CHAPTER 31 AN OLD DRESS
October 23rd
The next morning, Leo wasn't by my side. In his place was the heavenly smell of bacon.
Like a possessed zombie I climbed out of the high squishy bed and headed straight for the food.
"How are you feeling Ella?" Leo asked sensing me the second I entered the kitchen.
"Pretty good...," I replied noticing a slight bruise on my wrist where Leo had accidentally held me
maybe a little too hard last night.
"The aches will wear off with some breakfast," Leo said handing me a plate with a slice of greek bread,
bacon and eggs.
"I know I've said this before, but you're just very..." I said. "Rough. And by no means is that a bad thing
it's just....I'm a beginner and it's very intense. You've gotta go easy on me."
"I'm sorry," he said kissing me on the head on his way to the table. "I'll be gentle next time."
I smiled and looked down at my breakfast.
"Do you forgive me then?" he asked.
"For what?" I asked.
"...whatever you were mad about," he grumbled.
"No," I said sharply.
"But you-"
"Because I wanted to," I replied stabbing my bacon, "It doesn't mean I forgave you and from now on we
are using condoms until you show me you're ready to be a father."
He rolled his eyes.
"Don't give me attitude. You know you're the one in the wrong," I snapped.
After that we ate breakfast in silence before putting our bathing suits on and taking a short walk down
to a rocky beach on our island with some reef.
I didn't let him hold my hand, even when we were clambering across big boulders twice my size that he
could manage in a stride. I chose to struggle rather than accept his help which he irritatingly found quite
amusing.
When we finally reached the water, it perfectly clear so you could see every single little colourful
creature.
"It's beautiful," I said as I crouched down to get a closer look of the thriving life down there.
Leo then stepped in, kicking up silt and sand and making the water cloudly and murky.
"Great, you ruined it. Just like you ruined-"
"Shut up," he interrupted, grasping my wrist and pulling me in behind him, "It's peaceful here. Let's just
be...at peace."
I pursed my lips and bit my tongue before looking around. The ocean was still, the sky blue with only
the occasional cloud drifting idily by. It was peaceful. Maybe we should keep it that way...
I then forced myself to nod, "Okay."
"Good," he said moving his grip down to my hand.
We waded through the water until we were up to my waist.
"Fuck, what was that?" I squealed leaping up towards Leo.
My foot had delved into something extremely squishy and slimy.
"Probably just a piece of seaweed," Leo said calmly guiding me further into the ocean.
I put my foot back down and felt the same squidgy thing move underneath it.
"That is not a fucking piece of fucking seaweed!" I shouted, squeezing his hand tightly as I lifted my
feet off the ground and using Leo to stay afloat. I wrapped my legs around his torso like a koala bear
whilst he wrapped one arm around my back.
"How about I carry you away from the scary squishy thing?" Leo suggested walking fearlessly into the
sea.
"I like that idea," I agreed.
For the rest of the week, I fought the urge to snap at every little thing Leo did. I hadn't forgiven him and
every night when he asked if we could 'give the condom a miss' the answer was still a firm no. But...it
somehow worked. Maybe being away from the pack and his alphaship made him into a better human
or maybe he was just happy to be having sex. I don't know. But we drifted through the vacation
practically argument free, peaceful and content.
October 30th
When we arrived back in Seattle after the immensely long flight, it was past midnight and when we had
driven back to the house it was about 3 in the morning. After a beautifully long sleep that went well into
the afternoon, I finally dragged myself out of bed. Leo was no longer in the bed and when I got
downstairs I found one of the twins downstairs.
"Hey, Marco or Carlos?" I asked.
"Marco. Carlos is on his way." Marco replied.
"Okay, where's Leo?"
"Oh he went out to the base to catch up with pack stuff," Marco replied. "He told me to apologise on his
behalf for not saying goodbye but he didn't want to wake you because you were so fast asleep."
I nodded, "Jet lag hit me hard."
"Coffee?" he asked.
"That would be great."
Marco and I sat down at the table with a cup of coffee each. The caffeine coursing through my veins
brought some life into me and I slowly began to feel less like death.
"So Carlos and I had plans to go to a Allison today in her new faction before we got called for
babysitting," Marco said, "I heard you met and then immediately broke into Leo's junior institute
together, the reason she's been move faction, so I figured you must already be good friends and would
like to come?"
I nodded.
Carlos arrived a bit later, dressed practically identically to his identical twin brother.
"Carlos in the building!" Carlos bellowed through the house.
"I would never have guessed," his twin said.
"Why would you wear the same shirt?!" I exclaimed. "How am I supposed to tell you apart."
They looked at each other and froze, examining the other twin's outfit.
Seconds later they began shouting at each other in Italian.
"Hey, hey, hey!" I said, "I didn't mean to start a riot."
"Mom bought us these shirts a few months ago forgetting that we are no longer five and don't like
dressing the same anymore," Marco began.
"And we both agreed never to wear them on the same day," Carlos added. "But look who's breaking
oaths!"
"Hey! I was up first this morning!" Marco replied.
"What and I'm supposed to take notes on what you're wearing?" Carlos replied, "By telepathy?"
"Don't worry, Ella. When you forget who is who just remember that I am less of an ass," Marco said to
me.
"Or...you could remember I am the more attractive one," Carlos said with a sarcastic smile.
"Or... I could just remember Carlos's jeans are dark grey and Marco's jeans are black," I suggested with
a laugh.
"Fine."
"Fine."
An hour later, we were arriving in a small village. It'd been a long walk.
Allison used to live in Triton but after the trespassing fandanza, Leo being the prick he is, demoted her
to a lower faction.
"Allison!" Marco exclaimed after as two people had come out of the house in front of us. "Nice house..."
She grimaced and looked back at her new home, "It's smaller than my old one in Triton...but it's cosier."
"I'm sorry," I said through gritted teeth, "That's my bad."
"No it's not," she said sternly, "Don't you dare go blaming yourself. But I didn't know any of you were
coming today?"
"Well it was just gonna be Marco and I," Carlos began, "But then our brother lumbered us with his luna
last minute," he added nudging me.
Allison smiled awkwardly, "Well...Mateo's here..."
Marco furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"
I bit my lip and tried not to make eye contact with either Marco and Carlos. I knew exactly why Mateo
was at Allison's house but of course it had been made very clear the twins can't know.
"He was helping me move some of my stuff," she said quickly.
"Oh," Carlos chirped, "Okay."
Marco shrugged, "Cool. Can we come in?"
She nodded and as they walked towards the house Allison looked to me nearly laughing, "They're so
gullible," he whispered.
As we came in, Mateo came downstairs wrapped with a towel around his waist. He widened his eyes
as he saw his brothers.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Marco asked.
"Urgh..." he began, "I was fixing the shower...then I tested it."
"Fair enough," Carlos said and he and his twin once again continued on their way, completely
unsuspecting.
Even Mateo, their brother, seemed surprised at how easily he got away with that.
"They really do believe anything," He said quietly.
"Go and put some clothes on Mateo," Allison ordered, "I'll keep them busy."
The house was still full of boxes and was in serious need of a dust but it was nice enough. Allison
made us all coffee and when Mateo came back down we headed out for a walk.
"Urgh, Carlos do you get the..." Marco said as we walked down the front step.
I looked at Carlos in confusion and he nodded before tapping his pocket.
Marco's face lit up in glee.
"Then let's go," he said.
We walked into the forest. I walked with Allison behind the boys and we chatted about almost
everything.
I got on with Allison. Her energy matched mine and it just worked.
"Marco and Carlos can be really irritating, can't they?" she said.
They'd been shoving each other and forcing each other into headlocks the entire way.
"But I've known them forever and I love them just...deep down," she said with a laugh.
I smiled, "They had a fight this morning because they're wearing the same shirt."
"I did wonder if they'd done that deliberately..." Allison replied.
Just then, Carlos began coughing.
"Fuck, it's strong," he said.
It was then that I noticed the blunt in his hand.
"Oh..." I said, "That's what was in his pocket."
The distinct smell of pot drifting into my nose as he passed it to Marco who took a hit before passing it
on to Mateo.
They all grimaced and coughed.
"Where the hell did you get this?" Marco asked.
"Same place as usual," Carlos replied.
"We're supposed to be watching the Alpha's Luna," Marco said with a laugh after taking another long Content rights belong to .
inhalation of the joint, "He might kill us."
"It'll wear off," Mateo reassured, "Allison?"
"Not today," she said, "You know what happened last time I smoked."
"Luna?" Carlos said to me.
He smiled widely. How was he already high?
"Are you out of your mind?" Marco said snatching it off him, "He will kill us."
They both then burst into laughter.
Allison looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"Just wait. This is only the start," she said, "Come on boys. Walk and smoke. Smoke and walk."
We continued through the forest, Mateo and the twins only getting higher and higher. They were on
about the third joint when Mateo suddenly stopped.
"I'm really fucking hungry," he said.
"Us too," Marco and Carlos said in unison.
"Ally?" Mateo said with pleading eyes, "Do you have any candy?"
"Why the fuck would I have candy?" she asked.
He looked her with betrayal but I didn't spend long watching where that was gonna go before I noticed
what Marco and Carlos were doing.
Opera.
They were singing opera.
Well, trying.
The giggling and severe inability to sing was kinda getting in the way.
"You know Ella," Carlos said to me, putting an arm around my shoulder as we walked back to the
house half an hour later, "Have you seen the Uzbekistani economy lately?"
"Umm..." I said. "No?"
"Honestly, are you some kind of simpleton?" he asked, "Hey Marco! Our brother has made this girl his
Luna and she doesn't even know about Uzbekistan's economy! Can you believe that?!"
"Well you better educate the woman!" Marco exclaimed.
"You must at least know about their gold mining industry?"
I shook my head.
"The diverse economy driven by the battle for independence that aimed for a smooth transition into the
market economy avoiding stagnation and pauperism?" he asked.
"Honey, I don't even know what half those words mean," I said.
"We'll work on it," he assured me before suddenly ducking.
"Fuck," he muttered, "I thought that was a vulture."
I looked around, "Thought what was a vulture?"
"That!" he exclaimed.
He pointed at a distant leaf drifting from a tree.
"Oh, I see..." I said a smile tugging at my lips, "That makes sense."
Eventually, Allison and I got all three back to the house where they stood eating the kitchen to the
ground.
It was then that Marco's phone began to ring.
"It's Leo," he said, gulping down the piece of plane bread in his mouth. "Did you ever tell him where we
were?" he asked Carlos.
"No, I thought you did?" Carlos replied.
"Oh shit," Mateo said with a laugh, "You're fucked."
"Do I answer it?" Marco asked.
"Yes," I said taking the bread out of his hand, "Just try and act...normal."
"Hey, Leo," He said with an awkward laugh.
"I just got back to my house and you don't appear to be here," Leo's voice replied. "Where's Ella?"
"She's with us. We went to Allison's new house," Carlos replied. "Everything's fine."
"Are you on your way back?" Leo asked surprisingly calmly.
"Yes," Marco said as Carlos simultaneously said "No."
"Right... Yes, no?" Leo asked, "Are you high?"
"No," Marco said, this time covering Carlos's mouth.
"Just bring her home," Leo replied before hanging up.
Quiet cast over the kitchen leaving us only listening to the sounds of their digesting stomachs.
"That was weird," I said breaking the silence.
"He seemed almost...," Carlos added.
"Rational," Marco finished.
"Maybe he's had a good day," I said.
Marco and Carlos walked me home soon after where Leo was waiting. They stood looking guilty at the
end of the drive as I approached Leo who stood watching them on the front doorstep.
"Thank you!" he called, "You can go! But I can smell it from here so I wouldn't go home to Mom just
yet!"
They then scarpered, all limbs intact and without suffering the wounds of even one harshly toned word.
"Why aren't you mad?" I asked wrapping my arms around his waist.
"That I left you in charge of my two brothers that then rendered themselves totally useless by smoking
a shit tonne of pot?" he asked.
"Yeah...that," I said.
"Firstly, I am not surprised. This is exactly why if available, I would always choose Mateo. Secondly, I'm
in a good mood," he replied, "Thirdly, at least didn't let you join in."
I didn't mention that Mateo had also been high as a kite earlier today.
I laughed, "And why are you in a good mood?"
"The annual pack ball is tomorrow night. It marks the establishment of the pack so it's pretty important,"
he replied
"Why do you wait until the day before to tell me these things?" I ask "I don't even have a suitable dress
to wear."
"Do not fear. Tradition has already thought of that," he said taking my hand and pulling me up the
stairs. "I need to show you something," he continued leading me into one the room with the piano.
"Why do you have a room with just a piano? Do you even play the piano?" I asked.
"Yes, indeed I do play the piano," he said moving his fingers along keys so fast I could barely even see
whilst also playing a beautiful tune. "And there is far more than just a piano in this room. That is merely
for standing on," he continued lifting me up and placing me on top of the shiny black grand piano
before walking over a large closet.
He opened it, revealing a mannequin displaying the most beautiful dress I'd ever seen.
"Wow," I whispered. "Is that for me?"
He nodded.
It was a rich navy blue colour with a sparkling star-like embellishments. The bust was fitted and
elegantly shaped until the waist where the skirt came out and fell perfectly to the floor. It was, by all
means, a gown.
"This is the Luna's dress," Leo explained, "I had to get it tailored because the last person who wore it
was my Mother and she is considerably taller than you."
"Your mother wore it?" I asked.
"Along with every other Luna for hundreds of years," he said, "Of course it hasn't been around since
Potestas Loren's time but it seen a few eras."
"It's beautiful," I said.
"And it's yours for this ball every year...until our eldest son becomes Alpha of course," he said taking it
carefully down off the mannequin.
"Are those sparkly things diamonds?" I asked as he brought it over.
"Every single one," he said, "They're supposed to look like stars in the night sky to represent the Stella
pack."
"I'm scared to even touch it," I said.
"Try it on," he said causing me to look up at him, "Try it on," he urged.
"Okay..." I said kicking off my shoes. Leo jumped up onto the piano with me and pulled my sweater and
top over my head, I then quickly slipped off my jeans.
"Bra's going to have to go," Leo said when I was done. I turned away from him before unclipping it and
kicking it onto the floor along with the rest of my clothes. "And panties."
I turned my head and scowled at him. "Shut up."
Leo then gently slipped the soft satin material over my head and it fell nicely down so it hit the top of
the piano with a little trail.
"It fits perfectly," he said as I turned around after he had fastened the clasps at the back.
"And what do you wear to this ball?" I asked.
"A really old matching tie," He replied.
"Just a tie?" I asked with a smirk.
"I can only think of one other person that would say something like that and that is Luca," Leo replied
causing me to laugh.
"Can I take this off now? It's stressing me out," I said.
"You're going to have to wear it for about 6 hours tomorrow. And there will be wine. Red wine," Leo
said.
"Oh God, at least it's dark blue not white or something," I said.
He smiled and kissed me, "You look stunning."