2 : New habits

- How can his she-wolf show up when she hasn't shown up yet?" my father asks Stephen.

They're chatting at the kitchen island while I'm drinking hot chocolate on the sofa.

- Probably for the same reasons you had to get away from the pack.

- Will he be able to stay away from her for two more weeks?

- He won't have much choice...

- What are you talking about? Why did we leave the pack, Dad?" I ask when they don't answer my first question.

- For your own safety. I already told you, Tanya.

- Dad. What's threatening my safety?

- Yourself," he relented after glancing at Stephen.

- What do you mean, yourself? What's that supposed to mean?

- Your she-wolf is, in a way, precocious," explains Godfather. She tried to take shape several times when you were a little girl. Keeping you away from the pack was the best way to calm her down and make her wait until the first full moon after you came of age.

- In that case, why hasn't she come to me yet?

- She can't until she's mature enough.

- What if she manages to get out before then?

- You might die," my father replies darkly.

It calms me instantly and I drop onto a stool.

- And your companion will go mad before killing himself in despair," continues Godfather.

His face is full of sadness.

- How could he be affected when we don't know each other?" I ask, with the firm impression that I'm setting a trap for him.

- You'll understand later.

His tone is firm and categorical, the subject closed.

- How can I avoid catastrophe?

- Deceive your she-wolf's sense of smell, sprinkle perfume on strategic areas where you can smell it all the time, to confuse your senses. If possible, use a friend's perfume, not the one you usually wear.

- What's the point?

- Don't ask.

I hate it when my godfather is so serious. He looks so serious. I can only nod in response. I've never been able to find out what his role is in the pack, but right now, I'd swear he's the Alpha. I feel a great deal of respect and pride, but I say nothing.

- Mix as much as you can with your friends. The more scent around you, the more it will distract your she-wolf. Don't let it go to your head. Not about anything. Relax, annoyance can be a trigger for events like today. Besides, we'll do some research and try to find something better.

I nod again and, like a child in elementary school, raise my finger.

- You have the right to speak whenever you want, my beauty," he says, lowering my hand. But you can't have all the answers. We don't want to bother you, we just want to protect you, okay?

- The one I hit, well, the one I fought with, he's a wolf, isn't he?

- Yes," he sighs. James is the future first Beta. I didn't know you went to the same high school...

- I understand his arrogance better," I muttered.

- It's true, he is, but he's a good guy.

- One other thing," I hesitated.

- Yes, sweetie?

- Are we going to be able to rejoin the pack after this?

- Yes, sweetie, we will.

After this conversation, which has more or less calmed me down, I call Celia to come and spend the weekend with us and lend me one of her perfumes.

- Hi bitch! How are you? she exclaims, picking up the phone. I heard about your exploits today, you've got to tell me!

- Are you coming to my place for the weekend?

- Of course, darling, I'd never miss the chance to rub shoulders with a Greek god!

- You bitch! I need you to come and help me take my mind off things, not to hit on my godfather!

- Roh! It's okay, I'm kidding. You need to loosen up, old girl!

- Would you lend me one of your perfumes, please? I promise to pay you back!

- Don't worry, darling, I'd be happy to offer it to you, I've got so many!

- Thanks, you're a sweetheart, bitch.

- Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes, see you then!

She doesn't wait for me to answer and hangs up. I go downstairs to tell my parents.

- Mom?

- Yes, darling?

- Celia has agreed to spend the weekend with us.

- Great, darling.

- She'll be here in half an hour.

For that, I must say my parents are really not boring.

- Hello Mr. and Mrs. Parker! Thank you for having me for the weekend.

- Hi, Celia. Always a pleasure, but my name's still Dylan, you know," says my dad.

- He's right, dear. How many times have I told you to call me Cressida? You've been part of the family for ages," reminds Mum.

- This is Stephen Swan, Tanya's godfather," says Dad.

- Pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Swan," replies Celia, blushing to the roots of her hair.

- Delighted, young lady. Please, call me Stephen," he says, shaking her hand.

She turns crimson and I'm forced to pinch my lips to keep from laughing, tears welling up in my eyes.

- Dinner will be ready in an hour, girls," comes Mom's rescue.

Celia finally turns away from Godfather and we take her things upstairs.

- Damn, girl! Did you hide a corpse in there, or what?" I say, weighing up her bag.

- You're stupid! I just planned a little makeover for you.

- Goddess, I'm scared!

- Listen, bitch!" she says, slamming the door. You asked for my help and I intend to fulfill my mission. I've always respected your choices, but trust me, this is for your own good. You're going to reveal and show off that bombshell body you've been hiding in your sports gear and other little-girl clothes. You're nearly eighteen, remember, and you've never even kissed a guy! But now that they've noticed you, I'm not going to let you camouflage yourself again.

- OK!" I say, raising my hands.

She's literally yelling at me.

- If you want to put your things in the wardrobe, you can, there's plenty of room," I say, sitting down on the bed, away from her, lest she decide to hit me by adding arguments to her speech.

She's not wrong, it might be time to take care of myself, after all, I'm likely to meet my mate soon and even if the bond helps a lot in finding the other attractive, I'm sure he'll appreciate that his mate is pretty. Besides, our return to the pack is coming soon and if, as I think, my godfather is the Alpha, then I have to be worthy of him, I want him to be proud of me.

- What's on your mind, bitch?" asks Celia, snapping me out of my thoughts.

- That I'm ready to bend to your will? I say with a smile, hoping that's the answer she's been waiting for.

- Yes! At last! We start tomorrow with a shopping trip," she begins.

- Célia, I don't have an unlimited budget, so don't get carried away.

- Don't worry, chickie, I know exactly where to go for a bargain, and as for the rest, you're going to try it all on," she says, placing a bag on the bed.

- What's in it?

- All the outfits I've been saving for you, hoping this day will finally come.

I rummage through the bag and find all kinds of clothes and shoes.

- Wait a minute, some of these clothes still have the tags on!

- Yes, it happens that the compulsive shopper in me buys things she'll never wear. Luckily for her, her best friend wears the same size. Come on, stop procrastinating and give it a try!

Skirts, shirts, shorts, dresses, everyday wear and evening wear, everything goes. Just as she planned, everything fits and she makes me keep it.

- And with all that, you still want to go shopping tomorrow?

- Yes," she says confidently. We need a few accessories and a few pairs of shoes to complete the outfits.

This girl is crazy.

- Okay, I'm with you.

And I need to be crazier.

Knock, knock.

I open the door on my godfather.

- The meal is ready, are you coming to eat?

- Right away, godfather," I say with a smile.

- It's good to see you smiling again, my beauty. Would you like to go to the funfair on Sunday?

- Yes! Great, thanks godfather! I love you," I say, giving him a hug.

- I love you, my beauty.

He kisses me on the head and we go downstairs to eat.