Chapter 25
EMMA
“Thus too” Banca slams yet another dress on my chest, showing me in the mirrors direction, and I whine as I stand before it, my reflection staring back at me. “What again do I need all these dresses for I thought we were just getting one for tonight?”
Her eyes are on the dress glued to my chest as the speaks. “Wrong, I’ll make sure this isn’t the last you go to. Besides, occasions might come up where you’ll need them. Do you intend on wearing those baggy shirts and pants of yours!”
I shake my head, a laugh leaving my throat. “What occasion!
She shrugs as she moves to my other end, fixing the edge of the dress to my body. “There are many. I guess, and there’s the Lunar Gala
“Tis not righteen yet.” I tell her and she smiles as she comes up again. “Hut you’ll be soon. Even if there aren’t many necasions, you can wear your dresses around the pack house.”
I stare at her as her gaze moves to my side, also fixing the dress there before she lifts her head.
“You’re eighteen, right?”
The recent transformation should give it away, no?”
I nod and wet my lips. “So um are you looking forward to the you know–how do you feel about.”
“Finding my mate?” Banca finishes for me when the words hang in my throat and i hum. She shrugs as she pulls the dress from my chest. “I don’t know I guess I haven’t thought about it and it’s still months away so I don’t feel the excitement yet. Why are you curious? Eager to find yours!”
I chortle at the raise of her brow and the narrowed eyes. “No. I think very little about it.”
- ty. Just live in the moment and deal with what comes afterward, yeaht Now go try this on while I go check for more dresses.”
“More” Thite as she pushes me toward the changing room and she beams. “Don’t think about it. Just go try this one I think it’ll look fantastic on
I let out a sigh and take the drew from her. “No more after the next,” I say with a warning edge to my voice, but Bianca doesn’t take it seriously and merely nods unconvincingly as she pats my back before she walks:
away.
1 shake my head as 1 watch her go, my lips curling at the enthusiasm and excitement at which her eyes wander each dress she walks past.
1 flinch when someone steps out of the changing room just as I turn back. “Oh, sorry. I wasn’t” The rest of my words don’t leave my mouth when our eyes meet and I loosen my smile “Oh. It’s you”
“H” Volet responds as she steps back. “Trying on a dress?
“Why else would I be here? I don’t try to be nice and she doesn’t seem much bothered by it either. “It looks pretty”
I don’t say a word as I move to walk into the clunging room, but Violer’s
hand
rops on my arm, stopping me.
I turn to her and there’s this sofiness I haven’t seen in her eyes for a while as she says, “Are you okay? You Haven’t been in school and you look-
“Why are you keeping tabs on me?”
She furrows a brow. “What?”
We agreed to be strangers, didn’t we? I do not know you and you do not know me, so why exactly are you looking out for someone you don’t
Her hand drops from my arm and she slides it down her side anxiously. “Oh, I just thought. I just wanted to.”
“Don’t Whatever But it, I don’t want it.” I don’t give her a chance to react before I enter the changing room, drawing the curtain with more force than neemary. I know the remains in her spot through the tiny space by the side of the entrance. My breathing calms anil the irritation I feel starts
Mayter I shouldn’t have been as harsh
d what she dat
I’m not the guilty one here. I’m simply continuing what she started and I haven’t even done hall of
“You don’t get to brat me on this, consciousness,” I mumble as I slam my dress on the table before standing before the mirror. I remove the clothes
If the dress
my head and unmatch my hands down my sides before staring into the mirror And goddess. I’m knocked out of breath by my
Chapter 23
It’s rare to have this feeling, but 1 look so beautiful. The dress does, it’s a black ruffle, trim, strapless dress that fas me so perfectly, accrimi curves and waist in a way I like.
A smile is on my face as I push my curls to the front and tum on my side. The back is just as gorgeous as the front and somehom, this drevomuker my ass look biceer & giggle leaves my mouth as I turn to my front again. I move my hair hack anndalo a twirl, a sense of satisfaction billing nic
Bianca truly does know how to pick them. I wear this tonight
As I stare into the mirror, for the first time in the past few days. I feel free again.
-NIGHTFALL
“This place is different,” I tell Bianca as I climb out of the car and she gods. “Yale. Novel experience, Holdyou”
THE
Elijah comes next to me and opens his arm. “Shall we, Milady” I slap
“Tonight, we have fun. YOU have fun. You’ll let loose and you’ll capture everyone’s attention. You’ll have boys falling at your feet and you’ll take one of your choosing to make the night perfect. Got it?” Despite her saggeration, I nod to Bianca’s woods and she pulls my left hand in her are the way I have the right in Elijah’s before we walk forward
laps his arms with the purse Bianca gave me before sliding my hand in “We shal
we’re stopped
tramer some cards when we’re
My heart beats loudly with each step we take and Bianca shows the guard by the entiraner samme par
He returns the cards to her and meets my eyes as he holds his hand in a direction. “You look incredibly beautiful. Enjoy the rest of your inght”
“See? That’s one victim already” Bianca whispers as she bumps her shoulder into mine, and I try to calm my anxiousness as we move
Hove towards the door
The sound of music blended with cheers, laughter, and chatter fills the surrounding space when we step inside the moon Unlike the last chiliwe went to, this one is larger, which means more crowd. It’s also brighter with strobe lights lunging from different corners, aniLaw eyes glide over the heads in the room. It’s two floored and while the floor we’re at is packed and chaotic, the upper floor seems less busy with seats and tables sprend
My body freezes when I see him as I look across the upper floor.
What the hell is he doing there
His head starts to turn, but before our eyes can meet, I’m dragged to the middle of the room by Bianca and Elijah.
Bianca yells over the noise of the music before disappearing.
“Wait here. I go get us drinks.” Bia
“You doing okay““Elgah asks. He lets my hand drop from his arm and steps to my front. I give him a smile despite the turmoil taking rest in inge. “I
- am. Here to have fun, aren’t we?”
“Fun baby” He winks and throws his arms to the sides as his body follows the rhythm of the music. I try to keep my eyes on Elijah but they don’t stay long knowing he’s up there and my heart skips a beat when I look back to see his eyes already on me.
Goddru
Our gazes hold and I should look away, but I can’t. I can’t help the shudder that rattles my body, nor can I help the small gasp that leaves my
mouth
What are you doing! Look away, Emmat
My eyes fall to his side and my breathing slows when I sight a wornam next to him along with some others whose backs are timed to me across him. The woman sitting brude him laughs about something and unnecewanly throws her body into has. When Llook back at his face, he’s no longer looking in my direction. His eyes are on her and my jaw deuches liefore 1 force my gaze back to Elijah just as Huanca seappears with she
My eyes drop on them and, without thinking twice, I grab two glasses and tip my head back before pouring the hound down.
“Yes” “That’s what I’m talking about, darling, Enjoyment Let loose and have fun Banca si reams, and my lace squeezes as the lipane burns may
“Are you okay“” Elijahlauchs my Expressum and I look at him. “It has an awful taste
also works quite fast, so you might want to show
want to slow down” He cautions. sere, probably laughing with that girl now, I shake my brat and
I stare at the remaining two glasses with him a
They’r
down my throat before Elijali n (stop me and Bianca’s eyes are wide 1 string and leave the empty glasses with her. “Voni sant
-damn, you learn fast. Wai bejr, 111 go grab more” She says, disappearing again mial I creme
4:57 PM c
Chapter 25
“Are you sure you’re
“I’m okay. Now hold this. I want some lightness” I leave my purse with him before twirling. 1 push my hands in my hair and move my body to the
of the music playing determined to show Will he didn’t break me–a lic, but he doesn’t have to know that
Disgusting, he said? Did he feel disgusted when that girl threw her body at him with her chest pressed to his side? Would he if she made another inove! Would he be revoked if she tries to kiss him or woİC.
No. To hell with him. I don’t care, and that’s exactly what I’ll show him.
“Woo!” I throw my hands in the air as I move around the dance floor and I sway my hips to the body behind mine when my back hits a chest.
I don’t know who’s behind me and I don’t turn to look. Whoever it is, is clearly enjoying this too, because their b
body moves in sync with mine.
The sound of my baugh echoes around me as I caress my body with my hands before throwing them in the air again. For a moment, I forget about everything: about how Will is up there surrounded by women and he’d probably cake one with him. Why not? She’s throwing herself at him and be likes it so he’d f
I freeze when I feel a hand wrap around my waist and gasp when I’m suddenly yanked back.
“You dance so sexily, baby. Mind if we take this to a corner!” The gruff voice whispers in my ear and dread grips me when he pushes his front to my back, specifying the meaning of his words
“No. No. L-“I rip his hand off and step back. I turn and I’m taken aback when I find out I’ve been dancing with a mean–looking guy with a sear running across his face. He looks a lot older than me and he appears wicked when he smiles. “Hello there, beautiful. Surprised!”
um, I’m sorry.” I attempt to walk away, but I’m shoved back and I gasp when I fall into his chest with his hand belted around my wrist. “Come on, baby. You can’t do that. You’ve turned me on and now you’re trying to escape? Nah. It doesn’t work like that”
“I’m not interested. Let go of me.”
“You aren’t going nowhere. You’re coming with me
“No. Let go. I said let go!” I throw my other hand, but he catches it before it can his his face and he smirks.
Shit Why am I so slow? Is it because of the drinks I had or am I already losing my touches after being away from training for days!
He pushes his face close to mine and I turn my head to the side. His hot breath hits my face and smells of alcohol as he says, “I said no, baby. You happen to be very beautiful, young, delicate, and a tad feisty, just how I like them”
People are dancing around us, seeming completely oblivious to what’s happening and I keep thrashing against his vigorous hold when it seems I’m
on my own.
“Let go! I said let gol
“She said to let go. Now do it or I break your fucking hands” A voice thunders behind me.
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