"Are you sure?" I asked her. "It looks kind of small."
"The fabric fits the body. You'll look spectacular!" she answered me.
I looked at it doubtfully but decided to put it on. It was either that or go with the rags I was wearing to the most important party for the pack.
Since there wasn't even a small mirror, I had to put the dress on and let Morgan help me with the details.
"Almost ready," she said, fixing the unruly lock of hair that refused to stay out of my face.
"You better make me look pretty and not like a buffoon this time," I said.
She nodded and pointed to the door, grimacing. "Go now, and I don't want you to regret it."
I looked at myself in the dim light reflecting off the screens; the dress fit me perfectly, highlighting my curves, and my butt looked fabulous. It wasn't the kind of dress for such a formal party, but it was elegant enough to mix in with the rest of the guests without attracting too much attention.
My plan was simple: find Alston, lay low with him the whole party, and enjoy ourselves in our own way.
I walked toward the staff entrance, opened the door a little, and ensured no one was looking. Luckily, the front door opened, and everyone focused on the guest. By their reactions, especially Linda's, who was on the other side of the room right next to my father, I could tell this person must be important, surely an Alpha or an Elder from one of the other packs.
Discreetly, I walked around the room until I reached the farthest corner from my father and his beloved Luna. I tried to find Alston in the crowd among so many people, but it was impossible, so I just stood there, listening to the people murmuring about the mysterious guest.
Out of curiosity, I made my way through the people from the other packs who didn't know me and wouldn't alert security about my presence.
"Congratulations, Alpha of Sith. I am Eric, Alpha successor of the Pack of the Night," said the guest, who turned out to be a handsome young man. He had dark brown hair, broad shoulders, deep-set eyes dark as the night itself, and a strong and defined jaw. "I brought you this present to reaffirm our peace treaty, and I apologize for my father being a bit ill and unable to attend himself."
The son of the Alpha stepped aside, and two members of his packplaced a huge box in front of my father. My father nodded and motioned to his bodyguards to take it away.
"Young Eric, I almost didn't recognize you. You're quite a man now!" my father told the young man as all the onlookers kept their gazes on the encounter. "Tell your father I appreciate the gesture and that our pact will be stronger than ever."
I didn't know why, but I felt the pressure of the atmosphere—a suffocating pressure. The Alpha’s son's presence caused something in me. Something new to me. I lost myself in his perfectly marked muscles in his tailored black suit, unlike the rest of the guests. When I took a closer look, I noticed he was actually wearing a battle suit, tight against his body and highlighting all his attributes.
"It's a pity he's already found his mate, isn't it?" Linda's voice made my skin crawl. "Besides, you're not on his level."
I turned around, fearing the worst, that some guards would accompany Linda and I would be dragged out of the room, but instead, my half-sister was standing in front of me with her perfect smile and mother-of-pearl colored outfit that made her look like the next-in-line Luna she was.
"I was just leaving; I was looking for Alston," I said to persuade her and tried to move forward, but she stood in my way.
"You're leaving so fast?" she asked me. "You look very pretty. It would be a real shame if you missed the party. Our father is so focused on showing off that he won't notice your presence. Why don't we try for once to be the sisters we are and put differences aside?"
I didn't believe what I was hearing, but in her voice, I felt she was being honest. There wasn't a hint of malice.
"I don't want you to get in trouble. Just tell me where Alston is, and I'll go."
"I haven't seen him, but we can look for him together," she said as she handed me a glass of wine. She put the glass in my hands without giving me time to think about it.
"Thank you, that's nice of you," I said sincerely.
She took me by the hand and led me around the room, andalthough several pack members saw us, none reacted badly when they saw that she was going with me.
"Wait, I'm feeling a little dizzy," I commented, stopping.
"Maybe the wine was too strong," she replied, examining me with her eyes. "You'd better lie down, lest you pass out here, and we both get in trouble."
I nodded.
"Take me to Morgan. She's in the monitoring room," I said.
I tried to focus on her face, but it was impossible. Everything started to spin, and even the background music and the hustle and bustle of the people started to sound distant.
