Adilah:
 

After Crimson's little confession, the three of us are forced to lock ourselves in my room and form our own secret meeting. Which is really a not so good of an idea.
 

"Enlighten me again of why you don't want us to go to the dance?" Benetha challenge the soon to be Luna of the Liberty pack without batting an eye. If it's about the Annual ball that she's been dreaming of, then I think she'll fight anyone.
 

Seemingly frustrated of having to explain herself to two girls who she barely talked to, Crimson gives me a pleading glance.
 

"Okay. I get that I don't want to go and you don't want to go ei-"
 

"I do." Bennie proudly cut in, and I give her a glare.
 

"But you do know that we don't have much of a choice. Our parents are going to drag our butts there and people are not going to leave us alone until we go inside and meet our doom." I reason out. I mean we are probably overreacting over this. Why not just attend the ball and get it over with? But I get Crimson, new things make me insecure.
 

She huffs, "You don't understand. Something is wrong with it this time."
 

"Wrong in what way? That we are going to meet our mates?" I stop myself from rolling my eyes. My poor lovesick friend.
 

"Oh please." Crimson grumbles, clearly annoyed now. "Do you think I'll be talking to both of you if that is my reason?"
 

I halt my friend from snapping back. These two hot-headed women. "Wrong?"
 

Crimson composes herself again, "You know how the Liberty pack always hosts the ball since we border their territory from ours..." She doesn't hide her distaste of the word their, " I get the chance to help with the preparation of it for the first time. Then suddenly we are pulled out."
 

"What do you mean by 'we are pulled out'?" Benetha is seriously listening this time, curious.
 

"All the women. They are the ones who are organizing the dance this year."
 

"You mean they, as in men?" I ask in confusion. The Annual ball is organized by women ever since it started for protection purposes. Why the sudden change? And why didn't mother never told me about this, or everyone for the matter?
 

"So you think they are up to something?" Benetha questions, a little fearful this time. She may be a lovesick puppy but she knows danger. She doesn't completely trust men, in fact I doubt if she trusts them at all except for her supposed to be destined one.
 

"I'm guessing. Their guards are everywhere, even my mother is a little worried. They don't want to tell everyone about this though for it will cause a lot of trouble."
 

To that I nod, I know too well how fear can turn out pretty ugly. "So... why tell us?" I cut to the chase.
 

Crimson straighten her posture, unsure of what to say for a sec. "Well... I've been planning something. But I can't tell anyone in my pack about it, in fact, I can't trust anyone in my pack right now since those men are hanging around." She stares at me and also gives Benetha a sideway glance, "I need help."
 

"And you want us to help you?" I ask again with my eyebrows crease.
 

"I don't know anyone of my age besides the two of you. And I will assumed that I can trust you two, because Equality pack members are self-righteous. "
 

I ignore her little insult in the end, "So what will this do for us?" I always weigh my gains and options. Risking something like this is a suicide especially for future Lunas like us, add to the equation my childhood bestfriend. If this turns out to be a mistake we are sure to lose more than what we will gain. I am talking about my mother's wrath right now.
 

"I know I don't have a solid evidence right now, and this may not be fair for me to ask but I need you two to trust me." She holds her head up and meets us determinedly, "I'll promise if something goes wrong I'll take all the blame. But this is something big to ignore."
 

I agree with her in that. If I feel like my pack is being threatened, even if it's just a hunch I'll do anything to get to the bottom of the situation. It's in our blood, our pack is more important than anyone including our own selves. And it looks like Benetha understands too.
 

"So, you have a plan for us to escape during the thing?" I ask.
 

"Escape?" Crimson is confused for a moment then blinks in understanding, "No, we are not leaving. We are going to stop it from happening."
 

"Stop?" Benetha repeats, a little shaken. Even my pulse is ringing in my ears. There's no way we can stop it from happening. It's a tradition and one of the highlights of the treaty. Who knows what will happen if we stop it from happening.
 

"Not in a destructive way, no." Crimson adds confidently, like she knows it will work. That she knows it is going to end well. "We are just going to cut the electricity out, then everyone will think that there is something wrong and they will give up eventually and postpone it. I will have more time to investigate about the other side's plan, and..." She eyes me carefully, "you will have more time away from the ball."
 

She's good at convincing someone alright.
 

"Why now?" My friend sadly whispers beside me. I'll comfort her later, but right now I am happy that I have a shot out of this. Crimson eagerly continues, " I think we are also going to learn something important from this, other than just..."
 

"Mates?" I finish it for her. I have issues with men, but it looks like Crimson has it worse than me.
 

"Yeah that."
 

"How are we going to do it?" Benetha with a new purpose joins us again. We are both a er for missions.
 

"I'll tell you more about it the day before the event." Crimson calmly replies and of course Benetha protested. But it's probably for the best as I hear the footsteps in the hallway, signaling that the council meeting is finally over.
 

At least one of my big problems is gone, time to face the other one in a couple of weeks.
 

  ***

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