Page 115 of The Enforcer's Rejected Mate
I want to ask if they wouldn’t have come in for their foot if there wasn’t a festival but I don’t because I’d rather not know.
I also get to see two pregnant she-wolves, Jennifer and Jade. They’re both so sweet. Jennifer has a laugh that makes me think of Jenny from Oak Fast. I miss my friend and make a promise to myself that I will make it into Oak Fast after the Festival to see her. It’ll be nice to catch up with her and Carla, maybe I can see Gus too.
I’m folding towels that I’ve just gotten back from the laundry when Clover skips into the room. “Do you have your outfit picked out for tonight?” The dress she’s wearing is nicer than I’ve seen her wear before. It’s red and flowy, the skirt of it swirls around her legs when she does a little spin and I grin.
“No, but I’m guessing because you look like a princess what I’m wearing is all wrong.” I’ve got on my work books, a pair of jeans and a tee. I did get some pretty dresses and nicer things from Clover’s cabinet but I hadn’t put anything nice on this morning. I knew I had a busy day with the traffic from the festival, plus I’d found a patch of morels that I wanted to harvest. Mushroom hunting wasn’t the best for nice clothes, so my work boots were the best choice for my excursion outside the Keep. Esme had told me about the mushrooms the morning before. They were past where I’d ever been on my own, a few miles beyond the meadows, deep in the trees where the forest was still wet from the storms we’d had. I’d gotten a good basketful of morels. Once I cleaned them they’d be good in the dinner I planned to make for Thorne when he got back from patrol. My belly does a flip flop. That’s tonight.
“It’s not but we can rustle up something in no time because I’m the magic witch bitch around here.”
I giggle. “You sure you want to advertise that so loud? You know how some of the pack are about witches.”
Clover waves her hand. “They’ll just have to get used to it. We have guests applying to be members and guess what?” She motions for me to lean forward, so I do. “They’re totally witches. Do you know how cool that is?”
“That’s so cool! Oh, I hope they stay. Do you think they’d want to come herb hunting with me?”
“Girl, yes, they would love that.” She grabs my arm and drags me towards the door. “Come on, you can meet them while we get ready for the dance. It’s going to be amazing tonight. Ronan got a band from Oak Fast to come play.”
That surprises me. Frostclaw was so closed off from the human world but just like everything else, that isn’t the case here. “Really?”
“Yeah, he traded in a favor with the city council. We did some work for them after a snowstorm so they owed us their very best band for tonight. We are going to have the best night of our lives! Just you watch.”
Clover’s energy is so infectious that I can’t help but laugh and skip along with her down the halls of the Keep. We get a few looks but they’re all with smiles and waves. I’m practically skipping on cloud nine when we get the visitor’s quarters. The room I stayed in is empty but the witches she mentioned wander in to introduce themselves while Clover is yanking dresses out of the closet as fast as the closet can create them. Their names are Lux and Nova.
“Pleased to meet you,” I tell them, holding my hand out just to get hit in the face by a satin ballgown.
“Nice to meet you too!” Lux laughs and helps me get the dress out of my face. “Is there a ball tonight or something?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s a dance…” I look at Clover. “It’s a dance, right? It’s just a dance and not a ball.” Oh hells. Please don’t let it be a ball. I’ve never even been to a dance. How am I supposed to function at a ball?
“Of course, it’s a dance. Just like a fancy dance, that’s all. Nothing a little ball gown can’t fix.” She chucks another ball gown at me and I trip over the tulle skirt and crash to the floor with a thud.
Lux helps me up and gives Clover a hopeful look. “Maybe an option with a little less of a skirt?”
Clover claps her hands. “I can do that.”
I sag against Lux with a sigh of relief. “Oh thank Luna.” Nova comes to stand on the other side of me and the three of us watch as Clover contemplates the closet with a hum.
“Listen, I have a vision for tonight.”
“Is her having a vision good?” Nova whispers.
I nod. “Yes, it’s a good thing.” I sound more confident than I feel but Clover hasn’t steered me wrong yet. “She’s going to pick the best dress.”
“You’re damn right, I am!” Clover throws open the closet doors and pulls out a dress with a flourish. “Ta-da!” She waves the dress in our faces and blessedly, there’s no puffy ball gown skirt. That automatically makes this the dress I’m going to pick and then I see the dress and I know it’s the dress I’m going to wear.
It’s white and floor length. It has sheer bell sleeves and a beautiful wrap bodice. Clover lifts the skirt for me to see the slit that runs up the side of it. “How’s this for a skirt?” she asks, holding the dress out to me.
I take the dress with a smile. “It’s gorgeous. The best skirt.”
“You’re going to look hot as hell in that,” Lux tells me.
“Sooo hot. Is there a certain someone you’re trying to impress?” Nova asks.
“Maybe,” I mumble, blushing as I duck my head while Clover gives me a knowing look.
Clover waves the two witches over while I work on changing. “Come on you two. It’s your turn. Let’s see what we can conjure, yeah?”
By the time I’m dressed she’s handing me shoes, a pair of satin ballet flats, and shoving me down on the bed to do my makeup. “You are so gorgeous. Thorne is going to lose his mind. Swear he’s going to ask you out right then and there.”
