Chapter 8

The next two days passed in a blur as the she-wolves recovered from the first challenge. Notably we were down a few in number who hadn't fared well in the birthday party challenge and even one wolf who found her fated mate in a palace servant and they had reportedly ran away together. Good for them. I spent my days practicing, training, and trying to learn everything I could about pack politics and the Alpha I sought to impress. He had a charming personality and when he wasn't talking and checking in with all of people living on his grounds he liked song and dance. He kept his mother close along with the strange gentleman I had smashed into at the first challenge. I hoped I wouldn't have to spend much time with that unsavory character if I won the title of Luna. I had almost forgotten about the Alpha's previous promise until one day when I discovered a package laying on my bedspread. 

"Did you put this here?" I asked Dandilion. My roommate had been particularly dreamy and lost in her own thoughts lately, maybe she left something on my bed by accident. 

"What? That box? I've never seen it before," she answered after a quick glance up before getting back to the book she was reading. I opened it curiously making sure it wasn't some sort of trap left by Oakly. On it lay a note written in neat yet bold handwriting.

Elma,

I'm sorry this took so long. I wanted to pick out something perfect for you. An Alpha always repays his debts.

Your Alpha

I nearly gasped, he remembered me? He thought about me even when I was not around? I slowly pulled out a shimmering baby blue gown with the most esquisite drop sleeves. 

"Wow" I whispered as I held it up.

"You should wear it to the second challenge tomorow," Dani said from across the room unenthusiasticly. 

"It'll be nice to be killed in a fight by someone so well dressed," she continued.

"Oh quit it, you'll be fine. Me and you will be the final two," I lied. 

Dandilion rolled her eyes and turned back to her book. What if she was right, I wouldn't want to be wearing this if I got caught in another physical challenge. Would he give me such an outfit the day before a challenge if he didn't expect me to wear it though? Could this be part of the test?

The next day the challenge arrived and I showed up in an outift my outfit that matched the clear skies. Dandilion beside me was wearing leather pads underneath her dressy casual outfit and scanning our group I saw a lot more wolves wearing pants then I did on our first challenge. 

"Breaking out your Sunday best for your last challenge?" Oakly asked looking my dress up and down. Even she couldn't insult such a flawless garment. I noticed she wasn't letting the first challenge shake her spirits and was also wearing a long dress, this one a reflective silver chrome with exagerated shoulder pads. 

"Oh this ol' thing," I said looking down as though I had forgotten what I was wearing, "Just a little gift from the Alpha." The look on Oakly's face told me she was imagining me falling into a pit of lava, dress and all.

"To earn the title of Luna," the luna mother started, "You must to more than simply impress our Alpha. You must get a long well with all of his family members if you wish to be a part of our pack. Today we will be conducting several one on one meetings between you potential lunas and members of the our family to see how we mesh and who would be a good fit to join our family."

Oakly groaned. 

"When will we get to spend some real time with the Alpha?" she muttered to herself. She was clearly hoping to win the title of Luna purely from good looks and seduction skills. 

"A Luna must practive patience," I chided.