New Alpha, Next Generation

Dressed to Kill

It has been just over two weeks since my parents agreed to invite all of the packs in our region to the ball. My father decided that I needed to oversee the security expansion for the party and I’d been meeting with Hivar every day and overseeing the additional training sessions for all of the guardsmen. Everyone hated the extra drills, especially the dawn sessions that had been added, but nobody was up for additional training which would be the result if they were caught complaining. Hivar also reminded them that the pack competition was the following month and they would have an advantage over the other competitors this year due to the additional drills.

Hivar had been allowing some of the younger recruits to help with the planning sessions this year, which had allowed them to make technology suggestions that we hadn’t previously attempted. One of the best ones was the phone tracking triangulation that one of our youngest recruits, Baden, had suggested. Baden was Hivar’s youngest brother and, after spending his childhood in his brother's shadow, he had proved that he could excel with technology. He had sent out electronic invites to each of the Alpha’s that they were required to share with each attending member. The evites allowed us to place a tracking signal on each of their phone IP addresses and would ensure that we could track the location of each attendee, even with their phones turned off. Our security systems were updated to alert anytime one of the tracked phones was outside of the approved security perimeters that we were establishing.

This last addition really impressed Fati, who had been on high alert ever since he agreed to all of the packs attending. Several years before I was born, a pack broke the alliance and attacked our pack, killing both of his brothers with bombs that they had placed in our training fields when they infiltrated. That memory has shaped our security and was also the reason that my father was the only male heir remaining from his clan. His brothers, who were much younger than him, had made the ultimate sacrifice that day. I was named in honor of the eldest of the two, Jadeyeer, who’s name meant strength in our language.

We had less than six weeks left until the party, and I was feeling confident that our new security protocols would ensure a safe weekend for all attendees. Our closest alliances were also sending some of their troops to train with us each day and they would provide assistance securing the border perimeter the weekend of the festivities. It was hard to believe as I walked through the training camps that all of this was being done just for me. Even the training uniforms were being updated for the festivities. Our pack witch had cast an iron spell on the threads and fabrics that were being used to create the new uniforms. The uniforms remained light weight while also acting as a bullet proof encasement that was also impenetrable to silver. Djena, our pack seamstress, had the duty of overseeing the creation of my main piece for the ball and meeting with Havir daily to oversee the design of the new uniforms.

Though I was interested in the uniforms that our sentry would be debuting that night, my mind was filled with anxiety and anticipation over the design that she was creating for me. I had submitted sketches of my ideas; going over with Djena the most important parts that I wanted featured. Because I would be leading our troops in a battle dance that night, the fabrics of my outfit had also been enchanted. In addition to being bulletproof, she had cast an additional spell that made the fabric react like a mood ring. The colors switched at my will, creating a costume that would serve as the ultimate camouflage.

I knew that my mother wanted to see me in a standard gown, stuffy and prim so that I could enchant all the unwed Alpha’s who were still hoping to persuade my hand. I had a few tricks up my sleeve when it came to the piece and had requested a removable bottom that would cloak the pants that I would wear into battle. I didn’t often get excited about clothes, but this was different. This piece was going to be not only my debut for my potential mate, but would be the completion of my transformation.

I stood on the dressing platform going over a million things in my head. A flurry of movement around me as the dressing assistants pinned the piece on me and made adjustments to the fitting.

“I swear you grow taller each time you come in here,” Djena said this through clenched teeth, her stick pins jutting out of the corner of her mouth.

“I hope not, I’m already the tallest female in the region. If I grow any taller, I’ll be looking at the tops of the heads of everyone on the dance floor. Do you think there’s anyway that you could add a space in the sleeve for a hidden sheath? I have a catch system that will allow it to be triggered by motion if you can.”

“I don’t know who is stressing me more, you or your mother. I will add this because it’s you, but this had better be the last revision,” she jabbed the pins into the bottom hem, punctuating each word.

Just as I was about to respond, I heard a stampede of footsteps heading our way mixed with giggles and my name being called in a singsong way. A smile crept onto my face right before the door burst open and my siblings surrounded me, oohing and aahing their approval of my gown. Before I could step down, I felt my littlest sister wrapping her small arms around my leg, her violet eyes glowing as they met mine.

“Uh-oh, I see the troops have arrived,” I said before leaning down to embrace all of my sisters. Ignoring the protests from Djena and her staff, I stepped down to give them proper hugs. Everyone knew that my sisters had me wrapped around their fingers. Their admiration was reflected in the broad smiles on their faces as they all began to talk at once. I knew they were excited to tell me about their day out shopping with our mother.

“ OK guys, let me finish up here and then you can tell me all about it. I heard that someone may have made cupcakes. If you head down to the kitchen, I won’t even tell that you’re eating sweets before dinner.”

I knew I had to undress quickly before Mati followed them down the hall and ruined the surprise of my outfit. I changed quickly after they left, their screams filling the hallway as they raced to see who would get the first cupcake.