Imperial Moon [Complete]

Chapter Twenty Eight - Celebrate

Twenty minutes later, Saff stepped away and surveyed her work. Kat's hair now fell in loose silver curls. They framed her face perfectly. She had a thin layer of make-up on her face, accentuating her favourite features. 

"How do I look?" Kat asked, nervously.

"Jaw dropping! Come on, we're ten minutes late already and we still need to get dressed." Saff grinned and pulled Kat to the wardrobe.

As Kat rifled through the dresses, Saff picked her own clothes up off the bed. She threw on a royal blue shift dress and tied it at her waist. Her red hair practically lit on fire.

"Wow, that is definitely your colour!" Kat gushed.

"Thanks, Vilkas hasn't seen me in it yet." Saff smiled mischievously.

Kat laughed, turning back to find the outfit she had picked out for tonight. 

"What's the deal with you and Vilkas?" Saff questioned.

"What?" Kat focussed on her heart, forcing it not to betray her. She still held pain within her for what Vilkas had done. She had told him she understood - and she did - but it hurt nonetheless. He had proved himself a worthy friend since, and grudges meant nothing but pain for the one who held them.

"He always gets shifty when I ask him about how well he knows you. He says well enough, but he won't elaborate." Saff mumbled, "Did- did something happen between you both, before you knew the Alpha was your mate?"

Kat dropped the clothes hanger she was holding.

"What do you mean?" she turned wide-eyed to Saff, "Sexually?"

Saff cringed and nodded.

"Absolutely not! We didn't get along, Saff. That's all it is. We weren't friends immediately, it took us a while, that's all." Kat spoke quickly, the words pouring from her mouth. Saff's face brightened.

Kat shook her head, laughing. Her fingers finally found the smooth velvet she was looking for.

She pulled the red dress from the wardrobe, rubbing her fingers along the straps. She loved the feeling of velvet. She pulled it over her head, carefully avoiding her curls, before tugging it into place on her body. It fitted her like a glove, hugging her curves in all the right places.

"Now, that is a birthday dress!" Saff grinned. "I love it when a dress is so supportive you don't have to wear a bra!"

"Me too!" Kat laughed.

"Ready?" Saff smiled, holding her hand out. Kat took it and the two friends walked slowly down to the back door, laughing all the way.

Nervous butterflies danced in Kat's stomach as she put her hand on the door. She could hear the music thrumming outside and the low buzz of voices. The sound spilled through the crack in the door as she pushed it open, shouts of joy and laughter ringing in her ears.

The garden was breathtaking. The long tables from the dining hall had been moved outside. Half of them were filled with dishes, half of them occupied with wolves in human form, drinking and eating. A huge grill was set up nearby, Cook stood taking meat on and off and piling plates high. Trees encircled the clearing. Bright multicoloured fairy lights were twisted around their trunks, ribbons of radiance thrown high into the leaves. The lights stretched over their heads, weaving a canopy of colour above them. The whole clearing seemed lit by a thousand technicolour stars.

"Oh, wow." Saff breathed. "I don't think I've ever seen anything this beautiful."

Kat stood, dumbstruck, as she took it all in. There was a makeshift dance floor in the middle of the space, wolves laughing and twirling around each other as the music pumped from speakers on the side of the house. A small table held a huge 4-tiered cake. As Kat looked up at the back of the house behind her, she caught sight of a huge gold banner that read 'Happy Birthday Luna!,' it took up the majority of the wall, fluttering softly in the cool breeze. Kat's eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away hurriedly.