Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 52

I sat on the edge of my bed, kicking my legs mindlessly as I allowed myself to get lost in thought. It had been a days since Zion's strange visit, and today was the day I would be choosing my dress with Raina. I knew I should be excited about such an event, but I couldn't get Zion's encounter out of my head.

Was I really in danger? But if I was, why wouldn't he tell me what the danger was? Maybe he had misinterpreted something he'd overheard, or maybe he'd put something together that in his mind added up but, in reality, meant nothing. Then again, I couldn't get his desperate look out of my head, the way his large eyes pleaded with mine to listen. 

I shook off the odd dread that settled in my gut. I wasn't in danger, and my assumptions were probably correct. Zion was probably stressed like I was, and if I knew anything about stress, it gave one the tendency to overthink. I smirked. We're the same in that regard. Besides, it was a stressful time, after all, as Azriel had never had a mate in his three-hundred and fifty years of existence aside from me. This was a massive deal. 

A knock sounded at the door, quickly followed by a low creak as it was pushed open. I raised my brows at Raina, who of which was slipping by the frame with a silken package in her arms. 

"When you knock, I believe it's courtesy for you to awair my permission to come in," I drawled. She gave me a wry smile.

"Well, I'm just using the last of my 'friend' privilege before you become Luna," she said back with equal amusement. "After all, I won't exactly be allowed to barge into the Alpha's quarters, will I? Yours is free game."

I felt myself blush as butterflies flitted in my stomach. I often forgot that becoming Luna would mean I would be staying in his quarters. The thought filled me with as much excitement as it did dread. 

I looked up, Raina's coy smile telling me she'd seen my reaction. With a sigh, I slipped out of the bed and eyed the silken bundle in her hands. "Are those the dresses?'

Her grin widened. "Yes!" She squeaked, skipping over to lay down the white silk package. She carefully peeled away the white edges, and I found myself watching with equal eagerness. She squealed as she got the last of the silk coating off, leaving an array of dresses left out in its wake.

"Look at these!" she said, laying each one out on the bed. I felt my eyes widen as they darted over each and every one. They looked gorgeous, and, if I weren't mistaken, they seemed to glow.

"Why are they glowing?" I asked, astonished. She gave me a smug look, one that reminded me that, though I'm becoming Luna, I still have much to learn about the werewolf world.

"Moonthread," she said simply. "Some of the spiders in this forest are able to weave the webs with it. It's something we can harvest to use as material, too."

I raised my brows. "You're telling me there's other magical creatures?"

She gave me an exasperated look, though there was a hint of amusement on her face. "Yes, us werewolves are not the only being susceptible to Lunar Magic. You see that rug over there?" She pointed towards the white faux fur rug on the floor, and my eyes followed. "That comes from the fur of a Hoovhare. Softest fur you'll ever find."

"And humans don't know about these creatures?" I asked her skeptically. 

"Nope," she said simply. "They're smart enough to stay within the border... if they know what's good for them," she added with a wink. I rolled my eyes, smirking at the idea of other creatures with susceptibility to Lunar Magic. I personally couldn't envision a spider using magic, but anyway. 

"Enough of that," she began, her eyes widening as they landed on the dresses. "Just look at how gorgeous these are!"

She lifted a baby-blue dress, its silken edges gleaming in the dim room. "Let's try this one first!"

Carefully, she wandered over to me and handed me the dress. I gasped at how silken it felt in my arms, as though I were holding threads of water. Raina smirked at my reaction. "Moonthread, best on the market," she muttered, motioning me to try it on.

After a few minutes of fiddling with the material and Raina's endless fussing, we'd finally gotten the dress on me. Raina rushed to get my mirror and hold it up before me, and I let out a soft gasp. 

The dress was gorgeous. Its satin material glowed along my body, hugging my curves and hiding my imperfections. A large V-neck dipped down into my cleavage, something that made me blush because I wasn't used to revealing clothing. Its long sleeves crawled along my arms, lace cuffing the ends. 

Raina looked at me expectantly. It was gorgeous, and it fitted me well, but...

"It's not really my style," I said, examining the lace. "It's gorgeous and I love it, but I feel like it's not really... me, you know?"

Raina nodded, understanding. "That's okay. I bought ten other dresses here for a reason."

After more minutes of hassle, we finally peeled the dress off my back and moved on to the next. Each dress I tried on was gorgeous, glowing, and lovely, but none of them felt... me. I could feel Raina growing skeptical as I continued to reject them, and once we reached the final dress, one made from silver fabric and white accents, she looked on the verge of giving up. 

"You're going to have to pick at least one of these. You know that, right?" She muttered, handing me the dress. I rolled my eyes.

"I know that, but I need to find the one that suits me best. This is my big day, and I need to look as lovely as I can," I explained. Raina rolled her eyes.

"That purple one we tried looked lovely. You're just too picky too see it," she said with a snort. I shot her a coy look.

"Where's the quiet Raina gone? I miss her."

"Dead," she replied simply, shrugging. "Sorry to trick you with that shy facade, but you're not the first one that's been fooled. Once you get past shy girl, she becomes an insufferable piece of work, and there's nothing you can do to reverse that."

I barked a laugh. "True that is," I said, my heart twisting for a moment as I thought back to Alia. It was the same case with her, too. Well, not the insufferable part, but still. 

"Well what are you waiting for?" She huffed, not noticing my moment of reflection. "Put it on! I want to see you in silver!"

Rolling my eyes, I did as I she said. I watched her eyes widen as I slipped into it, her mouth parting slightly. I snorted at her reaction. "What's up with you?" I teased as I finally got it on. "You're gawking at me as though I just changed shape--"

She trusted the mirror before me, and I promptly fell silent. I had no words for the sight before me, but all I could think of was one word: perfect.

The silver material of the dress hugged my curves, bringing out the curvature of my figure which I had never even noticed before. It looked as though my skin itself had turned into pure silver, glowing and gleaming. My eyes traveled upwards, where lace formed a V between my neck and my cleavage -- its pearls and sequins glittering in the light. The dress flowed at the bottom like a silver trumpet, its silver trailing behind me like liquid quicksilver.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, giving Raina a wide-eyed look. Slowly, I grinned, feeling my excitement rise over the shock. "It's-- it's perfect!"

Her grin chased mine. I hugged her like an excited idiot, bouncing up and down on my toes. "Raina, you're a legend! Thank you!"

Raina giggled at my strange use of human dialect, but hugged me back all the same. In my silver trumpet dress, with the notion of becoming luna hanging over my head, I allowed myself to enjoy this little moment of reprieve. A moment that I may never get to feel again, after everything is over and done with. 

I pulled back, giving Raina my best, queen-like smile. She grinned back. 

"You'll make a great, Luna," she whispered, pulling away. "I'm so proud of you, Kyra. More than you know."