I take off my shoes and get rid of my shirt and jeans, throwing them on my bed. Then I get to my bathroom, close the door, and start the shower. I need to feel the water drops on my body. I need water to take away every piece of news I've heard.

I untie my hair and take off my bra and panties before getting into the shower.

As expected, the warm water makes my whole body relax. I can feel every muscle relaxing. Every nervous thought slowly gets out of my mind. As I relax, I break the link with Eli. I only need peace and silence.

I know I said I could not break the link.

Well, that is not exactly true. I can break it. I just don't know how to do it on purpose. Most of the time, it just occurs when I deeply need it. So it is more like my body seems to act on its own when it happens.

My nose is still filled with this blooming flower scent. It helps me calm down even more. I have to find what flowers smell like that. Gardeners planted some new plants today. I will have to check them tomorrow.

After that, I'll make a bouquet for my room. It would be great to have this magic perfume here. I am sure it will help me draw new pictures.

Then suddenly, I'm taken out of my dreamy thoughts.

"Liv, where are you? I'm here!"

Before I can answer, the door of the bathroom opens. A tall and thin silhouette appears out of nowhere.

Well, not really nowhere, but I have not seen or heard about this person since yesterday. Happiness could be her surname, and I terribly need that right now. Well, she must learn to knock at the door, but she can't be perfect.

"Hurry to wash! I can't wait to see you in that dress. You're gonna be blooming!"

I love this voice. I'm not even annoyed that she took away this sweet smell, as she is the second person who illuminates my days - right after Eli.

"Yes, Kate, just give me ten minutes. Then, I'm all yours."

Even if I cannot see her, I am sure she has a gigantic smile on her face.

I quickly wash my hair and my body. Then I wrap a towel around my chest and a second one around my hair. I get out of the bathroom, and there she is, in my room.

On my bed sits a beautiful and shining red-haired girl.

Kate.

Kate and I are a long story.

We met when we were still babies. Our mums are best friends, even if hers is often on the road. So Kate almost grew up in the packhouse, and we shared my room for more than one night. Sometimes, she even kicked my brother out of our room when we were still young toddlers so we could be alone.

Kate does not care about anything. She just enjoys life and feels free to do whatever she wants to do. A luxury I can't have as an Alpha's daughter.

Now, she lives in the neighborhood, just beside the packhouse area, in her parents' house. Her parents are some business people, often traveling, leaving Kate here. Since she turned eighteen, she's spent most of her nights in her parents' house as she enjoys her unmated she-wolf's life.

Don't get me wrong. Kate does not spend her nights with wolves. She only hangs out a lot, goes to the clubs and meets many people.

Yet, she's been intimate with only one man: Kyle Lanchester. They dated for years, and everybody thought they were meant to be together. He was a year older than us, and the day he turned eighteen, he found out Kate was not his mate.

Some days later, he decided to travel the world to find out his real mate, leaving behind a heartbroken Kate.

She promised herself not to fall for anyone else but her mate.

I've tried several times to convince her to live in the packhouse with us, but she's always refused. She can be stubborn, and arguing with her is hopeless. She knows what she wants and rarely changes her mind.

She could be a model and could have almost any boy she wants. She is also clever and so kind. It's sometimes hard to exist besides such an aura.

Anyway, I'm delighted our friendship is the most beautiful thing that can be. She is my sister, no matter if the blood in our veins says otherwise. At four, we "pinky promised" that we would be together forever, no matter what life would bring between us.

With Eli, she is the reason why I have not left the pack yet. If she has had her mate already, that would be different - it would be easier to leave knowing she had her other half by her side.

She has dressed already in a fancy red dress that ends just above her knees. Her collarbone is so beautiful - she put some glitters on her skin to make it more underlined.

She wears black high heels. As she stands, I can see how the dress perfectly fits her model body. Her long red hair has lovely nice curls which fall on her back, almost down to her butt. She looks amazing and incredibly sexy. Why is she so damn sexy?

"Ready to turn into a princess, sweetie? You look greatest when you feel like a damn queen," she exclaims with a full smile.

"Whenever you want, Kate," I answer with the same wide smile.

She takes out from one of the bags on my bed the silver dress she helped me choose yesterday. Or I should say the one she picked for me yesterday as we went to the shopping mall.

As soon as she knew the theme for the party, she had in mind to get me a silver dress, so, I quote, "you look just like the Moon." Ironically, she wants me to look like the Moon when I have no wolf.

I know how important this night is for her, as she hopes I find my mate. Kate has not given up on finding me a wolf mate, despite my simple human body.

Actual mating between wolves and humans did not happen but in fairytales.

Some wolves decide that they love a human enough to mate with them. But authentic unbreakable bonds, it has not happened in ages - if it has ever happened at all. But let her hope for tonight.

After the late news, I need some kind of magic to happen, anyway.

As she is unpacking the bag she brought, I can see underwear. At first, I don't really react to it until she pulls them to me with a naughty smile.

"What the fuck, Kate?" I let out as I feel my cheeks getting pink.

I'm not used to wearing lace underwear. I'm more fond of the casual and comfortable style. There is no need to be super sexy when you have zero chance of finding love around you.

And, if I have to be truly honest, I have to admit that it is pretty convenient. Chic lingerie is expensive - the less cloth you have, the more it costs.

Sports bras and casual panties are less expensive, totally comfortable, and they can be loveable.

"Liv, you need special underwear to wear this dress. And, I'm sorry to tell you, yours are too..." she says with a grin.

Of course, I could defend my choice of underwear, which is not that hideous. Nevertheless, this is an already lost battle. Kate is just the "always sexy but classy" girl while I'm the "jeans and sneakers" one.

"Okay, you win. I'll never get a chance anyway, right?"

Her blue eyes are just shouting a big "you know that you don't get a chance" that makes me smile in resignation.

Then, let's do a total "heartbreaker look." You're not turning twenty every day.

After she is done with my hair and face, she finally allows me to look at myself in the mirror.

My long brown hair is up in a bun. Only some curls are free, like hints of wildness in the middle of a well-organized place.

My eyelids are made-up of gray and black shadows, intensifying my dark brown eyes and their discreet golden sparks. Kate puts some red lipstick on my lips.

Then, there is this silver dress. It ends up in the middle of my thighs in front and just above my back knees. It brings out my waist and my hips.

The Moon Goddess may not have given me a wolf, but she gave nice breasts and voluptuous but toning hips, bottoms, and thighs. The neckline showed up on my breast without revealing too much.

As I turn to look in the mirror, I realize how much the back is open. Kate had a good idea buying this lacy black bra, which is much classier than my everyday lingerie. She surely thought about everything. I absolutely need her to teach me how to be more glamorous if I have to date without her to help me.

"Thanks, Kate. You made me..."

"Mind-blowing, sweetie. But I did little. I've just revealed to the world all you are but hide because you are too shy and hard on yourself." Then she kisses my cheek.

"Ready to go, Princess Liv?" I nod at her, and she claps in her hands, showing her excitement as a little girl would.

I put my black heels on before we get out of the room. We have to join the people who must be arriving by now. It is already 6:30 p.m.

We get out of my bedroom, and I can see that our mysterious special guests already inhabit the VIP room. Perhaps one Alpha who first declined the invitation and finally decided to come.

Lucky them, they will have the largest room of the packhouse as all the other guesthouses and rooms are yet peopled. It's not that often that I have neighbors up here.

We carefully climb down the stairs to reach the hall. Or at least I do it carefully, as I'm not used to wearing high heels.

Now that I am into this mess, I should have put on some sneakers: there would have been no risk of breaking my ankle or falling on the stairs and breaking my neck.

Next to me, Kate seems to fly, as her steps are so flowing. She is so elegant that I look like a newborn blind puppy, unable to stand on her feet. I wish I had accepted the countless times she's proposed that I wear some girly high-heeled shoes. I would not look like a newborn fawn tonight.

Sam smiles as he sees me and nods to show me how pretty he thinks I am. I smile back as I feel my cheeks getting pink. I am not used to being noticed. The more discreet I am, the better. I can be a social-behavior disaster.

Nevertheless, that feeling quickly disappears as I start to feel very odd, like being spied on. My instincts alert me about our special guests' presence.

I notice three men in suits that I don't know. I have not noticed them before, as they almost seem invisible, odorless though truly impressive. I realize they are not normal werewolves. So here are our lycan guests.

Even if I know they are here to protect us tonight, I feel disturbed by their presence. Anyway, it seems I'm the only one upset by their company.

The King must have sent eminent men to send lycans and not werewolves as bodyguards. It sounds like we do not speak about only some men that I thought to be spartan soldiers. Maybe he sent some general to be more dissuasive. I try not to feel too apprehensive and hold Kate's hand firmly.

Then we enter the dining room: almost everyone is here. My guts are screaming something yet has to come.

Please, Moon Goddess, make this party go well.