Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Chapter 43.5: Running With The Wolves [Part 2]

I closed the door behind me before going into my bedroom. Walking as quietly as possible, I headed to the door that would let me into Jason's suite. I listened through the wood, but there was only silence on the other side. With a sigh, I hopped up the dais to touch the bearskin resting on the bed and ran my fingers over it. It was soft with only a thin layer of coarse outer fur. I suddenly wanted to stretch out across my bed and sleep. I inhaled slowly and turned to get dressed.

I looked at the dress on display and wondered if it would fit. I had brought a few gowns for the three-night event. I looked at the dress again, seeing the white pearl beads were intricately sewn to make the straps and embroidered the sloping neckline. It was definitely beautiful, the rest of the gown sewn with twilight-blue taffeta. I turned it around to see the rest of the design, surprised to find there wasn't much of a back. The pearl straps created a diamond shape, overlapping in multiple strands before meeting the deep 'v' that would end at the small of my back. It was elegant, and a little sex appeal never hurt anyone.

Running my fingers over the skirt, I sighed. It would be a better choice for tomorrow's ceremony. It was much more formal and beautiful than the dress I had planned on wearing for the coronation. I turned to retrieve my luggage, stepping into the sitting room, but only my over-night tote bag remained on the table. I looked around the bedroom to find my empty suitcases sitting beside a large wooden armoire. I pulled the doors open, my jaw dropping to find all my clothes hanging among a selection of others that had been left for me. 

I found the dress I had in mind from the rack. The pale grey material felt like silk gossamer in my fingers, and I stepped in front of the full-length mirror to hold it up to me. It had been the dress I wanted to wear for the coronation, but it would work for tonight.

I lowered the gown and looked at my appearance: black pants and blouse, a pair of heeled ankle boots, and my lucky leather jacket. Jason's pendant still hung around my neck, the opal resting just between my breasts. I turned to hang the dress up next to the blue gown and began to strip down.

As I dropped my shirt onto the bench at the foot of my bed, I caught sight of a purple lace creation in the armoire, and I returned to investigate. I pulled on the material to find a dark purple gown with a full lace bodice that fell off the shoulder and wide straps that would cling to my biceps. The skirt was made of heavy silk and was cut to fit like a mermaid silhouette. I pulled it free and hung it up as well, staring at all three gowns.

I fidgeted, staring at the gorgeous dresses as I stressed over my choices. Wearing indigo was a clear correlation to the D'Angelo-Hellmuth coat of arms, and I wasn't ready to be associated with the Alphahood. I sighed heavily, sitting down to slip out of my boots before shoving my slacks down to lay on the floor.

I wasn't ready to negotiate a future within the Pack...

Annoyed with my own indecisiveness, I began to dig for my strapless bra out of the drawers in the base of the wardrobe. I found it among the fancy lingerie that wasn't mine. When I picked it up, I paused again, noticing a man's black t-shirt beneath the bras and underwear sets. I smiled.

He remembered.

"Purple it is, Jay," I whispered. I pulled the strapless bra on and fastened it before switching my underwear as well for a pair that would match the same color of the dress. I stepped over to the changing screen and took the dark violet gown behind the folding panels with me.

A few minutes later, I had shimmied into the dress, slipped into my heels, and was sitting at the vanity. My hair was brushed and lay in platinum waves down my back. I touched up my makeup with a fresh coat of mascara and a touch of gold eye shadow on my lids. Next I added a sheer layer of plum lipstick over the pink I was already wearing. I glanced at my wrists to be sure the old scars didn't show noticeably. Just as I checked my head-to-toe appearance in the mirror for the second time, there was a knock on my door.

"Enter," I called, sliding a pair of diamond earrings into my piercings. I looked at how the lace scalloped across my chest just below my collarbone to leave my shoulders bare. It was sort of sexy, but still classic and sophisticated. The lace wrapped around my biceps and skimmed down my sides and over my breasts to form a high-waisted skirt. The skirt flowed down to where it was slightly tighter at the knee to give me more shape before the matching silk train brushed the floor behind me.

Thomas stepped in, smiling at the sight of me. "Miss Serenity, you look absolutely beautiful."

I sighed and looked at him through the mirror. "Thank you. Is this too much?"

He shook his head. "No. You look perfect. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I think so," I answered, smoothing my hands down my sides to feel the cool silk beneath my fingers. "I've never been to a coronation before. I'm not quite sure what to expect."

"This is just a formal dinner tonight to allow the pack alphas to get a feeling for Master Alpha Jason's influence as the king-alpha-to-be. It's more about politics than an actual crowning for now," Thomas said calmly as I walked over to him. I picked up my clutch and slipped the keys down into it to join my lipstick and a handkerchief. "You know how to navigate political meetings. If you feel uncomfortable or stifled, just look to me or Maria and we'll help you. And should you feel threatened at all, I want to know. Jason wants you to feel safe, especially while you're here."

I nodded, feeling somewhat comforted. "Then I'll bring my A-game," I responded, my voice not as determined as I wanted it to sound.

He smiled at me again and offered his arm when we reached the end of the grand corridor and headed into the main part of the pack house. "You'll do fine. Just be you, the normal Serenity Mezdor."

I scoffed. "Oh, Thomas. You clearly don't know me very well if you think the face I put on for matters of State is my 'normal' self," I said mockingly. I slipped my hand inside the crook of his arm and placed my fingers just below his elbow. "I'm much too...sarcastic with my quips."

"You, sarcastic? I never would have guessed."

I giggled and placed my free hand on the banister as we reached the stairs, my clutch acting as a pad between my fingers and the marble railing. I was also mindful of my train behind me. I watched as people came filtering in, wearing their best clothing. I caught a few heads turning to inspect the woman coming down the stairs on the arm of the master alpha's personal guard. My shoulders stiffened in the same moment my jaw clenched.

"Relax," Thomas murmured before we reached the bottom step, "or they'll sense your fear and smell it on you. Keep your chin up."

I tried to smile, but I could feel the whispers beginning to circulate. "Thank you," I whispered. It was hard to take his guidance when all I wanted was to disappear, hoping none of the people looking at me had written the note...