The formal dance has begun and being the "well-rounded gentleman" that I am, I approached Sam's dorm room and knocked on her door three times. I waited patiently while I brushed my black woven suit down and fixed my black bow tie. I put together an arrangement of pink and white Tulip flowers from a local flower store since I knew most girls appreciate flowers but if I'm being honest, I have no idea what the proper etiquette for these "dances" are. The supporting cast of this spectacle is made up of lush leaves and stems hidden among the beautiful tulip petals.

"Just a second!" she called as I heard her rustling through what I only can assume to be her makeup bag.

Soon she stepped out of her room revealing herself in the most purest form. She wore what could only be the most beautiful satin lilac dress with gold accessories, complimenting her skin tone beautifully. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail with strands of hair falling perfectly on the side of her face. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to say something nice. She smiled shyly as she looked down at her dress. It was the cutest smile I've ever seen.

"Uh, here you go," I stuttered as I handed the flowers over to her with a stiff arm.

"How did you know these were my favourite?" she smiled sheepishly as she smelled the flowers.

"I didn't, they just looked nice," I added, keeping my gaze upon my shoes.

When I'm going to undertake anything significant, I typically feel nervous or anxious, so these feelings have evolved into indicators for me to find my courage, move through, and convince myself that I am deserving of success and that doing so will benefit others. But as soon as I saw her, I noticed that my hands were becoming clammy and that the red splotches on my face were beginning to appear.

We quickly made our way to the university's hall, where the decor was meant to make us feel as though we were in a magical forest. It was a suitable decorative choice given the theme, "Enchant me". It was obvious that a lot of money had been invested in this formal dance. The ceiling was covered in white satin cloth that draped to the sides and had fairy lights strung across it from end to end. There was enough space for the lunatics on the dance floor among the old dark wooden tables and the rustic bronze chairs surrounding them. The hall was warmly lighted by candles in addition to the overhead lights.

She slowly put her arm under mine as we stood at the door. I groaned and said, "You know I don't like people touching me," deciding against pulling away. "But I won't punch you since you're a girl," I whispered.

I could make out Bryan, Erika, Adrian, and Quinn in the distance, standing in a circle as though they were preparing to summon a demon. When I got there, they were just conversing. Lame.

"Sam! You look stunning!" Quinn yelled in her very high-pitched voice.

"Quinn, your dress is gorgeous. The intricacy is excellent, "Sam grinned as she took a good look at her attire.

She wasn't wrong. It was a lovely dress. It featured champagne tones and tinier crystals that faded upward from the bottom. Ironic, considering that she actually made me think of a champagne bottle. Cheerful and bubbly as usual. Can't relate

Bryan smirked, "I truly thought you were kidding when you said you'd be going to the dance."

I arched an eyebrow and replied, "I think you should know by now that I don't enjoy jokes."

"This is Erika, I'm sure you guys have met before," Bryan smiled as he held Erika's back gently.

Erika was quite short with caramel-like hair falling into perfect curls. Her dress was average compared to Sam's and Quinn's, but she wore the emerald green dress well.

"Nice to see you again. I like your eyes," she said in awe as she stared deep into my eyes.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I took a step back and slightly push Sam toward her. "Erika," Sam said in an unimpressive tone of voice.

"Samantha," Erika said with annoyance in her voice as she looked Sam up and down.

Girls.

Dante and Jared joyfully strolled over to us holding a glass of champagne. Jared wore a straightforward black suit that was a little baggy on him, while Dante wore a violet suit with a black tie, which was... very brave of him.

"Okay, let me just say what everyone else is thinking," Dante announced with a smirked smile. "Where have you been hiding that waist!" he said to Sam as he pulled her to his side.

"Uh," Sam gasped as she pushed him off.

Instinctively, I placed myself in front of Sam and growled at Dante, "Don't touch her!"

I didn't know what came over me. It felt as if a more powerful force controlled me. One thing I was certain of was that Sam was now a member of my pack and no one will hurt her.

"Woah, I didn't mean-" Dante tried to explain as I interrupted him.

"I just don't think it's appropriate," I snapped as I moved next to Sam.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Dante nodded as he took a step back.

After that incident, no resentment was harboured. A cheetah can be challenging to handle. They are persistent and direct. Dante is typically thought of as a "happy-go-lucky" type of person, but this may just be because no one has ever reprimanded him for the decisions he has made.

"Shall we take a seat? I'm ready to get my drink on," Quinn cheered as she lead the group towards an open table.

I pulled out a chair for Sam, honestly, just to see that adorable smile on her face. The way it didn't quite reach her eyes sent my stomach in a whirl.

"Does anyone know what happened to Arlo?" Bryan asked in a whisper only the group could hear.

"He admitted to everything. Apparently, he pushed Ben out of the window, at least that's what I've heard," Dante mentioned as he shifted his chair towards Jared.

"He really admitted that he's the reason for Ben's death?" Sam asked confused as she clenched her fists.

"His parents have money," Quinn added. "Unfortunately I think his repercussions won't be that bad," she said with a heavy sigh.

"That's not right," I hastily said as I slammed my fist on the table. "He should be punished appropriately."

"Well, we're still waiting for the outcome of this case. Maybe Arlo didn't push him and Ben just fell?" Adrian mentioned as he rubbed Quinn's back.

"Then why would he admit to pushing him out?" Bryan asked with an angry frown on his face.

"Guys, let's just talk about something else..." Sam interrupted as she pushed her chair out and stood up.

She walked in the direction of the bathroom stiffly. I could understand why the topic of Ben was still fresh for most of us. Quinn quickly followed her but soon exited the bathroom with Sam and headed toward the dance floor.

Sam's body seemed to be able to speak only via dancing when she let it free. Lately, she was reserved when speaking, and wherever she appeared, she would physically shrink and go into the background. Her charisma and passion came to life on the dance floor, painting the most vivid portrait of a lovely spirit. I observed her as she moved to the music, which was somewhat crackly due to the dated music equipment, filling the hall. Her only real audience, observing her with those two dusky brown eyes, was the music for the most part. I was harder to spot in the shadows than she was when she turned her head and saw me standing there. I briefly closed my eyes before opening them again, tilting my head to the side and grinning brightly.

Her footsteps made their way lightly toward me as she took my hand gracefully. Her gentle tug made me obey her will. She placed her hand on my shoulder as she held my other hand carefully in hers. It felt as if I was on autopilot as my hand gracefully pulled her waist closer to me. As we swayed underneath the dimmed lights it felt as if everyone around us has disappeared.

In the distance, Dante and Bryan watched us carefully when Dante turned to look at Bryan. "Was Wolf being mean to me earlier, or was it just his personality?" Dante asked as he took a sip of his champagne.

Bryan gazed upon the dance floor watching Sam and I sway from side to side and grinned, "No, he's in love with that girl. He just doesn't know what love is yet."