The Alpha King's Invitation

Episode 2: Getting Ready To Leave

Raelynn’s POV

“Ok, what about this one?” Maya asked, stepping out of the changing room.

I snapped a picture then considered it, “It’s not hideous.”

“That’s good right?” Xavier muttered to Alex.

“I think you look amazing!” Owen smiled.

“That’s just cause it shows more boob than the last one.” Maya said walking over to the three mirrors to look at it from all angles.

Maya had suggested that we leave immediately for the mall and somehow Xavier, Alex and Owen ended up tagging along.

“Ray when are you trying on dresses?” Xavier smirked.

“When hell freezes over.” I said scrolling through my pictures.

“Good point Xavier,” Maya commented walking back to her changing room, “Ray, you need to try some on too.”

I turned around in my seat and started to look around the store.

“What are you doing?” Owen asked, concern on his face.

“Looking for the flying pigs. Cause that’s the only way I’d try on dresses.”

Alex started laughing but Xavier’s face was uncharacteristically serious. “There’s a ball remember, you have to have a dress.”

I turned around with my eyebrow raised but he continued, “Forget about me, it’s for the face of the pack. Imagine showing up in what you’re wearing to a ball.”

As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. I guess getting one dress wouldn’t be all that bad.

I sighed, “You change and I’ll go look at dresses. Call me when you come out in the next one.”

“I wanna go too.” Maya whined.

“You have like a dozen more to try on. I’ll grab a few I don’t hate and I’ll come back.” I shrugged.

“I’ll come with you.” Xavier said standing up.

I groaned internally and walked over to the evening dresses with Xavier on my heels.

I decided to start with a color. I headed for the purple section and started to check them out.

“So do you want to be a princess with lots of poof?” Xavier asked coming up behind me, “Or do you want to be elegant and sophisticated?”

“Do you want to have pups or do you want to be a seedless watermelon?” I countered his teasing with a warning.

He took a step to the left and started going through the pinks. “It’s a valid question though.” He continued, “I’d say something with a little poof but mostly elegant. So I’ll stay away from the tule.”

I considered his question. I didn’t want to disappoint the pack and possibly my mate, but I don’t think that I could handle dancing in a hot and heavy dress.

I made it through most of the purple when something caught my eye. White lace flowers on lavender tule. I moved so I was between Xavier and the dress to look at it better. It was pretty, flowers, leaves, and branches made of lace were covering a slightly see-through bust and branches were creeping their ways down into the tule skirt.

I took it off the rack and kept looking. I picked a couple of different ones; a pink satin off shoulder long dress, a dark red spaghetti strap sequin dress with a slit that would go all the way to my hip, and a long sleeve emerald green beaded top that ‘poofed’ out at the hip. They were all ok but nothing really made me fall in love.

Xavier was still looking when I went to ask for a changing room.

When I turned the corner both I and the attendant gasped. Maya was standing in front of the mirrors crying. Owen was trying to calm her down by holding her and shushing her but she was silently balling.

“Babe what happened?” I asked tossing the dresses into the attendant’s arms as I ran to her.

“Th-this is it.” She said through her tears.

It was about the dress? I took a step back and bit my lip. She looked like a princess. The dress was red with lace along the bust and down the front. Red flowers lined the sweetheart’s neckline and over the shoulders. The skirt was simple but had gold lace embroidered into the hem. But on top of that were ruffles off to the side that made her hips pop. It almost looked like you could take them off if you could find out how.

This dress wasn’t built for a princess. It was built for a queen. I started to feel a little teary-eyed myself. “Yeah. This is your dress.”

She wiped her tears with her hands and wiped them off on Owen’s shirt. “I’m gonna go change. I can’t wait to see yours.”

“Don’t expect me to cry.” I chuckled and followed her to my changing room.

I tried on the dresses but I didn’t feel like I’d found the fabled ‘one’.

“Hey Raelynn,” Xavier’s voice called from the other side of the door, “I have a dress I want you to try on. I’ll just hand it through the door. I won’t peak, promise.”

I covered myself with the dress I hadn’t taken off completely and opened the door a smidge. True to his word he didn’t try and peak, he really did just hand the dress to me then closed the door.

I hung the dress up and looked it over then felt a small warmth in my heart. This dress was beautiful. It was a strapless sweetheart white dress with gold elegant and intricate embroidery. It wasn’t as flashy as Maya’s but I liked it. I hurried to put it on.

When I opened the door Maya’s hands went to cover her mouth as she gasped. “Oh my goddess.”

“Ray….” Owen breathed, seemingly stunned.

“I may just be a guy but I think that’s the one.” Alex said his eyes flashing to black and back to it’s usual brown.

I smiled widely as I looked at Xavier. He had a soft smile on his face and his eyes too kept switching from black and back. He cleared his throat and crossed his legs. “Yea. You look beautiful.”

I smiled wider knowing he was sincere. And I had Maya take a picture so I could send it to Eve.

At the end of our shopping trip, we had way too much stuff. In the end not only was I forced to buy two dresses, Eve said I needed a backup. But we also had to buy swimwear, winter wear, evening wear, and cute casual wear. Whatever that means.

The second dress both I and Maya got was the same style; an off-the-shoulder, sweetheart neckline, satin, floor-length dress with a beaded sash around the waist. It was low so it showed a lot of cleavage and there was almost zero back to it. I chose champaign gold while Maya settled on a soft pink.

Of course, we weren’t the only ones going. So we had to stop to get the boys new suits. I may or may not have had a moment of weakness when I got turned on by Xavier and Alex in suits.

Then Maya made Owen and Alex wait outside while she dragged me into Victoria Secret. Xavier had no problem just walking in with us and giving his few cents when Maya talked about what we’d wear for our ‘first night’ with our mate.

We swung by In-N-Out on our way home. I was so tired I didn’t even say anything when Xavier made a jab that I was basically cuddling with him in the back seat.

Owen dropped off Maya then took me home. Xavier and Alex asked if they could crash on the couch when we fell through the door. I threw my bags onto the floor and curled up on the couch ready to eat and go to bed.

I moaned and snuggled deeper into my solid pillow. It was warm, comforting, and smelled like the forest. When I tried to move I felt a arm pull me closer.

My eyes flashed open and I was met with the smiling face of Xavier. I pushed off him and he let me go. We were on the couch, me laying on top of him, all my clothes where they were supposed to be. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Lay down, you can get some more sleep if you want.” he said his voice gruff with it’s first use.

I rubbed my eyes, still tired “What time is it?”

Xavier looked at my wrist, “looks like 4:40”

I stretched and yawned. “I think I will get some more sleep in my own bed.”

He chuckled, “I could join you.”

“I may be half asleep but I’m not crazy.”

He nodded, “Well I’ve gotta go to the bathroom anyway, I’ll walk you there.”

I glare at him, my eyes wanting to close “You won’t be able to force your way in.”

He chuckled, “I’m sure I could but I’m not that kind of a guy. If I do have s*x, it’s totally consensual with both party’s enthusiastic participation.”

I groaned, “Don’t use big words this early in the morning.”

We walked up the stairs and to my room. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure” I yawned.

“Why don’t you like me?” He asked.

I turned around, “I do like you. I’m just not gonna sleep with you.”

“You just kinda did but that’s besides the point.” he grinned.

I rolled my eyes, “I’m not interested in becoming another of your hit it and quit it girls.”

“But you sleep with Alex.”

I woke up a little at that, “How do you know that?”

He shrugged, “Doesn’t matter. But you do, why not me?”

I eyed him but decided to answer him. “I have s*x with Alex to meet my needs. I know he’s not out seducing other women and I’m not interested in having anyone else.”

“So you guys are like together but without the relationship part?”

“Yep.” I said opening my door. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Why me? Why are you interested in me?”

He didn’t speak for a minute before shrugging, “Who wouldn’t be interested in you?” Then he walked over to the bathroom.

I closed my bedroom door and fell onto my bed. That was weird, even for Xavier.

The next two in a half days were a blur.

Eve was frantically making sure I had all my clothes, jewelry and shoes. She bought me new makeup and bought Owen and I new suitcases.

Owen was jealous that I was getting all the attention. He should be used to it by now, I am younger and prettier. Maya turned eighteen two days before the trip.

Maya came over to get her present and have cake with us. To Owen's surprise Maya wasn't his mate. He was let down but I consoled him that he was going on a week long trip to find his mate.

I didn't feel anything when I turned 18 the day of the trip. I didn't feel any kind of a pull or smell any particular scents.

Maya was waiting anxiously with her backpack when I arrived.

Eve made a fuss cause she thought we were late and took our suitcases to the bus for us. I had wondered briefly why Eve wasn’t coming too, she was twenty-eight and hadn’t found her mate yet. But when I mentioned it to her over the last few days, she’d said that the trip was for young kids like me and my friends.

Owen made his way over to his friends which included Alex and Xavier.

No pull from either of them.

"You haven't felt anything right?" Maya asked, shuffling from foot to foot.

"Nope. You?"

She shook her head, "Guess what?" I shrugged. "Rebecca found her mate this morning. It was Rick."

I gasped. "I don't know who Rick is but really?" Rebecca had found her mate on the day of the big trip?

"Yea and get this. When Alpha found out as he dropped Xavier off he said they couldn't go anymore. She threw a huge fit and threatened to reject him so she could go and find a second chance mate."

My eyes widened in shock. Second chance mates were not a guarantee, and when they did happen, they were rare. “What happened after that?”

She shrugged, “Rick said they could still go on a trip. I think he took her home or something cause they left together.”

I sighed, “Well at least we don’t have to deal with her this week.”

“Yeah.” she said playing with her fingernails.

“What’s up with you?” I asked grabbing her hand. I could feel her handshaking.

“I…. I had this dream last night.” Even her voice was shaking. “I had a dream that was the moon goddess telling me that I wasn’t coming back to our pack.”

I was taken aback. “The moon goddess…. What?”

She took a breath to steady herself, “I had a dream about the moon goddess. She was beautiful. She told me that I’m special and that when I return home, I won’t be staying.”

“Like you have a mate in a different pack?” I asked.

She nodded, “And if her tone was any indicator, I think I’m mated to an Alpha.”

“Really?” Xavier said putting his arm around her shoulder.

Maya jumped and pushed him.

“X, stop.” I glared, “Can’t you see she’s a wreck?”

“About what?” Owen asked.

“A dream.” She said softly.

“She spoke with the moon goddess.” I whispered to them.

Owen raised his eyebrow but Xavier gasped and then pulled Maya into a hug. “What’d she say?”

“Apparently that she has a mate in another pack and won’t be coming back here.”

“Not to stay anyway. I’ll still have to come home to pack and introduce him to my parents.” she sighed.

“But that’s a good thing though isn’t it?” I asked, “You’ll have your mate. Then you can start your family and future.”

“Is that why you’re dressed different?” Owen questioned.

“What do you mean?” She asked surprised.

“You’re more…. Conservative.” He noted.

I looked Maya over and noticed he was right. She was in a plain white v-neck with a long sleeveless black cardigan, dark denim mini skirt and her pink cherry blossom Uggs.

“You look nice.” Owen said hastily, “It’s just different.”

She bit her lip, “I guess I am. I repacked all my stuff. To know I have a high-ranking mate at this gathering. I guess I wanted to dress more for his tastes.”

I could tell that it weighed on her mind, she’d always been a carefree person who laughed easily and did embarrassing things. I can tell how a high-ranking mate would intimidate her.

“Well, you better let me borrow that bright pink faux fur outfit.” I joked.

“Yeah, she could use some color.” Xavier laughed.

“I don’t think I brought it. But I’m sure we can find something.” She chuckled.

Maya was a little more cheerful as we waited for the bus I noticed that Alex was keeping his distance and shooting daggers at Xavier when he wasn’t looking. I wondered what could have happened? Alex and Xavier were never close friends, but as the future Alpha and Gamma, they had to at least tolerate each other. What could have soured their amicable relationship?

When we boarded the bus I took a window seat and was immediately followed in by Xavier.

“What the-”

He put his hand over my mouth, “I think Owen can keep her company for the ride.”

I rolled my eyes and moved his hand. “What’s your angle now?”

He chuckled, “What angle? Can’t I just sit with you for eight in-a-half hours? Who knows, you might not be coming home after this either.”

I shrugged, “Well the moon goddess didn’t tell me that I would find my mate so who knows.”

He nodded, “I wonder if I don’t find my mate on the trip if I’ll have to pick a chosen mate.”

I looked at him and for the first time I thought about what it would mean to be a future alpha without a mate.