Rise of the Dark Alpha

~ SASHA ~

Kyelle had heard Yhet laughing and met them at the door, her own smile wide. But Sasha didn't miss the pinch around her eyes and tightness to her smile. It made her chest ache a little, but what could she do? Kyelle was the picture of a kind hostess—much warmer than she'd been in their previous interactions. But sadder, too, Sasha thought.

She had obviously understood what this meant for her and Zev. Sasha tried to be kind and friendly, without patronizing the woman. She tried to imagine how it would feel to know Zev was going to marry someone else—and to be asked to help them get ready.

She was pretty sure she would have been clawing the woman's eyes out.

"I really appreciate all your help," she said half an hour later after Yhet had left with promises to return in a couple hours, and they both turned back into Kyelle's home.

Kyelle's eyes dropped to the floor, but she smiled. "You're welcome, Sasha. Now, I have two choices for you, either will work for the ritual. Both will give you enough freedom of movement, while still being suitably formal. With Zev as an Alpha, the Clans will expect a show."

Sasha didn't know what to expect as Kyelle led her to the area at the side of the front door where no windows looked out on the forest. Then she opened a tall cupboard to pull out a long, white dress on a hanger.

Sasha's stomach sank a little. The dress was beautiful, loose and flowing with some kind of embroidery in green and gold around the wide neckline that reminded her of leaves. But the empire waistline, cut just under the bust, was one she knew made her look the size of a heifer and had never seemed flattering to her shoulders.

As Kyelle stroked the fabric and displayed it for her, Sasha tried to smile. "It's beautiful," she said carefully.

Kyelle's eyes sharpened. "But not for you?"

Sasha grimaced. "I don't want to sound ungrateful. It's just—"

"Let's see the other one," Kyelle said, with a small smile. "Just in case. I'm afraid with all the females gone, there's not a lot of dresses for the taking and we don't have time to make a new one—but we can make adjustments."

She turned back to the closet against the wall, and Sasha swallowed hard. Did the dress really matter? But if this was really her wedding day—their mating ritual—she wanted to look her best! She wanted Zev to take one look at her and want to take her in his arms and never let her go!

"I'm sorry, Kyelle," she said as the woman put the other dress aside and reached into the closet. "I don't want to be difficult. I can—"

She cut off with a gasp as the woman turned, one hand under the skirt of the most beautiful dress Sasha had ever seen.

She wasn't sure what it was made out of, but it hung from a halter-neck that would sharpen her shoulders, but keep her collarbones bare and it clung through the bust, then flared out… and the entire thing was covered in…

"Are those… feathers?" Sasha breathed, stepping forward to run her hand through the downy-soft fabric that, at first glance, almost looked like fur.

"Yes, The soft, down feathers of the undercoat," Kyelle said with a pleased smile. "This is a specialty of the owls. When we groom, we keep the feathers and… well, you can see."

Sasha' mouth wouldn't close. The dress somehow managed to look tailored and soft at the same time and it felt heavenly against her hands, thick with the plush of the feathers, but no weight to it at all.

"That is so beautiful," she said, hushed.

Kyelle smiled, and though the sadness stayed in her eyes she nodded. "They were very popular a few years ago," she said, her eyes flicking away from Sasha, then back. "There haven't been any mating rituals in quite a while, so I don't know what would be considered the fashion now. But I think… I think since it's Zev… I think whatever you wear will be considered exactly the right thing." She cleared her throat and looked down at the dress, but Sasha could feel the waves of grief wafting off of the woman.

She considered finding a reason to turn away, to give Kyelle a moment. But the woman had been so kind to her, so helpful, despite her own struggles… Sasha didn't want to leave her to deal with her grief alone. That was the whole point of girlfriends. If they couldn't be sad with you, who could?

"Kyelle, I'm…. I'm sorry for the way this hurts you."

Kyelle shook her head and turned to hang the dress off the door of the closet. "You are kind to worry, but I'm—"

"No, seriously. It's really big of you to… to be nice to me and to do all this when… when I know if our roles were reversed, I wouldn't be able to do it. I'd be jealous and angry and hoping you spilled something down the front of that beautiful dress.

Kyelle gave a little snort, her eyes tripping back to the dress, as if she were envisioning it with a stain.

She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling visibly. Then she turned back to Sasha. "I do want to help you," she said. "There aren't enough females here, and even fewer who will speak with an Alpha as a… a friend," she said, stumbling over the word. "But you are right to think that… that this isn't easy. I think… I think if we were to have met without Zev between us it might have been different. I like you, Sasha. I can see why Zev loves you. And I care enough about him that I truly want him to be happy."

Sasha shook her head in disbelief. "You're amazing," she said.

But Kyelle's face went serious. "No. No, I'm not. Because I have to tell you… I was with Zev this morning. And I… I knew time was short, so…" she trailed off, and every one of Sasha's feminine instincts kicked into high gear.

"So… what?" she asked through her teeth.

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