Dark Solstice

6. Red Dress

Sadie returned home from school a few hours later, dragging her feet as though it had been the most exhausting day of her life. She looked worn, her arms and legs covered in bruises as she stripped off her tank top and exchanged training pants for shorts. Flopping down on her bed, she rested her arm over her eyes and groaned.

"What is it?"

She sighed. "There's a party tonight."

"A party?"
"A gala, at the Alpha's estate."

I almost spat out my water. "The Alpha's estate."

"He runs a business in the human world so that he doesn't have to slum it in a three-bedroom house like the rest of us." She huffed, then headed for the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. Make sure to put on something nice. This is a really formal event."

"Why am I just hearing about it now?"
She paused. "Because I forgot until now."

"Right. Have a good shower."

Sadie sent me an apologetic grin, before ducking into the bathroom. Shoving myself off my bed, I went to our shared closet and starting thumbing through my clothes. I frowned. Everything I'd had from my previous life, a life spent on the battle field with my parents, was practical. Instead, I turned to Sadie's side. My eye quickly caught on a silky, sleeveless red dress. On her it would be too short for a formal event, but it would hit me below the knees—perfect. Silently praising my cousin for her good fashion sense, I plucked the dress from the closet and quickly slipped it on, staring at myself in the mirror.

I looked good. A little bit of mascara and lip gloss would help brighten up my pale face, and I needed to brush through my hair, which was now just a mess of dark curls.

Sadie then stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. "Wow."
"Does this work?"
"It works for you really well." She headed for her closet and picked out a black, form-fitting gown. "This is my go-to."

"Wow yourself." I sat down at the vanity, starting to attempt a face of makeup. Normally I only wore a bit, though I suspected for a night like this, I was going to need to put in more effort than usual.

"You know," Sadie said, "I forgot to tell you this, Olivia, but you need to be careful."

"Careful?"
She nodded. "Lycans are much more...forward than humans. Especially when it comes to sex."

I held up a hand. "Sades. Please, I'm begging you, stop there. I'm not going to sleep with anyone."

"You say that now—"

"I swear." I pressed my hand to my chest. "I will reserve this conversation until I am seriously considering a relationship of any kind."

A smile pulled at her features. "Until?"
"You know what I mean."

"There's something you're not telling me."

"Yes, and it's that I'm going to be really pissed off at you if you don't stop talking about how you think I'm gullible enough to fall for a lycan male's wiles."

"Fine." She held up her hands in surrender, then strode across the room, swishing her gown as she plucked a lipstick from the vanity. "But just so you know, the Alpha loves his females in red."

~AUTHOR'S NOTE~

Hmm...I wonder who they're going to run into at the party? 

What might happen?

You'll have to wait and see...

Until next time!

-Lola