Dress Code

RORY

My whole body is aching as I walk from the divination lab back through campus on my way home.

All day I struggled to harness energy and came up empty.

The fly remained motionless.

“There’s always next week,” Professor Xander said as the clock struck five. “Get some rest and we’ll keep working on Monday.”

He’s right. I know that.

It was only my first week. I shouldn’t be so down on myself.

But I wanted to show Everett that going to college and studying with Professor Xander is a good idea.

I need to prove that I’m doing the right thing. The time I’m spending at the university is time away from my pack and my responsibilities as luna.

I glance up at the library as I pass by. The sky behind it is beginning to pale, the first signs of dusk falling.

The grapefruit sun is reflecting in the windows of the library, giving the whole building this ethereal quality.

I pull my shoulders back.

~I am doing the right thing.~

~I’ll get some rest and come back more focused tomorrow.~

Just as I’m starting to feel a little more motivated, I catch sight of Mia ahead of me. She’s leaning on the base of a statue, watching me approach.

~Great, what does she want now?~

“How was your first week?” she asks as I approach.

~As if you even care.~

“It was fine, thanks,” I say, passing her without even pausing.

“Hey, wait up,” she says, jogging to match my pace.

“What do you want, Mia?” I ask.

“I just wanted to make sure you were settling in.”

“Yeah, right.”

“It’s true,” she says, sounding genuinely insulted.

I stop walking and let my arms flop to my sides. I’m still not buying this whole friendly act and I haven’t got the energy to deal with it.

“I’m tired, Mia. Can we just stop the games?”

She turns and looks at me as if I’m a misbehaving kitten.

“Don’t be silly, Aurora. We look out for each other here. Now that you’re a student, you’re one of us.”

I glare at her sideways, trying to figure out if she is being genuine.

Maybe my student ID card grants me access to the library ~and~ Mia’s good graces.

“You’re serious?” I ask.

“Of course. And just to show you how serious I am, I wanted to invite you to a party some friends of mine are throwing tonight.”

“A party?”

“Yeah, it’ll be a total blast. A real college party complete with Jell-O shots and beer pong. Everyone is gonna be there.”

I’ve watched all of the college films and I’ve seen this party played out a thousand times.

But when I gave up on my dream of going to college, I gave up on the college lifestyle dream as well.

Maybe this party could be my chance to experience a little of what life is like for normal kids.

“Okay, so when is this party and where?”

“Well, first things first,” Mia says excitedly. “We have to talk dress code.”

There’s a light in Mia’s eyes I’ve never seen before and I enjoy the conspiratorial tone in her voice. It’s like I’ve finally been let into the cool club.

“The theme is ‘Alpha and Luna Royalty.’ All the boys are going to be dressed in tuxes and all the girls are going to come in ball gowns.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Absolutely. It’s going to be so extra.”

I immediately start thinking of something to wear. I have a few ballgowns in my closet saved for special pack events. One of them will do for sure.

“Do you have something you can wear?” she asks. She sounds hopeful, as if she wants me to come.

Maybe she feels bad for how she’s treated me and wants to make up for it.

“I can figure something out,” I say.

“Great. The party is at the Lupinotuum Pectinem frat house just east of campus. Do you know where that is?”

“I can find it.”

“Fabulous!” she squeals. “I’ll see you there! I can’t wait.”

A grin spreads across my face.

~I’m going to my first L.U. party!~

“See you there!”

***

EVERETT

My first council meeting with Amber in attendance is going about as well as I expected.

We’ve been in this room debating for nearly four and a half hours and we’ve barely been able to agree on anything.

No matter what I bring up, or what suggestions I make to help integrate the packs, Amber wants something else.

“Our final item on the agenda today,” Lucius says wearily, equally as exhausted by Amber’s roadblocks, “the Running of the Wolves is coming up.”

“This will be an excellent opportunity for our two packs to come together,” I say. “We must make every effort to make this year’s race a success.”

“Agreed,” Samuels says.

I glance at Amber and she shrugs. I sigh a breath of relief. Finally, one thing she isn’t disagreeing with me about.

“What about security?” Samuels asks. “With the recent rogue attack, should the race even be going ahead?”

“I had wondered this myself,” I say, turning to my trusted advisor. “But the positives outweigh the risks. If this event is successful, it could prove instrumental in unifying the packs.”

Samuels strokes his chin, considering my statement.

“Besides,” I continue. “Lucius will be doing his utmost to ensure the safety of our people.”

“We will be asking every wolf to provide their name and the name of any guests from neighboring packs they may wish to invite to keep security as tight as possible,” Lucius says.

“What about non-wolves?” Ace asks.

All eyes on the council turn to stare at my gamma.

“I was hoping to invite Freya,” he says, more timidly than I’m used to seeing him.

“I don’t see why that would be a problem—”

“Out of the question,” Amber says, interrupting.

Everyone turns to look at her.

“With pack security at risk, we can’t be inviting just any old human to attend a sacred wolf event.”

“Freya is not just any human,” Ace says.

“He is right. She is also friends with your luna,” I remind Amber.

“So what?” she says, throwing up her hands in frustration and turning to Ace. “She ~isn’t~ your mate.”

He sinks back in his chair, looking deflated.

“She is a random human,” Amber continues snidely, “and the Red Moon wolves will not be happy if she is in attendance.”

“Surely we can make an exception for—” Ace tries to argue his point but is cut off.

“If we make an exception for her, then where do we stop?” Amber asks, rising out of her seat. “We might as well invite the entire state of Delaware!”

“I think you’re being a little over the top,” I say, trying to cool things down, but Amber is on a roll.

“I think I’m the only sensible person in this room! Pretty soon both of our packs are going to be overrun with humans. Then how will you keep us safe, Alpha?”

“I…”

“She has a point.”

I turn to my left to see Lucius, having just spoken, staring at his hands. The coward can’t even meet my eye.

“What was that, Lucius?”

He clears his throat and sits up straighter. “Amber has a point. We need to put a cap on which outsiders are allowed onto the pack’s land. Otherwise, we’re simply inviting danger.”

I look around the room at the faces of my council. They’re all bowed, telling me the same thing.

Ace and I are outnumbered.

“You all feel this way?”

There are some somber nods and grunts of agreement.

I glance at Ace, who looks devastated. But I know, as much as I want to, there’s nothing I can do.

If my pack and Amber are seeing eye-to-eye, then I can’t disturb the peace.

The relationship between our packs is too precarious.

“Very well,” I say solemnly. “Freya will not attend the Running of the Wolves.”

My stomach turns to stone inside me.

~What have I just done?~

~***~

RORY

~I can’t believe I’m wearing this!~

I feel ridiculous as I walk through the campus.

It’s after dark and there’s next to nobody around to see me, but still, I feel so silly.

Of all the gowns in my closet I’ve picked the one with the biggest hoop skirt. It’s a pale blue color with a structured bodice and about a million layers of tulle beneath the skirt.

Diamantes glimmer like actual diamonds, spattered across the corset and down to the floor.

My hair is wrapped in an up-do that I had Mama help me perfect, and I’ve even found a tiara to top off the look.

If anyone did see me they’d think I’d gone crazy, I look so out of place. But I’m living my Cinderella fantasy tonight and I don’t care.

I can’t help strutting through the old buildings.

I’m on my way to my first-ever L.U. party. And I feel energized.

I can’t wait to see everyone in their costumes. I bet everyone is going to look so smart and fancy.

Tonight is shaping up to be a real fairytale.

I gather my skirts to keep from tripping on them and increase my pace.

The frat house is down a lane leading out of the main campus. Several cottages line the road, most with only a few lights on in the windows.

The house I’m looking for is a little more obvious.

Bass is pumping like a heartbeat. The windows are dim, illuminated by flashing lights and the spinning dots of a disco ball.

There’s a tree out front that’s already covered in toilet paper.

A few kids are sitting out on the front lawn smoking something that doesn’t smell like a normal cigarette.

If they’re dressed up, I can’t tell. They look pretty chill, so maybe they’re just not the dressing-up types.

~I bet I’ll feel less conspicuous once I’m inside.~

I head up the front steps and push open the screen door.

I step inside the party.

The entrance hall is full of smoke and noise, and my heart sinks as I look around.

Everyone is hanging out, chatting, dancing, and laughing. But no one is dressed up. They’re all wearing normal clothes.

And I look completely ridiculous!

I look like a crazed luna who doesn’t know how to dress for a party!

Slowly, people begin to notice me. Heads spin one by one, and I’m horrified by the confused and shocked expressions on their faces.

Soon they start laughing and pointing, and I feel like a fool.

~How could Mia do this to me?!~