Rosalind couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The thought of returning to her family's estate, with its rigid traditions and expectations, fills her with dread. She had never felt like she belonged there, not with her unconventional interests and unorthodox way of thinking.

Despite her reservations, Rosalind knew she had to go back for her cousin's wedding. It was an important family event, and her absence would be noticed and disapproved of. She could already hear the disapproving comments of her aunt and uncle echoing in her mind, criticizing her for not conforming to their standards of propriety.

She received the invitation to her cousin's wedding by mail, the envelope made of a fancy paper with a wax seal bearing the emblem of one of the three great households. As soon as she sees the seal, she can't help but feel a chill down her spine. These great houses hold immense power and wealth, and their expectations and traditions are notoriously rigid.

As Rosalind opened it she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the wedding invitation in her hand. "Layers of gold and vellum, how very practical," she thought sarcastically. "Because why use a simple piece of paper when you can spend a fortune on something that will likely end up in the trash anyway?" She couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed at the thought of all the money being spent on frivolous things. " I guess if you have enough money to throw away…"

As Rosalind read the name of her cousin's fiancé, her heart sank. She had never been a big fan of the Carreira family, with their ostentatious displays of wealth and their reputation for being ruthless in business.

She couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment towards her cousin for getting herself involved with such a family. Rosalind had always been more interested in academic pursuits than social climbing, and the idea of being related to the Carreira pack made her feel uneasy. She knew that the werewolf world was one that was ruled by strength and power, but the Lycan one was with utter sheer force.

As she set the wedding invitation aside, Rosalind couldn't help but wonder what her family would think of her reluctance to embrace their newfound connections. She knew that they had always been ambitious and eager to climb the social ladder, and she didn't want to disappoint them.

Rosalind sat on her bed, staring at the invitation that lay on her desk. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread that filled her at the thought of returning to her stuffy, old-money family.

She thought about how she could avoid attracting too much attention, and came up with a plan. She would wear a simple, understated dress that wouldn't draw too much attention, and keep to herself as much as possible. She could focus on her research project during any downtime at the wedding, and try to escape back to her university as soon as the wedding was over.

With her plan in place, Rosalind felt a little more at ease. She could survive the weekend and get back to her real passion - biology and genetics. She picked up her laptop and began to review her notes, trying to push the looming wedding from her mind. Yet, it didn't go far as she heard an all too familiar knock on the door before it opened.

Lila enters the room and greets Rosalind with a cheerful "Hey, Rosie!"

Lila's eyes widen as she spots the fancy invitation on Rosalind's bedside table. "Oh my god, what's this?" she exclaims, picking it up before Rosalind can protest. She scans the invitation quickly and a wide grin spreads across her face. "Rosalind, you lucky girl! Your cousin's getting married to a member of the Napa Valley Vintners! Do you know what that means?"

Rosalind groans, knowing exactly what that means. "It means I have to go to the wedding and pretend to care about wine," she mutters.

But Lila is undeterred. "No way, this is amazing! Think of all the connections you could make! And the research you could do on grape genetics!"

Rosalind chuckled at Lila's excitement and teased, "Are you going to go all grape-crazy on me now? Analyzing the DNA of every grape in the vineyard?"

Lila rolled her eyes and retorted, "Hey, grape genetics is a real thing! You never know when it might come in handy."

Rosalind laughed and replied, "I'll stick to my boring old animal genetics, thank you very much. At least I'm not obsessed with grapes."

Lila playfully shoved Rosalind and said, "You're just jealous because I get to work with something delicious."

Rosalind pretended to swoon dramatically and joked, "Oh Lila, you and your grapes. You're such a vine lady."

They both laughed.

"So what are you planning to wear?" Lila asked, but Rosalind made a face "something… plain"

Lila looked Rosalind up and down with a critical eye. "Rosie, you cannot go to your cousin's wedding in something plain. You need something that will make you shine!"

Rosalind frowned. "I don't want to attract attention. I just want to blend in and leave as soon as possible."

Lila rolled her eyes. "You're always so practical. But this is a wedding! You need to look your best."

Rosalind sighed. "Fine. But I don't know where to start. I'm not very good at fashion."

Lila grinned. "That's why you have me. Let's go shopping!"

Rosalind groaned inwardly, but knew she couldn't argue with Lila's enthusiasm. She got up from her bed and followed her friend out the door.

As they walked down the street, Lila chatted about the latest fashion trends and what would look good on Rosalind. Rosalind tried to tune her out, but found herself getting more interested as they passed by shop windows with stunning dresses and accessories.

Finally, they stepped into a boutique with an array of beautiful dresses. Rosalind looked around, feeling overwhelmed by the choices.

Lila grabbed a few dresses and thrust them into Rosalind's arms. "Try these on. Trust me, you'll look amazing."

Rosalind reluctantly made her way to the dressing room and tried on the first dress. As she stepped out, Lila gasped.

"Oh, Rosie, you look stunning!"

Rosalind blushed, feeling self-conscious in the fancy dress. But as she looked at herself in the mirror, she had to admit that Lila was right. The dress was beautiful and made her feel confident.

With Lila's help, Rosalind found the perfect outfit for the wedding. And as they left the boutique, Rosalind couldn't help but feel grateful for Lila's friendship and fashion expertise.

Rosalind thought about how lucky she was to have Lila as her friend. In a world where people were often superficial and fake, Lila was genuine and true. They had met in their freshman year of college, both enrolled in the biology program, and had quickly bonded over their shared love of genetics and research. Lila was the only person who truly understood Rosalind's passion and drive for her work, and had been there for her through all the highs and lows of their academic journey.

It wasn't just their mutual love of science that made them such close friends, though. Lila had a way of making Rosalind feel comfortable and accepted, even when she was at her most awkward or anxious. She never judged or criticized, and was always willing to listen and offer support. Rosalind had never been great at making friends, always feeling like she didn't quite fit in with the typical college crowd, but with Lila by her side, she felt like she belonged.

Rosalind was grateful for Lila's friendship every day, and couldn't imagine getting through college without her.

Lila found it odd that the wedding was coming up so quickly. "It's unusual to send out wedding invitations only a couple of weeks in advance," she remarked.

Rosalind nodded in agreement. "I know. I was surprised too. But I guess that's just how they do things in that family."

"I still think it's strange," Lila said, her brow furrowed in thought. "There must be a reason for it. Maybe they just couldn't wait to tie the knot."

Rosalind shrugged. "Maybe. But it's not like we can do anything about it. I just have to show up and hope for the best."

Lila nodded, but she still seemed skeptical. "I guess you're right. But I can't help but feel like there's more to this than meets the eye."

Rosalind knew that she couldn't reveal the secrets of her family and her tribe to anyone, not even to her best friend Lila. She felt a pang of sadness knowing that she couldn't share this part of her life with someone she trusted so deeply. But the rules of their tribe were clear: they must keep their identities and their way of life hidden from humans and outsiders. It was a secret that had been passed down for generations, and one that they took very seriously.

So instead of revealing the truth, Rosalind simply shrugged and said, "I don't know, maybe they just wanted to have a small wedding."

Lila looked at her skeptically, but didn't push the issue any further. She knew that Rosalind had her secrets, and that she wouldn't share them unless she was ready. So they continued talking about other things.

The day to leave came too quickly as previously Rosalind made sure to notify her professors and the Principal Investigator of her research in advance that she would be out of town for the long weekend. She had completed any necessary assignments and taken any quizzes ahead of time to make sure she wouldn't fall behind in her coursework.When the day arrived, Lila picked her up and drove her to the airport. As they walked to the gate, Rosalind felt a pang of nervousness in her stomach.

Lila sensed her friend's apprehension and squeezed her hand. "You're going to have a great time, Rosie," she said reassuringly. "Just remember, you're a brilliant woman and an amazing person. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise."

Rosalind smiled gratefully at her friend, feeling a surge of confidence.