Forest Pack Community Book One (COMPLETED)

chapter 6

They turned sixteen the same year. But our birthdays were close together. Felicia’s was July first, Goldie’s was July twenty first and Niomi’s was August fourteenth So the three of them decided to have a sweet three musketeers themed sweet sixteen party. They went to the Luna to ask what date they should have it on. Lissa suggested July thirty first as it was not too far from anyone’s birthday and seemed like a fair date. They asked if the Luna would be willing to help. But she suggested their mothers as this would be special to them as well. Which they all agreed. Goldie and Niomi both went to their moms. But Felicia had to go to her aunt. When she found her aunt she walked up to her and said, “Aunt Joy, I know you have been taking care of me practically my whole life and I’m turning sixteen soon and so are Goldie and Niomi…well we want to have a birthday party together. The girls are asking their moms…and I know mine isn’t technically here, but you’ve been like my mom. Would you help?”

Joy smiled with tears in her eyes, “Yes of course my love. I would love to help you girls plan your special day. When is this party of yours happening?”

“Luna suggested July thirty first because it seemed like a fair date to her not to far away from anyone’s birthday cause well mines on the first, Goldie’s is on the twenty first, and Niomi is august 15th. Yeah mine’s the farthest away but I’m ok with that cause she picked a date that wasn’t on anyone’s birthday but near enough to all of us.”

“Why three musketeers?” asked Joy out of curiosity.

“Well, we’re always together and lots of people call us the three musketeers. Cause if you see one you see the other two.” Explained Felicia. Joy nodded in agreement. Felicia mind linked Goldie and Niomi and said my aunt agreed!!! When do we want to get together?”

Goldie and Niomi said in unison, “NOW!” all three laughed. They cut the mind link off and told their respective mothers. They all then met in the dining room at one of the tables.

They sat down to decide who to invite. The girls wanted to include everyone and not leave anyone out. So, they just decided to invite the whole pack. The next decision was where to have it. They could have it in the main room. But then again that seemed to ordinary and they were not ordinary. So, they went out back and there was a large open garden area. It was beautiful. The three girls’ eyes lit up, and they all squealed like they had found a lost treasure. They turned as one and looked at the moms. Who just laughed. Joy said hold on and mind linked Lissa, ‘Hey Lissa, the girls want to use the back garden. You should have heard them squeal; in unison, may I add!’ Lissa chuckled and said, ‘I don’t see a problem. Let me check with Ben just to be sure.’

Joy told the waiting women and girls, “The Luna is checking with Alpha.” Just then, Lissa came back and told Joy that they could have it, she had put it on the calendar so that no one else could book it. Also, they could use the garden light to string up.

Joy relayed the message and there was another round of squeals. The older women just laughed and smiled at their excitement. Alicia asked, “Now ladies you said a sweet three musketeers. You’re not talking the French musketeers are you.”

Niomi spoke up and responded, “No we mean sweet like candy or sweets.” Goldie exclaimed, “We should have a huge chocolate fountain!!”

Felicia added, with Strawberries, Bananas, and other fruits that are good with chocolate!” she looked at her friends and said, “Dark or regular?”

Niomi said, “Since there are three of us why not all three chocolates, Dark, milk, and white! We can scale down the huge to like…um…” and she looked at her mom.

Her mom thought a minute and said, “Well if we do the fountains instead of cakes…we can do large ones. Maybe some sponge cake, we can talk to the cook.”

Joy had her note pad and was making lists. She also mind linked the cook to see if she was busy. The cook said she wasn’t, and Joy asked her to join them in the back garden. A few minutes later, the cook showed up. “Did you need something Beta Joy?”

“Yes, please. These girls are planning their sixteenth birthday. Seeing their birthday is a sweet three musketeers, and they’re unique in their own way. They are inviting the whole pack. Instead of a big cake they want 3 chocolate fountains, one dark, one milk, and one white. With the proper fruit and maybe a sponge cake too? To dip of course. The fruits they mentioned were, strawberries, bananas….and that’s all they can think of.”

The cook laughed and said, “For a sweet sixteen party?! Of course. I know the perfect fruits. The perfect dipping cakes. Not just sponge but angel food. Let’s see…”

Joy spoke up and said, “I’m making a food list.”

The Cook continued, “Various cookies and do you want fudge?”

The three said in unison once more, “YES!”

This time all four women laughed. “Ok, I’ll do some with nuts and some without. Why don’t you each pick a cookie.”

Goldie immediately said, “double chocolate chip!”

Niomi was next as she said, “snickerdoodles!”

Felicia exclaimed, “I want chewy chocolate chip!”

“All great choices.” the cook said. “What about food? You know not sweets! She giggled.

The three looked at each other thinking. “Honey ham?” “Roast beef” “Do we need a third?”

Cook replied, “Probably how about you let me surprise you with something. How about buttered potatoes. I know how much you all like those and pick 2 to 3 veggies.”

“Carrots” “Green Beans” “Corn?”

The other girls nodded their head. “That’s a good choice.”

Cook said “The menu is set. You can count on me. When is this grand soirée?”

Felicia answered “July thirty first. Luna picked the date and this space is ours.”

“Ok. Beta Joy do you have that food list? If so can I have it? I can send you a copy if you want one.”

“Thank you, but I trust you.” Joy smiled. “You are an expert in food.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” At that the cook left to start cooking dinner.

“So do we want tables or are people going to just stand around or sit on the ground?” asked Niomi’s mom.

Again, the girls looked at each other then looked at the older women and shrugged their shoulders. Goldie’s mom spoke up. Well, we definitely need tables what about a head table for the three of you with the Alpha and Luna on either side of you? We can do rows with everyone looking up at you. Then while you do presents, tables can be cleared away for dancing and the sweets as those are all finger food right?”

The girls loved this idea and nodded enthusiastically. Goldie spoke up next. “What about decorations? I know we’re going to have the lights…but I think we need more. What do you girls think? We need sixteen’s in multiple places.”

Felicia asked, “What about ballons with sixteen on them. Maybe tied to the banisters leading down here. Or with weights by the doors, front and back.” We can have small centerpieces with hearts and sixteen’s sticking out.”

“We need a banner saying Happy Sweet Sixteen on it!” exclaimed Niomi.

“Agreed. Three tables for presents one with each of our names, so that people know which is which.” Said Goldie.

“Good idea Goldie.” Praised Joy. “What about colors.”

“I think pink is too normal.”

Felicia had an idea. “I have two colors in my room what about you? The other two nodded. So, Felicia said, “My accent color is lilac.”

Goldie said, “Mine of course is sparkly gold.”

Niomi thought a moment. As she had many colors in her room as liked a lot of color. So, she brought up her dilemma to her friends. “I have too many colors to choose from.”

Felicia and Goldie grinned knowing this to be true. Goldie said, “Well what would go best with Lilac and sparkly Gold…It should be not as sparkly. What about a sage green? It should complement both of the other colors, and we can make them shimmery too to go with my sparkle.” Because both girls knew how sparkly Goldie meant. It went beyond shimmer. They both nodded. Joy added that to the list. There would be decorations in each of the colors. The banner would also have all three colors.

Felicia looked at her friends and said, “OMG we have to find new dresses in our colors! You know what that means!”

All three girls yelled, “SHOPPING TRIP!!!!”

Goldie’s mom said, “I have an idea there’s a seamstress in Forestville why don’t we pay her a visit tomorrow. It’s too late today. It’s almost dinner time. Also, tomorrow we need to get out invites. In the colors. I think words in gold, borders in lilac and sage green. Black writing on the outside simply saying, you’re invited. Then when they open it up they can see who, what, what, and where.”

They all agreed. All they had to do was get everything done and looking at the lists, it was going to be a tall order to fill and get ready for. As they walked back into the pack house. Ben and Lissa walked up to them. Ben looked at Joy and stated, “I’m sure you have a few lists am I right?”

Joy blushed and said, “Yes Alpha. Except the food which the cook has. We’ve already talked to her.”

“Well let me see the rest.” Ben said. Joy handed over the pad of paper. Ben just looked wide eyed at her.

Lissa laughed and remarked, “Did you expect anything less my love?” Everyone just laughed. While Joy blushed.

Ben looked it over and whistled, “Well. Besides the dresses. I think as a gift from your Luna and I, we will pay for everything else. Only think I don’t see was the tablecloths.”

“Oh, alternating colors for the guest tables. Present tables will have our own colors where our name is. The head table should be in the pack colors don’t you think girls? Goldie said. Felicia and Niomi nodded.

Felicia looked up at Ben and Lissa and asked, “Would you honor us by sitting on either side of us during dinner?”

Lissa smiled feeling touched to be included in such a way. She replied with a heartfelt smile, “Of course girls. We would be honored to eat dinner with you.”

Goldie spoke up, “Thank you Alpha and Luna for the gift of a party. We all appreciate it.”

“Your welcome.” Ben replied. “Now let’s go to dinner. As I’m sure it’s done.”

The next day they went to the seamstress and told her about the party. They ended up spending the day looking at fabrics and different styles. Embellishments and linings. They also had to be measured so that the seamstress would be able to make the right sizes. Goldie went for a tight mermaid style. It was a super sparkly gold top down to the thigh then it fanned out with shimmery gold tulle. She’d wear golden colored shoes to go with the dress. Hair was up to her as was the jewelry.

Felicia’s body type was curvy, so she needed an A-line. But there were many different A-line designs. She really liked the sweetheart neckline whereas Goldie and got a halter top. The bottom she could go poofy like a princess style or she could do something entirely different. Felicia wanted to accentuate her curves a bit but still left some to the imagination. Goldie suggested that she have an accentuated waist and instead of super poof just do a simple tulle A-line. With shimmer of course. Felicia thought about it and liked that idea. The fabric she wanted was taffeta type and as with Niomi she was going to do the top without tulle. But the other girls talked her into a tulle shell that had a pretty button so she could take it off. The seamstress thought that was a perfect idea. So that is what she did.

Lastly was Niomi. With her sage green dress. She decided she wanted a high-low dress. The front would come to her calves and longer in the back. Just long enough to drag a little bit but not enough to trip her. She wanted her top to be off the shoulder. The fabric she chose was all satin and a layer of shimmery tulle waist down matching the high low style.

After all measurements were double checked for the dresses they had ordered, the girls all left and met up with their parents to tell them all about it. Each parent had decided that they were going to get them jewelry to go with their dresses. Their dads just rolled their eyes, but the moms gushed over their dress choices. After dinner the girls got back together and reported their moms’ reactions.

Felicia asked her friends, “Have you guys shifted yet” Both of them said no. Felicia asked, when do you think that will happen?”

Goldie responded, I hear its sometime between “sixteen and 18. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we all ended up shifting together?”

Felicia and Niomi smiled really big. “It would but we’ll see.” Felicia was unsure because of the way her wolf was asleep for so long. She decided to ask Azella later. Felicia felt self-conscious all day because of her situation. Now she wasn’t even sure if she should ask Azella because she didn’t want to sound like she didn’t know about such a simple thing. But she did want to know. So maybe she’d ask Joy…no that’d be even worse. Aunt Lissa maybe. She’d be most knowledgeable this was kind of her expertise right??? So, she spoke up, “Hey, I uh…need to go do something, So I’ll meet you guys at dinner ok?”

Goldie said, “Ok…you ok girl?” with concern on her face.

“Yeah, I uh just have some question I need to get answered.”

“Can we help?” asked Niomi.

“Uh…I don’t think so. I’ll just meet you later.” Felicia said and ran off. Goldie and Niomi looked at each other quizzically.

“I wonder what’s going on. Should we tell Beta Joy about it?” asked Niomi.

“I don’t know, on one hand I think we should out of concern, then again what if she didn’t want her to know about it yet. Or it’s something she’s insecure about?” pipped up Goldie. The girls talked about a few more seconds and decided it was best to fill in Joy just in case. So that’s what they did. They, mind linked Joy and asked where she was and she said she was at home. So, they hot footed it to Joy’s suite and knocked on her door. Joy came immediately because it was rare that Goldie and Niomi came to without Felicia in tow.

“What’s going on girls?” Joy asked.

The girls looked at each other and Goldie asked, “can we come in? It’s about Felicia. We wouldn’t be here otherwise. She was acting funny after we left the seamstress.”

“Of course, dears. Let’s go have some cookies and milk, I’ve always got some.”

Once they sat down they started to tell Joy about shifting together then Felicia’s reaction. Goldie said, “We asked if we could help and she told us she didn’t think so and that she’d meet us later. She then just ran off. Did she come to you?”

“No, but I might have an idea. But it sounds as if she’s embarrassed about it so let’s not embarrass her further and wait for her to feel comfortable. I will tell you girls something that I’m not sure she told you. After watching her parents die right in front of her, her wolf disappeared for two months. It took me and Aliza, mostly Aliza to bring her wolf back and that wasn’t until the day of her parents’ funeral ceremony. So, she may be feeling a bit unsure. I only told you that you understood and because you three are like sister. Try not to treat her differently. I hope she does come to me. But if she doesn’t it’s because she’s either too embarrassed or isn’t sure I can help her or have the answers. Go ahead and finish your cookies and milk. I need to find her a gift for her birthday anyway. I never did get her that little black dress that was ruined in the crash.”

“Can we help?” asked Niomi.

“If you girls want to. Just make sure it’s ok with your mothers.” Joy responded.

Meanwhile in the back garden Felicia mind linked her Aunt Lissa/Luna. ‘Aunt Lissa? It’s Felicia. Are you busy? I have a question.’ ‘No, I’m not busy, where are you?’ asked Lissa. ‘I’m in the back garden. Can you meet me, or do you want me to come to you?’ Lissa answered. ‘Well, I’m in my office, which is soundproof, so if it is of a sensitive nature this might be a good place to be.’ ‘Ok, I’ll come there. Is it on the first floor or up on the Alpha’s floor?’ ‘First floor dear. You’ll see desks outside. The first door is your uncles, mine is the second and the last one is Uncle Ben’s. See you soon.’

At that they cut the mind link, and Felicia went straight there trying to avoid as many people as possible which she had no problem because she spent some time doing that before she met Goldie and then Niomi. Even when she first got acquainted with Goldie she sometimes hid from people. But Goldie always had a knack for finding her and pulling her out of her into the world of people. Once she got to the second door. She knocked quickly. She heard the Luna’s voice say come in.