ISOBEL
The door was pushed open, and Alpha Francis walked inside, he paused and he looked at Mason, then at me and back at Mason. He raised his brow, and there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he took in everything that was going on between me and Mason.
"Oh," he drawled and his smirk widened. "It looks like I came in when I shouldn't and I disturbed something. Should I come back later?"
Mason turned to him with a blank expression on his face. "No." His voice was emotionless like he wasn't the person who had been toying with me. "What do you want?"
Alpha Francis chuckled, and lazily leaned against the doorframe. "Relax, Mason. No need to sound so rude. I'm here to invite you both to a party."
"A party?" I asked in surprise before I could stop myself.
He turned to look at me and he still had his smirk on his face. "Yes, a party. It's nothing too serious, it's just a little gathering to celebrate your visit."
Before I could respond, he snapped his fingers, and the door was pushed open wider. Two maids walked in and they each walked in with a rack of clothes.
"One is for you," Alpha Francis gestured toward Mason, and then turned to me, "and one is for the beautiful lady."
I frowned, as it all felt strange to me. "You picked out clothes for me?"
"Of course," he said smoothly. "I can't have my guests attend a party looking anything less than stunning."
I turned to look at Mason, and I expected some kind of reaction from him, but as usual, his face was blank and it gave nothing away. He simply looked at the rack of clothes in front of him and then back at Alpha Francis.
"Be ready in an hour." Alpha Francis smiled widely before he turned to leave. "Oh, and Isobel?" He paused at the door and turned to look at me. "I hope you like to dance."
And then he was gone, leaving us in an uncomfortable silence that made me feel uneasy.
I stood there and stared at the dress for what seemed like a long time. The blue dress shone under the light. It was beautiful, so beautiful that I felt out of place just standing next to it.
"Didn't you hear him?" Mason's voice broke through my thoughts. "Aren't you going to get dressed?"
I turned to face him. "You want me to attend the party?"
He gave me a bored look, and he slightly tilted his head to the side. "Do you want people to think I maltreat my dearest stepsister and mate?"
I felt my cheeks burn when I heard his words. "It's not like that," I muttered and looked away.
"Then get dressed." The way he said it left no room for argument. He grabbed his own cloth from the rack and walked towards the door. "I'll be back to check up on you."
Then he walked out, leaving me alone with the beautiful dress but I still didn't move. It wasn't like I didn't want to get ready, I just didn't know how. I had never worn anything this fancy before, and I had never attended a party that I had to wear anything more than a simple dress.
As I hesitated, the door opened again, and the same two maids walked in. They bowed slightly. "We're here to help you with your dress and makeup, miss."
I blinked at them. "Oh. I—um—okay."
With no other choice, I freshened up and let them do their work. They helped me into the dress and styled my hair in a way that it framed my face in a beautiful and delicate way. When they were done, I turned to the mirror and I froze.
The girl staring back at me didn't look like me. She looked beautiful. For the first time in a long time, I admired my reflection. "Thank you," I whispered.
The maids smiled warmly. "You look stunning, miss."
Just then, the door opened again and Mason walked inside, and then, he stopped.
His eyes moved over me, and though he had a blank expression on his face, I noticed how his lips parted slightly and how his eyes lingered on my body for a little too long.
Then he cleared his throat and quickly composed himself. "It's time," he said.
I smoothed my dress and walked up to him, and I could feel my heart pounding as I stood beside him. I didn't know why, but before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "How do I look?"
He barely even turned to look at me. "Good," he muttered, but his voice sounded lower than usual.
That was all he said. There was no teasing words, and no sarcastic comment. Just one word, yet it made my stomach twist in a way I didn't understand.
We went downstairs, and I was surprised by what I saw. The party was bigger than what I had expected. The hall was filled with a lot of alcohol. Some danced, while some talked in groups, and the others stood by the bar, enjoying their drinks.
Mason moved through the crowd effortlessly, and greeted people easily. Meanwhile, I remained by the corner, feeling left out and out of place.
Then suddenly, the music changed and people started walking towards the dance floor with their partners.
It felt awkward and I wanted to leave but before I could do it, Mason appeared in front of me, and he stretched his hands towards me.
"Dance with me," he said, but it didn't sound like he was asking. It felt like a command.
I hesitated. "I don't—" I tried to come up with an excuse but he stopped me.
"Come." He didn't wait for my answer as he grabbed my arm, holding my wrist firmly but not rough.
With no choice, I followed him, and the moment we stepped on the dance floor, he wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me closer. My breath caught in my throat as I placed my hand in his.
We danced in silence, and I couldn't tell what was on his mind as he had the same blank expression on his face like he wasn't the one who asked me to dance with him. Then, without thinking, I asked, "Why do you hate my father?"