Visions of Wolves

The Harvest Festival

The house was buzzing when we got back in the late afternoon. The marquee in the back garden was draped in dark green and gold, and had big lanterns hanging throughout. There were tables and chairs inside the marquee as well as a DJ stand and kegs of all different types of beers. It looked like a proper house party. Lights we strung throughout the garden and I could just imagine the canopy of light they’d create at night.

“Wait, what am I supposed to wear? This seems like a really big deal.” I said to Alex as we weaved past the various caterers and people setting up.

“It’s really not, just a shirt and jeans will be fine.”

I gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and he just laughed. “You should have told me, I didn’t pack anything for this!” I sighed.

“Ok, ok, sorry.” He defensively lifted his hands. “Maybe Ally could lend you something? But first, let’s get you cleaned up alright?” He brushed some of the remaining sand off my sleeve. I gave him a glare and then stormed off to find Ally who was currently telling Jay and Adam where to put the kegs.

“Whoa, what happened to you?” Jay asked eyeing out my arm. I hadn’t realised until he said it that I must have looked a mess. I was covered in scuff marks and my sleeve was ripped showing off the bandage. Ally and Adam both stopped in their tracks and looked back at me and then Alex, waiting for an answer.

“I’ll explain later,” I said shrugging it off. This just encouraged even more side glances between them. “Ally, Alex is being useless. I have no idea what to wear to this thing tonight. Is it casual, is it formal? I didn’t pack for a party.” I sighed.

The look on her face went from confusion to absolute delight. “We’re sorting that out right now!” She said grabbing my hand and dragging me away.

“You know what to do Adam, don’t mess it up!” She shouted back at Adam as we left. Adam rolled his eyes and carried on arranging the kegs.

I’d never been in Ally and Adam’s room. It was the perfect combination of them both. Dark wood and bold colours for Adam, but also flowers in beautiful ornate vases on every surface for Ally.

We must have gone through twenty different outfits before we finally settled on one we both liked. It was a tight fitting, three quarter sleeve dress with a low back. Even though it was tight, it still went down to mid thigh.

I went back to Alex’s room. Showered, he helped me redress my bandage and then he headed downstairs to help while I had a nap.

I woke-up in the early evening to the sound of the bass from the DJ, the party was starting and I had overslept. I got up quickly and found Alex in formal shoes, chinos and buttoning-up a dark blue shirt.

“Why didn’t you wake me? I still have to get ready!” I moaned at him, throwing off the blankets and running to the cupboard where my dress was hanging.

He grabbed me by the arm and swirled me up against his chest. He snaked one arm around my waist and held my face in his other. We were so close I could feel the warmth of his breath against my face.

“Because you’re so beautiful when you sleep.” He planted a kiss on my forehead. “But also, this was a pretty big day. You needed the rest. The party will only start later, I just like to welcome those who arrive early.” He gave me a kiss on the lips before heading to the door.

“Wait.” I said impulsively, it had been playing on my mind but I wasn’t entirely sure how to ask. He paused at the door and turned to me. Head tilted in anticipation.

“Tonight, umm, us. You and I. Must I umm, keep a distance?” I looked down at my feet as I spoke, too embarrassed and nervous to hear his response. He had made it clear last time that people shouldn’t know we’re mates yet. But what does that mean now that we will be out in public, should we seem completely disinterested?

He leaned against the door. “It’s not uncommon for me to take a date to the Harvest Festival. Besides, shifters tend to get a little rowdy during the festival anyway, the attention won’t be on us. Believe me.” He winked and then headed out.

I took my time getting ready. It was the first time I would be socialising with a large group of shifters. I had made a few friends these past couple days and there was always Jay, Adam and Ally. But still, I was out of place and everyone knew it.

Then there was Julz. Oh no. The thought of her being here, it made me even more nervous. Perhaps I should just pretend I’m sick and skip the whole thing completely. I sat on the bed, the dress in my hands. My makeup was done, minimal but pretty and I had straightened my hair but added a few loose curls throughout. The last step was getting into the dress. But that would mean I was officially ready - was I really ready to go out there?

"No. I have to do this," I said out loud to myself. If I am going to make this my life one day, if I am really going to make Alex my life, I need to pull myself together. I got into the dress and did a small spin in the mirror. It hugged me perfectly. The front was feminine and cute, but the low back added an unexpected sexinesses. I felt good. I looked good. Now all I had to do was go outside.

I put on my heels and slowly made my way down the big staircase and through the back door. There must have been close to a hundred people standing around. Drinking, laughing and chatting.

I felt at ease knowing I could get lost in the crowd. A few people eyed me out but they didn’t glare. I was new, but nothing worth noticing. I couldn’t see anyone I knew so I headed over to the keg and poured myself a drink. As I lifted it to my lips someone snatched it out my hands.

“Hey!” I shot back, turning to see Jay having a good gulp of my beer. He smacked his lips together. “Hmmm, that’s good. But, this is not for you," he said with a smile from ear to ear. “One sip of this and you’ll be drunk for weeks. It’s brewed specially for a shifter’s high metabolism. It lets us get tipsy for longer. You can drink from that table,” he said pointing at the next table down that had drinks on ice.

“My hero,” I joked, poking him in the stomach and causing him to buckle over. He followed me over to the table and watched as I poured a glass of wine.

“You look nice by the way,” he was scratching the back of his neck, clearly feeling awkward about complimenting me.

“Thank you, so do you. Have you seen Alex?”

“He’s doing a sweep of the perimeter, checking on the patrols. A night like this is the perfect time to sweep in.” His face had turned serious. He looked in the direction of the fence as though expecting rogues to jump over at any minute.

“Oh, I see.” I took a sip of my wine and turned to look at the crowd that seemed to have doubled in the time we had been standing here. “Why are there only young people?”

Jay gave a short scoff. “Well, it’s open to everyone. Quite a few more people will stop by and then head out. As the night goes on those who are single or haven’t found their mate tend to…stay a while longer. Things can get a little rowdy.”

I was about to press him further when I caught sight of Alex. He was waking through the crowd, greeting everyone as he went. Clearly they all wanted the Alpha to stay for a drink with them but he politely declined, he was searching the crowd. When he finally locked eyes with me I felt as though my knees would buckle.

A blush covered my whole body but I couldn’t look away. He grinned as he saw how my body reacted purely at his stare. He walked straight over to me and leaned over to kiss me while his arms snaked around my back.

His warm touch on my bare back made my skin tingle. I closed my eyes and braced for the kiss but he jumped back, letting go of me as though he had been electrocuted. I opened my eyes to see the shock in his.

“What? What’s wrong?” I said reaching out to touch his chest. Was he hurt?

“Turn around real quick,” he said accusingly.

I felt the blush creep down my whole body again. My dress had been hanging up, he hadn’t seen the low back. I gave him a cheeky grin and then turned slowly, watching him over my shoulder as I did.

“Ok, no more of that. You can stand against the marquee or me for the rest of the night,” with that he spun me around, putting my back against his chest. He lent down and gave me a gentle kiss between my neck and shoulder. “You look delicious by the way,” he whispered.

A little while later Ally and Adam joined us. Ally admired her fashion sense in selecting my dress and caught a glare from Alex who told her she obviously forgot to give me the back of the dress.

We continued drinking and chatting. It was the first time I’d seen them all tipsy and it really lightened the mood. When they had drinks with me it was more for the taste and social side of it. But tonight they were letting loose, smiling, laughing and dancing.

We headed over to the dance floor. Alex and I swayed together to the music. He kept my back to his chest and moved his hands up and down my body, pausing every now and then to spin me out and back in again. 

Then Ally pulled me into her arms, dancing as intimately as Alex and I had been. We watched as Adam and Alex tried to have a conversation without being distracted by our moves.

I got lost in the moment, enjoying the wine and the happy energy pulsing around us. I let the sound of the bass move my body. But when I looked back over at Alex I jolted to a stop. There was Julz, hanging on his shoulder and whispering into his ear. He had titled his head down and was smiling at what she said. She wore a tiny black boob tube dress and a collar necklace that cover her long thin neck and shoulders.

The scene before me was, intimate. I turned to Ally who was also scowling at the scene before us. “I need another drink,” I shouted to her over the music and quickly weaved my way through the crowd.

I poured myself a drink and took it over to one of the small cocktail tables on the outside of the dance floor. It was almost midnight and I could feel the chill in the air down my back.

I watched as the crowd danced together. Rubbing up against each other, pulsing as one in time to the music. There were people making out all over the dance floor as a sensual energy serged all around us. Suddenly I realised what Alex meant about rowdy.

Jay seemed to be enjoying himself. A group of women were fighting for his attention, dancing against him and showing off their bodies by running their hands along their curves in time to the music.

I started to wonder what Aoife’s celebration would be like. Surely not like this. This was wild, primal. 

I was never going to be like the shifters, but perhaps I could find my own way to win them over. To win their acceptance of me as Alex’s mate in another way. Maybe if Aoife could help me unlock my abilities as a seer they would accept me. Maybe then Julz wouldn’t be such a threat.

I was so lost I thought I didn’t see Alex arrive at the table. “Are you ok? I didn’t know where you went,” he threw an arm around me and gave me a short hug to his chest. I didn’t feel like telling him my jealously got the better of me, again.

“Could we go to Aoife’s?” He looked at me confused. “She said we should stop by and this is getting a bit much.” I nodded my head to a couple who were now making out furiously in the crowd.

Alex snorted, amused by the couple. “Yeah ok.” I watched as his eyes flashed yellow. I looked into the crowd and saw that Jay, Adam and Ally had all stilled in their spots and their eyes flashed too. They each gave a nod and Alex grabbed me by the hand to lead me into the forest.