Her Alpha - Complete

Chapter 12

"What's going on, Hathaway? Your head has been in the clouds since Christmas." Eddie stepped back from where they were sparring, regarding Rose with worry. He'd staked her four times in a row, and that wasn't normal!

"Just tired," Rose replied. It was the truth—at least partially. Staying up with Dimitri when he guarded Lissa found her sleeping different hours. While she loved spending time with her mate, it left her feeling majorly run down. It didn't help that her sleep, when it came, was filled with dreams of Dimitri giving her physical pleasure in every way imaginable. Rose could barely look at her mentor without almost exploding with lust. In fact, they'd tried to limit their contact in front of others in case their interest and connection became obvious. Now, only hours before they planned to fulfill their desires, Rose was an odd combination of exhausted but jumpy.

"Castile is right. Your head isn't in the game today, Rose. Let's call it a day. No training tomorrow. After tonight's dance, I expect you'll both want to sleep in." Dimitri smirked, knowing tomorrow would probably find him and Rose waking up in the church attic after finally becoming lovers.

In the days since Christmas, Rose had been preparing the attic. New candles, a large comfortable duvet, a bottle of wine plus glasses, and even a pump-pack of lube had found their way into the hallowed space. Carefully tucked into a previously vacant cupboard, the attic looked the same but had everything Rose and Dimitri might need for their special night together.

"Are you alright?" Lissa asked when Rose and Eddie made their way across to breakfast. The bags under Rose's eyes were so large they almost needed their own luggage tags, plus Lissa thought her best friend seemed unusually jittery.

"I'm exhausted," Rose explained. "I know you have the beauty thing with Tasha this morning, but can I crash in your room? It's warmer there, so easier to fall asleep, and that way I can rest until it's time to get ready for the dance."

Lissa had no objection to Rose crashing on her sofa again. Over the last week, Rose had spent more time there with Dimitri than in her own room. If Tasha's complaints were to be believed, the dhampir dorms were all but sub-arctic; so of course Rose was welcome to crash in Lissa's suite while she and Tasha were busy being primped and pampered!

In the past, an Academy dance would see Rose, Lissa and often Natalie spending their afternoon together preparing themselves, however for the Yule Ball, Tasha had other ideas. A group of Moroi mothers visiting their children for Christmas and New Year had engaged a large team of dhampir estheticians and hairdressers to attend the Academy the morning of the ball. The team had set up in a large space on the ground floor of Guest Accommodations, and they had invited other Royal Moroi women on campus to make bookings.

While typically averse to spending time with other Royal Moroi, Tasha had evidently overcome her ethics for the day. Starting with a social champagne brunch in the hastily repurposed Academy's physical therapy spa, Tasha had booked massages, manies, pedies, trims, blow waves and up does along with full makeup for herself and Lissa before the dance. Part of Lissa's Christmas present, it would occupy the two for the better part of the day.

It disappointed Lissa Rose could not attend. Tonight was her best friend's big night, and if anyone deserved to be pampered and looking a hundred percent, it was Rose. It wasn't a matter of money—Lissa would pay without question - but without asking, Lissa knew a dhampir would not be welcome at the Royal Moroi pamper session. More to the point, Rose wouldn't enjoy it either. So Lissa agreed to spend most of the day with Tasha, explaining to Christian's aunt that afterward, she wanted time alone to help Rose prepare for the dance since her best friend wouldn't have the benefit of a professional team.