Lyra Acosta
13:47 EST
November 12, 2030
Dragon Fleet’s MCV
Knoxville, TN.
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The MCV’s cabin felt warmer than usual, a mix of body heat and tension as the three of us prepared for the afternoon ahead. I tugged at the silver cord of my braid, making sure it was perfectly secured before glancing in the narrow mirror. My Class A’s were crisp, their polished medals catching the overhead light, but even with the meticulous uniform, I felt underdressed compared to Mac.
She stood nearby, leaning over the counter as she applied the final touches to her makeup. Her gown—an elaborate blend of crimson and gold—shimmered like firelight, each fold of the fabric alive with the phoenix within her. Her hair was perfectly styled, not a single spark out of place. Of course. Typical Marine.
“Mac, you look like you’re ready to walk the damn runway,” I said, shaking my head with a grin.
“Damn right I do,” she shot back, turning to inspect her reflection in the full-length mirror. “Marines don’t half-ass anything, especially not appearances.”
“Careful, or you’ll blind the brass before the ball even starts,” Stoneclaw quipped from the corner, his golden eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.
He stood by the gear locker, every inch of him a picture of discipline. His Class A’s were pristine, and his neatly cropped black hair, streaked with silver, looked as though it had been styled with a ruler. Twelve years in Army Special Forces had given him a commanding presence, but even his perfection couldn’t outshine Mac’s fire.
Mac turned, hands on her hips. “Keep talking, claw-boy. At least I won’t be mistaken for the help.”
Stoneclaw raised a brow, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. “The Marines may take pride in their appearance, but you’re proving my point—you’re dressed for attention. I, on the other hand, am dressed for respect.”
Mac’s eyes narrowed, though her grin didn’t fade. “Looking this good gets you both, claw-boy.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I stepped between them. “Enough, you two. Mac, quit antagonizing him. Stoneclaw, stop taking the bait. You’re both supposed to be adults.”
Mac shrugged, flipping her hair with a touch of dramatic flair. “Who says we can’t have fun?”
Stoneclaw’s gaze softened as he adjusted his cufflinks, his voice teasing. “She started it.”
“And I’ll finish it,” Mac shot back, turning back to the mirror with a huff. “Besides, she’s just jealous I look better than both of you combined.”
Before the banter could escalate further, a sharp knock at the door interrupted. I turned as the door swung open, revealing Star in her midnight-blue Class A’s. Her sharp amethyst eyes swept over the room, taking in Mac’s fiery ensemble, Stoneclaw’s polished uniform, and my exasperated stance. Her lips curved into a smirk.
“Star,” I greeted, raising a brow. “What’s up?”
She stepped into the cabin, closing the door behind her. “What’s up,” she echoed, smirking as her gaze landed on me. “You’re what’s up. You’re coming with me.”
I blinked, my brows knitting together. “What?”
“You’ve been cooped up here long enough. It’s time you got to the Crescent Moon,” Star said, her tone brooking no argument. “And before you ask, yes, I cleared it with everyone. No excuses.”
Mac’s grin widened, her golden eyes lighting up. “Ooh, is this a kidnapping? Because if it is, I’m so in.”
“It’s not a kidnapping,” Star replied, though the mischievous glint in her eyes said otherwise. “But Lyra, there’s a surprise waiting for you, and you’re not ruining it by staying here.”
“A surprise?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Star, what did you do?”
“Me?” she asked innocently. “Nothing. I just happen to know that some people have been working very hard to make tonight special for you.”
Stoneclaw glanced at me, his tone calm but curious. “Should I be worried?”
Star smirked, her amethyst eyes gleaming. “Only if Lyra tries to fight me on this.”
“Grab your skyboard,” Star said, stepping out of the MCV with her own tucked under her arm.
“It’s in my truck,” I replied, trailing behind her. “Why can’t we just take a transport?”
Star shot me a grin over her shoulder. “Because my skyboard’s faster, and we don’t need to make this a production. Now, move it.”
Grumbling under my breath, I made my way to my truck. My board was neatly secured along the side, its flat design and folded wings a familiar sight. I unlatched it, running my hand over the cool surface before extending the wings with a practiced flick. By the time I turned around, Star was already hovering a few feet off the ground, waiting impatiently.
“Any day now, Lyra,” she called, gesturing for me to hurry.
I stepped onto my board, the wings unfolding like an extension of my body as it lifted me smoothly into the air. “You know, I could be using this time to actually finish getting ready.”
“You’ll thank me later,” Star replied, her tone smug as she took off.
The midday sun blazed overhead as we soared toward the Crescent Moon. The airship loomed in the distance, its sleek design gleaming against the clear sky. Star flew with practiced precision, weaving through the air effortlessly. I kept close behind, the hum of my board steady underfoot as I tried not to think too hard about whatever “surprise” she had planned.
We landed in one of the upper hangar bays, the polished deck glinting in the sunlight. Star touched down first, her board folding neatly under her arm as she dismounted with the grace of someone who always got her way. I followed, stepping off my board and folding the wings with a flick of my wrist.
“Come on,” Star said, barely giving me time to catch my breath before she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the corridors.
“Are you ever going to explain why I’m here?” I asked, trying to keep up with her quick strides.
“You’ll see,” she replied cryptically, her grin widening. “But trust me, you’re going to thank me for this one.”
Her tone didn’t reassure me. The twists and turns of the Crescent Moon’s corridors didn’t help either. The ship was alive with activity, crew members bustling past us, and the faint hum of the engines reverberated through the walls. Finally, we stopped at a familiar door. My stomach twisted as Star tapped the controls and it slid open.
Aura was waiting inside, leaning casually against the wall. Her glowing eyes lit up as soon as she saw me, a slow grin spreading across her face.
“There she is,” Aura said warmly. “Right on time.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, hesitating in the doorway. My gaze flicked to the garment bag hanging by the closet, its silver fabric catching the light. A sense of foreboding settled over me.
Aura stepped forward, unzipping the bag to reveal a dress that shimmered like liquid silver. It looked like moonlight spun into fabric—elegant, graceful, and entirely foreign to me.
“No,” I said immediately, shaking my head. “Not happening.”
Aura grinned, holding the dress up to the light. “This,” she said, “is going to look perfect on you.”
“You’ve got the wrong werewolf,” I replied, crossing my arms. “I’m not wearing that.”
“Yes, you are,” Star said, stepping beside Aura with her arms crossed. Her amethyst eyes locked on mine, daring me to argue. “You’re a Colonel, Lyra. You’re a pack Alpha. You need to look the part.”
“My Class A’s already do that,” I countered, shaking my head. “I don’t need to—” I gestured toward the dress—“be this.”
Aura tilted her head, her voice calm but firm. “Your Class A’s show discipline. They show rank. But this? This shows the strength of someone who can lead with elegance and power.”
I snorted, my claws itching to come out. “I don’t need a shiny dress to prove my strength. My pack knows who I am.”
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Star’s voice sharpened, the teasing edge gone. “Maybe they do, but tonight isn’t about your pack. Tonight is about showing everyone else that the Alpha of the 781st isn’t someone they can overlook. This isn’t about you, Lyra. It’s about what you represent.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Aura cut me off. “Strength isn’t just rugged, Lyra. It can be graceful too. You’re more than a truck driver—you’re an Alpha, a Colonel, and tonight, people need to see that.”
I glared at both of them, my frustration warring with the truth of their words. Deep down, I knew they weren’t wrong. I just didn’t want to admit it.
“Fine,” I muttered, snatching the dress from Aura’s hands. “But if this thing rips, you’re fixing it.”
Aura’s grin widened triumphantly. “Deal.”
The silver dress felt strange as I slipped into it, the sleek fabric hugging me in ways I wasn’t used to. It was lighter than I expected, softer too, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it didn’t belong on me. By the time Aura finished fussing with the straps and the hem, I felt more like a mannequin than a person.
“Alright, let’s see it,” Star said, grabbing my arm and spinning me toward the full-length mirror.
I resisted, dragging my feet slightly, but Star was stronger. When I finally faced my reflection, the woman staring back at me was a stranger. The dress fit like it had been made for me, flowing over my frame in a way that felt impossibly elegant. My hair, usually tied back in a tight braid, was loose now, its natural poof tamed into soft, wild waves. It was still me, but... different. Like a version of myself I didn’t know existed.
“You look incredible,” Aura said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. Her glowing eyes traced over the fabric with approval. “This suits you.”
“It’s uncomfortable,” I muttered, tugging at the neckline. “And it’s too... clean.”
“It’s perfect,” Star said firmly, her amethyst eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “And it’s exactly what you need.”
I sighed, shaking my head as I stared at the reflection again. “If anyone laughs—”
“No one’s going to laugh,” Aura interrupted, her tone amused but firm. “They’ll be too busy being impressed.”
“And if they aren’t?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Star smirked, crossing her arms. “Then you’ll shift mid-ball and give them something to really talk about.”
I snorted despite myself. “Tempting.”
The tension in the room shifted as Star and Aura turned their attention to their own preparations. Star unzipped a garment bag hanging by the closet, revealing a stunning gown in a deep emerald green that shimmered under the light. She held it up, the fabric catching the glint in her mischievous eyes.
“Not bad, huh?” she said, tilting her head at me.
“Subtle,” I replied dryly, crossing my arms. “Nothing says ‘blending in’ like glowing like a gemstone.”
Star laughed, tossing the dress onto the bed. “Blending in isn’t my style.”
Aura, meanwhile, had pulled out her own gown, its color a striking contrast to Star’s. The deep midnight-blue fabric flowed like water, edged with faint silver accents. It wasn’t ostentatious, but it carried a weight, an unspoken authority that made it clear she wasn’t just anyone. She was the queen of the wolves, after all, though her punk-rock edge made it easy to forget sometimes.
“Figures you’d pick something regal,” Star teased as she started unbuttoning her Class A’s. “Do you ever let yourself just chill?”
Aura smirked, pulling off her boots and tossing them into the corner with a satisfying thunk. “Please, Star. I could wear ripped jeans and combat boots, and I’d still look better than you.”
“Is that a challenge?” Star asked, raising an eyebrow as she slipped out of her jacket.
“You’re not worth the effort,” Aura shot back, shrugging off her own jacket. Her tattoos shimmered faintly under the light, the silvery ink weaving intricate designs along her arms and collarbone. She grabbed her gown and stood to change, shooting me a glance. “You’re awfully quiet over there, Lyra.”
I shrugged, still leaning against the wall in my silver dress. “Just enjoying the show.”
Aura rolled her eyes as she pulled the gown over her shoulders. “I still don’t know why you’re so uncomfortable in that. You look great.”
“I feel like a mannequin,” I muttered, tugging at the hem of the dress. “It’s too... shiny.”
“It’s elegant,” Star corrected, stepping out of her skirt and standing there in nothing but her underwear. “You’ll survive.”
“Easy for you to say,” I shot back, narrowing my eyes. “You’re not the one wearing it.”
Star smirked as she grabbed her gown. “You’re right. I’m wearing this.” She motioned toward the glittering emerald fabric. “And trust me, no one will be looking at you by the time I’m done.”
“Sure, Star,” Aura chimed in, her tone drier than the desert. “Because nothing says ‘commanding officer’ like outshining your division.”
“Exactly,” Star replied with a wink.
I sighed, shaking my head. “I hate all of you.”
Aura grinned, adjusting the hem of her gown. “That’s the spirit.”
The pneumatic hiss of the door sliding open interrupted us. I turned just as Cayro walked in, completely unaware of what he was about to walk into. His cell phone was pressed to his ear, a stack of paperwork in his other hand. His voice carried easily through the room as he entered without a glance.
“No, I’m telling you, those damned turkeys never showed up,” he was saying, flipping through the papers. “They had better not show up tomorrow, or—”
He stopped dead, his words dying in his throat as he finally looked up. His sharp green eyes landed on Star first, standing confidently in her bra and underwear, her emerald gown still lying on the bed. Then on Aura, mid-change, her dress halfway up as she froze, staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief. Finally, his gaze shifted to me, fully dressed and leaning casually against the wall, a smirk already tugging at my lips.
“Hi, honey,” Star said brightly, her smirk widening as she gave him a slow wave. She made no effort to cover herself, clearly enjoying his discomfort.
Aura let out an incredulous laugh, quickly yanking her dress up over her chest. “Cayro! What the hell? Do you not check who’s in here before barging in?”
Cayro blinked, visibly processing the scene as his gaze flicked between us. For a moment, he looked completely at a loss, his usual professional composure slipping. Then, with a sharp exhale, he turned on his heel and muttered under his breath as he made a hasty retreat. “Office it is, then.”
The pneumatic door hissed shut behind him, leaving the room in stunned silence for a beat.
Then Star burst into laughter, doubling over as she reached for her gown. “I love that man,” she said, her voice shaking with amusement.
Aura groaned, shaking her head as she adjusted the straps of her dress. “Does he ever stop working? Even for a second?”
“Not unless he’s forced to,” I said, smirking as I pushed off the wall. “Though I think we might’ve just broken his brain.”
“Good,” Star said, still grinning as she slipped into her gown. “He deserves it after all the nonsense he puts me through.”
Aura chuckled, pulling her hair into a loose bun that somehow made her look effortlessly regal despite her punk-rock edge. She caught me staring and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Nothing,” I said, shrugging. “Just waiting to see what happens next.”
Star finished adjusting the final strap of her emerald green gown, her reflection in the mirror showing a smug grin. “Well, I look fantastic,” she announced, grabbing a matching shawl and draping it over her arm.
Aura, perched on the edge of the chair near the door, adjusted her silver-studded heels with practiced ease. Her black hair fell in soft waves around her face, streaked faintly with blue undertones. “You don’t need to keep saying it, Star. We already know you think you’re a walking masterpiece.”
“And you think you’re the anti-center,” Star shot back, smirking as she turned toward the door. “You ready, Lyra?”
I shifted in the silver dress they’d wrangled me into, still tugging at the hem. My own silver hair, loose and wild, framed my face in soft waves. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Which isn’t saying much.”
Aura stood, grabbing her midnight-blue clutch and straightening the soft, flowing fabric of her gown. She smirked as she tilted her head toward me. “You say that now, but wait until the others see you. You might just give them heart attacks.”
“Good,” I muttered. “Maybe they’ll cancel this thing.”
Star snorted, brushing past me to tap the door controls. “Come on, ladies. The boys are waiting, and I’m not giving Cayro another reason to lecture me.”
The pneumatic door hissed open, and we stepped into the sleek corridors of the Crescent Moon. The muted hum of the ship surrounded us as we moved toward the flight deck, passing clusters of crew members who gave quick nods of acknowledgment before scurrying back to their tasks. The air was filled with a faint tang of metal and coolant, a constant reminder of the ship’s mechanical heart.
I tried to keep my focus forward, but the weight of the dress felt foreign, unnatural. Every step made me hyper-aware of its delicate fabric, its shimmer catching the light in a way that felt out of place for someone like me.
Aura nudged me lightly as we turned a corner. “Relax, Lyra. You’re going to be the most impressive person in that room.”
“That’s a low bar,” I muttered, glancing at her. “I’m not exactly looking forward to being stared at.”
Star glanced back over her shoulder, her grin wicked. “Then you’d better get used to it, Lyra. Tonight’s all about making an impression.”
We turned the last corner, and the bright light of the flight deck spilled into the corridor as the doors slid open. The sleek transport waited just beyond, its engines idling softly, and standing beside it were the rest of our group.
Cayro stood nearest the ramp, his Class A’s immaculate as always, though his attention was fixed on his tablet. Zak leaned casually against the transport, his all-black designer suit cutting a striking figure. The sharp edges of his features were softened slightly by his ever-present smirk, though the way his shades glinted in the sunlight made him look every bit the king he was. Mac was tucked against Stoneclaw’s side, her fiery gown shimmering like molten metal. Her arm looped through his, her animated chatter filling the air until the moment she spotted us.
Stoneclaw froze first. His golden eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly, but no words came out as his gaze swept over me. Mac trailed off mid-sentence, her attention shifting as she followed his line of sight. Her expression softened, curiosity melting into awe.
“Holy shit,” Mac finally said, breaking the silence. She let go of Stoneclaw’s arm and stepped forward, her fiery gown trailing behind her. Her gaze raked over me, her grin widening. “You... Lyra, you look... I don’t even have words.”
Stoneclaw seemed to recover, though his usual composure was slightly cracked. He took a slow step forward, his gaze steady but warmer than I was used to seeing. “I... Lyra, you look incredible.”
The heat rose in my cheeks, and I shifted awkwardly, crossing my arms in front of me. “It’s just a dress,” I muttered. “You two are acting like I’ve sprouted a second head.”
Mac shook her head, her grin turning mischievous. “Nope. Just stunned. You’re always gorgeous, but this? You look like a goddess.”
Zak cleared his throat, lowering his shades slightly to look at me. His smirk widened as his eyes glinted with approval. “Gotta agree with them, Lyra. You’re going to steal the spotlight tonight.”
Aura chuckled softly beside me, nudging my shoulder. “Told you.”
Cayro finally looked up from his tablet, his sharp blue eyes softening briefly as they met mine. “You’ve created a monster,” he said, his tone dry but his faint smile betraying his amusement as he turned to Star.
“Guilty,” Star replied without missing a beat, stepping past him toward the transport. “Now let’s get moving before Lyra changes her mind.”
Stoneclaw extended his hand toward me, his expression unreadable but his golden eyes carrying a quiet warmth. “Shall we?”
For a moment, I hesitated, staring at his hand as my nerves twisted into a tight knot. Then I took it, his touch steadying me in ways I couldn’t put into words. The tension in my chest loosened slightly, though I wasn’t sure if it was the dress, the moment, or the company.
Mac fell in on my other side, looping her arm through mine as the three of us walked toward the transport together. “You’re going to be fine,” she said, leaning in close. “And if anyone says otherwise, I’ll set their ass on fire.”
“Thanks,” I said, smirking despite myself. “Good to know I’ve got backup.”
The engines hummed louder as we climbed into the transport, the interior cool and softly lit. The seats were plush, but the weight of the afternoon pressed heavily on my shoulders as I settled in. I glanced out the window, watching the flight deck fall away as the transport began to rise.
I wasn’t alone. And for now, that was enough.