~~

Trinity

~~

"Isn't it weird to have another gathering after just a week?" Paul asked.

"This one isn't for the Alpha to look for a mate though." Juniper said, staring right at me. "This gathering is for the entire pack, save for very young children."

"Yes, I had heard that almost every member of the pack must be there." I told them.

"Heard it from where." Cedar asked. He and Juniper were like good cop bad cop, only it was hard to tell which was which.

"Just around."

"Uh huh." Cedar said, not believing me at all.

"Trinity, does this meeting have anything to do with why you are being followed around by that warrior from the pack?" She asked me.

"I don't know, they might bring up the rogue that attacked me. I don't know what all is going to happen. How am I supposed to know?"

"You're a bad liar Astro." Paul told me matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I think you know exactly what we are talking about." Cedar snapped. I just looked at him, eyes full of regret.

"What are you not telling us?" Juniper asked me, hurt filling her voice.

"I can't talk about it." I told them.

"Does it have to do with the gathering?" She asked me.

"I can't talk about it." I said again.

"Ok." She sounded like my answer had been a yes. "And does it have anything to do with why you missed school and are being followed around by a high-ranking pack warrior?"

"I can't talk about it." I said again. Regret was clear in my voice and on my face.

"Last question." She whispered. I looked at her pleadingly. "Does it have anything to do with the Alpha?" I glanced at Vincent before repeating the line again.

"I can't talk about it." I was close to tears now. I didn't want to hide things from them.

"That's all I needed to hear." She said knowingly. She had understood what it all meant. They were all looking at me, Juniper with eyes narrowed in scrutiny, Cedar and Paul with eyes that had gone wide in shock.

"Are you ok Trinity?" Paul asked me, I could hear genuine concern in his voice. "I remember how scared you looked the other day." He added in a whisper.

I snuck a glance at Vincent, I knew he was listening to everything that we had said, but I hadn't broken my promise. I didn't tell anyone anything. He sensed my eyes on him and turned to look at me with a smile.

The remainder of the day passed in its usual style, only with an extra tag along with us. Vincent had insisted on carrying my bag everywhere. Thankfully I only had two classes today, so I didn't need to be overly embarrassed by his doting.

We drove back to the house, or estate as I had heard others call it, I had thought the drive would be quiet, but he had a few things to say.

"I am glad you kept your promises, Luna."

"Please don't start with that again Vincent." I told him.

"You're going to have to get used to it." He told me. "You might as well get the practice in now." He laughed at me as I groaned at the thought.

"Fine, but only at the house." I told him.

"Fine, only at the house, Trinity." He laughed. "But like I said, I am glad you kept your promises. The Alpha will be happy to hear that as well."

"What exactly are you going to tell him?" I asked, concerned for my friends who had figured things out on their own.

"Just as I said, that you kept your promises." He answered with a smile. He really was a nice guy.

"Thank you, Vincent."

"There is no need to thank me, Luna." He spoke my title, exaggerating it, as we pulled up to the house. I groaned in response all the while he was laughing at my reaction.

The next few days passed in a blur. I went to class accompanied by Vincent every day. He continued to carry my bag everywhere we went. He got along with us fine, but he was also a lot older than us, so we felt a little uncomfortable letting loose with our typical brand of humor. But perhaps he would be a good influence on Paul and Cedar, hopefully he'd help them mature somewhat.

Now, I was sitting alone in my room the night before the gathering, stressing over the upcoming ceremony. Gina was coming soon for the final fitting of my dress. Aside from that I would have nothing to distract me.

They brought me an early dinner in my room. Apparently, Reece was out for the night and eating alone in the kitchen would have been uncomfortable, so I preferred to eat in my room instead.

Gina came shortly after the dinner that Abigail, the cook, had made for me. The dress had been altered to the specifications we had decided on. She set up the stool, told me to strip and helped me into the dress just like before.

The fabric felt just as luxurious as I remembered. I marveled at how it shined in the light but was so soft. Gina's hands moved quickly and efficiently as she worked to make the dress lay in just the right way.

"Oh my Goddess, but doesn't that look amazing on you." She gasped when she had me dressed. I turned to look at myself in the full-length mirror that stood in the corner of my room. My eyes opened wide when I saw the completed dress.

Gina had tightened the bodice so that it accentuated and showcased my ample chest. The excess fabric had not been cut off but instead been cinched and decorative pleated in the back, still it was mostly hidden by the long, shimming silver cape.

She had raised the waistline, creating an empire waist. The dress then flared and flowed down and out around me. The length had not been altered either, so it had a very long train. The dress would be trailing behind me quite far as I walked. I would need to be very careful with every step.

It made me look smaller and more delicate than I usually did, but it also made me look somewhat ethereally beautiful. I felt like moonlight walking. The shining silver light of the dress reflected in my eyes making them shine as well.

I couldn't believe how different just a dress could make me look. But it felt like I was looking at a completely different person. Someone I didn't recognize at all.

Gina helped me out of the dress and put it in its protective bag. She hung it in one of my closets then excused herself. It seemed more real now, having the dress so close.

I was having a hard time relaxing. I knew I would have a hard time sleeping tonight as well, so I figured I should look for a book to read. Even with as many books as my Aunt had sent over, I couldn't find anything I wanted to read. I decided to ask the guard at my door if he could take me to the house's library. I wanted to see if there was anything there that would interest me.

"Leslie?" I called out to him and he opened the door almost immediately.

"Yes Luna?" He poked his head into the room. He was an OK guy, not as likeable as Vincent, but nice enough. He had light blond hair and pale green eyes. He was tall and lanky looking, but Vincent assured me he was a good fighter.

"Can you take me to the library? I can't find anything in here to read." I told him. He looked at the small library I had in my room.

"Sure thing, Luna." He answered with a smile and a nod.

He led me down to the second floor to where the library was. It was a lot bigger than I was expecting. The room was massive, and every wall was covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves. It was like my own personal heaven, as long as it had some books I would be interested in.

I perused the shelves looking at what the room had to offer. There was some of everything it seemed. Like it was a collection gathered by many different people over many, many years.

Finally, I found something that would satisfy my need to read. It was a collection of classic short stories. I hadn't seen it in years and was delighted for the chance to read it again.

I sat on the sofa near the window, tucking my feet up under me and curling into a ball in the corner of the seat. I cracked the book open and began to read.

I sat there reading peacefully in silence. I don't know how long I was there. I must have fallen asleep at some point. I started having a very strange dream.