Chapter 85 Some Girl Time pt 1
Seren
I woke to the sun warming my face, Duncan's warmth faded from the sheets, and his scent faint in the room. Sighing, stifling the pang of disappointment I felt at his absence, I rolled onto my back. As I stretched, feeling the smooth sheets sliding over me, my hand landed on a piece of paper. There was a handwritten note sitting beside a bright, cheerful daisy on his pillow.
"My sweet little wolf—you looked so peaceful that I couldn't bear to wake you before I left. Don't worry about us while we're gone. I'll keep an eye on your father and your brother, and we'll all be back before you know it. Take some time and rest, spend some time with our mothers, and explore the pack. I'll be counting the hours until I see you again, little mate. Duncan."
I picked up the bloom, bringing it to my nose and breathing in the subtle scent. Who knew there was a romantic underneath that tough alpha exterior? A small smile played on my lips as I reread the note, the words already memorized. The paper crinkled softly as I refolded it and tucked it underneath the daisy’s delicate stem and placed both on the bedside table. The flower, though simple, felt like a promise. A promise of his return, of shared moments, of a future we were building together. Of loyalty and stability and love.
Deciding I'd spent enough time lying about, I slipped from the bed, the floor chilly beneath my feet, and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. My thoughts drifted to the upcoming day as I showered and got dressed. Time with my mother felt like a dream, and I was as anxious as I was excited to be spending the next few days bonding with and learning from her. Suddenly, a sharp rapping at the door startled me, pulling me from my reverie. I called out, "Come in!" and watched as the subject of my thoughts entered, her smiling face lighting the room as her scent of warm oatmeal, milk, and honey enveloped me.
"I was hoping you'd be up already. Cat, Kayla, and Louise are already in the private dining area with breakfast. The men snuck out this morning before dawn, including your father," Mom said as she came in. "We're going to spend the day distracting ourselves from thoughts of war and focusing on something much more fun—your Luna Ceremony!"
"I thought we'd already planned most of that."
"We've certainly planned a lot, but there's one big piece that we haven't even started on yet—your dress! You need a gown fit for a princess and future Luna." She looped her arm through mine. "But first, you need breakfast."
We headed down the hall. I wasn't sure how Mom knew the twists and turns of this pack house as well as she did, but she took us straight to the private dining room without a single misstep. We entered through the double doors to the sound of laughter. Duncan's mom, Louise, and Kayla were all seated at the table with two chairs open for my mother and me. Duncan's father, Aidan, was standing behind his mate, his hands on her shoulders as he smiled at the women. He looked up at us as we came in.
"There you are! I was starting to wonder if you were going to sleep the day away." He smiled. "Not that getting rest is a bad thing. But my mate here has been dying to show you around the pack."
"Oh, you." Catriona shook her head, then turned to me. "Good morning, dear. I hope you had a restful night?"
"I don't even remember falling asleep," I admitted. "Or how I got into bed."
"You were exhausted after your first shift and such a long initial run. That's to be expected. Duncan and the warriors, along with Cian and Gideon, left before the sun rose this morning. I imagine they're getting close to Blood Moon now and will be starting their assault shortly. In the meantime, I'll be here if you ladies need anything." Aidan placed a kiss on Cat's head, then stepped back. "But I'll let you have your girl time. If you need me, just come by the Alpha's office." He walked over to me, gently placing his hand on my shoulder. "My son has given me strict orders. You're to eat and enjoy yourself today. If you need something, don't hesitate to reach out to me or to Cat, okay?"
I looked up at him. He looked so much like Duncan, blue eyes kind and crinkled at the edges like he laughed regularly. He exuded a quiet energy that calmed my racing thoughts. I smiled back at him. "I will. Thank you, Aidan." He grinned at the use of his name with no honorific.
"Anytime, Seren. Now, I'll leave you to it."
I settled at the table, filling my plate with fresh fruit and flaky pastries, while the rest of the women chatted around me. Lost in my own thoughts, with concern for Duncan at the forefront, their conversation was just a murmur in the background. I had just bitten into a juicy, tart strawberry when Mom turned to me and asked, "What do you think, Seren?"
After quickly swallowing the fruit, I looked around and asked, "Um, about what?"
She smiled. "About your Luna ceremony gown. We were just discussing the options. We can go shopping in town, or we can have a selection brought here to choose from."
"Oh, I don't want to trouble anyone. We don't need to have anything brought here just to be taken back again. Shopping in town is fine." The thought of having some poor merchant haul their supplies to the pack house just to pick one dress seemed wasteful to me—not when we could just go to them.
"I know just where to go, Gwen. We'll get her gown squared away, and then we can finish getting the rest of her wardrobe taken care of, too. I know Kayla helped get a few pieces picked out, but she's going to need so much more."