The Royal Alpha

Chapter 30: The Claiming Ceremony [Part 2]

SIERRA

"Why do I look so ugly?" Tatiana whines twirling her ash blond hair making me roll my eyes. What would I have given to get those ash blond curls and clear green eyes? She is probably an inch taller than me but has good assets in the form of an hourglass figure.

"You are definitely not ugly. Come on sit in that chair and I'll style your hair for you." I say pointing at the chair by the mirror.

"You are a lifesaver kiddo." She ruffles my hair and sits in the chair. I quickly set to style her hair and get engrossed in my task successfully keeping my mind off Fenris.

His adoptive parents and the Alphas came yesterday after my parents arrived. But the eldest son of the Alpha and Fenris didn't arrive with them. So far, I don't know how is the claiming ceremony going to begin without the oldest Elder. I tried asking Elder Raoul about his travel reasons but the wolf is as stubborn as a rock. He was just ready one day with a bag in hand and a list of my duties as his apprentice to help prepare for the ceremony.

"Why are you not dressed yet? What are you going to wear?" Tatiana asks and I focus back on her hair. All of the she-wolves were allowed to go in the nearby human village for a short period of time to buy new clothes as we didn't pack for a ceremony. I couldn't find anything good enough as I was too busy thinking about Fenris and his motive behind disappearing all of a sudden.

I tie her hair up in a sophisticated bun with a few loose tendrils that frame her face and highlight the green of her eyes. Her purple coloured scoop neck embroidered floor length dress highlights her eyes further giving her a "look but don't touch" type of a feeling. She is after all the maid of honour for Caliana. We don't have a human wedding but it is necessary for the closest friend of the she-wolf to be mated, to stand beside her during the ceremony.

I admire my work and squeeze her shoulder then move to my wardrobe to search for a dress. I had sneaked a few dresses when I came here. I haven't yet decided what to do but I don't want to be too bold in my dress selection. A simple light brown sleeveless A-line floor length dress catches my eye and I decide to wear this for the ceremony. I hope my bare shoulder will attract Fenris's attention to it and catalyse his thoughts towards marking me. Thinking of the marking sends a shiver of thrill down my spine and a terrible ache starts in my body. Shaking my head to stop the direction of my thoughts, I take the dress out of the wardrobe and set it on the bed.

"It is a nice one. Fenris won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"If he comes to the ceremony."

"He will definitely come, darling. It is his friend's mating ceremony. He won't miss it even if the Alpha orders him to stay in his pack," says Tatiana rolling her eyes.

"Come on. Let's get you ready. By the time you are done dressing up, Fenris will surely have arrived." She says when I stay mute. I nod and move towards the bathroom to clean up.

"You look hot, babe," says Tatiana as I leave the bathroom all dressed and ready. I needed a little alone time to gather enough courage to get ready instead of hide in my room, away from the ceremony. It will break my heart if Fenris doesn't show up.

I have tied my hair in a braided half-updo with curls flowing down till my waist. This will cover my tattoo like mark if at all it becomes visible. I twirl around to show off my dress to Tatiana and she whistles making me chuckle. We move out of the living area, hand in hand, in search of Connor and hopefully, Fenris.

The ceremony will take place in the clearing behind the school buildings and then the mated couple will shift in their wolves to take their first run as a mated wolf.