Free A Wolf's Claim (A BBW Paranormal Christmas Romance): The Holiday Ball by Marie Mason Page B

chance at happiness. She’d give her blessing if her mother found someone else. Seeing the look on her grandmother’s face, she knew the older woman would as well.
    Amber ran her damp palms along the length of her dress. It was a dark blue, appearing black in the shadows. Not a very festive color, but the slightly stiff texture of the satiny material made it fall from the cinched waist down around her hips and thighs which reminded her of a Christmas bell.
    That thought pulled her attention to the large windows on the other side of the room. It was snowing heavily outside. Christmas was certainly upon them, and for one brief moment, she wished this one would be different. That fate would send her a mate to love.
    Seeing the faces of the beautiful women in the crowd and hearing the muted laughter of the drop dead gorgeous males as they flirted and strutted, she knew this year’s ball wouldn’t be any different.
    Who says?
    The words whispered through her mind and she remembered the sounds from earlier. Oh, great, she was going bonkers.
    You’re mine.
    “What the—”
    Her mother cut her off before she could finish her curse. “Language, dear. Language.”
    “Did you just…?” Amber narrowed her eyes at her grandmother. She’d never spoken to Amber in her mind before. She didn’t even think it was possible.
    “Did I what, dear?” The same large, blue eyes she saw in the mirror every day looked back at her. Only now, her grandmother’s were wide with innocence. She snorted. Her grandmother hadn’t been innocent in decades.
    “Here, you look like you need this.” Her grandmother fluttered her hand to gain the attention of a passing server and grabbed a flute of champagne and handed it to her.
    Amber took it eagerly. “Never mind,” she mumbled. Throwing back her head, she swallowed the sparkling liquid in one gulp.
    “Amber, you are no longer in college, and that is not a shot of tequila you’re drinking.”
    Amber felt the warmth of the champagne immediately and was able to ignore her mother’s second—or was it the third? —scold of the evening.
    “You know she didn’t indulge in college, Maggie. She should have, but she’s always been a good little witch, haven’t you, Amber?”
    This time there was no doubting the deep masculine chuckle that sounded in Amber’s head as if contradicting her grandmother’s words. Okay, she thought, that was just too spooky, even for a witch. She should not be hearing—no having someone talking to her—in her head.
    And, she had been a good witch she huffed silently.
    Oh, I know you’re good, baby. And you’re all mine.
    She glanced around to see if anyone was standing close enough to throw their voice, doing some same strange ventriloquist act. But how would they know what she’d been thinking?
    “Okay, I need to go to the restroom.” She spoke into space since her mother and grandmother had already turned away, once again engaged in conversation with other witches.
    Even though she knew it was a bad idea, she grabbed another flute of champagne and downed it just as quickly as she had the first. Maybe that would end the bizarre conversation taking place in her head.
     
    Hayden Barringer chuckled from the balcony overlooking the large room being used for the party. This was his first official act as pack alpha—hosting the annual holiday mate party. Oh, they called it The Holiday Ball, but everyone knew the real purpose. Bring together as many eligible males and females as possible and hope for a few true-matings to take place.
    His father had retired early this month and as first-born, he had inherited the position. By his side stood his two younger brothers, Gunner and Lucas. Thankfully, they’d had no desire to run the pack. Even though he was first born, they, or any male of the pack could challenge him for leadership. It was rare that a fight for dominance occurred when an alpha passed the reins to a son, but it was not unheard of.
    “What’s so