Chapter 37 37. Dress
Tabitha’s POV
It has been a month since the engagement party. The estate no longer feels the same. It is busier than ever. There are strangers walking in and out at all hours. I can also barely get enough sleep with all the voices and chatters through the halls, and the front doors never stay shut for long. The wedding is in three days, and the entire place has turned into a temporary headquarters for every vendor and personnel my mother might need.
This is even messier than the engagement party. But it shouldn’t come as a shock, really. This is my mom and Alpha Emery’s big day, after all. Of course my mom would go all out.
I catch a glimpse of the wedding coordinators setting up meetings with my mom in the sitting room. Ateliers have also arrived with racks of clothing for last-minute alterations. A group of floral designers are present as well, carrying bundles of arrangements across the foyer as they argue over palettes and centerpiece samples. People in headsets rush between rooms, asking for decisions my mother keeps postponing. The actual ceremony will be held at a hotel downtown, but it feels like the real chaos lives here.
“Damn, does this place look like hell,” Reed mutters as he walks beside me. He’s holding a plate with three pieces of cupcakes, probably stolen from the samples the Petaline staff brought earlier.
“Did they know you took that?” My forehead creases.
He shrugs, picking the chocolate-flavored one. “They were too busy arguing about rose shades to notice. If they didn’t want people stealing, they should’ve set up closer to the kitchen.”
“You’re such a menace,” I say.
“You’re only figuring that out now?” Luca chimes in, swooping in from behind to swipe the mocha cupcake off Reed’s plate before taking a big bite.
“Hey! That’s mine,” Reed grits out to his brother.
“Not anymore.” Luca shrugs and shamelessly devours the treat.
Reed huffs. Then, he glances around the foyer as if cataloguing every pair of shoes and every arguing florist.
“The whole house is a mess. It has never been this loud in here before,” Reed mutters in between bites of his cupcake.
“You sound like you hate it, but you seem to be having a field day stealing all the samples,” I retort, cocking a brow.
“It is the best way to keep me from getting sick from the smell of flowers,” he replies, then sneezes into his sleeve.
Oh, yeah. Werewolves have sharper senses than humans, especially their sense of smell. That is why my mom only keeps a small selection of flowers in the house and only enjoys them in moderation. Although this wedding calls for a rare exception. She is definitely putting up with more blooms than she would normally allow.
As a human without any notable allergies, I do not mind the fragrance, but the same cannot be said for my mom or the Aldair brothers who are werewolves.
“These flowers are dulling my senses,” Luca says, brushing a stray petal from his sleeve. “They look nice, but it feels like the whole house is swimming in perfume.”
Reed nods in agreement. “The whole thing feels rushed. That’s why it’s chaos all over the place.”
I know they still are not completely comfortable with the idea of my mom marrying their father. Even so, I have noticed they are far more civil about it now compared to a month ago.
“I just don’t understand why they are rushing the damn wedding,” Reed mutters.
“That’s because in three months the Moon Harvest Festival starts. Our father probably doesn’t want the wedding and the festival to overlap, so he’s getting it done now,” Luca says matter-of-factly.
“Oh, right.” I nod. “I almost forgot about the biggest festival on the island.”
Haven’t attended that since we left this place. I wonder if some things have changed about the festival too.
“Give me some of that,” Luca demands once he finishes his mocha piece.
“Fuck off, Luca. Go get some yourself,” Reed growls at his brother and runs away while carrying the cupcake.
“You little selfish fucker,” Luca chases after his brother.
I just sigh as I watch them brawl over cupcakes.
Brothers.
In the afternoon, the chaos of last-minute planning shows no sign of calming down. One of the atelier staff approaches me and asks me to head to one of the estate’s fitting rooms to try on my dress so they can check if any alterations are needed.
I expect the room to be empty. Instead, all four of my stepbrothers are inside, sprawled across the chairs and couch as if they own the place. They are clearly waiting for their own final suit fittings as well. A playful smile tug on Jace’s lips as he stares at me from where he is sitting.
Suddenly, I’m hesitating if I should try on my dress now or just wait for another opportunity later.
“The only thing left to do is your final fitting so we can check for any adjustments before the wedding. We need everything ready to send back to the boutique as soon as possible,” the atelier announces with a sweet smile.
There goes my plan to postpone my fittings. Forget it. I can’t be the reason for any delays, especially for the dress alterations. My mom will lose her mind.
The staff looks around the room before telling me she will grab the measuring tape and some pins from the table outside. She smiles before slipping out, leaving me alone with the brothers.
Great.
I let out a sigh before walking toward the sliding fitting cubicle in the corner and step inside with my dress in hand. It’s a simple but elegant powder blue dress with spaghetti straps. It matches the theme of the party which is only a few shades away from the signature navy blue color of the Crystal Ridge pack.
The small space in the fitting area feels even tighter once I start maneuvering into the gown. But I manage to pull through. The fabric glides coolly over my olive skin, settling around my waist before falling into a smooth skirt. I pull it up over my shoulders and reach for the zipper, but it catches halfway. I try again, but it refuses to move.