A couple of turns later and they reached the pickup location, ‘I might be rich but who gives up a ride in a helicopter and a ball at a castle,’ Bailey thought to herself as she walks towards the helicopter.

Bailey is relieved that the gentlemen helping her into the helicopter didn’t ask for identification or even spoke more than just a simple greeting, “good evening.”

“Good evening,” Bailey said back. Once in the sky, Bailey admired the glittering city lights. The helicopter ride was truly short but still fun. Bailey noticed the castle has colorful spotlights shining onto its walls to make it lit up.

They landed on the helicopter pad that is on the roof of the castle and Bailey is greeted by a well-dressed gentleman wondering if she is underdressed for the occasion.

“Good evening,” the gentlemen greeted her and held out his arm to escort her to the elevator.

“Good evening,” Bailey responded relieved that again she does not get asks for identification.

At the elevator she got asks to hand in her handbag with her mobile phone. Bailey isn’t too keen to part with her designer bag let alone her mobile phone but signs it off as she is excited to have a good time.

When the elevator door opened on the ground floor that is decorated with gold and white roses Bailey got instructed to follow the rose pedals to the Ballroom.

Bailey got out of the elevator and as the doors close behind her, she realized that she needed the bathroom. Bailey looked around for any sign.

For every Masquerade ball, Esmeralda shifts into her human form and dress up for the ball, every time wearing a different mask. As Esmeralda made her way out of the Ballroom hall, she finds a confused Bailey.

“Any chance you know where their bathrooms are?” Bailey asks in desperation.

“All the ones on this floor have a cue. Follow me, I know where we will find a vacant bathroom,” Esmeralda says walking into the elevator.

“I am Sammi,” Esmeralda introduces herself with a fake name.

“Christelle,” Bailey gives her roommate's name.

Esmeralda presses the elevator button for the fifth floor. Bailey starts to tip-toe dance trying to hold her bladder.

The door finally opened, “fourth door to your right if you want to make a run for it,” Esmeralda laughs.

Bailey made a dash for it and made it to the bathroom just in time. She heard Esmeralda come in. Even though Bailey was done emptying her bladder she felt a bit embarrassed and decided to wait for Esmeralda to leave first.

“You will find your way to the Ballroom?” Esmeralda asks as she washes her hands.

“Yes, thank you.”

As soon as Bailey is sure that Esmerelda has left, she washed her hands and made her way back to the elevator.

“Arne, I am turning in early tonight, here is your mask,” Arne’s nurse puts his masks on the side table and left.

Arne looked at the time and decided it is best he makes his way to the Ball before his mother realizes, he is not there, ‘all the girls should be here by now, a quick swirl around the room should be enough to tell me if my if my mate is there or not.’

Arne left his room and as he turns around to make his way to the elevator, he notices a woman inside, 'MATE,’ Arne hears his inner wolf whisper; an inner wolf he didn't know he had.

Arne made a dash for the elevator, ‘I have found my mate!’ Arne could hardly believe it. He was not sure how he would know when he ‘mates’ with someone but that feeling and calling was as clear as daylight.

Arne finally got to the first floor and had another glimpse of his ‘mate.’ Arne runs after the woman, “hey! Wait!” Arne’s voice is lost in the crowd of voices and music.

Arne moves through the crowd and approaches every woman that is wearing a black dress but every time they face him their masks don’t match one of the ladies that was in the elevator.

Bailey sat at the bar sipping on a virgin strawberry cocktail thinking to herself that her roommate was right, ‘this is so boring, only one guy and a bunch of women. Bloody hell even the bartender is a female.’

Esmeralda made her way to her father’s quarters so that she could shift back into her wolf form as she didn’t find Arne in the crowd.

“Arne,” Arne hears his mother calls out to him. Arne made his way over to her, “mother, my mate is amongst this pack.”

“I sure hope so,” she answers, hopeful.

“Mother, I mean I have ‘mated.’”

“Are you sure? Where is she?” his mother starts to look around.

“I lost her. She is wearing a black dress that comes to her knees and a lace black mask. Her hair is done up, it looked blond.”

“What do you mean you lost her?”

“I saw her in the elevator, but I was at a distance, the door closed before I could get to it, but I did see her walk into the Ballroom,” Arne says looking around.

“Well then let’s sort out the crowd,” Anese says looking around. Anese walks over to the little stage and drags Arne along.

Once on the stage, she taps on the mike, “excuse me, everyone, if I may have your attention for a moment.”

The music gets turned low and the crowd of women quiets down a bit.

“All the ladies not wearing a black dress please make your way to the side of the Ballroom. Only the ladies wearing a black dress should remain in the middle as Arne has finally mated,” Anese says smiling.

The girls not wearing black dresses left the middle of the room and stood aside while the ones with black dresses make their way to the front of the stage.

'Wonder if these girls will still stand in line to marry me if they see my scarred face, Arne thought as he looks into the crowd of masked women.

“Mother she was wearing a black lace mask, none of these women are wearing a black mask,” Arne points out.

Bailey didn’t want to get caught as she is wearing a black dress and quickly slipped out. Once inside the elevator with the doors closed, she gave a sigh of relief. She pressed the roof button of the elevator multi times, “come on, move already.”

“Anese signals one of the bodyguards that are also female to come closer, “no one is to leave, inform all the guards including the ones on the roof by the helicopter pad.”