Alpha Rising

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I had only managed to steal a few hours of sleep before Nikolai and I had to leave Trevor and Sheena back in the hospital. The two of us and Phillip had to make our way back to the pack house before the long drive down to Black Opal for the celebration with my parents. Thankfully I was able to sleep the whole way home. So by the time the black SUV pulled into the drive of my former pack house, flanked on both sides by two of Black Opal’s sentinels, I felt at least a little bit rested. 

Nikolai and I were in the first car of a caravan of four. In the second car traveled Nadine, Irena, and her personal assistant. The remaining two were simply filled with a few other fighters and guards to keep us protected. While we were away, Phillip was in charge of keeping the house in order and issuing the patrols. Nikolai was worried, but I had faith in the young wolf. 

As we neared my home, I could feel myself buzzing with growing anticipation. I reached up to run my thumb over the crescent moon pendant that now hung from my neck, wondering what Mom and Dad had planned for us. 

I didn’t have to wonder for long, though. Because once my door was opened for me, I could hear the music coming from the large training field. It was still early afternoon now, but even still I could see the pulsing and rotating lights coming from the- “Holy s**t,” I muttered to myself, hearing the car door shut behind me as Nikolai moved to join me. “Is that a stage?”

Nikolai crossed his arms over his chest and c****d his head to one side, just watching the wonder on my face. “I told you we were going to celebrate,” he said, reaching down to put a hand on my shoulder. 

My ears perked up as I heard the high squealing of a she-wolf approaching at break-neck speed. My younger sister Cecilia came barreling across the yard towards me and nearly tackled me into the ground with the strength of her embrace. “Vira!” She screamed, spinning me around before we both caught purchase on the dirt. I didn’t realize how much she would have missed me. Being sixteen years old, she was often far too wrapped up in her own world to notice when Alban and I were around. 

“Aha hey, Cecilia,” I said pressing a warm kiss to her cheek. “What even is all of this?” I asked her once we broke from the tight hug. As I motioned around with my free arm, keeping my right firmly wrapped over my little sister’s shoulders, I couldn’t help but shake my head. “This is…”

“Killer, right?!” Cecilia squealed. “Dad let me plan it!” Her slender face was bright and wide with a proud grin. I could see in her bright eyes that she really had gone all out on the ideas for tonight, and I couldn’t be more touched. But Cecilia looked up at Nikolai and tucked one of her braids behind her ear. “Nikolai helped with some of it too,” she added.

My eyes flicked up to my Mate’s and he just kept smirking over at me. I wasn’t surprised. This had to have been part of what he was hiding this past week. Inwardly, I felt a bit ashamed at having doubted him. Thankfully he didn’t need to know that just yet. While I was thinking and watching, Cecilia gripped me firmly by the wrist and started tugging me towards the field. 

“C’mon!” She said excitedly. “We have to get you changed!”

I looked down at my simple black dress and then up at Nikolai, who was just as confused as I was. “Go ahead,” Nikolai laughed. “I have to help Mother to the tents.”

With that, Cecilia squealed again and started to move faster She pulled me closer to the large stage that was set up on the field. On it, I could already see a DJ running through a microphone check while a few young women were busy setting up a row of bright disco lights. To one side of the large space was a series of catering tents, already filled with staff running back and forth between spaces and setting up what smelled like a fantastic buffet. 

“What are you planning?” I said brightly through huffed breaths as I was led at a breakneck speed through the party space. Cecilia always had a good sense of style but was concerned at what she might try to put me in for this big shindig. 

Eventually, we came to the back door of the pack house. Through the open door, I could hear Jacob babbling in all of his ten-year-old glory while he scuttled on behind Mom. The pair saw me and stopped. Jacob’s little eyes brightened and he bolted at my legs to throw his arms around my waist. “Oh my god, Jay!” I said reaching down and scooping him up. “You got so tall!” I kissed his cheeks despite the slight struggle, playing into his laughter by blowing a lour raspberry on his cheek. “Hi Mom,” I said as I let Jacob down to resume his laps around the main hall.

“Happy birthday, dear,” Mom said sweetly to me. She came in to press a kiss to both of my cheeks and stood back to hold me at arm’s length while she took a good look at me. “Good,” she said with a sigh. “No new scars.”

I heard Cecilia scoff behind me, barely stifling a laugh. “She’s probably been too busy to fight,” Cecilia said with a grin. Mom had been trying for years to get me to take it easy on my training when I lived at home. Who knew that all they needed to do was find me a mate in a different pack.

“Oh hush you,” Mom said, lightly tapping my sister on her arm. “Have you given her the dress yet?” Mom asked, turning back to the loud conversation rolling out from the kitchen. “Alban is getting changed too,” she added. “I think your Father is hoping to get dinner started in two hours or so.”

Cecilia and I shared a look. Mom was always like this with large events. She was always so focused on the event that she rarely took a moment to relax. ‘Nikolai,’ I reached out to my mate through our mind link. ‘Will you send Nadine in to give my mom a hand?’

‘Of course, my love. Right away.’

“Mom,” I said reaching out to hold her hand. “My assistant Nadine is coming in. Let her help you, and go make yourself a drink.”

My mother looked confused for a moment before the realization sank in. Then, the shift faded into pride. It almost looked like there were tears wellington up in her eyes, but I didn’t have time to look too hard. Cecilia was already pulling me along back up the stairs to my old room. Not a thing had changed in the near month that I’d been gone. And for that, I was incredibly grateful. It was soothing to walk back into my safe space.

Laying on my bed was a light grey dress bag, flat and sealed up. Cecilia was practically vibrating she was bouncing on the balls of her feet so quickly. “Open it up,” she urged, pushing me closer to it. 

As if I ever had a choice, I laughed and rolled my eyes, taking the bag from my bed and unzipping it. The material revealed glimmered in the light, and my eyes widened at the beautiful emerald color. I pulled out of the dress bag a mini-length emerald green dress, dotted with rhinestones like stars, fading to a darker almost black hem. 

“It’s so shiny,” I said, my fingers ghosting over the raised bumps of the crystals. Draped over the hanger was a pair of fishnets complete with occasional crystals affixed to the netting. I was going to glimmer like a disco ball.

A glance over at Cecilia showed me just how proud of herself she was. “Well,” she prompted. “Go on then.” My sister was gesturing towards my bathroom, and I had nothing left but to go and change into the dress. 

There was no zipper, it just slid on over my shoulders. The dress was lined with silk, and it hugged my skin with such a buttery softness that I felt like I could sleep in it. Before revealing the dress, I slipped on the only pair of black heels I owned. They were pumps that pushed me to nearly six feet tall, and I felt like I could crust the world under foot. 

When the bathroom door swung open, Cecilia was already staring at me with a hyper focus, waiting to see her choice in action. Her slackened expression said it all as she jumped to her feet with her hands clasped to her lips. “Oh my god, Vi,” she said, jumping up and down with excitement. 

And once I looked in my floor-length mirror, I could see why. I barely recognized myself. The dress hugged my curves just enough with a small slit on my left thigh for movement. The shimmering fishnets let my legs literally shine, but the sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps of the club dress also accentuated my ample chest and toned shoulders. 

“Cici, You’ve outdone yourself,” I said as she held my side and let her head rest on my shoulder. “Where did you even find stockings like this?” I asked, plucking at one of the netted strings of the fishnets. 

My sister pulled back and winked. I had this sinking feeling that she hadn’t been acting alone in this endeavor. Especially considering how well the dress made the deep purple of my new pendant pop in comparison. “This is going to be the best night,” she said. 

I turned once again to the mirror, smiling as I adjusted my brown curls with my free hand, admiring myself for the first time in weeks. “Yeah,” I agreed. “I think it will.”