Blair pulled herself together and took a deep breath, before heading down the stairs. She could hear James deep voice talking to someone, he sounded nervous. The interaction with Ben was out of her mind and as she came into view his eyes widened and his mouth dropped. "Is it too much?" She asked reaching the bottom. The dress color at the alpha ceremony let everyone know she was claimed by the ever-green pack, in case there was any question. "No, no, I uh. I didn't think," he stuttered. "Didn't think I'd accept?" She asked, playfully turning her head to the left. He smiled, "Exactly," he answered. "Give yourself a little credit," she assured.
Kaspar and Sofie walked down the aisle first, Blair turned and looked back at Ben, he nodded, and she gave him a quick nervous smiled. The doors opened again and James's lead Blair down the aisle to the front row, amid all the whispers. As they reached the bottom and took a seat next to Sofie, Ben and Jen began their walk, Jen looked beautiful in the sapphire blue satin mermaid dress. Ben looked proud as he walked with Jen on his arm down the aisle, it put the demon out of everyone's minds. "Thank you, Fellow Alpha's, family, and friends for making the journey so close to Christmas. Ben went through his vows to be an Alpha that thinks of the pack and will do what is right for the pack.
The ceremony moved to the lawn where Ben shifted and took his run as Alpha. It took him about two hours to do the perimeter, everyone adjured to the patio to get drinks and chat, congratulating Blair and James, and Sofie and Kaspar. When Ben's wolf came into view everyone cheered and howled.
The crowd settled into the evening, dancing, chatting, and enjoying themselves. Blair walked over to the bar to get another glass of water, "Excuse me," Blair called. "Blair, what can I get you?" The bartender asked. "Just some water, thank you," she ordered. "Ah, let the lady have some wine," a gentleman behind her said. Blair turned as Alpha Tim put his arm on the bar next to her, "Water is fine, thank you," she assured the bartender. "A good girl," Tim slithered. Blair was extremely uncomfortable, "Thank you for coming, Alpha Tim," she attempted to be cordial. "I think you'd be perfect for my son, Andrew," he laid out. "Oh um, I'm really happy with James, thank you," she answered, in her head she was begging for James to find her. "Rejections happen, I could set up a date for him," Tim urged flexing his brows. "That's very sweet, but um," she began but Tim interrupted her, "The offer is there, since your brother rejected my Simone," Tim insisted. "He didn't reject her, she wasn't his mate," Blair defended. "Like I said rejections happen, sometimes when true colors are shown," he seethed. Blair furrowed her brow in confusion as to what he meant.
He couldn't possibly know; red creek pack was too far away to have heard anything. "There you are," Ben interrupted walking up to Blair. "Alpha Tim, you won't mind if I steal my sister away will you," Ben schmoozed. "Of course not, Alpha Ben, it's your party," Tim said patronizing, with a bow of his head. Ben led Blair to the dance floor, "Still trying to get you to date his son?" Ben asked as he swayed with Blair. Blair made a face and nodded, "He won't let his son become alpha until he is mated, which is against their pack rules, I'm going to have to keep an eye on them," Ben informed her. "I thought you weren't going to dance?" Blair teased. "I said I wasn't dancing with mom, she will cry and it's embarrassing enough," Ben explained. "I bet it would make her very happy though," Blair pushed. Ben rolled his eyes, "Fine but if she gets make up on my jacket, you pay for the dry cleaning," Ben said as the song ended and they clapped. Ben shook his head and walked over to Sofie and asked her to dance, Blair smiled as they swayed around the dance floor. She felt like she had dodged a bullet, her brother wasn't possessed. and they could enjoy the evening with friends.
She watched as Ben twirled Sofie around the dance floor. Blair's eye was caught by Craig walking over to the bar, where he embraced Alpha Tim and they began talking. Before she could attempt to get closer to hear what they were talking about, she felt a presence behind her, "Blair," a silky deep voice with a Scottish accent called behind her sending a tingle up her back. She turned to see James, she smiled, "I've been looking for you," she told him. "I'm sorry I kept the ever-green Luna waiting," he joked. "James, I need to tell you something," she said, she felt like she needed to tell him, why everyone was watching Ben and why everyone was nervous. "Can we dance first; I requested this song?" He asked as Ed Sheeran sang out Thinking Out Loud. He walked her out to the dance and wrapped her up in his arms, "You look gorgeous tonight," he whispered his lips brushing her ear. She closed her eyes as the shivers went all over her body.
She tightened her grip on him slightly, afraid she might fall. They swayed and twirled around the dance floor as everyone watched and commented at how proud Kaspar and Sofie must be and wondered how long before Blair's claiming ceremony. Blair tucked her face into James' neck, resting her cheek just below his shoulder, she felt his breath shutter and she smiled. If this was how life would go, she was fine with that. As the song ended fireworks began, everyone gathered to the end of the patio or near the garden. Blair led James into the garden a little to watch near the pond, James placed his hand on Blair's back and she smiled, leaning into him. "Do you do fireworks every ceremony?" James whispered, his lips brushing her ear. "Yes," she said breathlessly. She needed to try and pull herself together before she melted like a mushy love-sick little girl.
When the fireworks were over James and Blair headed back to the patio, Ben met them and grabbed Blair's wrist, "Come on, Blair, I requested this song," he called. "Ben," she scolded pulling back. Ben's eyes flashed black, worrying James, "It's ok," James offered to appease whatever that was. "See, come on," Ben urged. "I'm sorry," Blair apologized. James smiled at her and her irritation with Ben melted away, as they reached the dance floor. James made his way to his Beta Ryan, who arrived a few hours earlier, "Somethings wrong here," James told him. "What'd ya mean, this is a great party," Ryan replied. "Just watch the alpha and make sure no one goes near him, besides Blair," James ordered. "Yes, sir," Ryan replied.
Ben twirled Blair on to the dance floor, "Why are we dancing to Demons?" Blair asked. "It's a little on the nose," Ben replied. Blair looked at him confused, "But you aren't," she began, then it hit her just before the chorus, "I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you. But with this beast inside, there's no where we can hide," Blair looked at Ben with tears in her eyes. He hugged her; everyone was a little confused but still watched in awe. Ben swayed them through the second verse, "Don't wanna let you down, but I am hell bound," he sang along. "You aren't, we can stop this, just give me some time," she begged. The song continued they both had tears rolling down their cheeks. She could see he was struggling with something, he looked out at the crowd, "This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come," he mouthed. "Ben, please," she whispered pulling him back.
When the bridge began, Ben pulled her back, "It's woven in my soul, I need to let you go. Your eyes they shine so bright, I wanna save that light," as Ben sang, he touched Blair's cheek, "I can't escape this now, unless you show me how," he sang and with that his breathing became erratic. "No, Ben, not here," she told him. "I can't stop it," he replied. "Fight him, Ben," she ordered grabbing his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Blair," he choked out. "No," she argued and hugged him. "Fight him, please," she begged trying to push herself into his mind. He blocked her out, refusing to let her in, people were beginning to notice something was going on as the song ended, their father walked out, "Ben?" He called behind Blair as she clung to him. Ben's eyes flash black, "I'm sorry, Dad," he said. "I love you son," Kaspar told him, with tears in his eyes.
Ben screamed as his body broke and morphed, James protectively ran and grabbed Blair pulling her from her brother, "Ben," she screamed as deformed version of Ben's wolf came forward as the crowed screamed, his eyes pure black, his back hunched. He snarled and growled, saliva dripping from his jaws, his once soft fur replaced with ratty mangy patches of fur, "Blair," her father called pain in his eyes. She looked over at him from James' arms, "No, I can't," she cried. "WEAK," Ben's wolf snarled at her. James pulled her closer, instinctively, Sofie and Jen ran over. "Ben?" Sofie whispered confused. The demon wolf's head snapped over to Sofie, with tears in her eyes as she tried to find some sign of her son. "Sofie, no," Kaspar yelled.
It happened so fast no one had time to stop the demon wolf, he lunged, Sofie pushed Jen away as he bit her snapping her neck. He dragged Sofie's lifeless body and spat her in front of Blair. Blair felt anger begin to overcome her and she backed away from James to let her wolf take over, she stood toe to toe with the demon wolf. "Don't make me do this," she growled at him. He lunged at her, but Blair grabbed him by his neck and threw him down. He scrambled to his feet and the two circled each other growling. "You can't beat me," the demon seethed. Blair growled and bared her teeth, he lunged once more, but Blair was much stronger than him, and bit down on his neck until he whimpered, "You are banished demon, banished to roam the earth alone, until you die," Blair growled standing over him. "Ben," Blair called from inside her wolf. "I'm always with you, Blair," and with that Ben's voice was gone, silenced forever as if he didn't exist. Blair howled a mournful cry and she chased the demon wolf to the end of the territory, nipping at his heels when she got close enough.