In The Shadows (Teen Wolf) (Shadow Series #1)

Chapter 28

   I hold my hands over my eyes like my dad told me to. He knocked on my door a few seconds ago and said he had a surprise for. Truth be told, I'm expecting it to have to deal with training.

  "Okay, you can look."

   I remove my hand to see my dad holding up a pale pink dress with a sweetheart neckline. "Oh, my." I reach for the dress. "You bought this for me?"

   "Well, Kate helped." Dad hands the dress over.

   "Thank you so much!" I set the dress on my bed, careful to not get it all wrinkly. I launch myself in his arm. "This is amazing. Thank you."

   Dad returns the hug. "You're still grounded, but we thought you all deserved to go and not miss this."

   I leap back, gently lifting the dress back up. "I'm going to go get ready real quick. Formal starts in thirty minutes."

+

   The gymnasium looks beautiful. Everyone who set this up did a phenomenal job. I arrived a few minutes late, but that's alright with me. Almost everyone was dancing to a song with their dates. From where I was standing on the wall, I could see all of my friends.

   Danny and his date were dancing on the dance floor, quietly chatting to themselves. Lydia is sitting down at a table with Stiles hovering above her. I remember overhearing Allison in her room on the phone earlier today saying that Stiles asked Lydia to be his date. Honestly, I think that's adorable. Stiles really likes Lydia, she just needs to realize that. Near the punch bowl, Jackson is sipping from a plastic cup while my sister pouts next to him with her arms crossed. Allison looks beyond bored.

   I miss being able to talk to Allison. I know she won't start talking to me again until I stop lying to her. I just can't do that. If she has to hate me because my lies are protecting her then, I guess, I'll have to live like this.

   "You look like you could use a dance."

   I tear my gaze away from my pouting sister to see Stiles. "Shouldn't you be dancing with Lydia? She is your date after all."

   "I will dance with her, but I felt like I should dance with you first." Stiles offers his hand out for me to take.

  I place my hand in his outstretched one. Stiles leads me out on the dance floor until we are in the of the gymnasium. I drape my arms around his neck, my mind distance. Before I left for the dance, I made sure to grab a change of clothes and my bow and hid them in my car. Allison rode with Jackson, which meant I had the car to drive myself here. Something's going to happen tonight and I want to be prepared.

   "You're not going to do anything tonight, are you?" I pause in the doorway of our front door,  one hand set on the doorknob as I look back at my dad.

   "Enjoy the dance, Clara." Dad simply replies.

   I turn my body to face him more. "I can help you."

   "This isn't your war to fight." 

   "It's not a war. Just let me help you. You need my help." I agree with him, keeping my voice steady. 

   Dad closes the distance between us, ushering me outside on the porch. "Clara, just go be a normal teenager. You don't need this kind of life."

   Funny. That's exactly how I think about Allison. 

   "Dad, I'm ready. I know I am. Just let me know when you are going to go after them."