I didn't dare look at the dress that is laying on my bed still inside the garment bag. I want it to be a surprise until the very end. Mimi already agreed to come and do my hair and makeup, so I'll let her peek at the color, so she knows what she's working with. Other than that, she's got to wait to see the dress as well.
Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a towel around me and stand in front of the vanity. Using my hand, I swipe at the mirror, leaving a clear streak to see myself through. As I look into the baby blue eyes that are identical to what my mothers were, I can't help but tear up. Three years ago. I was celebrating with my family. Now, I'm celebrating with a new family because mine was torn from me. I wish I knew what advice my mother would give me if she was here with me now. Turning eighteen as a she-wolf is supposed to be a huge deal, and yet, I feel no excitement. I take that back, I'm excited to be wearing a new dress and getting myself dolled-up to go spend time with my favorite people
Looking more closely at myself in the mirror, I notice that my arms and shoulders are more toned, and I can see muscle where it was once just skin and bones. You see, for the last six months, I've been training with the others. Declan didn't want me anywhere near the training field at first. I had to beg and plead for him to let me train. He finally gave in, but only with a personal trainer at first. For the last month, though, I've been training alongside all his other warriors. Why, you ask? Because one day, I'm going to come face-to-face with the Alpha of the Silver Moon pack, and I am going to kill him, it's that simple. Of course, I would never reveal that to Declan, or anybody here for that matter. The Alpha's death is mine and mine alone.
"What the hell, Ember, did you fall in or what?" Mimi yells through the door to the ensuite.
"Don't get your panties in a bunch!" i holler back.
"Ha, jokes on you! I'm not wearing any panties!" She laughs from the other side.
I fling the door open, "Seriously, TMI, Mimi!" I look my friend up and down. She's looking super cute in her mid-thigh, body-hugging purple dress. She definitely made the right decision in not wearing panties.
"You likey?" Mimi smiles and does a slow spin.
I must laugh. "Yes, I likey. I won't be the one getting hit up because they have mistaken me as a ***."
"Hey!" Mimi inspects herself in my full-length mirror, "I can at least pass as a high-end escort!" We both burst out laughing, because we know that she is completely serious when she makes that statement.
"Okay, can we please get me ready, preferably not ***-like?" I wink at her.
"No way, it may be your birthday, but I'm the one that's needing a ***-up! You can't look better than me." Yeah, my bestie is far from being a virgin, unlike me. Even though she's dying to meet her mate, she doesn't believe that we should have to wait and only have sex with one person our whole lives. Me, on the other hand, I'm not in a hurry to meet my mate, but I am saving myself for them.
Rolling my eyes, I take a seat in the chair to my vanity, so Mimi can begin her masterpiece. I love dressing up and putting on makeup as much as the next girl, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to put any of it on my face, hence why my best friend is doing it. She loves doing this stuff, though, and I want to help her open her own salon once she graduates beauty school. The closest salon is over in the human territory, thirty minutes away.
She somehow made it so my baby blue eyes pop with all natural and shimmery shadows, some mascara, a dusting of blush and nude lip gloss. My hair is swept up in a comb on one side and drapes over my other shoulder in waves. Now all we need is the dress reveal. Hanging the bag up on a ***, I unzip it and pull out one of the most gorgeous dresses that I've ever seen. It also causes me to blush just a tad.,
"Well ***," Mimi places her hands on her hips, "Guess I'll be going home alone tonight."
"Oh stop!" i chuckle, taking the dress with me into the bathroom. First thing I say when I come out wearing the dress is, "I cannot go out wearing this!"
"Holy ***, Ember, you're hotter than ***!" My best friend exclaims.
"Oh gee, it takes a barely there dress for you to tell me that I'm hot?" I shake my head.
"Well, no, but seriously, you have to wear this dress!" Mimi just gawks at me as I twist myself back and forth trying to see myself in every angle.
"I can't believe that Amelia picked this dress out." I stand there, staring at myself. The dress is gorgeous, but I feel more naked than anything. It's an off-white dress but there's a golden shimmery, sheer material over it, like chiffon or something, and the top has a plunging neckline all the way to my waist. The rest of it fits like a glove and ends mid-thigh. My back is completely bare. I am so glad that I have been training because my back looks so awesome in this dress.
Mimi comes out of my closet with a pair of glittery gold strappy heels and holds them out to me, "These are perfect for that dress."
I take the shoes from her and put them on one at a time. When I glance at myself, I have to say that Mimi was right, I am hotter than ***. My calf muscles are pronounced with the heels while the rest of my legs look long and toned. The dress gives my skin the look of being golden brown, but that could be how it normally looks but I never notice it.
My phone pings and Mimi grabs it, "Alpha wants you to meet him in his office before you go downstairs."
"Oh." I. pluck my phone from her hands. "I didn't realize that your name is Ember." 1 chuckle and shake my head. I grab a clutch that Mimi also found for me and head towards the door. "You better go make sure that your brother is ready, because I don't want to be late because he can't decide which watch to wear with his shoes again!"
Mimi laughs, "Like brother, like sister!" She laughs and heads for her brother's quarters while I head down to the second floor where Declan's office is.
After doing my knock, I open the door and peek my head in, "Hello, Declan, are you in here?"
"Yeah, over here."
I still don't see him, so I walk in and close the door behind me. As I get closer to the desk, Declan pops up and scares the ***out of me, "What the hell, Alpha!" My hand to my chest, I take a moment to settle myself.
"I'm sorry, I was grabbing stuff from the safe." He says softly, and that's when I notice the way he is looking at me.
I do a little spin, "Do you like?" I smile.
"Uh, um yeah, you look very beautiful," his eyes roam up and down my body, "My mom bought you that dress?"
I chuckle, "It's the one that was on my bed."
"Hm, she's got good taste." He praises.