Adilah:

The days sweep fast with my schedule mainly composed of preparations for the ball, so I don't have much time to worry about my negotiation with Crimson. Apparently it is mandatory for everyone to learn different skills before we can attend it, from dance rehearsals to lessons on what you will do if you find your mate in the process. They also teach us about the claiming and mating rituals, which are rather disturbing. I will never allow anyone to touch my neck, let alone let someone bite it. Even Benetha is not as dreamy at the beginning.

I walk along lazily and welcome the nice sight of my bed. Dancing with a mannequin is a crazy idea enough, add a not so nice instructor and you are in for a torturous session. As I'm about to flap myself on the soft cushion, my bedroom door opens to reveal my tired mother. Sometimes I forget that being a Luna is hard. I always imagine myself looking like my mother in the next couple of years, lonely and somehow always wary of others, not like I would need to change a lot. I already have her black hair even though mine is a bit unruly and her dark brown eyes.

"Is there something wrong, Mom?" I ask her, genuinely worried. She tells me if there is something wrong with the pack, and asks my opinion to solve the problem. Her way of getting me ready in the future.

"No, just checking how are you taking all of this."

"Oh." That's the only thing that I can say to her, because seriously I don't really know how I am feeling about this and the thing with Crimson. But seeing her question as an opening I ask her something that I've been meaning to ask these past couple of days. "What do you know about the Annual Ball, Mom? You already attended it." Considering that I am alive, yes she had been to one.

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember much about it. I only attended twice, then I found your--"

"Father?" She flinched at my word, but smiles and make her way to sit right next to me on my bed. "Dear, there is nothing to fear. It's just your first time it is normal to be nervous. We've been doing this for a long time now. "

Yeah, but this one is different and way to change the subject Mom. I keep my mouth shut. Don't have to risk it right now.

"Okay," I comply.

"One more week. Just be yourself, honey."

I sigh. She hugs me for a minute and look at me with worry. It's not really comforting, but since I know her I hug her back. She means well.

"I will." Hence, I made the deal with Crimson. I think it is time to break a tradition.

"Make me proud."

I smile, "I will."

    ***

"You already got your dress?" Benetha asks me as she shoves her own blue one at my face. I push her back annoyed and point to the fancy box on the floor distractedly. I stare at the clock, it's already the day that Crimson should have given us something. I can't believe it's finally happening tomorrow. If that girl changed her mind, I am definitely going to slap her.

"Woah, red. You are going to stick out with your pale skin." I pry the dress that they gave me out of Benetha's hand and stare at it myself.

"I didn't ask for one. I have my own dress."

She gives me an incredulous look, "Yeah for hunting!"

I smile, even with our situation my friend still worries about looking good.

"Focus Bennie. Remember Crimson?"

"Oh, yeah. It's today."

I pinch the bridge of my nose in distress. I'm I the only one who remembers it? Benetha makes her way to my side and sit beside me on my bed.

"Hmmm......."

"What?" I look at her suspiciously. She gives me a cheeky smile then pulls out a piece of paper out of nowhere. Without further questions, I take it and open it anxiously.

  Entrance gate of your pack before dusk.

"Where did you get this?" I say a little offended. Is Crimson planning to put me out there without me knowing anything?

"Hold your horses. I found it with my dress this morning, and I believe yours is inside too." I take the fancy box that I disregarded in the corner and like my friend has said a note is indeed inside it next to the ominous-looking invitation, containing the same message.

"That's why I always tell you, never ignore a pretty box. You'll never know what might be in it." Benetha winks at me and gets back to admiring the dresses. Seriously, what's with girls and dresses?

***

As the dark is coming its way to set in, Benetha and I are already standing next to the entrance of our pack where Crimson had told us to wait. I also get the guards to leave their duty too without arising any suspicions to have some privacy.

"I wonder how are we going to do it?" Benetha hums while she kicks the dirt on the ground, she's starting to get bored and so am I.

"Don't know." I stifle a yawn that escape me. I am really tired, we both are for we did our final rehearsals this morning. It's probably for the better because I am going to be really numb tomorrow, or maybe I can also catch a cold or some kind of an illness. My eyelids are getting heavy and I lean myself on the concrete wall that borders my own pack from the outside.

"You know that you need to be well-rested for tomorrow. "

Benetha squeals as the girl whom we are waiting for landed perfectly in front of us. I frown, "You know that I could've opened the gate for you."

She smiles, "No need. I like climbing walls." My friend is right, this girl is weird.

"So is the plan still on?" Benetha immediately inquires after she recovered from her shock.

"Of course." Crimson removes the hood that she is wearing to reveal her face, looking as determined as we last talked. Liberty pack members are really stubborn and I don't know if it's one of their strengths or weaknesses.

"I already located where the main generator is. The only problem is that it is near the surveillance room, where they watch everyone for security. " She elaborates. Right, I almost forgot that the Liberty pack is the most high-tech pack there is. Sure enough there is going to be a lot of cameras around.

"Luckily, I have two people with me to watch my back and distract everyone as I sneak in. " She continues meaningly, gesturing at us.

I roll my eyes. I kinda have the feeling that Benetha and I are going to be her lookout. But she knows that area more than us since it's her pack so I am not going to argue back.

"Distract?" My friend asks and scratches her hair in confusion.

Crimson shrugs, "I'll trust your own methods on that one. I'll see you tomorrow. " And as swiftly as she had landed minutes ago, she climbs the wall again and disappears out of our sight. She is more of a cat than a wolf really. I've never seen someone as agile as her.

"Guess we are on our own tomorrow. " I say more to myself.

"Yeah. Let's take a rest now."

I just nod in agreement, even though I know that I am not going to sleep a wink later. The dread is finally setting in. Tomorrow is going to change my life forever.

    ***

So much drama... We need it in our life :)