Alpha’s Second Choice

Jolene looked nervously at Victor who was standing in front of her. They were at the entrance of the ball. Victor easily teleported them to the central dome. It would be an understatement that Jolene was envious of this capable wizard. She wanted to learn spells too and she vowed inside her mind that she will start looking for spells books in the library.

‘You okay?’, Victor asked again.

‘Yeah, go in first. I just need to catch some fresh air’, Jo nervously laughed trying to push Victor towards the door.

‘No’, was all the wizard said as he took her hands into his and pulled her through the entrance doors.

The sea guards at the doors all stepped aside instantly, sensing the aura and power Victor was eluding. Jo tried to play it off casually, throwing smiles at some familiar faces.

When they reached the main ball area, there were some couples already dancing in the centre. Jo caught Pat sulking besides their dad, as suitors walked up to them one by one.

The rest of her sisters were all dispersed throughout the ball room, some chattering with their girlfriends, some dancing with young lads. Even her two elderly married sisters, Sienna and Tina had turned up. They were standing elegantly and gracefully by their noble husbands.

‘Let me go now’, Jo warned the wizard through a fake smile, not moving her lips at all.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Before Victor could reply, they were interrupted by a tall dark stranger.

‘Vic, there you are. Thought you would never show up’, the stranger addressed to the mischievous wizard.

‘Thought the same. But she wanted to come to the ball so I had to escort her’, Victor threw a genuine smile, still holding Jo’s hands.

‘Jolene, this is my friend Belial. Belial, meet Jolene. She’s an acquaintance I have made recently’. His introduction made Jo skip a beat. She flinched at the word ‘acquaintance’. It was true but maybe she expected a little bit more.

Belial paused for a second before he extended his hands and shook Jo’s hands gently, ‘Delighted to make your acquaintance miss Jolene’.

‘Likewise’, Jo replied nervously.

Both the men were seriously hot and she would not even have met their eyes few days ago. She wanted to get away from them as far as possible. Many girls were already eyeing the two hot men but throwing her dirty looks at the same time. She did not expect less, after all, she was infamously known as the king’s illegitimate daughter.

‘Victor’, a familiar voice interrupted their group. Jo already knew whose voice it was. Patricia.

Pat had her hair up in a bridal do and was wearing a peachy off-shoulder dress. She was of course looking lovely if you only cared about the physical appearance.

‘Long time no see’, Victor replied, making Jo shudder. They knew each other? What if Victor complained to Pat about what she was doing on the side of the road earlier.

‘Indeed, it’s been ages. The last time I saw you guys was back in the academy’, Pat laughed, gently placing her hands on Victor’s arm. She soon noticed that he was holding Jo’s hand. Her expression changed for the tiniest second but no one could tell.

It all made sense now. Though Pat had the worse temper, she was considered the smartest amongst them. She went to the International Realm Academy which was one of the most prestigious schools in all of the realm world. From top warriors to leaders, only the top students attended this school. Jolene was refused to even register for the entrance exam because it was too expensive to send one daughter already as per her ‘loving’ dad.

‘Yeah, good ole days’, Belial joined in and they soon begin reminiscing old memories.

Alysia joined in as well as she threw a quick evil eye at Jolene. Both of the bully duo was in the circle now, watching Jo like a hawk. Sometimes, she hated being the youngest sibling, she had no say in anything.

‘I see you have met my youngest sister’, Pat finally mentioned and for a second Jo thought she was invisible in their conversation.

‘She’s your sister? Oh’, Victor had a shocked face as Belial elbowed him playfully.

‘Why what’s so funny?’, Alysia batted her eyelash at Belial, obviously trying to woo the dark handsome man.

‘Victor used to have a crush on Pat back in the academy. But she rejected him outrightly in front of everyone! No wonder he has now shifted his attention to the sister’

‘Man, shut up’, Victor dangerously eyed his friend who could not care less.

‘That was way in the past. I was stupid back then’, Pat quickly protested.

Jo shook her head. Why were men so shallow? Even though Pat had the classic beauty package with blonde hair and blue eyes, her personality stunk. But then again, Pat would always be nice to handsome guys, so they would never know her true face.

‘You sure you are still not obsessed with that puppy Alpha?’, Belial joked again and this time Victor joined in the laughter.

‘Dante is my past. He never reciprocated my feelings. Ugh. I don’t know what I was thinking back then’, Pat rolled her eyes, arms crossed over her busty chest.

Jo quizzically looked at the weird exchange, Dante, puppy? What were they talking about?

‘Anyways, we have a lot of catching up to do. Victor, do you care to have a dance with me?’, Pat eyed Victor again, a hint of seductiveness in her tone.

Victor looked back to Jolene again and reluctantly let go of her hand, ‘Don’t worry, I will ask permission from your dad for Rayleigh’.

With that, Victor escorted Pat to the dance floor. Alysia requested Belial and he too, reluctantly agreed.

Victor and Pat looked like the perfect couple. Both tall and attractive, having attended the most prestigious school in the realm. Jo’s heart felt weird again, seeing Victor laughing and smiling while dancing with her sister. It gave her the strangest uneasy belly flutters.

What was wrong with her all so suddenly? She nervously looked down, Victor had hidden Rayleigh with his dark magic and Rayleigh was asleep on a dark floating cloud. No one could see him except them he had promised and it was true.

She felt extremely out of place as she stood aside near the wall, careful not to be in the spotlight again.

A single tear trickled down her face subconsciously. Rayleigh was suddenly alert and on its four paws. It let out the cutest rawr as it stood in front, shielding her.

The shocked siren laughed at the tiny creature. ‘Oh, I see I have a bodyguard now’. She bent down to pat the tiny creature who was now purring and back on the floating cloud.

‘Back to your beauty nap?’, she laughed as she continued stroking Rayleigh in the direction of its scale alignment.

After a few more ball songs, Pierce stopped the party with glass clinks. ‘Attention everyone’.

The music and dance came to a halt as everyone clinked their glass in unison.

‘We are here to celebrate my daughter Pat’s birthday. But also, it’s no secret that she is of age in marriage. Having gone to the most prestigious school and having a beauty that has no rival. She is the most perfect daughter I could have wished for’, Pierce continued. ‘Tonight, Pat will choose from the suitors and her hand will be given in marriage to the chosen one’.

Pat stepped forward as she kept her head high as possible, a smile dancing on her face. ‘Thank you for all the suitors who attended this ball. There is a clear winner amongst all suitors. The one who has won my heart is Victor Levine Thatcher’.

Everyone clapped hard as roars of approval erupted from all places. Pierce looked extremely proud as he joined in congratulating his daughter.

Jo nodded her head in acceptance. Victor was a suitor guest. He had himself deceived by her sister’s innocent looks too. Goodluck to him.

Victor bowed in front of Pierce as he paid respects to the sea king. He then turned his attention to Pat who looked overly confidence that her decision was the final say for the both of them.

‘I pay my respect to you Sea King, Pierce. I ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage’, Victor announced as Pat blushed. She was fanning herself dramatically.

‘You are too humble, Demon prince. You know you have my approval’, Pierce replied, looking like the proudest father.

Pat took the hands out of her black gloves as she extended it to Victor expecting for him to kiss it.

‘I ask for your daughter Jolene’s hand in marriage’, Victor finished, completely ignoring Pat’s bare hands extended towards him.

‘She is still a minor my prince. Perhaps, I can redirect your interest to Pat here who-‘.

‘I insist, Pierce’, Victor responded in a plain monotonous tone. Jo noticed that he had dropped all of the pleasantries, was he really serious? ‘I ask for your daughter Jolene’s hand in marriage’, the demon prince repeated himself again.

Everyone stood awkwardly silent at the turn of events. Pat especially retracted her hand as she pretended to adjust her hairdo out of sheer embarrassment.

‘Very well, you can have her hand when she turns 18 and becomes of legal consenting age’, Pierce forced the words out of his mouth.

Demon prince? What in the sea world!? Jo thought to herself as she realised everyone was staring at her now.