Bind Me

|bonus - the beginning of the end|

Alora's POV - Seven Years Later.

I scowled as I stared in the mirror, scanning my eyes over the skimpy blood-red dress clinging to my too much-exposed body. I'd take pants or even a full-body suit over this dress any day.

′Quit your yapping. It's only for a few hours, so suck it up.′ Allie, my wolf quipped.

′You won't be the one wearing this all night.′ I moaned, ′I'll be the one being ogled and attracting all the unwanted attention.′

She huffed and rolled her eyes. She retreated to the back of my mind again and left me to suffer alone. When my mum gave me this dress, I couldn't say no to her. I've not worn a dress, probably since my mum and dad dressed me, but she seemed so pleased when I agreed; her reaction makes wearing this damn dress worth it.

It's my and Coby's eighteenth birthday today, and my dad thought it would be a brilliant idea to celebrate with our friends this year.

I, however, think it's a ridiculous idea.

We've never celebrated with our friends. It's always been at the palace or with the Dark Wolf Pack, only with family and friends that know about us. My friends don't know who I am, so it's tricky.

Alpha Dimitri offered to host our party at his pack because everyone at school thinks we are his pups. It's going to be even riskier; surrounding packs in the area are coming to the party. Alpha Dimitri said we had to keep up with appearances. In the eyes of our school, he's our dad, so he had to invite his allies.

Apparently, an alpha's pup having a huge party and other packs attending is a tradition.

"You're going to blow everyone away, Princess." Olivia whistled with a smirk on her first, standing in my walk-in closet doorway.

I held my middle finger up and winked at her through the mirror.

"So ladylike of you," She rolled her eyes and came closer to me.

Olivia is Coby's beloved. She's the only one in our friend group who knows who we are.

Coby, Ryder and I decided we didn't want to know about our soulmate whilst we finished school. We didn't want to have to be near them daily, knowing who they were to us. Also, not knowing if they're part of the others whose sole purpose is to destroy us. I know they are at the school, some I have heard talking, but we can't do anything about it without outing ourselves.

Uncle Elias modified our necklaces, so we can't sense others either. Coby and Olivia found out about each other by accident. His necklace snapped one day at school, and luckily for him, he was out in the open, and Olivia was the only one nearby. They were both shocked, Olivia more so with who Coby is, but she accepted him. Now her clan is part of us, and we have strong fighters on our side.

Coby, Ryder and I now have a ring instead of a necklace, it's safer, and we are protected. Mine is staying on my finger until I graduate, and maybe even forever.

She grinned at me and gestured for me to sit. I sat down on a circle pouffe and stared in the mirror. She started running her fingers through my hair and raised her brow at me through the mirror.

"Do you want your hair up or down, Your Majesty?" She questioned.

"Don't call me that," I groaned. "You can decide."

My official title is Princess Alora Ayla King. I will always be a princess, but up-front and center is not where I want to be. Dad offered me the crown first, since I'm the eldest, but I don't want it. I want to be like my mum - a warrior, a member of our guard. Coby can have the crown; it's not for me.