5 | Dress Shopping

Elena POV

By the time I make it out of the doors of the high school, I see Quinn waiting for me in her car with the windows rolled down singing loudly and very off key to some song by Billie Eilish, which makes me laugh. I slide into the seat of her BMW, thankful that Caleb and his posse weren't in their usual spot outside. 

"You ready to shop until your feet fall off?" Quinn says raising her eyebrows.

I groan, "I thought we were just going to pick out a dress and then come back home? I have an essay I have to submit for one of my scholarship applications and I want to get started on it as soon as possible," I say hoping she lets me off the hook.

"Come on, young grasshopper," she responds, "let me teach you my ways! Or at least let me dress you up like my own personal barbie doll. I have been dreaming of the moment you would finally let me do this!"

What a weirdo, I think to myself as a smile splits across my face. "Fine," I say rolling my eyes. It's always been hard to say no to Quinn, not only because she is my best friend but she just has that kind of personality that makes it hard for people to say no to her. 

"So I am thinking something in a deep purple shade to make your eyes pop," she says as her eyes grow large and her hand flourishes on either side of her face, breaking me from my thoughts. She looks like a blowfish when she does that and it makes me giggle.

"Whatever you want, O great one." I respond deciding to just trust her to dress me and get me ready, one less thing I have to worry about.

Luckily the shop is on pack lands, which means not only am I allowed to go but it also only takes us about 10 minutes to get there. Once inside, Quinn convinces me to try on dress after dress until finally she finds one she likes.

As I step out of the dressing room, she almost spits her water back onto herself and I can't help but laugh at her again as she struggles to find words, her mouth opening and closing. 

"You look like a goddess!" She finally manages to say.

"You think so?" I ask.

"Are you kidding!? That's the dress, hands down. You're getting it."

I turn to the mirror and can't help but gape at the person staring back at me. I look like a woman, mysterious and wild, and I can't help but feel sexy. For once, I'm thankful to Quinn for dragging me out shopping. 

Two hours later, we're finished with our shopping. She dragged me store to store picking out shoes, hair accessories, and some makeup before dropping me off at my house. I run to my room to put everything up and then go downstairs to make myself some coffee before I get started on my scolarship essay. 

As I begin making my coffee, dad walks in looking angry.

"Where have you been and why didn't you tell me where you were going?" He says, almost yelling, face becoming ruddy with anger.

I look back at him shocked at his outburt, "I just went to pick out a dress for the alpha ceremony." 

"And who were you with?"

"I went with Quinn! I'm always with Quinn," I say raising my voice, "since you don't let me have any other friends!"

"Next time, I expect you to text me and ask me permission before you go shopping. I could have had one of the omegas pick up something for you. There's no need for you to be anywhere but school or home."

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. "Dad, I can't be kept prisoner here for forever. I'm going to turn 18 soon and you won't be able to stop me from having freedom." 

"You are my daughter. It doesn't matter how old you are or where you go or who you're with, you belong to me and you will do as I say! Don't make me chain you downstairs again, I would have thought you'd learned your lesson by now."

I open my mouth but now words come out. All my carefully constructed walls start closing in on me and I can't take a deep breath to calm myself. He turns on his heels and walks out of the room, slamming the front door closed. I run up to my room, coffee forgotten, and scream into my pillow.

Great, another panic attack. Something that happens more often than I care to admit. They seem to be getting worse and they always leave me feeling out of control, numb, powerless, and trapped all at the same time. Memories from the last time he chained me in the basement surface.

The first time it ever happened, I had gone for a walk in the woods and gotten lost. It took them all day to find me and when they did Dad threw me downstairs in the basement for a whole day with nothing to eat. It's his favorite thing to do when I don't listen to him. 7 more days I tell myself, 7 more days. I keep on repeating to myself over and over, until it becomes a chant and I start to calm down.

I daydream about what my life will be like at the end of this prison, how it will feel to be truly free. I fall asleep dreaming about running free in my wolf form, far away from here.