getting ready 41
1029 Words
Chapter 41
Getting Ready
Penny’s POV
Dean woke me with soft kisses trailing down my neck, slow and teasing, until his lips found mine. I smiled before I even opened my eyes.
“If you keep that up,” I murmured against his mouth, “we won’t be doing a ceremony today.”
He chuckled, deep and warm, stealing one more kiss before pulling away. I watched him walk toward the bathroom, stretching like the king he was born to be. The sound of running water filled the room, then silence, and soon he stepped back out, already shifting into duty mode.
“I’m going to get ready with Dad,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I’m not allowed to see you until the ceremony starts. The service will be here with your dress in a few minutes. Go take a shower…they’ll be waiting when you’re done.”
I nodded, even though all I wanted was to drag him back into bed and hide from the world for just one more hour.
I kissed him again. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” he whispered before walking out the door.
The second it shut, the room felt too quiet…I already missed him.
The hot water from the shower relaxed my nerves as it cascaded over my skin. I took my time, carefully washing every inch of myself, as if today demanded perfection. When I finally stepped out, I wrapped one towel around my body and another around my hair, letting it soak up the dampness.
I slipped on the robe hanging behind the door and walked back into the bedroom…Dean hadn’t been exaggerating.
Two women were waiting for me.
They stood the moment they saw me, graceful and poised. As they approached, they bowed…I froze.
“Please,” I said quickly. “You don’t have to bow to me. I’m just Penny. Really.”
“But you are going to be the next queen,” one of them said gently. “It is required.”
I sighed softly. The last thing I wanted to do was offend anyone today.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disrespect tradition. I’m just… nervous.”
Their expressions softened.
“It’s alright,” the other woman said. “Queen Elena was nervous centuries ago during her ceremony. She didn’t like us bowing either.”
That made me breathe a little easier.
“My name is Rage,” the first one said with a playful smirk. “They call us the Sisters of Wrath. Don’t ask why—we never quite understood it ourselves.”
The second smiled. “I’m Elise. Let’s get you ready. The ceremony is in five hours.”
Five hours…This was really happening.
They sat me at the vanity and began their work immediately. Rage handled my makeup while Elise worked on my hair. To my surprise, they started singing softly..harmonies weaving together in a melody so calming it made my nerves slowly untangle.
No one spoke much after that. Just quiet coordination. Brushes swept across my skin. Fingers twisted and pinned my hair. At one point, I felt it being curled, then gathered, then secured again.
Rage wiped my face clean more than once.
“I don’t like it,” she muttered at one point.
“We’ll try again.”
By the third attempt, she finally exhaled in relief.
“There. Perfect.”
Hours later, my back ached and my legs were numb from sitting so long.
“Alright, Penny,” Elise said with a grin. “Time for the dress. You can look once you’re fully dressed.”
Excitement fluttered in my chest.
I walked toward the bed, heart pounding, waiting as they carefully lifted the gown from its protective covering…It was breathtaking.
They helped me step into it, gently pulling it up and zipping the back. The strapless gown was a deep midnight blue..so dark it almost looked black…but when the light touched it, the bottom shimmered with delicate sparkles like stars in a night sky. Just above my chest rested a single white rose, small and elegant.
It was dramatic. Powerful…Royal.
“He picked it,” Rage said softly. “He hopes you’ll like it.”
Of course he did…That man had thought of everything.
The necklace and earrings followed..delicate, perfectly matched. Even the heels fit flawlessly. Now I knew why he’d casually asked my shoe size weeks ago.
Finally, Elise placed a small decorative crown into my hair.
“Just for your hairstyle,” she said. “Now you can look.”
I walked slowly to the full-length mirror..And stopped.
Oh… my goddess.
My hair was styled into a high, elegant bun with soft tendrils framing my face. Tiny flowers were woven delicately throughout, the small crown nestled perfectly on top. My makeup was light and flawless…soft pink lips, subtle shimmer on my eyes, nothing too bold..I still looked like me..Just… queen me.
Tears pricked at my eyes…They had done more than make me beautiful…They had made me feel worthy.
“Alright, Queen Penny,” Rage said warmly. “It’s time.”
My heart skipped.
“Dean is waiting,” she added, then hesitated before speaking again.
“I want you to know something. I’m glad he found his mate. And I’m glad it wasn’t Draya. All she ever wanted was the power that came with being queen.”..I swallowed.
“So… you don’t mind that I’m a werewolf?”
Rage laughed softly. “Honey, I wouldn’t care if you were a bird. If you make Dean happy, we are happy.”
Elise nodded. “Some of us once hoped we might be his mate. But once we heard about you, we understood. You haven’t done anything to harm us. Why wouldn’t we like you?”
That meant more than they could ever know..I wasn’t just being tolerated…I was being accepted.
“Alright,” Elise said, offering her arm. “Let’s go. The ceremony is about to begin.”..I took a deep breath…Today, I wasn’t just Penny.
Today, I would walk into that hall as a werewolf… and leave it as a queen.
- Writer
