The Alpha’s Only Daughter

Chapter 4

Layla’s POV

After getting very little sleep after the patrol, I decided to get up and get ready for the big day. The feeling I had in the woods the night before still ate at me, but I had to let it go to focus on my duties and the celebration tonight.

I first stopped to talk with Maude, our pack house coordinator to ensure that my mother’s guests all had accommodations ready for them before the party.

She assured me that everything was taken care of and that even a few guests had already arrived to get settled. I nodded in thanks and kept moving.

After breakfast and some Alpha business was taken care of in the office, I went back to my room. Nothing had changed about it in the past three years. I no longer loved the lavender faux fur blanket that I had begged for or the floral comforter set I shopped for months for or even the bean bag chair that I had before things got all messed up.

I sighed and looked around. My room was stuck in the past from when I was 15, whereas I felt like I had been catapulted into the future way too quickly. How would I bring my mate back to this room if I found one tonight? Should I wait to redecorate until after I moved into the Alpha’s quarters? Would I move into the Alpha’s quarters?

Cami, I need you. I sent out the mind-link desperate for any help.

A knock came at my door and I jumped.

Cami opened the door and peeked her head in, a wave of relief came over me.

“Lou mentioned that you may need me today. He said you looked distracted this morning after the run.” I could tell she wanted to ask about what happened during the run, but didn’t want to cross any boundaries.

I smiled at her, genuinely happy that she was there. “I can’t tell you how much I could use your help right now.”

She sat on the bed, “Tell me what you need.”

“Well, I know I need to shower and get ready for tonight, but I’m worried that maybe this room is a little too childish to bring a potential mate into?” I looked around noticing things only younger girls might have like old toys and random junk like notes passed in school that should have been in memory boxes.

Cami nodded as she looked around at the room, “Okay, you go take a shower. I’ll see what I can do while you do that and fix your hair. Then we’ll do our makeup together.”

A chuckle of relief escaped my mouth, “You’re the best friend a girl could have.”

“I know!” she smiled and winked at me as she got to work on my room.

•••

After my shower, I put curlers in my hair and blew dry them against my head. I was hoping for something nicer than my normally wavy hair. I remembered the pull I had in the forest earlier and got lost in the moment. Cami knocked on the door.

“Sorry! One minute!” I looked at my hair and it had started to frizz up a little on the curlers, so I sprayed some product on the curlers before leaving the bathroom.

I walked in and my room was different. I was not expecting a miracle, so the fact that it was not magically transformed into the perfect sanctuary did not bother me. But this was better than I could have managed.

Somehow Cami realized that my comforter was reversible and that a solid periwinkle blue was on the opposite side of the floral design. So she just flipped the comforter over. The bean bag chair was replaced by a normal navy blue lounging chair and the lavender faux fur blanket was draped across the back of it with a patterned white pillow in the seat. My various knick-knacks had been placed into a box and put at the top of my closet. My old toys had been placed into a vacuum-sealed bag and placed under the bed to be kept clean and unseen. Despite the fact that she had only had an hour and a half to get the job done, she exceeded my expectations and helped me feel like I had a more grown-up room.

“Wow, Cami,” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. I just kept looking around stunned at what she had done. Just a simple few fixes and the room was transformed before tonight.

“I was really excited to makeover your room! I couldn’t redo my room when I was younger and since I just moved in with Lou, I haven’t really had the time,” she blushed thinking about what was preoccupying her time.

Cami had lived in the pack house as an orphan. No one ever became her official guardian, but James loved her as if she were his own. Her parents had died when our pack helped a neighboring pack with an uprising when she was 10. Her living in the pack house meant she immediately became my best friend.

“I’m amazed. Not one part of me is embarrassed by this room.”

She beamed and sighed looking at her handiwork, “Thanks.” She looked back at me. “Let’s put on some makeup and then take those curlers out!”

As we put on our makeup, it felt like I was 14 again. Enjoying putting on makeup and hanging out with my best friend in the whole world. I laughed with her as I realized I put on the wrong eyeshadow entirely and that the pink I thought was nude did not go well with my fair skin and hazel green eyes. I wiped it off and thought of all the times like this I might have missed within the past three years.

Cami seemed to notice the shift in my mood, and grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “Things are about to get so much better, Layla.”

I smiled again. I put on lighter, more natural-looking smokey eye and finished up with some mascara and lipstick. I looked at myself in the mirror.

It had been a while since I had worn this much makeup. I typically went without or if we had guests and visitors, I’d stick to the basics of mascara and lipstick. I had forgotten how beautiful I could look.

Cami got to work pulling the curlers out of my hair and running a boar bristle brush through the curls to give me softer finger waves.

A knock came at my door and my mom walked in with the garment bag containing my dress. I suppose Cami had mind-linked her to bring it from the office. I looked up at Cami and smiled.

“I’m going to go get dressed now, I’ll see you at the celebration!” Cami headed out the door and I was left alone with my mother.

She looked at me and smiled, but her forehead was creased in worry, “The day has finally come.”

I nodded, “Yes, whether I like it or not.”

She blinked slowly, there was a long pause. “Would you like me to help you get into your dress?”

“Oh, um, sure,” I was surprised. I took off my bathrobe with just my small dress slip left on me. My mom took the dress out of the bag and held one sleeve open to me. I shoved my arm through and then my other arm as he helped me. I wrapped it around and tied it as it was intended and looked at myself in the full length mirror.

My mother came up behind me, held my arms and said, “You’re so beautiful. I know your dad wishes he could be there tonight.”

We both paused, the tension heavy in the air.

“He sent me with a small gift to give to you. Something he gave me when we first mated. Something that every Luna—as far as we can remember—has received once they have been mated. We both hope it will bring you good luck.” She pulled a silver hairpin in the shape of a crescent moon with a small circular ruby sitting in the curve of the moon.

“An heirloom for the future Luna of our Blood River pack.” I smiled as she placed the pin in my hair. “But be careful, there is a sharp end and this is real silver. You wouldn’t want to hurt yourself or worse,” she looked uneasy as she squeezed my shoulders again before leaving the room quietly.

I sat down as I slipped into my shoes. As I rose, I looked out the window toward the forest thinking I saw something moving.

There was nothing there.