I knew what Theo's request would be before he even uttered it, but hearing him say it out loud now made it all the more real, and all the more embarrassing, he was running at a broken bridge if he thought I would go to the party with him, and I made that fact clear to him, right then and there.
I took one look at his face, crossed my hands over my chest, and echoed a big, loud, blatant..
" No, ask for something else and I'll grant it, but I will not go to the dance with you " I said, not giving any room for consideration.
" Who said anything about a dance ? " he asked the next minute " I asked you to come to the party with me, I never asked you to dance with me " he said quickly.
Theo could be as sly as a fox sometimes, and this time was one of them.
" I have made my decision, and nothing you say or do will change that " I said, again, leaving no room for him to keep pushing the matter.
He must've read my mind, because immediately after that he walked towards the door, I thought he was going to do something else, but he didn't, he just pushed the door open and walked out.
I thought telling him off would make me feel better about myself, but I was wrong, I felt terrible, no, I felt horrible, I had made a promise, given Theo my word, and then I had deliberately gone back on it.
I spent the next minutes thinking about just how much of a disappointment I was, first it was Goku, who I blamed for wanting to look out for me, and now it was Theo, who I gave my word and couldn't fulfill it, I had always called him a fox, but I was the real fox, I lied to him, there it was in plain sight, I wasn't just an ingrate, I was a liar as well.
As if part of my punishment, I tried to sleep but it wouldn't come, my conscience wouldn't let me, I tossed and turned like a tide on my bed, until finally it was too much to handle.
I sat up and stared out at the wolves, they were still dancing, and the fire still lighted brightly, maybe I would have a chance to keep my word after all, i thought to myself.
It was cold outside, so I took one of my fur coats, and out the door I went the next minute, in search for Theo.
The wolves were having a blast, I spotted Loden and Mikayo, but I didn't go to them, since they were here, it only meant Goku couldn't be far, and if I had to walk up to them now, it meant I would have to face Goku, and I wasn't ready for that, I turned away quickly before they spotted me, and moved to a corner where some other wolves were dancing.
I don't think they saw me, because even if they did, they certainly didn't act like it.
A bunch of female wolves danced around the fire with a couple other male wolves, I couldn't find Theo anywhere, and for a minute I thought of going back, but then he would never believe me if I told him I came, so I stayed.
The evening carried on like that for a few more minutes, but to me they were hours, I was tired of watching the wolves dance, and I had made up my mind to go back, if I waited another minute and didn't find Theo.
Then the song stopped, and the dancers gathered round, that's when I saw my father, he stood with the elder wolves and then he spoke to the crowd.
He praised the moon goddess for her blessings, and the safe journey of transition of the new groomed werewolves of our clan.
Finally he called them out, one by one, I saw loden come out, Mikayo was only a step behind him, then Goku came after, and then I spotted another familiar face, one that made her stomach turn, Dorn, he was there too, of course, with his group of misfits.
A group of female wolves giggled and ogled at the sight of him, and when his eyes caught theirs they giggled even more, typical.
Father went on about how proud he was of them, and most especially how impressed he was when he heard that two wolves from our clan had been given the honor of alpha, it was the greatest honor yet, an alpha was the leader of a wolf pack, and the other wolves never questioned him, they only followed.
But that didn't surprise me, he went on about how these two alphas would eventually face each other in battle, and the one who emerged the winner would command the entire pack, while the other would have to leave the clan, his family, his home and never return, he said it couldn't be questioned, the rules were there long before his time, and they would remain long after, it was tradition.
He continued for a while, and then I saw a young wolf bring him something, i couldn't see what it was, he said they were necklaces, made from the bones of the first alpha wolves of our clan, and now like before, it was time to hand them to the new alphas, now this was where I got the surprise of a lifetime, it was time to wear them on the alphas.
He called Dorn, and the wolves howled and shouted, the girls giggled and clapped like their lives depended on it, but Dorn just stood there, proud as ever, I could see it now, why the other werewolves had always followed behind him, it wasn't because he was popular, he was their alpha.
My father wore him the necklace and the madness started all over again.
Now he wanted to call the second alpha, he spoke about passion and leadership, hard work and heart, and when he finally finished, he called his name, I heard it and I saw it, Goku walked right up to him and then he placed the necklace around his neck.
It all made sense now, why Goku and Dorn looked like mortal enemies before, it wasn't because of me like I had thought, it was personal, they were both alphas, they would always be at war with each other.