I open my eyes and see Alison sound asleep next to me. I slowly get out of bed and head for the shower.
I inhale the scent of my body, then slid down the shower wall, sitting on the floor, the water falling over me. I can not help but think today will be the last day I use this shower, the last time I sleep in my bed or see my parents. I can not help but ask myself if finding my mate is what I really want for myself anymore. Then I remember the Beast is attending the ball, all the stories we have been told about him. How he keeps the heads of those who cross him and stick on stakes in the yard. I shiver and get to my feet. I pity the women who end up with him as a mate. I hope he leaves here without finding a mate. I turn the water off step out and dry off.
When I step back into the bedroom, Alison is awake and on her phone.
"Oh good, you're awake. Hurry up and get ready," I tell her.
"Ready,? Where are we going?" she asks
"I thought we were going to stay in and get ready for tonight,"
"No, I have a surprise for you, so hurry up and meet me downstairs," I tell her
I leave Alison to get ready and head downstairs to see my mother. Only when I get to the kitchen I find a note instead.
{Note}
Dear Payton
Your brother father and I had to go attend to last-minute details for the ball tonight,
If you and Alison go out, please be back no later than 4 pm. Please get ready for the ball.
I mean it Payton 4 pm.
Love you, Mom
{End of note}
I look at the clock it is 11 am. If we are going to be back by 4 pm, Alison is going to have to hurry up.
I am going to surprise Alison with a day of beauty. I made lunch reservations for noon then at the spa for 1:30 to get fancy nails, makeup, and our hair done for tonight. So all we would have to do is come home and put on our dresses.
I head to the bottom of the stairs and yell up to Alison
"COME ON ALLY, HURRY UP,"
"Ok, ok," she says, running down the stairs
"I am ready, sheesh. Why the hurry?"
"You will see," I said with a smile and pulled her out the door.
After lunch, we head into the salon,
"You're kidding, right?" she asked
"Lunch and a day here?"
"Surprise," I said
"But Payton, yesterday was your birthday, not mine," she says
"Oh I know, but we have been friends, well sisters really forever we have done so much for each other, you have done so much for me and have always been there for me, so today is on me, a sort of a thank you, and I love you gift,"
"Well then," she says
"Let's do this."
I got my nails done in a navy blue color that shined. Alison went with black and white style nails.
They will match our dresses perfectly.
I decided to go with a hairstyle where half my hair would stay down and curled, well, the rest of up in a nice french braid with navy blue and white baby breath flowers throughout it. I could hardly recognize myself. I was simply stunning. I was waiting for Alison to have her hair finished before moving on to makeup.
Alison was getting her hair curled with white steaks and then pinned back. She was so pretty.
I looked at the clock it was 3 pm. We had an hour before we were to be home.
"This way, Payton, we can start your makeup now." says the woman who was going to do my makeup.
Oh well, I thought to myself. If we are late we are late, as long as we get to the ball on time.
By the time we were all done, it was 4:10 pm. We are ten minutes late so far.
We gather our things, and I pay for the service, and then we head out. As we are walking to my car, a couple of guys step in front of us blocking our path. I recognize one of them as Jim Foster from school; he was on the football team, and he was human.
"Well, well, well, looky here, boys, if it isn't Payton and Alison," he says
"And where are you two going all dulled up?"
"Get out of the way. Jim, we are in a hurry," I said, trying to walk around them
"What's the rush?" says another boy with him
"None of your business now move,"
Jim reaches out and grabs my arm,
"Come on, Payton, no need to be that way," he says
"You know I have always had a thing for you, Payton, what you say we have a little fun in my car,?"
I am so sick of these human kids from school. I hate that our pack never had a school of our own. I look at the clock on my phone, 4:20 pm. I really have to get us home.
I know it is against the rules of being a werewolf, but I can not take anymore. I let my wolf come forward. I show my K-9s and growl. Jim lets go with a freaked out look on his face,
"What the,?"
I growl again, and the guys take off running.
"Nice one," says Alison
"You know if anyone finds out,"
"I know I know, get in the car now," I say
"Rushing again," she says
"Yes, because we are late," I said
"My mom left us a note. she said if we went out, we had to be back by 4 pm no later. "
I saw Alison look at the clock in the car,
"Oh s**t," she says, she buckles up, and I speed for home.
When I pulled into the driveway, it was 4:35 pm; we got out and rushed to the door. As we enter, we can hear voices in the kitchen.
"PAYTON BLACK YOU GET YOUR BEHIND IN HERE NOW," yells my mother. I look at Alison, and we start towards the kitchen
"I told you to be home by 4 pm, now we are going to be late to the ball because we have to," we entered the kitchen and my mom stops talking as she sees us,
"I know you said 4 pm, Mom, but our spa day ran a little behind," I said
"Wow," says Beta John Alison's father
"You two look very beautiful."
"I agree," says father
"Very beautiful."
"Well, I guess we do not have to spend time on the girls after all," says Alison's mom
"No, I guess not," says my mom
"I am so proud of you for taking it upon yourself and going to go get this done. You are so beautiful,"
Our mothers rush us upstairs to help us with our dresses.
By 6 pm, we are all ready to head to the ballroom at the packhouse. I take one last look at myself and then turn to Alison.
"Well Ally," I say
"Here goes nothing."