Apple Martini

Chapter 2 - An Alpha's Welcome

The silence in the room was almost suffocating as Ethel helped her younger sister to get ready for the arrival of the Alpha of the Black Sun Pack.

In many previous instances, Liana had insisted on Ethel standing by holding all her possible outfits as she tried them on one by one. Fortunately since this wasn't just a casual day out to the pack's one shopping mall, Liana had already decided on her dress ages ago. It was off white, with an off shoulder top and a bow attached behind, with matching diamond earrings. As Ethel worked on brushing her sister's hair, Liana was adding finishing touches to her makeup.

Ethel was used to having orders thrown at her while helping Liana prepare for a public appearance, whether it was asking her to bring a certain dress or accessory, or complaining about her being too slow or doing her hair the wrong way. Quiet was not at all something she had expected, and for a moment Ethel thought this session could pass without a single snide remark from her younger sister for once.

"Oh yes, I talked to dad." Liana spoke, touching up her mascara as she stared in the mirror. "He's allowed me to bring you with me to the Black Sun Pack."

Ethel stiffened for a moment before resuming her task at hand with her hairbrush, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

"I see."

"I mean," Liana capped her mascara shut and batted her eyelashes once at her reflection. "You've been my attendant for so long, I wouldn't be used to it if you weren't by my side. And it's not like dad would have any more use for you if you stayed here in the Wild Blossom Pack."

When Ethel didn't reply and kept her head bowed until she was finished with brushing her younger sister's hair, Liana released a deceptively light hearted chuckle, spinning around in her seat and patting Ethel on the side of the face. The latter couldn't help a slight flinch considering that she knew how Liana's touches weren't always this gentle or falsely friendly.

"You should try to smile, at least." She commented with a roll of the eyes. "Your younger sister is getting mated to the strongest Alpha in Soleil Sur Lune, and you'll get to be by my side for it all. Oh, along with my future husband of course."

Ethel could only stare at her sister and say nothing. Her instincts told her to attempt a smile, but her heart just wasn't in it. Nothing would change for her, after all. She would remain the pack outcast one way or another, if not for her appearance then it would be for her wolfless state.

Another scoff from Liana came to her ears, and the next thing Ethel knew was that her veil had been tossed over her face.

"Oh, what am I saying!" She laughed to herself. "Of course you don't have to smile...the visiting members of the Black Sun Pack won't be seeing your face anyways. Not when they have me to look at."

Ethel pressed her lips together, but no tears came out. She was accustomed to hearing words as such from her younger sister.

But as she knew, Liana had the right.

"Come on, Ethelline. The visitors will arrive any moment now."

Bowing her head beneath the veil, Ethel followed her sister out of the room.

......

Alpha Regan surveyed the pack in front of him as the car door slammed shut.

He had heard of the Wild Blossom Pack before, but as one of the smaller packs in Soleil Sur Lune, he'd never had to directly visit their pack grounds before today.

The place seemed quaint. A signpost pointed to different areas in the pack, such as the shopping mall, the fields where crops were being grown, the pack houses, and of course the Alpha's residence.