“Exactly,” Dominic sighs as he stretches his arms over his head, and I catch a glimpse of the tattoo on his shoulder, gulping hard to stop myself from asking him about it.
I noticed it more clearly yesterday when we went swimming in the lake—new ink that he probably got while he was at black ops. He'd always had many tattoos on his upper arms and across his chest, but the tattoo of a woman with her hair cascading to the sides was what stood out, since it's newer than the rest.
There's a part of me that wants to ask him about the tattoo, if it signifies a woman who's important to him, but I bite my tongue to hold myself back, flicking my eyes to my half-eaten bowl of porridge, when realization hits me.
“I didn't pack for a ball!” I exclaim, springing to my feet with eyes widening in horror. “We're never gonna score points if I'm not wearing a ball gown!”
Dominic chuckles as he casually moves forward, oozing charm with his calm smirk. “Like I said, they're inviting other members from the pack…” His voice tapers off just as a knock on the front door echoes through the cabin. He leans back and points to the front. “That must be one of them. Why don't you get the door?”
Frowning at Dominic's clear composure as if this isn't a disaster, I do as he suggests and confusedly make my way to the front door. Opening up tentatively, my jaw drops when I see who's on the other side.
“Donna!” I exclaim, immediately flinging my arms around her. “Oh, my Goddess! What are you doing here?!”
Donna giggles when I release her, maintaining a warm smile that touches her eyes. “I was called in to attend tonight's ball,” she says as she throws a wink over my shoulder toward her brother.
“That's great, Dons,” I sigh when I remember that I don't have a dress. “It would be even greater if I actually had something to wear for the ball.”
“That's why,” Donna begins as she reaches behind her and swiftly rolls forward a luggage bag, “I've come prepared. I knew neither of you would have packed for such an extravagant affair, so I have a gown for you, and a suit for him,” she says as she throws a nod at Dominic.
“You're a lifesaver!” I exclaim as I grab Donna's hand and lead her inside the cabin.
Just then, Dominic approaches us and takes the bag from his sister, and picks it up as if it weighs nothing. Gulping when I'm reminded of how easily he picked me up as if I weighed nothing, I hide my roguish thoughts as Dominic thanks her.
“I'm gonna put this down in the bedroom and leave you two to it,” Dominic tells us. “Gonna go for a run. I'll be back in time to get dressed.”
“You better be!” Donna warns with a finger pointed at his face. He chuckles and walks off, but not without meeting my eyes for a brief second before he turns.
My heart does a strange little flutter, but I dismiss the involuntary response to my best friend's surprise visit when I turn my attention to her.
“And…?” she probes as she raises her brows at me, a playful, familiar twinkle in her dark brown eyes. “I'm guessing there's a lot we have to catch up on. I heard about Dominic's win in the last test.”
Blowing out a breath, I grab her hand and lead her to the kitchen. “Let me make some tea for us, then I'll give you all the tea,” I wink playfully, and Donna giggles as she follows me.
***
Though I catch Donna up on everything that's been happening, I leave out the part about my anger inciting my heat, and her brother being there to help me through it.
For obvious reasons, I'm too embarrassed to admit that I've fallen for his charms not once, but twice.
I also haven't told her that I tried to run away the day we were meant to come to the campsite. From what I gather, Donna has no idea I ran away from Nightmist, and Dominic told her that he and I traveled to the campsite earlier to get a better idea of what we were dealing with.
There's a lot my best friend isn't aware of, and a pang of guilt grips my chest as I watch her unpack her suitcase, pulling out three garment bags.
“Alpha Sirius didn't give us many details about what we're meant to do here, except to”—she clears her throat, her voice becoming deeper as she continues—“enjoy a night of dancing and frivolities in the Mount Desert hall.”
I giggle at her playful jest. “They've already given us a break, I think this is part of the trials,” I contemplate in a more serious tone. “We'll have to be careful.”
“Look at you!” Donna exclaims, slapping her thighs. “You're really taking these trials seriously, aren't you?”
Offering her a half-smile, I feel another bout of guilt because I haven't told Donna about the deal I made with her brother, either. She must think I'm a saint, but that's far from the truth.
Sighing as I hang my head in shame, Donna proceeds to hang up the clothes against the wardrobe doors when she notices that there's something wrong.
“Cecelia…? Is everything alright?” she asks, joining me on the bed and placing a comforting hand on my lap.
Gulping hard, I lift my guilty eyes to her, shaking my head slowly. Perhaps it's the influx of all the emotions I've been feeling and trying to escape that comes to the surface and moistens my eyes, and Donna immediately notices and wraps her arms around me.
“Oh, honey!” she cries, pulling back to cradle my cheek and wipe the stray tear that escapes my eye.
