Aries

Chapter 2

Cars were parked out the garage and the lights were up. I smiled at the sight. The lights on the newly painted building did cast a glow, that tried to rival the stars above.

I placed my thumbprint and the door to the packhouse opened. Thankfully no one was there. Racing down the well-lit corridor, I nudged the door to Livvia's room. It was locked. I groaned. Livvia had never locked her door and tonight was the night she was sensible enough to do it?

Kicking the door, I nudged the next room's door. Aurelia's door gave way beneath my hand. Raising my eyebrows, I peeked in to see Reece dabbing some powder on her cheeks.

She was gorgeous in her full-length red dress. Her black hair was styled into a Hungarian braid and her brown eyes were rimmed with red mascara.

When our eyes met in the mirror, she stopped her actions and gasped. "What are you doing, Lyra? And in that dress? I thought I was late and they sent you to fetch me when I scented you."

I reached for the jug and gulped some water. "You have no idea."

Shaking her head, she pulled me in. Placing her compact on the dressing table and she opened her sister-in-law's wardrobe and snuck her hand in. Pulling out, she held an olive green full-length gown trimmed with silver leaves. It had a spaghetti laced neck and the left hand was full, and would no doubt reach till the wrist. It had whorls and patterns of silver. All in all, it was a dress I would prefer for a formal occasion.

"Here." She held it out for me. "Aurelia and I planned this for your birthday as a present. Seeing you need a dress badly, have it. Think it of a gift given earlier. Your birthday is just four days away, anyway."

I stared at her. "I could hug you."

"I prefer you not," Reece said, placing the dress on the bed. "Wipe yourself with a towel and come out soon. We have less than fifteen minutes."

Removing my sneakers, I went into the washroom.

Discarding my ruined tank top and jeans, I placed a towel under the water and let it soak. As much as I wanted to bath, I would need my inner wears and they were in a drawer in my room, located on the first floor in my house, where I could not go. If I have to go in, it would require my thumbprint and it would notify my mother. If she knows it, I will never hear the end of it.

Wiping my skin of the traces of paint, I released my brown hair from my bun and washed my hair in the sink. Before the water could drip from my hair, I took another towel and wrapped it around the rebellious locks. Finally, I scrubbed my face and opened the door to see a seething Reece.

"You took twenty minutes, Lyra!" she shrieked. "We have only like five minutes left."

I snorted and picked up the dress. "It's not like I am important, Reece. If you want, you go."

She cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest. "Not important? How so? Please enlighten me."

I rolled my eyes. "I am a human, Reece. I have no wolf or beast. And this is the ceremony for the new Alpha. The naming of the Alpha. How can I be important here?"

Reece strode towards me with fire in her eyes. Her onyx hair did nothing but to enhance the anger on her face. She held me by my shoulders and shook me.

"You are the beta's daughter!" she said quietly. "Delta's sister. You are a part of the pack, just as everyone is. If anyone has anything to say against it, they have to go through me, my mate, Aurelia, Livvia, the twins, your siblings, your parents and not to mention the alpha pair. And many others will stand by you. You are needed for the ceremony tonight. I don't know why my wolf says it's necessary for you to be present."