CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Skydiving, ice skating, mountain climbing and skiing, were the four amazing dates Ralph and Karen got involved in after their 'date' by the lake. As Ralph's heart got lighter, Karen's heart got heavier.
'Would Ralph notice I was gone? Would he miss me?' she constantly asked herself most times as she stared into space and a kiss or peck from Ralph would bring her back.
"What are you thinking about?" he did ask and her response was always the same, "the future".
"The future is bright for us my love. I know the future little one, you become my Luna and give me ten strong pups as we rule the whole of lycanthropes and werewolves for eternity", Ralph would say and Karen would laugh.
"It is time to get going Luna. You guys are just going to test out clothes and you are packing a lot of ginger bread cookies that could feed the whole Red Moon Pack!" exclaimed Taurus.
He had been sitting on the wooden seat in the kitchen and watched as Karen took various kinds of fruits before stocking up the ginger bread cookies box with loads and loads of it.
"I don't want to be held responsible when you and Dr Kate come back late today. If anything happens to me, my blood is definitely on your head" said Taurus.
"You are just being dramatic! Nothing of such would happen I promise you" said Karen.
"Everytime you promise, I get a punishment times two of what I got before. No can do, I pass on this promise this time around"
"Ralph punishes you?" asked Karen amidst disappointment and astonishment.
"Why do you think I am on errands most of the time?" asked Taurus.
"Damn Ralph! He did answer to this!" said Karen as she put her hands on her hips.
"Nope! Let's just pretend you didn't hear that. I wonder where I would be sent this time around" said Taurus.
"Alright! Let's get going!" said Karen and she hooked her arm with Taurus'.
Dexter drove them - Karen and Kate - to where they were to get their dresses. After only three trials, Kate was satisfied with a long peach gown. The gown was netted at the back and hung dangerously low on her waist. Even Karen and Taurus admitted that that was the gown when they saw it on her. As Karen and Kate both entered into the fitting room, Kate pulled off her selected gown and Karen saw the bite mark on Kate's neck and mistook it for something else.
"Kate, are you hurt?" asked Karen.
"No, why?" asked Kate.
"I saw a mark on your neck just right now. Let me see it.." said Karen but Kate held Karen's hand in mid air, "no I don't want to"
Karen assessed the lady before her with intense scrutiny from her eyes.
"You know you can talk to me Kate or better still Ralph" said Kate.
"Yes I know and I am fine"
"Then what is that mark on your neck?" persisted Karen.
Kate huffed at the insistence from Karen before parting her hair to her side and revealing the bite on her neck.
On seeing and recognizing the mark, Karen put a hand over her mouth to contain her excitement, "you have been mated?" she screeched.
"Please keep your voice down!" said Kate as she motioned with her hands for the excited Luna to calm down.
"Why? What happened? This is good news Kate"
"Yes it is but I want to make the announcement myself" said Kate..
"That's odd, weird and a little suspicious but can I know his name?" asked Karen as she wiggled her brows at Kate.
"Not yet!" said Kate with a shy smile.
"Hmmm…Alright, but I am really excited for you Kate but…you like him right?"
"Yes I do," replied Kate with a big smile.
"Now that looks more like it!"
"We have ten more minutes, please can we start going back to the mansion, it is very late already" called Taurus from the other side of the door.
Karen came out three minutes later in another dress. She liked the dress but the dress was a little big for her and needed slight adjustment and a seamstress was sent to the VIP session where Karen was to check on it for her.
As the seamstress saw Karen, she knew she had met her somewhere but she just could not recollect. She took the gown and helped Karen to fix it in thirty minutes since Karen said she needed it the next day. As she was about to hand the gown, she remembered where she had met Karen.
"Sorry to bother you Miss but aren't you Lady Karen of Grey Woods Pack?" said the seamstress to the hearing of Taurus and Dr Kate..
She felt her insides turn as she forced a smile on her face and answered in the most rehearsed way possible, "my name is Karen but I am not who you speak of!"
"Oh! I am so sorry ma'am"
"No! It's nothing" replied Karen.
It was at that moment she regretted telling Ralph her real name in the hospital. How had she even done that? The way Ralph was looking at her on that day must have had her befuddled and she had been unnecessarily truthful.
'Freak!'
Fifteen minutes later, Taurus was spotted carrying two designer bags that held their dinner gowns.
"What took you so long Kay?" asked Ralph as he engulfed Karen in a bear hug.
"It took us a while to find the right gown. What, did you miss me?"
"Sure did!"
"I got you something from the mall with your money," said Karen with a big smile.
"I see, with my money huh!"
"Yes!"
"What is it?" asked Ralph.
"It is a plushie"
"What's a plushie?"
Karen hit her palm on her forehead, "you really are old…" and Ralph arched an eyebrow at what she wanted to say.
"You really are advanced"
Bringing out the plushie from the bag, Karen showed Ralph the blue and white whale plushie she had gotten for him.
"Thanks" said Ralph as he collected it and pressed its body. "It's soft…just like you. Why would I need a plushie when I have you?" said Ralph as he threw the plushie on the bed and drew Karen close. "You are nasty!" said Karen as she playfully tried to prevent Ralph from kissing her.
Next day
Ralph had the most exquisite beauticians come to the mansion for Karen and Kate's hair and make up. The charity event was starting by 5pm and by eleven minutes to five, the ladies walked down the stairs as their dates earnestly waited.
The makeup that was done on Kate's face complimented the peach gown she wore. The peach gown accentuated her curves and gave her a very elegant yet delicate look. She wore a black five inch black stiletto heel that matched her shiny black slizzy purse. Her hair was parted in the middle and the curls looked curlier and properly oiled as they bounced with her every movement down the stairs.
Her date was in a white shirt, black suit, black trouser and a shiny corporate shoe. He released some buttons of his white shirt and the part of his chest that showed, hinted at his tattoo. His hair had this fresh-messy look about it as some fell over his face. He wore an almost inconspicuous tiny diamond earring on his left ear and his wrist modelled a Rolex wristwatch.
Karen had chosen a long black dress that had a long slit on her left leg and revealed her creamy legs. Because of the colour of her dress, her beautician had made sure she used a generous amount of eye liner and eye pencil around her eyes, giving her eyes this dark and seductive gaze. Her hair was packed in a messy bun and her silver earrings dangled from her ear. She chose to match the attire with a silver purse and a pair of silver stiletto heels.
Ralph looked at his smiling mate as she walked down. She was radiating and almost blinding and he remembered when he had seen her in the hospital some months ago - she looked so thin and malnourished but her present look was nothing compared to then. She was revealing a lot of skin and he knew that night would almost be an endless torture for him and he could only hope he didn't shove her on a table to get that piece of clothing off.
Ralph was on a black coat, a black shirt and a black trouser and on his foot, he had a pair of bad boy boots. He packed his hair the usual way - at the back of his head and he applied a good quantity of gel to keep it slick and firm. He went for a retouch of his tattoo yesterday and the tattoo on his hand was very visible.
He was looking like the kind of guy mother's advise their daughters to avoid but their daughters always end up with.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Stephan took Kate's hand and kissed it, before handing her a bunch of roses he had gotten…
"It's beautiful, thank you Stephan!" said Kate as she gently caressed the flower.
"Not as beautiful as you are Kate." whispered Stephan in Kate's ear.
"You are taunting me in that dress little one. You are pushing buttons that might yield results…" said Ralph and he mouthed the last word for her eyes only to read, "tonight!" and Karen blushed heavily.
"I got you this" said Ralph as he opened a box of diamond necklace with sapphire stones.
"Me?"
"Sí! It's yours amor" said Ralph as he removed the necklace and placed it around her neck. She looked down at it and she couldn't form words.
"Do you like it?" asked Ralph.
"I do…I really do, thanks!" said Karen as she touched the necklace.
"The masks Alpha!" said Dexter as he handed Ralph his and Karen's before handing Stephan his and Kate's.
Their masks were all black but with different designs and the only things the masks didn't cover was their eyes, a part of their nose and mouth.
"It is time Supreme Alpha!" announced Dexter and the quartet trotted out of the room in elegance and style.