Wolf Moon Ritual
Chapter 16

Aurora’s POV

I rolled over in bed in search of Alex’s warm body but found nothing but cold sheets and the sound of something crinkling as I snuggled my face into his pillow. It took me a moment to realise that that wasn’t right, pillows are soft not crinkly. Snapping my eyes open I saw blurred lines of text under my face. I slowly raised my head, focusing my vision on the messy scrawl of Alex’s handwriting.

Aurora,

I’ll be gone for most of the day with my father. I have arranged for you to go into town with Shay and my mother to pick a dress for the summer ball.

I love you.

A

I didn’t know what will be worse not seeing him for most of the day or being dragged around the department stores by Shay and Ruby. I have never been a girly girl, one to spend time walking around stores and looking for that perfect outfit. I suppose it’s because growing up I never had the chance or the money to do that. Survival being the more prominent thing on mine and Shirley’s minds.

Shay didn’t even bother knocking, she just barged into the room and shouted for me to get up and get dressed. I pulled the covers over my head trying to disappear, hoping that she hadn’t yet noticed me. Cold air whooshed around me, chilling me to the bone as she ripped the covers away from me, exposing me to the reality that i will have to go with her shopping.

“Jeez, you would think you were going to your own death rather than shopping for a beautiful dress.” I groaned while sitting up and facing her. “Death would be quicker.” I quipped. Shay rolled her eyes at me and pulled my ankle hard towards her and to the end of the mattress. “I’m sure I can make it slow, just for you.” She threatened. One look into her eyes and I cracked up laughing, she too couldn’t hold back her giggle. We laughed together for a few more minutes before I finally left the comfort of the bed and walked over to the bathroom to get ready for my torture.

“Will you at least try to smile. It won’t kill you know.” Shay moaned as she combed through my hair pulling it up into a high ponytail. I looked up to meet her eyes through the mirror, guilt washing over me. She was right I should be more grateful to her and Ruby they were taking me along with them to replace a dress for the summer ball. I inhaled deeply closing my eyes and exhaled with a wide smiled on my face. “Your right. Thank you.” She finished up my hair and then she began talking about the different styles of dresses she thinks would look good on me and not forgetting what colour, and shoes as we descended the stairs.

Ruby met us in the kitchen an equally wide smile as Shay’s plastered on her lips, while waving a credit card in her hand. “You girls ready to shop ’til we drop?” She said. I dragged my bottom lip between my teeth trying to keep the upbeat expression on my face. Ruby laughed at my clearly fake joy, lowered her hand, and looked sadly into my eyes. “You know I never had a daughter of my own to shop with if you don’t want to go you don’t have to.” I was speechless.

“Damn, pulling out the big guns.” Shay whispered into my ear from behind me. I nodded in agreement. “Let’s go.” I chirped in the happiest tone I could manage. Ruby burst out laughing. “Works every time.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me pulling us both with her out the front door.

A black SUV were waiting for us at the front steps. We all climbed into the back and no sooner Shay closed the door behind us we were away. “I heard you were the talk of the lake yesterday.” Ruby enquired as we drove down the long winding highway towards the city centre. “Talk of the lake?” I asked not really sure what she meant. Her gentle smile comforted me as it always did. “Yes. I believe the words ‘astounding beauty’ and ‘radiant flame’ were used to describe you as you jumped over the falls.”

My jaw if it could, would have hit the asphalt highway and have been dragged along with us as the SUV continued to drive. I didn’t even know many people saw me like that, I thought it was just us. No one else ever said anything, but then. There were a few odd looks and a few whispered words as I passed by. I just assumed it was because they didn’t know who I were or because me and Alex were close, like really close and they would still believe he were engaged to Crystal. Oh my god, maybe it was a huge mistake being like that with him yesterday I worried. What if they told her pack? What if this would cause a war between the two packs?

“Your overthinking it.” A calming voice sounded in my mine. Alex. “They were my words.” I felt him smile, which in turn made me smile embarrassed of him calling me these things. To Shay and Ruby I probably looked like a complete weirdo, but oh well.

“Tell Alex to buzz off. This is a girls only day.” Shay said annoyed. I looked at her from under my lashes while biting my lower lip and giggled. Maybe they thought I wasn’t a weirdo after all. She rolled her eyes. “He gave it away then. A few of the moms told me too though. Do you suspect that your gift is of the sun and not the moon then?” I nodded. “Yes, but I glow under the moonlight too. I need to speak with alpha Calisto, see if he has any more insight into it.” Ruby nodded in agreement. “That sound reasonable. Just be safe.” They were her only words on the matter before changing the subject altogether.

“I’m thinking a few stores and then a cocktail lunch, followed by a few more stores and possibly even a pamper session in the spa.” Shay squealed in delight at everything Ruby just said and I had to admit that sounded like a fun day, even with shopping involved.

The first store we went in was massive, I didn’t even know they came this big. I felt like a tiny ant in a field of clothes. The variety of colours and styles for women, men and children were just overwhelming. I were used to charity shops and yard sales, they never had anything like what I were seeing here but they were cheap and easy to pick from. I were starting to understand why it took people so long to shop now. If every store we were going to today were this big, I didn’t know how we would ever make our way back home, let alone replace anything.

Shay was an expert at this though, guiding us to the exact part of the store where the ballgowns were. She started pulling dresses from the racks in different styles and colours and draping them over her back with her hand held high in the air, so the lengths wouldn’t trail along the floor. Ruby were doing the same from the other side of me as I watched them incredulously, flicking my gaze from left to right between them not knowing what the hell to do.

“Come on Rose.” Ruby shouted back to me as they rounded the pillar and headed towards the changing rooms. My feet moved, trailing after them but not really understanding what the hell just happened. How did they know what they wanted so quickly? Was it meant to be that easy?

I entered the changing room and froze in shock. It were a large room with several smaller spaces with curtains to pull across offering privacy to the shoppers, each with a full length mirror. The centre had two deep cerise pink comfortable looking sofas in a wave style, back to back with one another. Two small glass tables in front of them, each holding several fashion magazines arranged in a fan, displaying their covers and headlines proudly.

Both Shay and Ruby waved me towards the biggest changing room over in the corner. It were stocked with the dresses they had both picked out, five on each side all different colours and none of the styles matching the other. “You guys trying these on? You were both so quick.” They chuckles in unison. “No, silly these are for you to try on. We want to work out what style and colour will suit you best. Now get in there and get started.”

My jaw once again hit the floor.

“For me?” I gulped suddenly so nervous. I’m not one for having all the attention on me. I like to shy away in the shadows. My mind wants to run but my feet take a step forward. They don’t push me which I’m glad of. Their patience means a lot. The curtain slides shut behind me and I stare at myself in the full length mirror. I look as out of place as I feel. My faded ripped jeans and plain white shirt is a stark contrast against the elegance of these dresses. The colours so bright and shiny compared my colourless form.

Taking a deep breathe I pull myself together and strip out of my shirt and jeans and take the first dress from the hook. Lightly tracing my fingers over the silky fabric of the royal blue dress as I slid the zipper down the back getting caught on the ruffle of fabric bunched at the waist. I exerted a little more force to get it loose and was relieved I didn’t rip or snag the gown.

Stepping into the circle created as I lowered the bodice to the ground and slid it over my skin. The cool material tickled as I pulled it up over my bare thighs. Holding the sweetheart bodice to my chest I tried to reach round for the zipper and ended up dancing round in a circle bending and reaching in odd way. Giving up in a huff I looked back at myself in the mirror. My face was a bright red, my eyes stern with an annoyed frown.

“Do you need help?” Ruby’s soft voice came from the other side of the curtain. “Please.” I sighed not entirely happy at needing help to dress. Stupid gown. She came through a small gap she created in the barrier between us. Her motherly expression slicing through every ounce of annoyance I felt.

She slid the zipper up with absolute ease, her ability to use both hands giving her the advantage I thought. Quickly pushing my petty thought away I turned to face her. She smiled reaching for my hands. “You look lovely but this is not the one. The colour is too...” She pursed her lips trying to replace the right word. “Cold.” Shay finished from behind me. I looked over my left shoulder to see she had poked her head through the curtain. I small smile graced my lips because she looked like a floating head in a sea of yellow taffeta.

“The ruffles are not you either.” Shay immediately started pulling the dresses with the ruffles out the small space and disappeared only to return seconds later replacing them in similar colours as the ones she took minus the ruffles. The next three were dismissed as quickly as the first, each one for different reasons. The first was because I blatantly refused to have a plunging neck line, the second because green was deemed to not be my colour and the skirt too short. The third was too blingy with the bodice covered in sequins.

I sighed and absentmindedly kept trying them on, not really taking much notice. I were beginning to feel like a barbie doll they were just dressing up. After the fifteenth dress I’d had enough and my stomach was starting to growl with hunger. “Someone’s hungry, let’s go to lunch.” Ruby chuckled. They both took all the dresses with them and left me alone in what felt like forever to get dressed.

When I exited the changing room my eyes instantly caught sight of a burnt orange dress that a sales assistant was taking away as if it were a reject. The shimmering of the bodice and the floating wisps of the skirt, made it seem as if it was alive and moving all on its own.

I followed the women leading the dress away calling after her to get her attention. She stopped and turned as I reach for her hand. “Can I help you?” The women asked with a polite smile on her lips. I looked between her and the dress. “May I try on that dress please?” I asked. My voice was low as if I didn’t want to startle the living aura of the dress.

The sales girl bit her lip and swallowed. “I erm… I can’t let you do that. The designer hasn’t finished with it. I was taking it to her as we speak.” My heart dropped and I looked at the dress one last time as a silent goodbye. “May I speak with the designer?” Ruby asked with an air of grace from behind me. “I will see what I can do.” Ruby handed over a business card to her, and the assistant bowed her head in respect and continued on her way. I raised a questioning brow at Ruby who just smiled and waved a dismissive hand. “My contact information.”

We went to lunch after the exchange and we wound up at a beautifully quaint café with an enclosed flower garden out back, there weren’t many other patrons seated out here which was nice. We were shown to our seats and the smell of wild flowers and lilacs surrounded me making me smile. We placed our drink and food order and spoke about the summer ball and the hosting pack as we waited.

Shay caught my attention by clicking her fingers in front of my face. As my eyes started to focus on the here and now I blushed with embarrassment. “Sorry. I zoned out.” I apologised. “You were thinking about that dress weren’t you?” Shay questioned and I nodded my response. “Yes, I can’t explain it. It was as if the dress was alive and it called to me. The way it shimmered with different hues of oranges and golds, and the skirt swayed in the air as the women walked away, was like it were a flame flickering in a light breeze.” I looked longingly into the space between her and Ruby as I explained it. I must have looked like a love struck girl obsessed with whatever had caught her attention.

“That dress sounds lovely.” An older stylish woman said from the next table as she stood to leave. I smiled sheepishly. “It really was.” Her wide smile and kind eyes regarded me for a moment before she bid us goodbye and left the garden. Food followed and all thoughts – well some thoughts of the dress were surpassed by the amazing taste of my meal.

As we were finishing up Ruby received a call from the designer of the dress asking if we were free to meet with her now. Ruby happily accepted and both myself and Shay were excited to go and meet her and the dress.

A tall man met us at the entrance of the store and greeted us politely while asking us to follow his to go meet with Ms York, the designer. He told us as we walked that his name was Adam. I couldn’t help but think about his well-tailored aubergine suit. The dark purples in the fabric shone when direct light hit it but otherwise it looked black, it fit him as if it were a second skin. His own personalised armour in the catty world of fashion.

He knocked on a plain white sliding door and waited a few moment before opening it without an invitation to do so. “Ms York. These are Ruby, Shay and Rose as you requested.” My eyes wondered around the studio and I marvelled at the different dresses that hung effortlessly over mannequins in all types of styles and colours. This was nothing compared to the racks downstairs in the main store. This woman could work magic. I’ve never seen the beauty in clothes before this moment and I doubted I’d ever see it again.

Ms York looked up from her work on a sewing machine and regarded us with a familiar smile. I was shocked to see the same older woman from the restaurant looking back at me. Her eyes remained kind with a hint of amusement in them, probably because my jaw had just hit the floor and I were floundering to be able to speak.

“Come here child.” She asked and beckoned me over to her sewing desk. I wasn’t exactly a child but I guess compared to her, I was. My feet moved but my mind still drew a blank. “Your description of my work encapsulated everything I wanted for this piece. I need you to try it on for me.”

I nodded with excitement as her assistant cleared his throat to get my attention. “Right this way.” He gestured and led me to a massive white mirrorless changing room and entered the space with me. “If you don’t mind I’ll be helping you into this dress.” My cheeks tinted pink and I looked at the floor. “Do you mind if I do it myself and you zip and check it before we show Ms York.” I countered feeling uncomfortable with another male outside our pack seeing me in underwear. I didn’t think Alex would be too impressed by the notion either. “Of course. Just shout me when you need me.” He exited and pulled the white curtain between us.

I quickly stripped out of my clothes and slid into the softest material ever and pulled it up over my body and once again began the dance of holding the dress front to myself and trying to zip the dress up, only this time the zip was on the side. I huffed and called out for the assistant to come help me. His amused grin told me he knew exactly what I had been doing but didn’t comment.

With help the dress closed like a dream and I felt for the first time like I was made to wear a dress like this. My excitement for the summer ball hit a whole new level and I couldn’t wait for Alex to see me in this.

“Rose.” Adam said. “Would you please remove your bra. Ms York would want you to try it as it is intended to be worn.” I looked down and sure enough the dress did like silly with my black straps coming from under the straight cut, strapless bodice. I shimmied out of the undergarment and once again turned to Adam, who immediately busied himself with nips and tucks, securing them with pins.

Taking my hand he walked me forward and asked me to stand on a small platform so the dress dropped to its full length, before fluffing out the skirt for it to fall perfectly. “I will be back in a moment with Ms York and your family.” He scurried off around the corner. I still hadn’t seen myself in the dress yet and I were becoming inpatient to do so.

Delighted gasps had me standing tall and looking back at Ruby and Shay’s amazed faces. Ruby’s eyes had even glossed over with how pleased she were. “You look amazing.” She said as a tear left her eye. “Wow. That’s the only word there is.” Shay squealed. I looked over to Ms York, her eyes working over the material and to where imperfections were. I hoped she would let me purchase this dress from her but the way my stoic expression looked over me, didn’t show much hope.

Adam went into a full detailed review of what he did, and where he had to pin the dress for a better fit. I knew I didn’t have to best womanly figure but it is what it is.

Ms York circled me pinching the material here and there and pinning it her own way. “I’ll have the alterations done in two hours.” She smiled as she stood in front of me. “Really, you will let me purchase the dress?” She shook her head and again my heart dropped. “This dress was made for you. It’s already yours.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, which must have been clear of my face. “Hunter commissioned the dress right after your day out at the lake.” My eyes widened. “What?” Her smile widened. “I saw you that day, jumping from the fall, the way you burned like a flame. He sent a correspondent to Adam and we both knew we had to replicate that for you.” I was speechless, as were both Ruby and Shay. Alex must have never told anyone what he had done.

Adam pushed a large mirror my way so that I too could see the dress on and I wasn’t disappointed in anyway. Everyone, including myself was right. The way it looked as if a flame burned was amazing. I did a twirl for added effect and we all cheered as the dress itself came to life. I would have to remember to thank Alex for this, he is the most amazing mate I could have asked for. My mind filled with happiness as his words entered my conscious.

“Your welcome.”