the point that your eyes got a bit lost in the endless tables and chairs. People were sitting in small or bigger groups of people conversing, with empty plates in front of them. The moment the four boys set foot inside though it was almost like time stopped. A sudden quiet filled the room and someone could think they weren't even breathing. Green, brown, blue and yellow eyes al suddenly targeted the brown haired boy at the center of the room and Alex's eyes immediately met the polished floors, too anxious to face them. 

As he walked following Mikael who was walking carefree with a chill smile on his face he felt Luke's hand wrap around his shaking one and for a second he pulled it away terrified. Luke grabbed it again though and gave him a comforting smile. He wanted to calm him down with his smile, even the slightest comfort would be enough but he was unable to. The feelings Alex had railing up inside of him were the result of trauma that had manifested over many years and just holding his hand wouldn't change much. He appreciated it though as much as he could in his frenzy.

"Alex are you alright?" Mark asked him while they were searching for an empty table. All of them were almost full and the boy wished that someone or something would happen so they could just sit alone, somewhere on the back with no one to look at them. 

Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened. Mikael chose a table in the exact middle of the room, almost like it was mathematically calculated and there were so many people sitting there. Boys and girls chatting happily. Alex gulped and looked at Luke with a begging look hoping that he would understand and take him away but he only mumbled an it's going to be okay and sat down. 

"You are finally back!" Someone said and high fived Luke who smiled. Alex remembered his face. He was one of Luke's and Mikael's teammates. 

"Yeah it was crazy." Luke said "I'm starving." 

"Same" Mark said Alex noticed that everyone around them was acting like they were invisible. No one bothered to introduce themselves or talk to them. As it seemed his best friend had realized that and when their looks met he rolled his eyes making Alex chuckle. 

"So what happened with you and Lily? She didn't say anything you've kept us in the dark. Also what's up with them?" A girl asked and pointed her head with a disgusted expression towards Alex and Mark. So they didn't know what had exactly happened, he thought.

"These are humans as you can see, this is Mark and this is Alex he is…"

"…a friend. He is the leader of another soccer team in the area they are transferring here. They are good" Luke finished Mikael's sentence and Alex gripped the fork he was holding harder on his hand. He felt the sharp teeth of it pressing his skin, trying to go through. He just needed to be calm and not think that these were the same people that were watching his torment while cheering. Time was the cure for everything. He repeated on his mind. 

"So you're telling me we are accepting humans here now?" Another one asked with a confused expression.

"These ones are a special case." Mikael said and brought his arm around Mark's shoulders, pushing him towards him. "Right princess?" 

"Do not touch me. I am hungry" Mark growled and the whole table started laughing. Why was it so easy for Mikael to be open about his actions and Luke had to lie about him? Was he still unsure about their relationship? The kissed they had shared a few moments ago made him reconsider things?

"Um…Luke can I talk to you about something?" Alex asked and nudged him to get his attention.

"What is it? Are you alright?" 

"Maybe we can talk in private?" 

"Well in a while they will bring the food and if we leave believe me there will be nothing left. Can't it wait? You said you were hungry" 

"Oh, yeah, sure I'm starving" he said with a smile and Luke returned to talking with his friends and teammates. 

Alex exhaled loudly and looked around. He was never good with unfamiliar places and everyone around him somehow seemed so hostile. There was a gut feeling almost like an instinct that he couldn't let go of. He tried to push it away and focus on his grumbling stomach. He needed to eat, soon or else he could hold a concert with the noises his belly made. 

Soon, thankfully a few side doors opened and many ladies pushing huge metal carts that had a lot of different trays came in revealing the steaming hot and certainly delicious food. From meat to vegetables and fruits they were letting down on the tables whatever your heart desired and he felt his mouth water.

"Oh my god finally" Mark exclaimed as Mikael served him a huge piece of chicken and some roast potatoes. 

"Eat well sweetie." He said with a cheeky smile and Mark clicked his tongue while stuffing his face with everything he could find in front of him. 

Alex didn't know from where to begin and indecisive as he was he stood there looking at the trays getting empty really fast.

"Eat!" Mark scolded him and threw in his plate a few vegetables and some pork. "Before these wolves eat everything I believe they even swallow the bones" he whispered and Alex laughed taking his first bite. It was certainly good and as he started eating, observing how everyone was so focused on eating and not bothered by him he felt a bit calmer and was able to enjoy his food. 

"Isn't it good?" Luke asked him with pride like he was the one who made it.

"Yeah it's delicious" Alex replied and his gleeful aura grew even more.

"You have something here" he told him and pointed at a spot on the left corner of Alex's pink lips. 

"Where?" he asked, his fingertips roaming with a napkin at the sides of his mouth. 

"There" Luke said and waited for Alex to remove the sauce stain but he couldn't find it so the boy just came closer and wiped it himself with his thumb then bringing it to his lips and licking the excess. Alex suddenly turned red by the motion and Mikael's voice was heard.

"Luke. Dude, watch out" he whispered and Luke nodded kind of disappointed. So he was sad too about all of this. Having to hide it. Alex wanted to ask him why, since one way or the other they would have to know soon but he kept his mouth shut and decided he would wait and find some time until they were on their own to confront him about it. For now, it was enough for him to know that he was interested in him. It saddened him though how his insecurities could just in an instant ruin every positive thought he had. All that overthinking only devoured every piece of happiness he had on his mind and he desperately wanted to find a way to stop it but he couldn't. maybe he wasn't strong enough yet. 

After everyone had finished their dinner the ladies appeared again picking up the empty trays and the dirty plates, taking them away and leaving the tables clean the same way they were before. No one moved though like they were intending to get up and return to their rooms. Alex scanned the room trying to figure out why when the main door opened revealing Luke's father and his Beta following close behind. 

The sound of chatting slowly died and as the Alpha moved lightheartedly towards the center of the room with a carefree smile Alex felt a lump on his throat. 

The man stopped and looked around the hall waiting for every single sound to die before he began speaking. He didn't even have to ask them to be quiet. Alex unable to face the terrifying man turned his eyes onto Luke who seemed perplexed about everything. It was obvious that he had no actual idea of what was going on or what his father wanted to announce. 

"Good evening everyone. I hope you had an unjoyful meal. I am sorry to interrupt your time with your friends and family but I have an announcement to make." He said and the pack members started looking at each other, impatient of what he wanted. "In ten days from now we will hold a celebration. A grand party where I will invite the representatives of every supernatural kin. It has been a long time since we actually had something to celebrate but now we do. My son will announce it at that very special day. I hope you will all get to have fun and remember the old times." He said and the people seemed excited with the news. It was a party after all, why wouldn't they?

Only Luke seemed incredibly mad. The moment his father stopped talking and observed his people happily his son mumbled.

"That bastard, I hope he burns in purgatory"

And Alex couldn't help but wonder why he was so frustrated with just a party