CHAPTER 15: A PACKAGE.
1133 Words
I reached my front door to see a package on the doorstep. I picked it up, wondering who would be sending me anything. Perhaps Michael had found something that I had forgotten and sent it over for me, I thought hopefully. Taking it inside, I placed it down on the table and noticed that it hadn't been sent in the mail, making it very unlikely to have been from Michael. I doubted that he would have had someone drive all the way here, just deliver my forgotten belongings. I found myself a little suspicious of the contents. I leaned down and sniffed the box, hoping to catch a whiff of whatever was inside. It didn't set off any warning bells, so I cautiously opened the flaps. Inside was something wrapped in delicate tissue paper. A card sat on top. I picked it up and read the message inside. "Dawn, I thought that you might like to wear this at the snow ball. It is the dress that I wore to my very first snow ball.The one where I met your father. Perhaps it will bring you luck and you will meet your own mate. Love Mum." I re-read that card over and over. A tear of joy slipped down my cheek and onto its surface. I gently dabbed it away, not wanting to smudge the ink.
I gently opened the tissue paper and lifted out the dress. I gasped at how beautiful it was. This wasn't just any dress. It was a ball gown. It was the most beautiful ball gown that I had ever seen. I ran my hand over its sparkling, diamante covered bodice and down the soft, cool silk skirt that was the palest shade of baby blue that I had ever seen. There were silver snowflakes embroidered into the skirt and sleeves that glistened in the light. I touched one and jumped in shock as it burnt me. There was real silver in that thread. I would have to be extremely careful wearing this.
I took the dress upstairs and gently hung it up in my closet. This gift meant so much to me. It was the first gift like this that I had ever been given by my family. I had, of course, received gifts on my birthdays and at Christmas in the past, but they had always been very basic. I had been given items that clearly had no thought or care put into them. All the sentimental or meanginful gifts had gone to my siblings. The only thing that had been passed down to me was my last name. So this dress was so much more than a dress to me. It was a symbol that perhaps I was actually loved. I ran my hand over the smooth material once more before closing the closet door. I changed for bed and climbed under the covers, my smile still wide and unwavering. That dress might even make going to the ball bearable.
I yawned loudly, I was exhausted. I snuggled in, pulling the heavy duvet closley around me, and I was asleep in no time. I found myself in the strangest dream. I was next to the lake here in the Blue Moon pack. The ground was covered in snow, and there were footsteps that, for some reason, I had decided to follow. They led to the cabins. I was expecting at this point for them to go to my front door, but they didn't. Instead, they led straight to Amelia's cabin. I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. The door was slightly ajar, so I pushed it open, smelling the metallic tang of blood before I saw it. There was blood everywhere, and my brother was standing over what was left of Amelia's body with a crazed look in his eyes. He turned to look at me and laughed. "Oh Dawn, look what you did!" he said. His voice sounded eerily calm.
I backed out of there and ran as fast as I could, but being a dream, I found myself not moving. No matter how hard I tried, my body wouldn't go anywhere. My brother moved slowly closer until he was right next to me. My heart was thudding so hard that I thought it would burst out of my chest. "You killed the daughter of Alpha Coleson. I can't protect you from what you have coming," he said. His voice was steady, yet there was an underlying hint of insanity to his tone.I begged him for mercy as his hand suddenly darted towards me. The blade of a dagger plunging deep into my stomach. "Why?" I asked. He leaned closer, his breath hot on my face as he snarled, "You should never have even been born," I jolted awake, covered in sweat. Where the f**k had that come from?
I decided to get up and go for a run. There was no way that I was going back to sleep now. I got outside and took a moment to enjoy the cool air on my face. It felt glorious after the horror of my dream. I glanced over towards Amelia's cottage, part of me wanting to go and check on her. It was in total darkness. Of course it was, she would be fast asleep at this time of the morning. Once I reached the nearby treeline behind the cottages, I stripped off. I tucked my pyjamas into the lower branches of one of the trees and took a deep breath. It felt as though it had been ages since I last shifted. I relaxed and let Lilly take over.
In no time, we were rushing through the trees, the grass soft underfoot. It felt so good to just run, not thinking about any of the crap in my life for a little while. I wished that I could feel this free forever, but I knew that I had to head back soon and get a shower before work. Reluctantly, Lilly turned and began to move back towards the cottages, though I noticed that she was moving more slowly now. "What's the matter, Lilly?" I asked, sensing her mood shift. "I didn't get to come out and just run free much at the Blood Moon pack. I guess that I just want to enjoy it as much as I can," she sighed. Her words made me think. I realised that she was right. Michael had prefered me not to run unless I was with him, but he was a busy Alpha, so that meant that Lilly hadn't gotten the chance to run that often. No wonder it had felt like ages. I promised her that I would make sure to find time to let her out more often from now on.
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