Alliance

Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Dinner & Traditions
Daisy
***

All the men arose from their seats as my father and I entered the dining room, of course every last detail was sheer perfection thanks to my mother and the wedding planner.

"Thank you for coming out to help my Luna and I proudly welcome our youngest child into our pack." My father spoke as he held my chair out for me.

I took my seat and held my composure, even letting a well rehearsed smile settle on my face. All the men took their seats once more but my father remained standing as he continued to speak.

"Seventeen...it's such a momentous birthday for us as Weres, it's when we take on our true forms and begin to become whole, now more than ever our alliances mean everything as harsh times threaten us ahead...but I'm getting ahead of myself." He chuckled, "please everyone, enjoy your dinner ." He said finally and shortly after the servers came out with the food.

"Daisy." My mother leaned into my side and whispered, "I can tell something is troubling you."

I gave her a smile and shook my head.

"It's nothing."

She looked at me once more, "we'll discuss it after dinner."

I could fool everyone in the room except my mother, she could always see through my forced emotions.

I picked at my food as I wasn't very hungry and stole glances of all the invited men here. A few I knew, others I didn't.

I stared down and tried to recall HIS scent or HIS voice. The very things only moments ago that I had seemed to get drunk on. I remember how I felt when I took in his scent, and heard his voice...but sadly I couldn't tell you anything specific about them.

Maybe I needed my wolf to pick up in the various notes of fragrance in his scent, or the tenor of his voice.

I tried my hardest to even remember if his voice was deep, did he have an accent?

I listened in on various conversations but once again nothing stood out, and the room filled with food and multiple types of personal scents nothing jumped out at me.

The urge to cry was growing once more.

I had a mate mere minutes ago and now he was gone, and already my weak human subconscious was letting him slip away from me for good.

I had nothing to go on, I hadn't seen anything all I had to go off was a voice I couldn't remember and a scent so alluring that was gone forever.

Linden moved to face me and I hear the squeak of his shoes.

The leather...

I had to see how many people in here were wearing leather.

"You nervous about your first shift Daisy?"

I shrugged, "yes and no...but my minds kinda everywhere right now ya know?"

He nodded his understanding and not long after the dinner was over. My mother stood up and the entire table followed suit.

"Gentlemen, Meadow...if you begin to make your way outside, my daughter has to finalize her preparations for her shift...if you'll excuse us."

My mother and I held back and my entire focus was on everyone's shoes...of course the fates weren't on my side tonight as just about every man was wearing leather shoes two men even went so far as to wear what must've been very expensive cowboy boots with their suites.

"What are you looking at?" Linden asked as he noticed my gaze at the men's footwear.

"Oh sorry, spaced out...guess the nerves are catching up to me."

Meadow offered me a sweet smile of reassurance, "you'll do fine and trust me, the pain dulls after a minute and before you know it, it's over."

I thanked her and finally my mother and I went up to my bedroom to get out of my gown and into the tradition items required of me. For the shift there's no point in clothes as when you shift, anything worn gets destroyed. So I went into the bathroom and removed all of my clothing.

I picked up the small glass bowl that held a thick body cream. It's scent was heady and if my mate hadn't have found me earlier there'd of been no way he'd find me after I put this on.

The cream was made with frankincense, it supposedly helps with pain...apparently I would be extraordinarily sore after my shift.

After slathering the lotion all over i took an old towel and pat my self down to remove the excess and then slipped on a white silk robe.

The white was to show the pack my pure heart as I enter this pack with no ill will to the pack members.

Once I got out my mother sat me down in front of my vanity table and removed the pins that held up my hair and let my hair fall loose now.

Her fingers carefully combed through my hair as she took various strands and picked up one of the colorful ribbons she had selected.

"It is tradition for mothers to have this time with their daughters before their shift as they reflect on the girl she was and the woman she is going to become...for you my sweet Daisy I have selected blue for the loyalty you are going to bring to your new pack, red for power and strength, turquoise for a spiritual connection to the fates and your wolf, Brown to keep you grounded, and orange for courage and confidence." She said as she braided each ribbon into various plaits  through out my hair.

These too would get ruined upon my shift, but it's believed that upon their breaking the wishes the mother has spoken will be sent up to the fates.

"It's time." She smiled lovingly.

"Mom," I felt a little emotional now "I'm sorry if I ever wasn't good enough, a disappointment to you or if I ever came off as ungrateful...just know I love you and dad so much and I will always try and do my best to make you both happy and proud of me."

I knew she wasn't expecting that.

"Daisy you father and I love you and your siblings with our whole hearts, nothing you could ever do in life would ever change that baby, nor could I ever imagine my daughter a disappointment in anyway."

I heard her words but couldn't help but feel like I was in some way a disappointment since my own mate didn't even want to be with me.