The Beast's Blind Serenity

Part 1 - Alpha Summit, Chapter 4 – The Concert Dress

Ila’s POV

Serena and I reach my small country home just as a car rolls up into my driveway.

“Hi!” My brother’s mate, Hannah, calls out with the slamming of the car door. A slew of in audible curse words and the rustling of bags makes me giggle. “Dammit! Just get out already! Stupid bag! UGH! Ila! We need to get you fed and washed up, so I can do your hair and makeup. Oh, Maxwell had to run to the store because I wanted Dino chicken nuggets and pickles for dinner, so he will be back soon, and then he will drive you two to the Moon Ball. Does Cerberus need to be let out to potty?”

Hannah is the mother hen of our little family. She has always been a mother to me and soon will be a mother to her own baby. I smiled at her sweetness. “Sure, you can let him out. I bet he would like to run in the woods for a bit before being stuck in the house all evening.”

As soon as Hannah opens the front door of the house, a massive dark gray timber wolf comes barreling out, almost knocking her to the ground. “Cerberus! You big Oaf!” She screams.

Cerberus barks loudly at us before coming over and resting his large shaggy head against my hip. I scratched his head behind his ear, listening to him pant with his tongue hanging out. It’s unusual to see a werewolf with a pet. It is even more unusual to use a wolf as a guide dog.

“Braver junge, mach geschäft.” (German Translation: Good Boy, Go Potty) He takes off at high speed in the direction of the back of my house close to the outer woods just beyond the pack border. I love to hear the thunderous sound of his paws taking off as he runs. I just hope he doesn’t bring home a dead animal. I know Hannah would NOT appreciate a dead rabbit in her lap again. The memory of her screams and my brother’s laughter is something I will never forget.

“I better get going. Good luck tonight and let me know how it went in the morning.” Serena pats my hand then walks away in the direction of her house a few blocks down.

Hannah softly touches the top of my left hand before grasping it firmly to lead me up the three front porch steps. “I will leave the door open for Cerberus to come back in once he is done. But I am warning you now. He better not bring anything dead inside, or he will not be getting his half of the chicken nuggets.”

Her serious tone was funny, because I knew I couldn’t promise he wouldn't kill anything. But there was no way she would ever deny Cerberus his dino chicken nuggets.

“I know there will be food at the ball, but we should at least put a sandwich in your belly before you go take your shower.” Hannah says with the sound of the fridge opening. “Turkey, OK?”

“Of course. But no cheese and just mayo and lettuce. While you are in there, could you hand me a bottle of water?” My hands rest flat against the countertop when I feel cold, wet plastic touch my fingertips. I open the bottle, bringing the rim to my lips. The cool refreshing water feels good on my throat and also my bruised hands.

“I will also make a soak for your hands as well.”

I let out a sigh, “Serena mind-linked you about Nadine, didn’t she?” Hannah doesn’t answer because she knows I hate it when they talk about me behind my back. I may be blind, but I am not completely broken, just not as brave as others are. “Did you tell Maxwell?”

“No, Serena said you didn’t want him to know. But sweetie, you need to tell him. The longer your problem with the Alpha and Luna goes on, the worse it could get.”

I can’t really answer her, because I know she isn’t wrong. Alpha Dean was more handsy today than he has ever been. What would he try next time to get me alone? A shiver runs up my spine at the thought. I eat my turkey sandwich before soaking both my hands and injured wrist in a large bowl of warm water with Epson salt. The hands felt good after about twenty minutes of soaking.

Once I am done, I walk down the hall to my bedroom on the first floor with its own ensuite. My uncle had my bathroom redone to make it more accessible to my needs. A walk-in shower with a sliding glass door replaced the original tub and shower combo. The shower nozzle is easy to maneuver from cold to hot. The countertop corners are rounded out in case I bump into them and the faucet turns on with a motion sensor. Even the towels are easily accessible.

While I waited for the water to heat up, I reached out to Juniper, but she was still resting peacefully with her head on her front paws. She isn’t an active wolf, she likes her solidarity just like I do. We share the same disability. I am a blind human, and she is a blind wolf. Strangely, she is the only thing I can see.

Being around other wolves is difficult for her, so we avoid them as much as possible. Pack runs are too dangerous for us to participate in. Other wolves see her as weak and even try to attack her. If it wasn’t for Cerberus, Maxwell and his wolf, Milo, taking us out into the open field to run together once in a while, Juniper would never shift.

My wolf arches her front paws forward and stretches out her back. ‘Home?’

‘Yes, we are home.’ I reply softly. She just nods and goes back to sleep.

Once my shower is complete, I dry off my body and put on my fluffy robe and slippers. When I am sitting on the edge of my bed, Hannah comes in to do my hair and makeup.

“I brought some healing balm to put on your hands and injured wrist. They should be better before you leave tonight.”

I nod, holding my palms out to her. Her fingers make gentle circular movements over my skin. The minty cooling balm feels good on my scrapes. I inhale the scent of peppermint and sigh. I am already feeling better.

“I think a simple black headband to hold back your hair and natural makeup with a light pink glossy lip would look beautiful on you. Oh! We should do a few curls on the ends! Your deep auburn hair is gorgeous when it's down. It’s so long now! It already reaches down to your waist!”

We chat about our days while she does my hair and makeup. After I am beautified, she helps me with my concert gown. It was a simple deep green velvet gown with a high neckline and long slender sleeves. The tight-fitting bodice fits my curves, then flares out slightly around the hips. The back of the dress is open, leaving my back bare.

“Are you almost done? We got to go!” Maxwell calls out to us from the front door.

“Hold your horses, babes!” Hannah growls, making me chuckle. I feel my mother’s ivory pearls around my neck when she whispers in my ear. “For good luck!”

I hugged her and headed to the living room. “How do I look?” I asked in the general area, not quite sure where my brother was standing.

“You look beautiful,” he says, and I smile in the direction of his voice.

“Have fun kids! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Hannah places my walking stick in my hand before I hear her plop herself onto the oversized sofa. “No fat fluffy boys on the couch! Not til the chicken nuggets are ready!” Cerberus groans, she must be shoving him off the couch again.

“Are you sure you are going to be OK by yourself, babe? I don’t like the idea of you being alone while pregnant,” my brother says with a bit of a pout in his tone. Ever since Hannah became pregnant, he has stuck to her like glue.

“Yep! I need a break from your hovering anyway. Plus, me and this lump of fluff are going to watch movies for the majority of the night. So go, have fun! Mind-link me later. Don’t forget. I want some desserts from the dessert table. Mrs. Janice from the bakery said she made those little chocolate éclairs for the ball tonight. Stick some in your pocket for me.”

“Hannah! This tux is a rental! I can’t put food in my pockets!” Maxwell scoffed.

She snorts like a pig as she gasps for air from laughing. “I didn’t rent it you cheap-ass. I purchased it. Actually, I purchased several. You need a variety for important occasions. I also bought you some shirts and ties in different colors to go with the suits, so after all the events we go to, they are practically free.”

I knew my brother would turn a sickly shade of green when his wife spent money. “Your girl math needs some work, my love,” he says, and I giggle. I should feel bad, but I don’t. He was the CEO of one of the largest companies in the States and the head of the Rizzuto family. He has to look the part!

“Maxwell Rizzuto… You are twenty-eight years old, stop being so cheap!!” Hannah scolded.

After some argumentative words exchanged between the two about spending money unnecessarily, Maxwell finally takes my hand and leads me out of the house to his car and helps me get into the passenger seat.

“Are you ready?” he says as the sound of the engine roars to life.

I nod. “Ready as I will ever be…”