Chapter 5

Rylan and I sit at the main table with my whole pack. My father sits to my left, at the head of the table. With my mother across from me and Rylan to my right, I am boxed into conversations I want no part in. The main table also holds the Blood Moon pack. They sit at the other end, opposite my father.

Everyone eats at their own pace, mostly conversing about the upcoming ceremony. I take a small bite of a brussel sprout covered in butter and herbs. Chewing slowly, I lean over to Rylan and whisper in her ear.

"I wonder what my mother would do if you started talking about me dating someone." She cracks a small grin and whispers back to me.

"She would probably be the proper woman she pretends to be and go along with it."

I laugh, causing my mother to send me a death glare. I squish up my face in mock innocence and she harrumphs my behavior. I have another bite of food just inches from my mouth, when Rylan nudges my side with my elbow. I look up at her, and she inclines her head toward the other end of the table, hinting that I should look. I sigh, but turn my gaze toward the other end. Only to find the Blood Moon Alpha staring at me. I raise my eyebrows and I can hear him chuckle quietly.

For some reason, my heart starts beating faster at the sound. I scrunch up my nose and I look down at my food quizzically. What is wrong with me? I don't even know the guy!

Rylan nudges me and I meet her gaze. She questions me with her eyes, and I shoot her a look. Just another thing I will explain later.

I sit, quietly eating, when it hits me. I don't even know his name. He is an Alpha for gods sake! How do I not know his name? My father made sure I know the name of every Alpha in the area.

I pop my knuckles, thinking deeply, trying to figure out his name. Suddenly, Rylan taps my shoulder.

"You know, if you keep thinking that deeply, you'll get stress lines on your forehead." She chuckles at my expression, but I just sigh and rub my face.

"Rylan, what is his name?" I ask, meeting her gaze. She seems confused for a second, then she throws a look over her shoulder to the Blood Moon Alpha. I roll my eyes and nod.

"Umm... I'm not entirely sure." She says, thoughtfully tapping her lower lip. I groan and flop back in my chair. My father looks at me and raises his eyebrows at how I'm sitting.

I sit up straight but don't break eye contact. I open my mouth to ask him the Alpha's name, when my mother speaks up.

"Kira? Dear, would you tell your father that you are not leaving us after the ceremony!" She sounds exasperated. I raise my eyebrows and my father gives me a sly look.

"Father, I cannot promise that I will leave or stay. All I can say is that the outcome of all this cannot be changed. And once I make my decision, I will not change my mind."

With that, I take another bite of my dinner. My father laughs and my mother looks stunned.

"There's my little girl!"

I roll my eyes at my father, but inwardly I beam at his praise. He never compliments me, and for him to acknowledge that I am his daughter, means a lot.

My mother takes this moment to stand and address the whole room.

"Hello packs! As you all know, tomorrow the ceremony starts!" At her words, cheers break out across the room. But my mother isn't done talking just yet.

"For the younglings completing the ceremony, we are holding a ball for you tonight! In just a bit, we ask that everyone gets changed and meets us in the ballroom! I hope you all have fun."

When she sits down, most people jump up and hurry from he room. I roll my eyes and take a small sip of the water in front of me.

"Kira! We should go change!!" Rylan nudges my side with her elbow. She is bouncing up and down, unable to control her eagerness.

"Why do I need to change?" I ask in a bit of a whine, pouting my lower lip outward. She scoffs and pulls me from my chair before dragging me from the room.

"Rylan! I was going to talk to my father!" I exclaim once we are in the hallway. She scoffs.

"You can talk to him after." She continues to drag me toward my room, ignoring my protests.

Throwing open the door, she struts inside and dives into my closet. I roll my eyes and quietly close the door. It is going to be a long night.

**

Rylan emerges from my closet about five minutes later with her arms full of gowns. I keep from rolling my eyes, but I stand and assess the pile. There is absolutely nothing I am changing into. It is all pink, frilly and skirts. Thousands upon thousands of skirts.

Rylan, noticing my unease, pulls a deep red gown from the stack. I gape at the dress. It is beautiful. It has a Victorian vibe to it, with shear puffy sleeves, with golden ribbon crossing the bodice. The skirts lay flat from the waist down, and the neckline is a deep V.

I smile and pull Rylan into a hug. She grumbles something incoherent. Pulling away, she scrunches up her face at me.

"Your welcome, I figured pink and flouncy skirts wasn't your thing."

I laugh and slip into the bathroom to switch dresses. I hear Rylan trying to decide which dress to wear through the door.

The dress fits beautifully, and I do a twirl in the mirror. With a smile, I run a brush through my hair and walk into the bedroom. Rylan looks up at me and frowns.

"It's not fair."

"What?"

"You look so nice, and I can't even decide whether or not these dresses are to princess-y!"

I laugh at her and walk into the closet. I slip on a pair of gold gladiator sandals, as the dress falls around my ankles. I spy a single gown in the corner and grab it. Walking out to Rylan, I hand her the dress and she gapes at me.

"Damn! How did I miss this one?!??!" She squeals. I laugh and she runs to the bathroom to put it on. The dress has a sweetheart neckline with off-the-shoulder sleeves that are a bit puffy. The skirts are the same as the sleeves, puffy and slightly sheer.

When she comes out I grin. She looks amazing. She self consciously runs her hands along the skirts.

"Ry, you look beautiful." I say, as she looks up at me. She smiles and looks in the mirror. Her hands go to her mouth and she squeals.

"Kira!!! It's amazing!! Where did you get it??" I laugh and shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know, my mother bought all the dresses in there."

She looks at me incredulously. I shrug my shoulders and apply a thing layer of the same lip gloss as before. Rylan steals it from me once I am done and puts some on her own lips. While she does that, I untie her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders in waves.

With a smile, she twirls her fingers at me. Telling me to turn around. I do with a sigh, and she starts to braid my hair.

"So, what was up with you and that girl earlier?" I shrug, but Rylan won't take that as an answer. I sigh and catch her looking at me in the mirror.

"I don't even know. She tried to shoulder me, for looking at her Alpha." Rylan snorts.

"Everyone was looking at her Alpha... I mean, hello!! He is an Alpha. Everyone is going to look at him." She ties the braid and looks at her handiwork. I roll my eyes, but can't help but laugh.

"And then later... At dinner?" She prods. I shake my head, my mind is still reeling from that.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know!?!"

"I don't know what happened."

"Bullshit! You wouldn't talk for like ten minutes afterward and you were so deep in thought I could have poured water on you and you wouldn't have noticed."

"I would have noticed!" I gape at her.

"No, you wouldn't. So tell me what happened."

"I don't even know the guy, and I felt like I have known him my whole life. Like he did one thing and I couldn't stop thinking about it." I look at Rylan as she thinks over the information.

"Well, what did he do?"

"He..." I trail off, just as a knock echoes from the door. Rylan stares at me expectingly, but sighs when I don't say anything. The person knocks again, and she turns toward the door.

"Go away! We are having a heart to heart chat right now! Dammit! And we are not to be disturbed!" I hear my father chuckle from the other side of the door, before slipping inside my room.

Rylan's face is bright red with embarrassment. I can't help but laugh.

"Hey, Ry? Why don't you go change your shoes?" I say. She looks down at her bare feet, frowns at me, and scurries over to my closet. Meeting my father's gaze he raises an eyebrow at me.

"It is obvious you want me to tell you something." He says, rolling his eyes. I bite my lip cautiously.

"Kira, just ask the question." He sounds exasperated.

"Okay. What is the Alpha's name? Of the Blood Moon pack?" His face hardens and he turns toward my window.

"Father?" I ask, following behind him. When he turns to me, his face is expressionless.

"Why do you want to know, Kira?" He sounds wary.

"Because, I want to know the names of every Alpha staying in our home." It is true, but it's not the whole reason. He sighs and looks into my eyes.

"His name is Kayn, and I want you to stay away from him."

Just hearing his name, I know I won't be able to follow that command. I don't know why, but I have to see him again.