Hideout

N I N E

C H A P T E R 

N I N E

A D E L A I D E 

Emerson bounced happily around the room, multitudes of outfits - all hers - laid out for me. "I think you should wear a skirt - with some tights, because it is chilly at night," she claimed.

"I don't do skirts-"

"You have the perfect legs for skirts though. Plus Alpha Leo will absolutely love it!" she squealed, throwing a faux leather skater skirt at me and black tights to go throw on. "While you put these on, I will fix up the rest of it. Just trust me, okay?"

I changed in the closet, the tights warm and tight on my legs. They actually made my legs a little longer - or made them look like it, I mean. I don't know how the tights were supposed to block the "chilly" air, since they might as well have not been there - they were completely see through.

Emerson beamed when she saw me. "Those both look so great on you. I might let you keep them, if Leo doesn't rip them off of you later," she said with a wink.

My face felt hot and I covered my eyes. "We are not doing... that. He's forcing me to go on this date. Again."

"And he will be so glad I dressed you," she mused while lifted a blouse up. "I've never touched this. You can have it, I can't pull it off." The top was a cream button up with black polka dots on it. "Tuck it into the skirt. It'll make you look taller."

I took it from her, putting one arm through each sleeve and yanking it on over my black undershirt. Emerson volunteered to help tuck it in for me. Earlier, in a process that took much too long for my liking, she curled my hair so they were in super loose, soft waves, and it was shinier than I had ever seen it. "Can't I at least put some eyeliner and mascara on you?" she pleaded. "It'll look-"

The mention of makeup brought back a dark memory, one that made a lump immediately fill my throat. "No. I'm going to try and keep them covered all night so-"

"Alpha Leo won't let you do that, Addie. He got rid of all of those things, you know that," she said softly, fixing my hair a little bit. "Please? Just a little bit?"

I sighed, staring at her puppy-dog face. I did owe her, she got me ready and lended me her clothing. Plus she was too nice to say no to. My shoulders slumped in defeat and I sat on the edge of the bed. Emerson hugged me tightly, her own beautiful long hair moving angelically. She grabbed a chair and her makeup bag, her face going slack in concentration.

"I'm so jealous of your skin tone. So fair and clear," she murmured. I flinched when she moved to my scarred eye. "Stop, Addie. Don't be ashamed of it. You've got something that makes you special - makes you different from every other wolf out there. Doesn't that make you the least bit happier?"

"It makes me weak. You haven't seen my wolf form - I'm blind in one eye, I'm the size of the smallest regular wolf. If it were just a birthmark, sure, no big deal, but whatever this is," I motioned to the mess of my skin. "It isn't just mentally limiting, it has its physical limitations too."

"You're still so beautiful." I snorted at this comment. But there was something kinda nice about forming a bond with a female. Having an actual friend, which wasn't something I was used to in my old pack. Emerson was the first girl I'd met that didn't actually care that I looked different and still wanted to be friends with me.

"I'm borne omega. Plain hair, plain eyes, small. I don't have the beauty an upper class wolf does - even though both my parents do," I said bitterly. "I was made to be a Rogue."