5. Cockatoo Lady

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Casper


I stared at myself in the mirror and sighed. I hated these things. Not mirrors, balls.

Admittedly, at first I had been excited whenever my father threw me a ball. The first couple of years I was filled with anticipation, hoping that today would be the day when I would finally meet my mate.

Now I just felt like it was a huge waste of my time.

There was a knock on my door and Jamie, my Beta, stuck his head round the door.

"Come on Casper, the first guests are due to arrive any minute."

He disappeared again, just as quickly, probably keen to go and get a good spot downstairs.

Jamie also hadn't found his mate yet, so he too was eager to meet as many she-wolves as possible. He had only just turned 20 though, so he still had plenty of time left.

I stood up and took one last look in the mirror.

I guess I looked ok. People always told me I was good looking, but honestly, I wasn't sure if that was just because I was their future Alpha. I mean, who would tell their future leader that they looked like the back end of a bus?

I never used to worry about how I looked, but it was amazing what 5 years of searching for your mate could do to your confidence. I pushed a stray strand of hair out of my face. Maybe I should have had it cut shorter. I had thick dark brown hair, that had a habit of flopping in front of my face. Never mind, it was too late now, I thought while heading off towards my cell.

Yes, I started calling it my cell at some point last year. I hated that room. The constant expectation from all my guests that I would finally find 'the one', was just exhausting. And there was always that one demented werewolf who would pretend that she felt the connection when we touched and then we'd have to spend the next half hour convincing her family that it wasn't the case.

I entered the room, and took a seat. Someone had already put a coffee on the table for me. I would drink alcohol, but not till later, after I knew my my mate wasn't here.

After a few minutes peace and quiet, I could hear that the first guests had started to arrive.

I stood up and out of habit more than anything, started to brush down my suit. Today I had gone for a light grey suit with a black shirt and thin silver tie.

I saw a quick glimpse of someone checking through the hatch that I was ready. I'm sure it wasn't the usual Valet, but that didn't worry me.

A few seconds later the door opened and my cousin walked in with my uncle.

I gave her a quick hug and I exchanged some polite conversation with my uncle. It was usual for the family to arrive first. It meant we could get the evening started without the added pressure of the whole 'finding a mate' thing.

The next 10 minutes passed in a blur as the usual members of my family arrived and headed into the ballroom.

The next person to enter the room was someone I'd never met before. I tried to hide my look of disappointment that it had begun.

She looked nice enough with her sleek chestnut hair cascading around her in pretty curls, and she had a good figure that was accentuated well in a figure hugging green dress.

"I'm Casper," I said, "Nice to meet you." I held out my hand and the lady shook it, "Annabelle" she said with a smile.

Nothing. Nilch. Nada.

I didn't feel anything. No disappointment, no relief. It was just a routine I went through now. Like a never ending conveyor belt of females that I needed to shake hands with.

Another one came through, and another and another. All of them looked the same to me. Pretty on the outside, but empty on the inside. Ok, that was probably harsh seen as they only spent a few minute with me, but I couldn't help but feel that way.

Again I saw a flash of movement at the hatch, and again I didn't manage to get a glimpse of the Valet in there. For some reason, it was really starting to annoy me. He was the only person who knew what went on in this room, and if something went wrong, and we had another hysterical werewolf to deal with, he would be the one who would come to my aid. So surely it was natural to want to know who it was?

Another two guests came and went, and I still hadn't managed to spot him,

There seemed to be a lull in proceedings, and I couldn't hear anyone waiting in the cloakroom, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I walked over to the hatch and peered in.

No one was there. That was weird. And also slightly alarming. Wasn't he supposed to be keeping an eye on me?

I felt a stab of anger that whoever he was, he wasn't doing his job correctly so I quickly slipped into the cloakroom to see what he was up to, instead of doing his job.

There was no one in the guest cloakroom, so I darted into the staff section to wait for him to come back.

I looked around the dark room taking in the rails and rails of coat hangers, feeling exhausted at just the thought that all these represented people who I would have to greet.

I walked further into the room, meandering between the rails and promptly banged my shin on the corner of a metal box.

"Shit"

I hopped around like a deranged frog before sitting on the offending box and and rubbing my shin rapidly, trying desperately to deaden the pain.

"What kind of idiot leaves a box in the middle of the floor," I gumbled.

"And what kind of idiot walks in here without turning the light on," came a voice from behind me.

There was a sharp click and then the room was flooded with light.

I stood up and whipped round to see who had the audacity to call me an idiot. I couldn't quite see him with the rails in the way, so I started to push past them.

I could feel the anger burning inside of me. Oh, this person was going to get it with both barrels. Why had Duncan thought this person was capable of doing such an important job? How could he...

I halted in my train of thought as I came face to face with the same boy from before.

"Oh crap!" he said, his eyes like saucers, and yes, once again they were staring right at mine.

"You!" I said, more as a reflex, rather than a considered conversation starter.

He was still staring me right in the eyes. He looked as though he had frozen, like he couldn't actually bring himself to look away, even though he knew he should.

And for a moment I didn't want him to look away. His eyes were....well they were....mesmerising.

Suddenly the spell was broken and he snapped into motion. He bowed his head low, muttering an apology that I was too dazed to process.

My anger had totally disappeared and my mind went blank. The silence began to grow uncomfortable. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it and then in the most masterful voice I could muster I said, "Where were you?"

He snapped his head up and once again looked me in the eyes, confusion across his face.

"You mean now or like before?"

Why was he looking me in the eye? He shouldn't have been doing that.

"What?" I said still not fully focused on the conversation that was happening.

He snapped his eyes away from mine again and bowed his head once more.

"Hang on, what did you ask again?" he said, looking like he was trying to search for the answer somewhere on the carpet.

"I was asking where you had been?" I said, with a little more conviction this time.

"Oh yes," he said with a finger of recognition in the air, "Now or before?"

"Before what?" I asked, my head starting to feel rather foggy.

"Before now, or like before, before?"

I ran my hands through my hair in exasperation. What was with him? Was he stupid or something?

"Stop just saying before!" I barked out in annoyance. Usually when I asked a question, people answered it. Isn't that how it usually worked?

A ripple of laughter came from outside alerting us to the fact the next wave of guests had arrived.

I quickly made a move towards the door to get back to my room before the guest came in and trapped me in the cloakroom.

I felt the Valet follow me. His presence burned itself like an imprint on my back.

I turned round and raised my finger towards him. I hadn't realised how close he was to me, and I momentarily paused as I realised my finger was just centimeters from poking him in the face.

"We'll continue this conversation later."

I opened the door to head back into my cell.

I heard him cough a little as if he wanted to say something, so I looked back at him expectantly.

"Errm, if it's ok with you, can we start from the beginning, because you really lost me back there," he said with a sheepish grin on his face.

I stared at him open-mouthed.

Oh my god, he really was the stupidest, worst, most idiotic......wait, is he blushing?!

I shook my head, trying to wipe out the last few minutes of my life, then turned round and closed the door behind me.

I went across to my table and downed the now tepid cup of coffee. A grimaced a little at the taste but welcomed the slight buzz it gave me.

I needed to forget what just happened and concentrate on the next wave of guests. There was no point in getting worked up over a simple Valet when I had important guests to deal with. Important guests who could have a real impact on my life. The Valet was just a nobody. Someone who shouldn't even be given any more thought.

Yes, I needed to stop thinking about him......like now.

There seemed to be a bit of a commotion going on in the next room. There was lots of laughing and shrieking, from what I could gather, but it could also have been that someone was slaying a donkey in there. Was that really someone's laugh?

The door suddenly burst open and a vision in fuchsia pink feathers flung themselves towards me.

I stepped back, more by instinct, than any concern for my safety, but it was just enough to let me glimpse the lady that was coming my way.

She had her peroxide blonde hair piled up on her head, in a way that reminded me of a cockatoo, and her dress was so full of frills and feathers that I didn't know where it ended, and she began.

But the most striking thing about her was her face. She had massive blue eyes that seemed to bug out from her head, and a huge pointed nose that drew your eye down to her extraordinary large mouth and teeth...teeth, there were teeth everywhere.

Turns out her personality matched her looks perfectly.

"Casper darling, I'm just so thrilled to finally meet you," she drawled in a very upper class slightly nasal accent.

I extended my hand and she grabbed onto it and used it to pull me toward her with such a force that I poked my eye on a feather that was protruding from her hair.

Her arms then enveloped me into a hug while she kissed the side of my face. Not once, or twice, but three times!

"Oh how absolutely devastating that it's not me," she squawked while still encasing me in her death grip. "I was positively certain that it must be, seen as you have been waiting for so long and all."

Even though her words said she was disappointed, her tone didn't imply it at all. She seemed just as upbeat now as when she first came in.

"There, there, never mind," she said, stroking my back like I was some sort of cat.

I glanced over to my right to see if the Valet was there and able to offer me any kind of assistance.

For the first time that night I saw that he was there, and I felt a small wave of hope that he might come and try to untangle me from this situation.

But on second thoughts....

The Valet was there, but he was not looking at all concerned for my wellbeing! Oh no, he was in fact in in floods of tears. Because he was holding tightly onto his belly trying not to make a noise as he pissed himself laughing!

I tried to catch his eye with a glare, but that just seem to make him worse, and he even ducked down out of view, possibly having collapsed in a heap on the floor.

I guess I was on my own then.

I slowly peeled her arms off my body and took another step back.

"And who may I ask is this lovely lady, that I am now devastated to learn is not my mate?"

I'm sure I heard a snort come from the hatch.

"Oh, you are a charming thing aren't you," she said putting her hand on my chest. "I'm Lady Elenour Coburn."

I took her hand off my chest and bent down to kiss the tip of her fingers. "Delighted to finally meet you," I said.

"Oh never mind," she said looking at me wistfully. "I suppose there's still a chance I might find my mate here today. Tell me Casper, are there any more wolves out there as dashing as you?"

I heard a crash from the cloakroom, and had to bite my lip to stop the smirk that threatened to take over my face. I hope whatever he crashed into, it hurt.

"My Beta has still to find his mate, so you never know, it may still be your night yet."

"Ooooo," she shrieked in delight, piercing my eardrum.

"Well I better let you go then," she said, but then contradicted herself by pulling me in for another hug.

I'd learnt my lesson and swiftly ducked my head to the left to avoid the offending feather.

"Ok then," I said tentatively patting her on her back.

She finally released me, and was about to walk away when she suddenly reached out her hand towards my head. I took a quick pace back in shock, but she was quicker, grabbing hold of my tie and pulling me forward and down so I was face to face with her rather ample bosom.

"Casper dear, stay still" she whined, before digging around in my hair.

"What are you doing?" I asked, not quite knowing if I wanted to know the answer.

She released me and held out her hand, a triumphant look on her face.

"I seem to have molted a little on you," she said and I looked down to see two small pink feathers in her hand.

"Oh...thank you," I said, and on seeing her hand still outstretched towards me, took the offending feathers and placed them in my pocket.

Lady Elenour then blew me a big kiss, before turning and strutting out of the door. A trail of pink feathers in her wake.

As the door closed behind her, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

I then spun round and glared at what was now a suspiciously quiet hatch.

I walked over and peered in. I couldn't see him anywhere.

Suddenly a small noise from directly below me made me look to see him slumped on the floor directly under the hatch. I was now glaring at the top of his head.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded to know in my sternest voice.

The Valet shot onto his feet, almost colliding his head with my face, making me take a step back.

He looked......dishevelled was the only way to describe it. If I didn't know different, I would have thought he had been in a cupboard making out with someone, like teenagers do.

I tried to keep my face stern, but the way he stood there looking down so sheepishly, with his ruffled hair and untucked shirt, made me want to smile.

It was very disconcerting!

"I'm sorry" he mumbled, still looking down at the floor and fidgeting nervously with his hands.

"What......What were you........you know.....you were supposed to....well....." I gesticulated quite wildly with my arms as if the whole scene with Elenour was still in front of me. But for some reason I couldn't form a flippin sentence.

I gave up and sighed in annoyance, then noticed that the corners of the Valet's mouth were twitching upwards.

"Oh for god's sake," I said giving up and sitting down.

The Valet notably relaxed, now I wasn't stood glowering at him. In fact, the whole heavy atmosphere just disappeared.

The Valet moved over the the hatch and leant on the ledge still playing with his fingers.

He eventually stole a glance at me, and I saw that now strangely familiar sight - his beautiful eyes.

He smiled at me, quickly looking away.

"You've got to admit, it was a little bit funny," he said using his fingers to demonstrate what 'a little bit' was.

I swear he was like a little child.

"How old are you?" I asked.

He looked right at me again, and I could see the surprise on his face. I suppose the question was a little odd. We didn't usually ask the staff any personal questions. Heck, I barely knew anyone's name, never mind anything else.

"18?" he replied

"Are you not sure?" I asked with a slight smirk.

He frowned, clearly confused by response before he lit up in recognition.

"Oh, no, I'm perfectly sure I'm 18. The question was for you."

I felt myself scowl by how quickly he'd turned the tables again. I wasn't sure what he was asking, so I took a guess. "22?"

He smiled brightly, clearly amused by my answer.

"Now I'm torn" he said, "between asking you if you're quite sure, and telling you that that wasn't my question."

I rolled my eyes at him. "So what was your question?"

"Why?" he answered straight back.

I sighed in frustration. "You told me there was a question, is that not enough of a reason to ask what it was."

He threw his head back while laughing. "No, no, no," he said waving his hands around. "I meant why do you want to know my age?"

"Oh," I said, suddenly feeling a little foolish. "You just looked a bit young for a Valet."

"Well, I'm not," he said, and I saw a slight expression of annoyance pass across his face.

I smiled feeling smug that I'd managed to annoy him for a change instead of the other way round. I felt a need to cling onto the upperhand.

"Come on, people must have said it to you before. You look like you should still be in Secondary School." That was a bit of an exaggeration, but I wanted a reaction.

His chin momentarily dropped down before he clenched it shut again, a look of annoyance on his face.

"Actually, no one has ever said that to me before, so maybe you should go and get your eyes checked or something."

He quickly glanced at me to see if I was going to react to that blatant act of disrespect.

Thankfully for him I wasn't. If I had got him to snap like that to an Alpha, I was definitely getting under his skin. So I laughed at him, then laughed harder when he folded his arms across his chest and pouted a little.

"If you're not careful," he said, positively glaring at me now, "I'll go and get Cockatoo lady back and try and convince her that you are actually her mate."

I shuddered involuntarily at the thought, making him smile again.

His smile was kind of infectious. He had this cute dimple that appeared on his left cheek and I found myself smiling back. "She was something else, wasn't she?" I said.

"I know!" he said nodding enthusiastically. "What would you have done if it turned out she was your mate?"

"I'd have ripped your head off for a start for insulting her."

He looked over at me in surprise, but then relaxed on seeing my smile. It was true though. Werewolves were fiercely protective of their mates.

There was a brief silence before he said, "Do you want me to warn you if another cockatoo is coming through?"

I laughed. I liked that idea. It might make the evening a little more entertaining. "Sure" I said.

The Valet clapped his hands in delight. "I tell you what, I'll let you know what type of animal I think each lady is most like. It'll be a sort of game."

I was a bit baffled

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